The birth of the modern world

Florence is THE Renaissance city - the place where it all began.  With an enormous amount of money and power, the merchant families of this city state dragged Europe out of the superstitious, primitive Middle Ages and into a new era that set the stage for the modern Western world.  These families, most notably the Medicis, poured their excess wealth into art, science, technology, universities and not only created a beautiful and progressive city, but a new Europe.  Ask the kids, I get pretty intense when standing in front of the Florence Duomo (cathedral), topped by Brunelleschi's miraculous dome and talking about the Renaissance.  With carefully planned reservations, we got in past the huge lineup to see Michelangelo's David, the greatest sculpture in the world to many, and then had a walking tour of Florence.  Some of the kids and parents opted to climb Giotto's Campanile (the bell tower of the cathedral) for commanding views of Florence and the Tuscan countryside, and others spent extra time bartering in the leather stalls of the Mercata (market).  We had amazing organic gelato from Grom near the duomo, and later great pizza from our host Alessandro at La Bussola for dinner.  Days don't get much better than this.  It was so nice, in fact, that I put my 20 pound camera in my room at the hotel after the morning, so I don't have too many pictures.

Brendan attempts to make some money as a living statue

Breanna - extra happy in the sun.

Neptune looks on as we pose in Piazza della Signoria

Eat your gelato Josh, c'mon, be a good boy

Paige, looking forward to the fresh organic ingredients in her Grom gelato

The view from our hotel - duomo in the (short) distance

Breanna and Jocelyn "Bollywood" Badhesa share a laugh in the mercato

The communist party of Florence having a little rally

In the mercato

My vegetarian pizza at La Bussola - LOADED!

San Francisco?

A new stop for the Europe trip.  Nice airport - good place to spend 7 hours or so....  The second of three separate groups will be departing to Vancouver in just a few minutes.  We got on the bus in Italy to head to the airport in Milan 23 hours ago.  A few more hours of travel and it's all over.  Everyone in my group is in good spirits, and I'm sure the groups that is ALREADY HOME is in good spirits too!  Not sure about the other group that has to wait here another hour and a half.  Their travel day will officially be at least 28 hours by the time they get home. 

Paradise on the Ligurian Sea

I don't remember if I have mentioned the weather yet.  It has been sunny everyday.  And warm almost every day.  Not a little warm.  Summer warm.


Every year we stay one town north of the official Cinque Terre - in Levanto.  Levanto is a beautiful village with a nice beach and, importantly for us, a place to park a bus.  I like Levanto as much or more than any of the five towns that make up the cinque (five) terre (lands).

So what's a perfect day in this region?  First - great weather.  Second - hiking way up into the hills that overlook the five towns;  or, taking the train and visiting the five towns.  Third - gelato at some point during the day - best after a long hot hike, but good anytime.  Fourth - a dip in the Mediterranean at Levanto's beach, with curious locals, dressed in long winter coats, looking on in surprise.  Fifth - a huge Italian feast at Ristorante Moresco.  That was our day!

Ready for dinner at Ristorante Moresco

Ready for a big day in the Cinque Terre region

Looking back at Levanto early in the hike

Feral cat of the Cinque Terre

The trails have a good balance of exposed vistas and shady groves

One of the great views, looking north on the way out of Levanto

Everyone is excited for dinner.  Except Joey

Keegan did NOT like the hostel we were staying

            

First view of the five towns, from the lookout meeeeeeee

The adults who did the long hike

Kids who did the whole hike.  This is at the ruied monastary of San Antonio

Red and white means you're on the right path

Fun near the top

Even the dogs want some of the water from the old stump

Everyone was thirsty at the top

The sanctuary of San Soviore at the top elevation of the hike.  It is always open, and contains a really old carving (3rd century) of Mary and Jesus.

At the Sanctuary of San Soviore.  An hour and half before this picture, we were at the furthest high point on the ridge behind us, just above Jacob's and John's heads.  These guys are amazing hikers!

They missed the red and white sign - Mrs. Marshall gets the troops in order though

Finally - our destination comes into view - Vernazza

Some of the massive devastation of the floods on October 25.

The middle of this olive grove was ripped apart by the flash flooding.

One of the many parts of the trail that has not been repaired yet

Jacob on the Via Roma - the old Roman road that leads down to Vernazza

The lemons look good here - but they aren't free!

Go to the light...  the last final steps before emerging in Vernazza for the long promised gelato.  Unfortunately, most of the businesses in Vernazza are still closed and under going renovation/reconstruction.  The place we usually go is just a shell with boards in front of the door.

Some pictures taken soon after the flood of business owners and their shops/restaurants

Jacob realizes that was supposed to be our train!

The hikers finally get gelato after the short train ride back from Vernazza.  What a great day!

Arrivals have been emailed

Parents have been emailed the three separate arrival times at YVR for members of our group.  Mrs. Bicknell in the office at LFMSS also has the list if you did not receive it by email.

Rebooked Flights Update

We are all flying out of Milan at 6:05 AM on Wednesday.  After we arrive in Frankfurt, some of us will be flying direct to Vancouver, and some to San Francisco and then to Vancouver.  The airlines are making the call on who is on which flights, but have assured me that they will split the two group leaders (James and I) so that each group will have a teacher chaperone.  One group will arrive in Vancouver at 1:10 PM on Wednesday, and the other will arrive in Vancouver at 9:59 PM, also on Wednesday.

I will be emailing the details to all parents once I get them - I'm just working on a hotel in Milan right now, and will be getting the ticket list from the airlines tomorrow.  Next update by direct email.

Strike cancels flight to Vancouver

Our flight from Frankfurt to Vancouver has been cancelled due to strike action by Air Canada ground crews in Vancouver.  We will not be flying home on the 27th, but most likely on the 28th.  More details will be posted as I receive them.

No flight for us.

Pisa

Climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa is an experience unlike any other - even though we've climbed many towers already none leave you feeling so disoriented.  The top of the tower, at it's furthest lean, is 15 feet off of the bottom of the tower - a very significant angle.  And going up the spiral stairs you really start to feel the lean right away. 
They builders realized that the tower was sinking on one side pretty much from the start of the project, but being stubborn, they just forged ahead with it.  It was closed for more than a decade recently as it had become too unstable for people to go up it, but after some clever engineering work that involved drying out the wet soil and attaching a huge lead weight to one side of the base (underground) it has been deemed safe for another few years (200 or so).

Entering the "Field of Miracles" - all the building of the cathedral complex lean to some extent.  It's a miracle none have collapsed.

Inside the cathedral.  The leaning tower of Pisa exists only to house the bells to tell people it is time to come to church.

The lean is significant

Mr. Johnson greets the tiny people down below...

...who don't seem to be paying attention to him

Gavin has had enough - time to go down

Mr. J and Josh with the cathedral and the baptistry behind them

WC - one of the favourite signs for some of the people in our group this year

Getting it together

The friendly salesman of the Pisa bus parking lot

C'mon Rens, you need some authentic Armani sunglasses - good deal, just for you

Versace bag anyone?