OK, so we're a little crazy. That's a given. If you're unsure about that now, read on; we'll confirm it.

Tonight Meghann went to dinner with a friend (a mother of three boys under the age of three), and she came home with a mini-stroller for little miss Mollie Anneliese.

After a quick assembly ... without need of the instruction manual, thank you very much ... a test drive beckoned. Let's see. What little baby do we have around the house who could test drive the new stroller?

That would be Baby #1, the original Critter: little miss Sundae Delaney, OSP. She even allowed a couple quick iPhone pup-arazzi pics which we proudly publish for your viewing pleasure. Sundae gives the stroller "Two Paws Up." What a good sport.  8)

Howdy, friends. Yesterday was a landmark day for my lovely bride and me: the day we got to see our expectant little bundle at Meghann's 20-week check-up. Doctors say both Mom and Baby are healthy and developing well. Great news for us first-time parents.

As a photographer, the world is a visual experience for me. Over the past week, Meghann started feeling movements and kicks, but the movements were still too faint for me to feel from the outside. Even with a creative imagination to see the unseen, there was still an element of "seeing is believing" relative to our baby, whom we affectionately call Critter. I knew she was pregnant, but I didn't have the physical connection yet.

As we entered the ultrasound room where medical technology would allow doctors to check on Critter's progress, we greatly anticipated seeing for ourselves and learning what team Critter would play for. Would Critter be a boy, the first in Meghann's family, or a girl? We had predictions, but not a preference one way or another.

After necessary examinations, measurements, and inspections, the ultrasound technician announced that everything looked fine and healthy. Then she said "I can tell you what your baby is, if you want to know."

Uh, yeah lady. That's partly ... OK, mostly, for me ... why we're here today, I thought to myself. After positioning the ultrasound image into place, I said "girlie parts, right?"

"Yep," she confirmed.

Then we saw the profile of our baby GIRL ... Mollie Anneliese. Just as we predicted. I knew I'd be destined to have a house full of women including my lovely bride, our furry girl Sundae, and now our baby girl Mollie.

Now with the Chordettes' tune to "Lollipop" bopping through my head, I present to you our first baby's first photo.

♫ Molliepop, Molliepop, oh Mollie Mollie Mollie, Molliepop ♫

Quick note to let you know I'm thankful for ... you.
 
My favorite part of being a photographer is getting to know great people (and great dogs too), and this has been a great year for Meghann, Sundae, and me.
 
We look forward to a great holiday season to bring in the new year. Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend. Eat well.

~gregory

Where does one begin to describe Venezia? This city is by far the most unique city we’ve ever visit, anywhere. The city is an island. There are no paved streets for motorized vehicles. The “streets” are waterways. There are practically no residential lawns. Streets and sidewalks regularly lead to steps descending into water. Traffic jams exist, but that traffic is typically pedestrian traffic due to high tourism. Few street signs exist … only the occasional arrow pointing toward key landmarks. Definitely unique.

In addition to its uniqueness, Venice follows suit with other Italian cities with its collection of landmark historic cathedrals, home to saints of ages past and pilgrims of ages present and home to a treasure trove of the world’s finest art across the centuries. Capstone of Venice’s cathredals is Basilica San Marco, “a monument made unique by both its wealth of history and the magnificence of its façade and interior.”

Touring the Basilica is a “no foto” endeavor, so there are no interior shots to share here. Its distinguishing Byzantine character appears particularly on the great mosaics illustrating St. Mark’s tales, as well as the scenes of the Old and New Testament.

With one full day to visit Venice as our final destination on our personal Giro d’Italia (tour of Italy), we ventured into the maze of walkways after visiting Basilica San Marco. Many times, the walkways narrow to arm’s width, adding to the likelihood that visitors regularly get lost.

Getting lost in Venezia is a wonderful way to see the city. We got lost regularly, but that was part of the city’s charm for us. Each corner we turned brought new adventures and discoveries that we may have overlooked by simply sticking to the major tourist sites.

One of our favorite surprises comes from a local musician quite skilled in playing an array of drinking glasses tuned with various levels of water. How I wish this photograph had an audio component because this music was truly gorgeous. Beyond words. The idea at first seemed kitschy, but his masterful skill and classical approach to a beautiful song stopped us in our tracks.

Completely taking in the Venetian experience simply must include a gondola ride through the small canals twisting through the city. For 30–60 minutes, gondoliers are your personal tour guide telling stories about palace after palace that line the waterways, and, in the case of our gondolier, they can enhance your gondola experience with musical interludes through his thick Italian accent.

While on our gondola ride, we passed previous homes of Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, reputed as the world’s most famous womanizer, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (pictured below), composer of the world-renowned Four Seasons from the Baroque era, and a host of other historically important buildings.

Just before our gondola ride ended, we floated beneath a fashion photo shoot in progress above us on one of the city’s 400+ bridges. The gondolier didn’t recognize the model as a public figure or musician, so it’s likely that the photo shoot was for a suit designer or sunglass company. With my own camera in hand, and with an easily distracted model who began working this second camera, I was able to fire off 6–8 frames as we floated by, and two are shown here:

Late in the afternoon, we paused at a little café … yeah, shocker … for cioccolata calda (hot chocolate) and a pastry. Italian hot chocolate is quite unlike American hot chocolate which is typically made by opening a package of mystery powder and pouring hot water into it. Italian hot chocolate is thick. It’s quite literally melted chocolate made on an espresso machine. Drink it too slowly or without stirring regularly, and the cup of hot chocolate will become more like chocolate pudding. Truly, a chocolate lovers dream.

After one long day of siteseeing and walking nearly eight miles through this unique city, we have only scratched the surface of all that Venice has to offer. Guide books recommended spending at least three hours to properly visit Basilica San Marco; we buzzed through in nearly 30 minutes. Several more museums and historical sites outline Piazza San Marco, and we didn’t have the opportunity to even step inside. Our trekking through the city made is fall in love with Venezia. While other cities top our Favorite Italian Cities list because they are “more Italian” than Venice, Venice definitely sits atop the Most Unique Cities list. We deeply enjoyed our Venetian excursion, and it made a great conclusion to our Tour of Italy over the past ten days. Tomorrow, we take a train across northern Italy to Milan where we simply stay overnight and catch an early flight the following morning.

Looking forward to resettling at home and getting back into our normal everyday life flow. Our trip to Italy was a much-needed vacation as a time to get away together to celebrate our 10th anniversary and visit a much-loved country for the first time. Italy is a spectacular place. We’re honored to have this experience, and we highly recommend Italy as a vacation destination for all of our family and friends.

Thanks for reading these trip updates. We hope you’ve been able to experience Italy in some small way, even if only vicariously.

Ciao.  ~gregory & meghann

Our ninth day in Italy is a travel day from Verona to Padova, a stopover city between Verona and Venice, as we make our way toward Venice. The first half of our day was spent walking about Verona (described in the Verona blog entry). Padova is a quaint city in which we didn't spend a lot of time visiting due to traveling fatigue and rest for a long day visiting Venice. With that in mind, today's trip update is a brief one with no specific photos to share. Maybe on a return trip to Italy, we'll be able to visit Padova a bit more. Until then, we head to be for some much-needed rest.

Buona notte.  ~gregory & meghann

Verona could be our new home.

Our trip schedule allows only 24 hours in this enchanting city with “timeless monuments, a picturesque town center, and a romantic reputation as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.”  (1)

A two-hour train ride from Florence aboard the high-speed Eurostar, our short visit to Verona begins with the blessing of a hotel situated in the heart of Verona’s historic district, a first for our time in Italy. Just outside our Hotel Bologna sits L’Arena Opera, one of Italy’s grandest and oldest arenas rivaled by The Coliseum in Rome in size. Built in A.D. 30, its exterior looks as one would expect an “ancient ruin” to look, but its interior is completely modern in amenities and lighting equipment as this arena is still used for a full season of opera performances.



Outside the arena is a grand piazza lined with restaurants and shops with a large, open area closed to motorized traffic where families and friends of both tourists and locals alike gather to enjoy the sights and sounds of Verona life. Continuing our restful and leisurely “Italian speed” pace that we recently mastered, we warmed a park bench across from L’Arena for an hour or so and watched the people go by, especially the young boy experiencing one of his first tastes of freedom on his bike adorned with training wheels. Each time he rode by, you could feel his enthusiasm and joy of propelling himself through the piazza with no strings attached.



Energized by the park bench rest, we strolled out of the tourist area into a nearby residential neighborhood to cap our evening.

After a good night’s sleep, we awaken to another 4–5 hours to visit Verona before our train departs for the next stop. Time for another “Italian speed” stroll along the city’s riverwalk, away from the hustle of tourist activity.

Il Duomo di Verona, unlike those in other cities, sits in a quiet section of town. Built in the 12th century, on top of a pre-existing medieval church, Verona’s Duomo (cathedral) has a Romanesque façade and gothic elements.

Directly across the street, we found a quiet café with a courtyard enclosed by a high stone wall, further isolating itself into a relaxing culinary destination. Avid coffee drinkers that we are, we were easily lured in, creating another opportunity to make what has become on of our favorite kinds of travel images:

La Casa de Giulietta (House of Juliet) is one of the city’s most popular tourist spots which wasn’t high on our to-see list, but then we happened upon it whilst walking so we popped in for a few minutes during a lull in tourist traffic. Here’s quick shot of the famed “wherefore art thou, Romeo” balcony.

What we found more interesting than visiting the balcony itself is the arched passageway leading to the balcony courtyard. This passageway contains literally thousands of couples’ names written on the walls and plastered with Post-It notes in true lover’s fashion.

Describing Verona in these brief updates with a handful of photographs does little justice to the city’s unique charm. There’s just something about this town that is different from other Italian cities on our trip. Verona feels most like home. Not so much in a way that it reminds us most of our hometown in the U.S., but it just feels like home. We feel like we belong here more so than our previous destinations. Siena would be a close tie. On this note, we’ll conclude this travelogue with a couple more views of fair Verona.

Next, we’re off to Padova, a small, stopover stay just outside Venice.

Ciao for now.  ~gregory & meghann

 

(1) Fodor's Essential Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice & the Top Spots in Between

While planning our trip, several people expressed their love of Florence, and this great city does not disappoint. An art lover’s mecca, home to a who’s who or Renaissance art, one could remain in Florence for quite some time and still not cover all the city has to offer. We had a mere 24 hours here, and over a third of those hours were used for sleep and rest because we are slow to learn the idea of slowing down while on vacation.

Even so, here’s a short recap of our visit to Firenze, as the locals call Florence (The City of the Lily), home to Michaelangelo’s legendary sculpture of David. Cameras are not allowed inside the museum where David now resides, so we have only the memory of seeing it. Well, Meghann has the memory of seeing it; Gregory was at hotel, sick in bed. Caught some sort of bug here.

One of our new Australian friends mentioned at yesterday’s delectable lunch that a key scene from Hannibal was filmed in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Since we’re huge fans of the Hannibal Lecter movies as well as Sir Anthony Hopkins himself, whom we regard as one of the finest actors in the whole of cinematic history, we found Piazza della Signoria and grabbed lunch at an outdoor ristorante. The piazza, incidently, is the original home of the original David sculpture, and now a copy stands in the original’s place.



Florence is also home to Il Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), a rather large cathedral in the city’s historic district. Commissioned in 1296 to be the “loftiest, most sumptuous edifice human invention could devise”, the immense Duomo was not completed until 1436.  What a grand architectural wonder this is. So grand, it doesn’t fit inside the frame of my widest angled lens, so we give you a few photographs in an attempt to fit it all in.

After an overdue nap, we recommenced our Florence walking tour by strolling along the River Arno toward Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), built in 1345 to replace an earlier bridge that was swept away by a flood. Originally, the shops atop Ponte Vecchio housed butchers, grocers, blacksmiths, and other “common” merchants. In 1593, Ferdinand I threw out the common merchants and installed 41 goldsmiths and eight jewelers. The bridge has been devoted solely to these trades ever since. (1)

With city streets being so narrow and congested, walking along the river offered opportunities to see wider views as well as the calming nature of water. This riverwalk is popular among the locals too as evidenced by the number of runners and cyclists utilizing the special lane set aside for relief from motorized vehicles.

Our stay in Florence was too short, and it was made even shorter by our need for rest and sleep. We’re starting to learn the difference between “American speed” and “Italian speed” relative to pedestrian traffic. In the morning of our departure from Florence to Verona, Meghann took another stroll along River Arno and captured this lovely image. Arrivaderci Firenze.



Cheers.  ~gregory & meghann

 

(1) Fodor’s Essential Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice & the Top Spots in Between

A trip to Italy is incomplete without a daytrip into wine country. One could argue that the whole of Italy is wine country, and to that we would whole-heartedly agree. A trip into wine country means a trip deep into wine country, where the grapes are grown and the wine is aged to perfection. A short drive north of Siena, on a winding two-lane mountain road, we experienced a little piece of heaven on earth: Castello di Verrazzano, makers of what has become one of our all-time favorite wines. Even their white wine is good (you lovers of red wine will understand that).  8)

Two kilometers up a one-lane gravel road off SR222 in Greti, Italy and twisting its way through vineyard after vineyard, past rows and rows of grapevines, we reach our destination for what would not only be a wine tour but a lesson in life, love and friendship.

First, we meet Gino, our tour guide, who reminded us of a sedate, Italian version of Robin Williams, with thick accent and an even thicker passion for wine.

Gino introduced us to Pierro, the castle gardener who, for over 40 years, was the head winemaker at Castello di Verrazzano. “Now he can-a make-a vee-no!” Gino exclaimed. Upon retirement, Pierro’s love for the vineyard’s hills and life runs so strongly that he is quite content keeping the gardens trimmed, colorful, alive, and well.

Gino guides us through the history of Castello di Verrazzano, which dates back several centuries into the Estruscan era. He guides us through the history of Chianti and discusses Sangiovese, the main grape used in making Chianti. Then he guides us through the cellars where grapes are dried, stored, and cured to perfection over a 3–5 year period before bottling and shipping.

After cellar tour, Gino directed us to the dining room for our opportunity to taste six of their exceptional products. Castello di Verrazzano also produces extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar so we knew a treat awaited us at the table. Italians eat formal meals in many courses, and this special lunch was a five course extravaganza starting with Verrazzano Rosso, the vineyard’s everyday wine, fresh bread with their own extra virgin olive oil, and four cuts of cured meats and salami.

Second course included Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico with pasta pomodoro.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the third course included Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Reservo, the vineyard’s “special occasion” wine with tenderloin of pork accompanied by fava beans. Fans of the movie Silence of the Lambs will appreciate the subtext here. If it doesn’t hit you, rent the movie.

At this point, let me also note that this “wine tasting” lunch, which typically means a sip or two of each wine, resulted in several empty bottles at our table as we were poured a proper glass instead of a mere sip. An empty bottle is a happy bottle.

Fourth course included a chunk of fresh Parmesan cheese paired with a teaspoon of Castello di Verrazzano Balsamic Vinegar. When mixed together in your mouth, to call this an explosion of flavor is quite an understatement. We’ll try this at home when we return, but I fear it will be a mere shadow of this experience given the fact that a 100ml bottle of their balsamic vinegar (about one inch around and five inches high) sells for €45, roughly $65. Quite simply, the single best balsamic vinegar we’ve had … ever.

Fifth course included a lemon sponge cake with Castello di Verrazzano Vino Santo (“holy wine”), the vineyard’s white dessert wine that, of course, was fabulous. We don’t even like sweet wine, but this is one well-deserved exception. The photo below shows the drying process of grapes that will become the next vintage of Castello di Verrazzano Vino Santo.

At lunch, we met a family from Sydney, Australia who became fast friends over the succulent food and exceptional wine. “That’s the thing with wine,” Gino says. “The grapes were here before we were. The earth and soil was here before the grapes. In centuries past, wine was more pure than drinking water, and winemakers crafted a gentle product deeply tied to the earth to bring people together for friendship.”  Our table was last to leave, a full 90 minutes after others had departed.

Mid-October in Central Italy’s winemaking region of Tuscany where Sangiovese grapes are crafted in Chianti wine brings a colorful change of seasons. A time when grape leaves turn a bright yellow as the earth prepares for winter slumber before starting the growing process all over again.

At tour’s end as Gino expressed his passion for life and wine … a passion that expresses itself in a retired winemaker turned gardener, a passion about the simplicity of wine which “was first made by primitive man” many centuries ago … we exited a door bearing this simple handle, and its subtle significance appropriately concluded the festivities.

So, when in the right time to drink wine? In the great words of Gino, “Een a few mee-neets.”

Cheers.  ~gregory & meghann

We originally scheduled a daytrip from Siena to Assisi so we could visit the sites of St Francis, patron saint of Italy and lover of all creatures, both two- and four-legged. Basilica de San Francesco, the famous 13th century church built in his honor, was decorated by the great artists of the period. After our first day in Siena, however, we decided to stay in Siena to take in more of the medieval streets and city’s rhythm.

On this Sunday morning, sounds of church bells and singing voices in ancient basilici filled the air. After walking through town for a while, we discovered that the chic shops (think Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or Michigan Avenue in Chicago built into the medieval stone structures) were openings as the morning progressed. Today, instead of racing down the road for another excursion day of our vacation, we opted to slow down a bit and enjoy the rhythm and pace of Sienese life.

This, of course, included more pizza, more wine, more gelato, more espresso, and more walking through among these ancient walls. Remembering a wine recommendation (Brunello di Montalcino … brunello is a grape varietal; Montalcino is another hilltop village and a wine region of the same name) from a local resident, we found Montalcino on a map and realized it is only 20 kilometers from Siena. In roadtrip fashion, we hopped in the car and headed to Montalcino to check out the local wine so highly recommended.

The Etruscans were making wine in Montalcino before the days of ancient Rome. The velvet black berries and structured tannins create the sophisticated Brunello di Montalcino. The strain of Sangiovese grape used to make it was developed in 1870 by a winemaker in need of vies that could cope with windy weather.

Upon arrival at this hilltop community, we enjoyed panoramic views to the vineyard-lined valley below just before sundown.



Then we found ourselves wandering the narrow streets so indicative of Tuscan villages.

At the highest point in town stands, Fortezza di Montalcino, the town’s fortress. Inside the fortress courtyard, we found an enoteca (wine restaurant) and indulged in the tastiest lasagne we’ve ever experienced as well as two varietals of Brunello di Montalcino paired with three aged cheeses.

Culinary heaven, I tell you. Culinary heaven. Tomorrow we drive through Chianti to tour a premier vineyard and winery at Castello di Verrazzano, likely a culinary heaven in its own right.

Cheers.  ~gregory & meghann

Saying goodbye to Rome was a sorrowful experience at first. When we turned our attention to navigating the Trenitalia system (Italian train system: think Amtrak), we discovered that the little Italian language we knew, revolving mostly around cordial greetings and culinary delights, did little for helping us reading departure and gate information. With some spontaneous translation and help from a few fellow travelers, we found our way to platform 22 for the crowded two-hour train ride to Siena.

Stop after stop through town after town, we enjoyed watching the Italian countryside as we rolled down the track. We’ve talked regularly about taking an Amtrak trip across the States, and our Trenitalia journey may convince us to see our own countryside from this unique perspective that even our vast interstate system can’t provide. We’ll have to make that happen sooner rather than later.

Upon our arrival in Siena, an ancient town in the Tuscany region, we grabbed a taxi to the rental car stand a few miles away from the Stazione (station). Why the rental car counter isn’t IN the station is a mystery, but I digress. Time to experience a few firsts while driving: (1) operating stick shift car for the first time in over ten years, (2) operating a car by a manufacturer I’ve never ever heard of, and (3) driving a motor vehicle for the first time in a foreign country. Add to the that list the fact that this foreign country has a completely different language than ours, and navigating the narrow roads with signs in Italian while driving a stick shift car … all for the first time … was a formidable yet surmountable challenge. Luckily we can read a map and visually match the foreign words with a foreign road sign.

Visiting Siena is far more than we anticipated. Founded by the Etruscans in the late Middle Ages, modern day Siena is practically unchanged (visually) since medieval times. The city stretches over slopes of three steep hills. The historic town center sits atop one of these hills, enclosed behind a large stone wall as if it were a fortress in ages past. Inside one of the seven gates lies an ancient city with narrow stone streets … more like one-lane alleys with 4-5 story stone buildings on each side … that surely inspired realistic movie sets with knights in shining armor galloping through the streets on decorated horses. Words are inadequate to describe this ancient city without writing a novel, so we’ll let a few photos do the talking, then we’ll continue briefly:

Nightfall on Piazza del Campo (town square) literally glows from city lights and rings with friendly merriment of families, couples, the elderly, and children of all ages. As a tourist attraction, one can hear many languages while walking about the piazza. Once again, the glowing piazza is beyond description, so luckily, Gregory is a huge fan of letting photography do the talking.

In the top photo, the Gothic Palazzo Publicco, focal point of Piazza del Campo, has served as Siena’s town hall since the early 1300s. Yes, the 1300s, over seven centuries. It now houses the Museo Civico (civic museum) with walls covered in early Renaissance frescoes. These two photographs show only ~30% of the entire piazza. Experiencing in person is a must.

A visit to Tuscany is incomplete with discussing its food and drink, and Siena warrants high marks in that regard. So, as requested by a friend back home, we bring you photos of the food. It’s even more delicious in person, but feast your eyes:

La dolce vida! Ciao for now. Cheers.  ~gregory & meghann

After visiting Musei Vaticani yesterday, we entered Piazza San Pietro with hopes of visiting Basilica di San Pietro the same day. To our surprise, earlier that day the Pope held a special mass in piazza, and the crowd was ginormous. The line to enter basilica wrapped entirely around piazza, so we shuffled our scheduled and moved our basilica visit to today.

Waking dark and early to beat the crowd, we arrived at Piazza San Pietro in beautiful morning light and waited a mere ten minutes with other early risers.



Up the steps to the main portico was quite awe inspiring on its own. Then we entered the main hall of Basilica di San Pietro, and our jaws hit the floor. The scale of this architectural marvel is beyond description. Truly a see-it-to-believe-it exercise. A typical stateside cathedral could fit inside the space ten times or so.

We covered the basilica’s entire public space from top to bottom, literally. Luckily, our active lifestyles helped us climbed 300+ meandering steps and up spiral staircases to view Rome’s “skyline” from atop the Cupola (dome).

Then, we descended to The Grotte Vaticane (Tombs of the Popes) beneath the Basilica floor where monuments and headstones memorialize popes throughout the centuries, including Giovanni Paolo II (Pope John Paul II) who passed in 2005. Much of the Grotte was off limits to photographs in order to keep crowds moving through, so I was only able to make images at the start (Madonna icon) and the end (arched crypt).

After a full morning of touring all things San Pietro, we wandered into a residential neighborhood for some authentic Italian daily life, which, of course, included great food and drink. Trastevere could one day become our home if we had our way. Away from the tourist parts of the city, this neighborhood of narrow, winding cobblestone streets, restaurants, and residences felt authentic Italian cosmopolitan. We lunched at another roadside café, complete with the occasional car driving by our table. Definitely odd, definitely common, and definitely not a big deal in this city.

Capping off our afternoon, it was time for cappuccini. We found yet another quaint sidewalk caffé in a different part of town lined with retail shops, relative to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue but with a distinctive Italian flare.

In Europe, dogs are allowed pretty much everywhere, even in restaurants and cafes, and this makes the dog lovers in us quite happy, especially when we miss our own furry girl.



After dinner at Al 34 Di Mario De' Fiori, including the most wonderful white cream sauce over pine nut filled ravioli … (pause inserted here to wipe away the drool) … we completed our Roman Holiday with a gelato and espresso at Fontana di Trevi, the circa 1720 fountain known as the world’s most spectacular wishing well. Trevi Fountain was featured in the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain as well as Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.



In the morning, we board a train for Tuscany. Arrivaderci Roma. ~gregory & meghann

Needless to say, we slept like marble overnight. While only in Rome for two more days, we, in our we-don't-rest-on-vacation-we-go fashion, we hit the streets early after a delightful Italian breakfast. And, for the record, anything described as Italian (fill-in-the-blank) is delightful.  8)

Today we tackled the Musei Vaticani (or, Vatican Museums) housing over 90,000 works of art through the ages: sculpture, pottery, tapestries, frescos, paintings, relics, sarcophogi, mosaics, floors, ceilings, walls, and doors. Pretty much everything in this complex is a work of art.

With that said, I bring you several selected photographs from our daily excursion (in chronological order):

Sculpture above doorway to the Vatican Museum.

 

Mummy of woman from a lllooooonnnggggg time ago.

 

I've always loved rotunda of domes. Started photographing them at Illinois State Capitol as a teenager, and this one at the Vatican Museum took me back a few years.

 

One of many beautiful marble statues lining a long corridor. Most were of male figures and personalities. Her features and strength distinguished her from the masses.

 

Huge huge huge huge huge.

 

When in Rome ...

 

Rafaelo's work throughout the entire room. Think basketball court size of a room, folks. Impressive indeed.

 

Bootleg capture of Sistine Chapel. Part of Michelangelo's magnum opus. The top/center frame is God creating Adam, which lies in the center of this vast and grand room. I've seen it with my own eyes finally. Chill bumps galore.

 

Another from the "I see things" department. The swirling lines and motion stopped me in my tracks. Thanks to my lovely bride for enduring my photo excursions, even on our vacations.

 

Five of the myriad columns surrounding Piazza di San Pietro (St. Peter's Square). I also made an image with the tourist cropped out, but I wanted to include her in this one to show the scale of this grand structure. Seeing is understanding.

 

As with most Roman architectural wonders, "one of many" describes this gorgeous bridge.

 

Continuing the "one of many" items, these al fresco ristoranti (restaurants with outdoor seating) are everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. The funny thing is: so are cars and vehicles. Notice the tire markings on the cobblestones in the lower left corner. Yep, at any given moment, whilst dining on your pasta, a car could whiz by your back at a mere four feet away. Despite the traffic and congested streets, we saw ZERO accidents to vehicles or pedestrians. Saw a lady almost tip over her scooter in a corner turn though, but she kept the greasy side down, making full use of the sole of her flat pumps.

Ciao for now. ~gregory & meghann

 

Sixteen hours after leaving Nashville, we arrive in Rome (via Detroit and Amsterdam) at 8am in the morning. From the airport, an incredible driver carried us to our hotel. That sounded considerably less formidable than it actually was. Rome is pretty much a grand prix race track all over the place. Rome makes Manhattan traffic look like a village in Kansas. Buses, cars, trucks, scooters all battling for position on the cobblestone streets, with painted lines as mere suggestions. Our driver was amazing. I'd love to be able to drive with that level of skill.

In an effort to acclimate to the new time zone (seven hours ahead of Nashburg), we decided to stay awake that day and sleep when the Romans sleep. This meant we would be awake for nearly 36 hours, not counting the few hours we napped on our flight.

So we hit the streets and found ourselves at The Coliseum with nearby Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. The architectural ruins are wonders still. As the nerdy photographer/traveler that I am (can't help it), I made over 150 images in the first 3-4 hours of visiting this ancient city. A few pics of The Coliseum are posted below.

These trip updates will be a combination of tourist shots and "wow this is a beautiful country" shots with a mixture of images from the "I just see things" department. 8)

Meghann and her gladiator hero

 

Standing. Still.

 

Coliseum collonade.

 

From the "I see things" department: walkways inside The Coliseum.

Check back later for a Day 2 update. Sifting through images is quite the task, and my laptop battery is about to die ...

Ciao.  ~gregory & meghann

 

This is a must-share. Dog lovers everywhere will fully understand. Dogs rule. Period. Had a great photo shoot with Douglas Bader Adair, the English Setter this week. Images from that shoot will be posted soon. Also, mark your calendars for August 9 at Edgehill Village in Nashville where Lucky Pup Boutique & Bath hosts Puptopia. Stay tuned for more info on this doggy event. And now, here's a sleepy salute to our barking buddies:

Happy 232nd birthday, America. Here's a favorite shot from Nashville, TN's downtown fireworks extravaganza.