Planning: Italy Itinerary

Day 1 - Milan (WorldHotel Cristoforo Colombo) 

Day 2 - Varenna (Villa Cipressi Hotel) 

Day 3 & 4  Ortisei (AlpenHotel Rainell) 

Day 5 Venice 
We were planning to stay on the glass-blowing island (Murano) but given our short stay, we decided to stay just on a smaller canal in San Marco.

Here are the advertised views from the place where we are staying:

Day 6-7 Florence 
We are staying 2 days steps away from Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore). Here are the advertised views from the place where we are staying:

Day 8 San Gimignano 
Heading deeper into Tuscany on Day 8. Previously we planned to stay in Siena on this day.  But after Venice and Florence, thought we needed something more relaxed.  Will visit Siena before we arrive in Terni to start our trip.

Day 9 Terni
We drop off our rental car in Terni, sleep and then meet our guide the next day to start our pilgrimage.

Day 10-16 Walking from Terni to Assisi 

Day 17 Assisi (Hotel Alexander)

Day 18-20 Rome 

Staying steps away from Fontana di Trevi in a small apartment. We plan a day of visiting Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, etc) and then a day in Vatican City (St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums).

Day 21 - Flying home!

Just a night under the stars

Our first couple nights were sans electricity and sans heat, it dipped to the mid 30s! I brought some battery operated twinkle lights and I felt so connected to the writer in me that I wrote for pages, the sky and fresh air as my muse

Double take

This is a view into Yosemite Valley. Cloudrest and Half Dome pictured...but look closer

Sign of the times

Bring back Curry Village. There's history in the name, you dumb asses!

Light and Color

The transition from direct sunlight to indirect sunlight

This guy

He was wearing this exact same turtleneck shirt when I realized I was going to spend my life with him. Ok 'nuff gush. It pays to buy good quality clothing at REI!

Front row seating

Tonight we sat in chairs in the meadow and looked at the big screen as the light shifted on half dome. Right in front of us deer foraged for food. A man sitting a few yards away alerted us that he was going to put on music and play his harmonica. Started with a Glen Campbell song. Says he comes out here every year, sits in this meadow and plays his music. We sat there too, stared at the sky and listened to his music.

Oh deer take 2

Sitting in the meadow under half dome and look what snuck up behind me

Rock slide 2

The traffic is at a standstill. Too bad the view of half dome is behind them. The north rode is closed and so they are diverting everyone out the south. Say it will be 24 hours until the road reopens.

Oh deer

This was at panorama point in Grant Grove Sequoias

Half Done

'Nuff said

A hike to Nevada Falls

This isn't a picture at Nevada Falls, by the way. My goal was to get to the top of Vernal Falls because the last time I did it I was 30 years younger and and probably 40 pounds lighter. It was a tough ascent for me but I took my time and saved my energy. Nevada was my stretch goal and I got there! So happy my body was able to give me a chance to experience this again. 

We started our hike at 7am and encountered few people. At Vernal there were a few people but we had Nevada to ourselves. We descended via the Muir trail and walked there for a long time before crossing paths with another. When we joined back to the Mist Trail, the foot traffic had picked up significantly and we witnessed a variety of bad choices in footwear (white Keds sneakers?) and clothing (a Michael Kors purse?). Bus loads of people who looked as if they had a slight chance of getting to the first bridge, let alone get a view of Vernal Falls were upon us.  I'm so glad we hit the trail early.

Sent from my iPhone

An Upgrade

Originally in tent cabins in Curry Village, we found ourselves right in the center of a school camp. Hundreds of loud kids. Oh no, this isn't going to work. A long walk later we asked registration if we could move and we got upgraded to a cabin with ensuite bathroom. My tails a wagging.