The Colosseum

This was our first sight of the Colosseum and we were really blown away!

Here is a good view from inside. The part in the middle where all of the action took place used to be covered with wood and a layer of sand. The part you can see now was hallways and corridors complete with trap doors so that wild animals could be suddenly brought into the arena from below.

A real gladiator helmet!

A little taste of Florence in pictures

The famous bridge in Florence, called the Ponte Vecchio, which is filled with little jewelry stores all the way along the bridge. It looked especially awesome during the sunset!









This is the cathedral in Florence that was really impressive from the outside.











Greg and I went to an overlook of the city called Piazza Michelangelo. It was a long walk but had a really good view of the cathedral and the bridge.

Just Left Florence

Florence was my favorite stop on our trip so far! It was a bigger city than Verona, so it was always busy and exciting. We were staying right in the city center near the famous cathedral. During our stay in Florence we got to see a lot of famous paintings and sculptures. My students would have loved the museums, because a lot of the artwork I saw had to do with Greek and Roman mythology. One of my favorite paintings was Caravaggio's depiction of Medusa. We did a LOT of walking everywhere and climbed 414 steps up to the top of Giotto's tower. That was a big challenge but the view from the top was amazing. I really didn't want to leave but we just arrived in Rome and I think this city will be just as exciting. I will hopefully have a chance to upload some more pictures and let you know how Rome is.

First Stop in Italy!

Switzerland was wonderful and we were sad to leave, but so far Italy has been really enjoyable. We took a train to Verona a couple of days ago. That was an adventure because the train was really late and not marked, so we felt like we were getting on the wrong train to who knows where. No one spoke English on the train either so that made it even worse. But we made it ok. (: Verona has been a really pretty place with a lot of impressive castles, churches and Roman ruins. It seems like every narrow street you walk down has something exciting to discover. And of course some gelato (Italian icecream) which we now have to have twice a day! We are leaving tomorrow for Florence. It won't be as peaceful of a place as Verona, but I'm sure we will love it!

Pictures from Switzerland

This is one of the beautiful views of the Alps we had during a hike.















Our balcony in Lauterbrunnen. It had a great view of the mountains and a waterfall!

Ahhhh!

Here is a little proof that I actually went hang gliding in Interlaken!

Hang Gliding!

I went hang gliding yesterday, and it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done! Before taking off I have to admit that I was very nervous. The instructor, Bernie, who went with me made sure that I did not have much time to worry. We got up to the take off point and all I had to do was run with him and hold on! As soon as we took off, I had an awesome view of the valley down below and a beautiful emerald lake. Once we had been in the air for a while, he asked me if I wanted to do some tricks. Of course I had to say yes (: We then started to do dives towards the landing field. We even did a dive right towards Greg so he got it on film! Bernie gave me pictures and a short video in flight for me to take home. As soon as I have better computer access I will upload some funny pictures of me up in the sky. I will post again soon. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

We Are Here!

Hey everyone! Greg and I have been in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland for 3 days now and are loving it here. We are right in the middle of the Alps with cascading waterfalls all around us. Yesterday, we went hiking through the Lauterbrunnen valley and took a cable car up to the top of the valley to the small village of Gimmelwald. I wish I could share some pictures with you but I will have to wait until we get to Lugano, Switzerland in a few days, where I will have more computer access. In just two days, I will be hang gliding in the Alps! I cannot wait to share that experience with you. That is all for now and I will update as soon as I can (:

Buon Giorno!

Hey everyone! We are just 5 days away from arriving in Switzerland. My goal is to keep this blog as a journal of our travels along the way. I hope you enjoy our adventures!

Before our trip, I thought you may be interested in where exactly we are going to be traveling. We start out in the small town of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland for a week. Then we move onto Lugano, Switzerland briefly before crossing over into Italy. We will get to spend about 3 weeks in Italy, starting in Verona, then Florence, and then Rome.

Next time I write, will probably be from an internet cafe in Switzerland. Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Take Care!