SUPER ITALY BLOG!

Hey, I am alive and feeling great!

This is a self photo. It did not come out as good as the next one. I am in Italy and we have a lot to cover. So.....

Get a drink turn off your cell phone because we have a lot of updating to do…

I am in Venice. It is beautiful it is nice. I am with the people. Of course I went to mass again. Just a quick blessing, was on the run. But I did sit in the St. Marco for a while it was beautiful.

However, this photo is of me on Rome. I would not drink the water in Venice very not so clean. However, the hotel as our tour guide says is WOW!

Hello people. Sorry I have not written in a while but IN turbo Tour it is busy, Also finding a good connection to the internet becomes can be difficult.

Here I am yesterday at San Frances’s It too was extra special. I don’t remember if I wrote anything on it but beautiful and very very peaceful. So here we go.

I had to look for money here and the first ATM did not like me or my card. The ATM by fountain did. So we see a happy Walter with about $200 Euros in his pocket.

I will tell you more about this city later. Just know. Not there long, and almost missed buss again.

But First a little back tracking. It seems that I have been all over the world, or at least in Europe, I mean Italy
I had a Dial up connection in Rome, so very hard to post, and in Venice I have High speed and it is free. So Today you get many photos and stories. ENJOY!

So here are some quick Highlights.

January 9th, 2007
As you know I was in Luzern Switzerland and after being on top of a mountain, after dinner I went ice skating across the Hotel. I put on my head phones and let it rock. It seems that I started jumping and spinning around while the crowed was cheering me on. I did not hear them though because I was in deep skate while listen to who else "Frank Sinatra's song I am going to live until I die" I played it about 15 times in a row. It was great. Tell Reid it was a total Mayor Moment. When I got off the ice the owner came out and thanked me for coming and let all the other skaters in our party skate for free. (Well, Walter Magic Free)

January 10th, 2007
What a busy busy day....
Left Luzern at about 12:30pm. After a small walking tour and some fun shopping that the High Gross Retail establishments of Switzerland. Please inform my father I was not able to open up a Swiss Bank Account. I tried open my father an account their but with the great banking skills of the Swiss, they heard of him there as well. Sorry Dad, it would have been a great gift.

What I saw on this day...

The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Take a close look at this photo. It is me. I am a top the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Short story. According to our tour guide Chris, The Tower has been closed for years, and they just re-opened it this summer, but because of the lines we won’t be able to go inside.

Well, I broke away from the group as we got there, and ran to the tower, and noticed people going in and no line. Where do I get tickets? I asked the woman collecting tickets. Well, this is the 2pm tour and the next is at 2:30 sorry. The problem with the 2:30 tour is that we are leaving the tower area at 2:25, can’t go. But wait! I said its 1:58 if I can get a ticket can I go. Sure she said, but I think it is too late.

Running with a purpose I arrive at the ticket office, which is about 300 yards away. My tour turns the corner and kind of look at me sort of funny like I am being chased by the Police or something.

I run inside the ticket office. “I need a ticket, please.” Yes, sir next tour is at 2:30. Ya, I know, but it is 1:59 and 30 seconds can I please get the 2:00pm. I am saying this completely out of breath. He pauses, looks at me, smiles and in an Italian Accent “Sure No Problem” I run out of there back to the tower, with ticket, the lady starts laughing and can’t believe I have the ticket, and then I run, yes RUN up the tower, because I only have about 15 mins of fun in here, and then I have to run to the gate. But let me tell you, making the effort does make a difference. A TOP THE LEANING TOWER OF PIZA! That little thing waving is me. Hi everybody I am a top the Tower!

Double Click on the tower photo and it gets big and you can see me better. It is cool.

This was a very busy day. After which we arrived in Florence. You know that young couple that just got married. Well, Bill is an academic, and Christie is a teacher of Art in Australia. On our way to Florence they were asking if we would be going to see the works of (Please excuse my spelling here) Botticelli, Dante sculptures , going to the Uffizi museum. “It is not scheduled because we have a big day tomorrow and have an appointment to see Michelangelo’s “David” at the Galleria dell Accedimia. Now understand seeing the David is why I am here, and I just climbed the Tower, but I could tell this was a task that these people were going to achieve. So, at 5:15pm we arrive in Florence. We get our keys, and Chris hands the small group of art enthusiast a map and the keys to our rooms first. Out of the hotel in 4 minutes, and we not only go to the Uffizi, but we squeeze in another museum where we saw sculpting of Dante. Way worth the effort. The piece that I enjoyed most was the La Calunnia by Botticelli at the Uffizi. It was fun to learn new things about art with this group. It was exciting to see the joy on their faces when we found the RISING OF VENUS IT WAS A REALLY COOL MOMENT. (It is a fresco not a painting)

This is Dante's sculpture of Mary Mandolin. After taking this photo I decided to get closer to show you here ivy eyes. Very striking. However the Alarm went off.


So here is what she is looking at instead.

Ok, still on the 10^th, After dinner we create a little larger group for more exploration. I am total wiped! Ok, lets go! I am walking and I here this beautiful opera music in the distance. Walk up to a local and ask “Where is that coming from?” He points behind him, like Opera music in the Streets of Florence is not a real big deal. So I walk and turn the corner. I expect to see a festival. NO, it is better. I see a young woman in her 20’s with a young man playing an accordion that is it. And the most beautiful music I have ever heard, I bought her cd, and then met another opera singer with her mother. She said wait I have made a request and “It is going to grab you!” You can make request?? Great! So before the next set began I requested something festival for dancing. She could see I was very excited and she laughed and agreed after “grab you song” She sang Elvis’s “Its Now or Never!” It Grabed me. Oh Yea it was HOTTTTT!

Then our singer pointed at me and said something in Italian, maybe a warning to the Florentines. But I was jamming Opera, and the people began to clap, I took the hand of the other singer, the one with her mother, and danced. She was surprised I could dance. Anyway, after that the next song began and it too was fun and I brought the different ladies in our tour group. Worth the effort “WE WERE DANCING IN THE STREETS.”

January 11^th, 2007

Woke up the next day a little foggy from “Dancing in the streets” but the knowledge that today was “David” I jumped up and ran down the stairs. I don’t use the lifts anymore, that is just so American. I am European now. I will live long with my new founded European life style. Walk a ton, Smoke a Ton, Eat Slow, and never ever use the lift, and by doing this you can smoke longer.

David was amazing but since I could not take a photo of it I will give Did you know Michelangelo was only 26 when he took the job, and that two other artist of the time refused started the project, but said the marble was basically junk. Ya, Right. I could picture it 26 strong and “Ya, I want it, give me the Ball baby and I will slam dunk on you!” What can you say, Look at it. It is Young! It is Strong! And it is Alive!

After which I we were on a guided tour with once of the local academics. We left the “David” and starting talking.

As you can see I do have a photo of the David, but it is not the original. Also note it is not a case of the original either. It is an actual scupture of the David done in the late 1800's However, this is the exact location "The David" Lived since September 8th, 1504 until the late 1800's Took seven days to move David into his new home the Galleria della Accademia.

He pointed out this dome the highest point in Florence. “You see, for 6 euros you can climb inside.” Oh yea, went into that church it has the largest painting in the world. It too is a fresco. Well, after I heard those words, my tour main tour guide Chris looked at me, kind of rolled his eyes “If there is time” he says. Well, 478 steps later, on the next 30 min break I made it up there too.

This is a self photo... in the dome

We Leave Florence, and Head for the Roma…..

I don’t know if Chris purposely put our hotel outside the main circle of Rome. No, I am kidding, He is really a great guy. Very Intelligent, Kind, and Does a Great Job with our group and ensures everyone has the opportunity to get the most out of there vacation.

We will have a special good bye blog for him later. Now on with Rome.

Rome January 11^th evening thru all day on the 12^th leaving the 13^th early in the morning.

Great we made it and we went to a Roman Dinner. Two local men come in and play our group music. The one guy who has a name, But that information is in my other luggage and that is under the coach. I fell it might be out of line to ask to pull over and get it. But for the point of the story well just have to continue without his proper name. Anyway, Great fun and plenty of sprits were flowing.

However, this photo is the guy who made me a CD called Walter Sings. That is the next night. The other guys sang better but not so good working the crowd

Interesting side note. I was outside the restaurant smoking. And a comment I made which was in context of the conversation “Incase I am ever Broke Again, blab , blab blab.” This is the point it is really neat. So this homeless guy comes over as I am smoking and starts talking, and I can’t understand him. So I hand him a coin. Then he ask for a cigarette. We then start to speak for a little while in English. I said good night and I started to walk away, he then said Walter, because I introduced myself he had a real hard name, but he then handed me the coin back and said for luck. Later that night we went to the “Fontana di Trevi” fountain. I then collected two other coins from other tour people and I handed all three to our tour guide. For you Chris we made a collection for you and he smiled and thank us. That was a pretty neat coin.

Now the Big Day of Rome. January 12^th, 2007

Remember when I said the sprits were flowing. Ya, I woke up! I felt like the floor of a New York Taxi Cab, and well I was going to see the Pope’s and his friends today, and we had an appointment to be their at 7:45 in the morning. See, once again the key is moderation.

I met our Roman Tour Guide before everyone else in our group arrived outside. You know that morning cough that I have when it sounds like I am going to barf and everyone around me feels like they are also going to barf. Well, this time the sound became a reality. I ran around the hotel and proceeded well you guess it. But, I did have good form, because I never once dropped my cigarette. I think he was impressed.

We arrive at the Vatican

Here are the Highlights. Really Nice!

I walk into the Museum and I am looking at the digital screen on the camera, and I look up and I see…..ya, Peter, the guy who sells the Vatican Hand Book. I almost knocked him over. But In quick reflexes I took his picture. Anyway, we hung around him for a while. Nice man, and I did buy is book.

The property and Church and feelings…

I will save that for when I get back and visit with all of you. But know.. It was beautiful and I am a very lucky person to have all of you in my life and I am ready to give back again. For My Cup Overflows With Joy. (See Short not really flowery but true, yes yes very true.)

You know as I type this I laugh out loud sometimes. Not the Crazy Chad Little laugh BAAAH! I am laughing again typing that. Anyway, they politely smile back. So the tour is over in the Vatican, we are given about 40 minutes to walk around just outside the Vatican. Note the Just outside part. I need to get back in. I have things to buy. I need to get Grandma a blessed Rosary. Yes it is mission impossible all over again. So, I would walk up and the Swiss Security Guards (I know they are swiss, because on our tour as we sit in the buss. Chris gives us these little tid bits that we can share with you. He knows our ability to remember dates my not be so good. So instead of having us going home to embarrass ourselves “Walter, Guard See He Swiss” I can remember that.

So I make it Mission completed I arrive at the Gift shop at the Vatican. I get all the good stuff and at over retail, but that is ok it’s the Vatican. The Nun or Sister who is helping me is about 70 years old and cute as a button. I asked for the blessed Rosary. Now I am assuming they have these in some kind of vault. She points at the common Rack “Yes Bless” Strong Accent! Then just like doubting Thomas I say “Are you Sure?” She gave me back a very loving look that you really are doubting my word, I am a NUN!. “Ok, Ok I say I will have 10 nooooo 12 I need 12 Rosaries please” she says “only need one to pray they no wear out.” I give her a the same loving look she gave me a second ago. We both then smile and laugh. So I need boxes for my new blesses rosaries. Now remember I am on this Turbo Tour Time Schedule and she then senses my panic. She then open the boxes I then put the Rosary in the box and closed it. We created a Rosary assembly line. It was fun. Then just like a nice lady she started to put them in small little bags. Well, I could tell this was going to take some time. So we started the bagging process. I bag and she taped. We had a real thing going. I give her the money and am about to leave. 5 minuets remaining and I am 7 minuets away. She then runs into the back room. Where I thought the “Real Blessed Rosaries” were located and she come back with a bottle of water. She hands me the bottle, a medallion and a travel prayer card. The Medallion is of Pope Benedict and the bottle reads “Acqua Beneoletta”. I was given a Bottle of Holy Water from the Vatican from the sister. She said for you! May God Bless you and travel safe.

What else can you say?? Thank you sister, I will and my God Bless you too. HIGHLIGHT OF TRIP>>>>

January 13th, 2007 Travel Day not much to report. Just silly talk on the bus.

January 14th 2007

I decided to sleep in today and miss the tour so that I could type this blog. I called the front desk, and I slipped a note underneath the door of the some fellow Travel mates to inform them to tell Chris that I will not be attending todays tour. I woke up at 6am. I went on.

I am glad I did. I went to Murano area of Venice today, and purchased my first family air loom. It is a canter with 6 glasses. It is really beautiful and going to be a neat tradition.

I also wrote the official toast for the set, and of course a glass set needs a hand made table cloth, an I will invite you over to hear it.


Notice Andy Warhol. He is a cool hippie kind of guy. Notice he is in my room. Cool Photo with different types of colors.

So I have also decided to try some fancy art type of photos. What do you think see just red on the contrast of Grey. Yea, I am a hippie too. Have a great day.

Well, I have to go now. I will give you more updates sooner than later. I hope you enjoyed. I have.

Walter

Wishing you all a wonderful day. God Bless