Italy Continued

Next we were off to the Tuscan country side to dine in the very heart of Tuscany. So gorgeous and lush is that landscape, I just drank it all in from my little window seat on the bus, contentedly listening to my Tori Amos "To Venus and Back" while watching the sweeping hillsides and cypress trees roll past.. We were taken to a FEAST of the grandest proportions in Tuscany, they served us these delightful blue alcoholic drinks on the veranda that they made on the premises. They would not sell it though, much to our chagrin. The drinks were delicious and a perfect palette cleanser. They showed us to our dining room and brought in course after course of delicious farm fresh cuisine, and to top it all off they had an accordion player walking around and singing to all of us. It was a memorable night.

If my memory serves me correctly, we next were en route to Pisa. Pisa was a relatively quick stop...besides the actual leaning tower itself, the area was nothing like I pictured it. I never realized there were other buildings in and around the structure itself, like the Piazza del Duomo. And there was one long line of salesmen selling cart after cart of tourist-y trinkets and knick knacks leading up to the tower itself. The leaning tower looks exactly like the pictures have always shown, and it was very fun to be able to see it in person.

We arrived at Siena on a perfect day. I remember the sky was blue, blue, blue, and the town was high up on a hill. We saw a church that had some every creepy stone faces of past priests or Pope's or high holy men that went around the border inside the church. In the center of town was a giant sloping "race track" this was because twice a year they fill the entire square with dirt and have horse races called "The Palio di Siena" these races date back to medieval times.

The famous little town of Assisi was the next stop and it could be seen nestled humbly on a hill. On this day a great swirl of clouds painted the sky in the most artistic of ways, I felt that if I blocked out the cars and people around me and stared at the little village in the distance, I could actually imagine myself being whisked away to that very time that Saint Francis of Assisi lived.
Once we made our ascent into Assisi we had to trek a little higher to get to the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi. Assisi is (obviously) the birthplace and burial place of Saint Francis, whom started the Fransican order. The church was built in the 13th century and holds a very beautiful and ornate stained glass "rose window" that has been called "the eye of the most beautiful church in the world".

Finally, the last stop on our tour was Rome. The eternal city. I was excited to be back, though I knew I would, having thrown my coin into Trevi Fountain 8 years prior. That first night in Rome we were taken to a special dinner and show. There was a singer performing classic Italian standards and such. Apparently, he had taken a fancy to me and another girl on our tour. We were told that he "was in love with us" and before I knew it he was taking me from my seat and serenading me in front of a packed house. I was blushing and nervous, but tried to play along as best I could - in the end, people thought I was part of the act! It was certainly an entertaining moment.
That night we walked around Rome and headed to the Trevi Fountain. I remember the smell of roasting chestnuts that are sold by street vendors wafting though the streets- my Father loves those, and he made sure to get some. When we got to the fountain it was still crowded, even though it was later at night. We started taking pictures in front of the fountain when we were approached by two young men - they were very polite and very cordial and they took our picture for us, but they had a request as payment for doing so- they said that they wanted to come to America and visit ME! My Father laughed and they continued to try and "pick me up". Needless to say, they did not get the go ahead from my Dad (or me) to take me out.

The last couple days were over the Easter holiday. The next to last morning I woke up feeling like death. Stuffy, congested, groggy...miserable. But I forced myself to see the sites, I shuffled through the Roman Forums...sniffled through the Colosseum, took a picture with some Colosseum gladiators...and barely made it back to my hotel room by the afternoon. There was no way I could go on, and there was no relief for me. Since it was Easter Monday and all the stores were closed I could not procure any decongestant or fever reducer, cough drops, Tylenol- nothing. I was forced to spend my last afternoon in Rome sleeping, as my Father and Terry went to see the Vatican. Thank goodness I had been to see it years before. Thank goodness I had looked up at the Sistine Chapel with my own eyes and wandered the halls of the Vatican, stood solemnly staring at "La Pieta" and climbing higher and higher to the top of the dome at the Vatican to overlook all of Rome. If I had never done these things, I would have regretted staying in my hotel, I'm sure. But this was not the case, so my misery was spent with some kind of comfort beneath the covers with a pounding headache, sore throat and blocked ears.

The next day I was to take a plane back to America by myself, and my father and his girlfriend were going ahead to Sicily. That plane ride was the most torturous, awful eight hours I have ever endured. I am sure that my personal hell would be forever descending on a plane with a sinus infection...no end ever in sight. I was convinced my eyeballs were going to explode out of my head- the pressure was so intense. Every time I swallowed my ears popped painfully. My throat was on fire..it was the longest ride of my life. The half hour descension into Logan airport was as mentioned, my own personal hell. At some point I swallowed and went deaf in one ear. I didn't know how much more I could take until finally, we touched down. America. Boston. Get me off this wretched plane! I rushed through the terminal in a fog, waited in agony to get my luggage and meet up with my sister-in-law and her older brother, Vinny.  Vinny had recently broken his collar bone in a four wheeling accident and tried his best to keep up with me as I plowed full speed out of the place..though it was hard for him with a double arm cast on. (he is the most accident prone person I have ever known)
I didn't hear out of my left ear until hours later...when it burst in the most terrible, agonizing fashion, I thought for a moment my whole eardrum was blown out! I was diagnosed with a double ear infection, sinus infection, and sore throat, however it was a small price to pay for such an amazing trip.

There is still so much of the world I want to travel, so much I want to see, and I am extremely grateful for everything I have experienced so far. Yet...I always crave to return to Italy. And something tells me that I will be back again someday.