Quick update

From Deb

We have been loving Italy.  After three nights in Rome, we took the train to Lucca.  Lucca is a small city in Tuscany that is picture-perfect.  It is completely surrounded by Renaissance-era city walls, and the walls are wide enough to be used as a walking and biking trail.  The streets of the city are tiny and almost exclusively used for pedestrians and bicyclists.  Lucca was our home base as we took day trips to Cinque Terre and Florence.  Next, we headed to Milan for two nights and were wowed by architecture, fashion, and CARS!  Now we are spending three days in a little town on a mountainside overlooking the city of Como and its beautiful lake.  Then we'll have to say goodbye to Italy but are looking forward to meeting up with Bruce's parents in Prague!

Hiking from Monterosso to Vernazza in the Cinque Terre National Park

Hanging out in Lucca

Biking on the city walls

Lotus, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati

a

In Florence

Eating lunch in the clouds in Como

La Sagrada Familia

From Deb

My favorite cathedral so far has been La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.  The outside is a bit whacky-looking, but the inside makes you feel like you’re in heaven.  When I walked in, I wanted to stay there all day.  This is a church that makes you happy, that makes you feel like God is fun, that makes you want to have a party there.  Gaudi, the designer of the church, was a devout Christian and wanted all his works to bring people closer to God.  Goal accomplished at La Sagrada Familia.

Picture of Antoni Gaudi

The walls and pillars are light and bright

The stained glass brings in the most beautiful colors; to the left you can see that they are still working on Gaudi's design

The pillars guide your eyes upwards -- you feel like you're looking right up into heaven.

Not a big fan of the outside.

Pictures from Rome

Michaelangelo's Moses

Peter's chains

The Roman Forum

Spanish Steps

Doing homework at our flat

Bruce and Daniel learning about Rome's history

View of Michaelangelo's dome from our  lanai.

Posing in Rome

In front of our flat

Vatican Museum

Vatican Museum -- hanging out with Matisse

Sneaking a pic of the Sistine Chapel

Art break

Soaking in La Pietta

Smart lady, begging near an ATM

The Pantheon

The Colosseum

Pictures from Barcelona

In the Gothic Quarter

Choosing candy at Mercat Catalina

Debbie choosing her candy -- olives

At Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's church

Our rooftop pool

In front of Gaudi's home at Park Guell

At Park Guell

Sagrada Familia

Watching Messi play