Assertions by Tressa: Italy Part 2: Ventimiglia and Firenze

After passing the relaxing weekend in Genova we took a truly ghetto train early in the morning to Ventimiglia on Monday. Before this trip I didn't even know this place existed; it's in no guidebooks to my knowledge. The only reason we were going was for science...and the BEACH!

"The Beach" pretty much sums up what we did that day. I felt bad for Scott because he had a really hard time getting to and from the fossil he was scheduled for that day. While he was hauling equipment and measuring a skull, we ate some more fantastic food(I had pumpkin filled pasta. It was excellent!), then we rented an umbrella and three chairs and laid out by the ocean all day! Now you could be thinking, "three chairs and one umbrella. Tressa that's not enough shade for everyone." You would be correct. This is how it worked: Joe and I are very white and pasty, so we cowered under the umbrella contorting our bodies in order to stay in the shade. We also both had on high SPF sunscreen. Mel, on the other hand, is Italian and Portuguese. She is not pasty, and grew up on the beach in Florida. She laid out in the sun all day, and she liked it! Now I'm not saying I didn't like lying around on the beach all day, but without the umbrella I would have roasted alive. Mel just got a little more beautiful!

When Scott was finished he was able to join us on the beach for awhile. We then had some more great seafood at a restaurant very close to the beach. Scott and I shared a seafood pizza! After this we got back on the ghetto train to Genova, and packed for Firenze (Florence)!

We got up early again on Tuesday to catch our train to Florence. We had to change trains in Pisa which Mel and Joe wanted to see, so Scott and I headed for Florence on our own. We arrived at the museum around lunch time, and I resumed my roll as "killer of time" until is was time for me to pick up Mel and Joe from the train station.

When Scott was done we all met for dinner where I ate some great pizza and finished off my meal with some lemoncello...mmmm.

While Florence is one of my favorite cities, and is full of great sites, for me the time here passed much like Genova. This particular time was my third time in Florence, my second time just on this trip, so it was more about time with friends than the city itself. I hope you will excuse my lack of city description. I did, however, take them to see the Duomo, Ponte Vechio, Piazza Vechio (where my favorite statue is), and Santa Croce. All are full of medieval Italian art! Love it!!!! We ended our last day with Mel and Joe at Piazzalle Michelangello where you can find the best view of Florence ever! The next day Mel and Joe took and early train to Naples while Scott and I had the day to site-see before we took a night train to Berlin. Enjoy the pics!