|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is our bus to take us to the airport in Houston. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the bus.... Ready to go... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jake & Julie... Andiamo!!! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the airport in London. Changing planes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the jet from Gatwick to Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The country fields of England. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The White Cliffs of Dover. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the boat going to Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Beaird ready to explore Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Henry enjoying the ride to Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Venice, Italy. From the water. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think the boat shrank.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Bell Tower in Venice. Much more impressive than the one in Las Vegas.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the famous Venician square in front of the church. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Venecian Glass factory. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A great shot of the bell tower in Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The clock and the bell ringer on the roof. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waiting for the clock to ring.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The entrance to the imperial palace of Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Imperial Palace of Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waiting for the next tour... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Composite of the palace and square. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Composite of the waterfront. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The "streets" of Venice. Gondolas and everything. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Going down the street in a gondola. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
....more gondolas and bridges. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buildings on the Grand Canal of Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Riata Bridge of Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Oh, Solo Mio....." he sings to us... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More buildings on the grand Canal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beautiful, if you ask me. Very peaceful. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last look of the Grand Canal... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.... and then the other way.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leaving the Grand Canal, heading down another side street. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What are they built on?????? Floats? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Almost finished with our Gondola ride... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another veiw of the bell tower. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The golden staircase in the Imperial Palace of Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The prison next to the palace... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A picuture from the window of the famous bridge that connected the palace and the prison. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Decending from the prison to the palace. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stairs from the prison that we just came back from. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The palace and the church from the courtyard. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The steps leading up to the Royal Palace. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The bells in the top of the bell tower in Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Panaramic views of Venice from the top of the bell tower |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the top of the bridge looking back at Venice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period costumes playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sculputures in front of the church in Bologna |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Church in Bologna. Very famous church. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Famous bridge in Florence. Oldest bridge in Italy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Famous doors to the baptistry in Florence. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lips sculpture in front of the Pitti Palace in Florence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gardens of the Pitti Palace |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the way to the top of the dome of the church in Florence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stairs between the dome and the roof of the dome of the church in Florence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're not tired at all... Only 467 steps to the top.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View from the top of the Dome in Florence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walking to the church of St. Francis of Assisi |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Olive trees on the way to the St. Francis Church |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gulianna, our tour director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The bus trip from Assisi to Rome. Lots of tunnels. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rome - Collisium - from the bus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rome - Fountain in front of the Panthion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fountain at the Piaza Nirvano |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View from the top of the Spanish Steps |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View from the gardens above the Spanish Steps. Great view of Rome |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gathering at the Spanish Steps before we meet for dinner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Descending to the subway below Rome |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Schuber Sisters.... Cathy, Nathalie, Cynthia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View from the bus on the road to our Rome hotel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the Vatican, before the tour began |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Vatican Courtyard, looking at the the "gallary" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sculpture in the courtyard... I don't know what it is supposed to be.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inside the Vatican Galary, on the way to the Chapel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The dome inside the Vatican Gallary. It is designed exactly like the Panthion, only smaller. Notice that this one is decorated with gold leaf. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One giant piece of marble. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inside the chapel. Michaelangelo's paintings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The pope enters the chapel through these doors. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The stairway descending from the chapel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of the doors entering St. Peters Cathedral |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ceiling of St. Peters. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michaelangelo sculpted this out of marble when he was 24 years old. This made him famous.... Mary holding the crucified Christ. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Peters square (Piaza de Santo Petre) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under the collesium floor were all of these chambers for animals, slaves, etc... Gladiators would come from below. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Descending to the Roman Forum. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ceaser's body was creamated here |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Julius Ceaser walked along this very road on these very stones. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upon this very balcony, Mussolini would give his speaches. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The river in Rome at night. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lovers will place thier name on a padlock, then lock it on fences, gates, etc in romantic places. Strange Italian custom. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aldo is personalizing our new Italian leather wallets. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My view from my table at our last meal in Rome. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another veiw from my table at our last meal in Rome |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My table and seat at my last meal in Rome. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The train ride at Heathrow in London |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heathrow the next morning as we were about to board the plane to Houston. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our 747 that we flew from London to Houston on. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In Texas, on the bus, entering Vanderbilt. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|