Day 7 - Friday, September 14, 2001
We got out of the hotel at 8:30 and took the tour bus to downtown Florence. It is a pretty city. We got dropped off to shop so Gennie and I walked the narrow and little passageways and streets and we saw the greatest things.
Little coffee shops, ice cream, pizzerias, etc. The coolest was a 50 year old guy pedaling a bicycle with his 10 year old behind standing on pegs by the back wheel. As he was pedaling the bicycle he was speaking on a cell phone - I could not get my camera ready.
We then went to leather and gold shops. Florence is known for these two things - plus their art. We walked around some more, went to the shop where Pinocchio comes from and then got on our bus at 12:15.
We drove to Assisi, where St Francis of Assisi lived - great priest in the Catholic Church. On the drive down a policeman stopped the bus to check papers and we were stopped for 30 minutes.
By the time we got to this fortress city overlooking the valley, it was pouring rain - very hard. Both Gennie and I had left the umbrellas in our suitcases. What a mistake!
The Cropseys loaned Gennie a plastic raincoat and an umbrella for me. Everyone got soaked. We still saw the churches. Walked all through town - we were the only ones I think.
We then went back to Perugia and got to the hotel for dinner at 8:30. We got bumped from our original hotel we were supposed to stay at because the people could not fly to the US.
We were placed at the Tavere Hotel and they provided us a great dinner. Tonight as one of the appetizers they had gnocchi - it was the best I have ever had - superb!!!
Day 09 - Monday, March 10, 2025 – Day at Sea, Plan D
Our night was quite rough, so the Captain stayed relatively close to the safety of the shore making it possible to see lights of the shoreline cities during the night.
After breakfast,...