The famous "Rialto Bridge", Pigeons in San Marco Square, lovely canals and lovely people are just a few descriptions for Venice! We absolutely had a ball. The Venetian people were very loving towards our family and with restaurants and shopping galore, who couldn't have a great time. Our trip actually started in Rome with Ben and Dan lost. Yes, LOST. Our plane was late and with a screw up with the time, our second driver had to leave the airport. This left 4 of us in a car and two of us with a taxi. Ben and Dan graciously offered to take the taxi and we gave them the address to the apartment. Now, would it have helped if Dan new where the apartment was located, what part of town, and had looked at a map before they left? Yes, but that didn't happen. The taxi driver told Ben and Dan that "something" was going on in the city centre (true) and he could not take them there (apartment was located on the south side of the city centre, just north of the airport) and that he would drop them off at the Vatican. (Please note that the apartment was south of city centre) The Vatican is located North West of the apartment, across the River from us. Dan and Ben then found a Metro (not easy in Rome) and crossed back over the city centre to the Colosseum and the were able to connect up by phone with us and Enzo, our driver, who had stayed with us at the apartment the entire 2 hours, jumped in his car with me, and we went and found the boys. Not a great start, but it could have been worse. Needless to say we walked our feet off during those 4 days. The Vatican was impressive, the Sistine Chapel was a let down, only because to get to the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican has you walk through all of their museum rooms (PIO-Clementine museum, The Gallery of Maps, Room of Animals, Gallery of Statues, Gallery of Busts, Cabinet of the Masks, The Round Room, Room of the Muses, The Raphael Rooms, just to name a few) It took 2 hours just to walk through all these museums to get to the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was still beautiful, but something was taken away from it because we had already been saturated with all the other art. I am glad we went, but I think they should start the tour with the Sistine Chapel first. The two hour walk was after we had stood in line for an hour just to get tickets! It is the only time we have waited that long for a ticket and probably the only time it will ever occur. The pope was in town on Wednesday, but we did not venture across town with the thousands of other people to take his picture. Our apartment was located right next to the Roman Forum and down the street from the Colosseum. We were able to walk most everywhere. One of the highlights of our trip was going to Piazza di San Giovanni and getting to see and climb the SCALA SANTA (Holy Staircase). The is supposed to be the same staircase of marble steps which Jesus ascended in the house of Pontius Pilate; it was brought to Rome by the Empress Helena. There are twenty-eight marble steps, recovered with wood for protection, while small glass sheets cover some spots that are considered to be a trail of Christ's blood. The staircase ends in front of one of the most venerable monuments of history and art of the Medieval Ages, the SANCTA SANCTORUM (Chapel of St. Lawrence). This was a really memorable experience because Christians around the world come here to climb the staircase on their KNEES while praying. It takes about 1/2 hour; I know this because Dawn, I and Caleb climbed it on our knees. The staircase is literally covered with people on their knees, no pictures allowed. About halfway up the staircase my prayers started changing to "Please, God, help me get the rest of the way up". I have a greater appreciated for beggers that we have seen on thier knees, bent over with just cup extended, waiting for money. My knees had bruises on them for 4 days afterwards. You know, I rarely get down and actually set my weight on my knees for a minute, much less for 1/2 hour. It is something I will never forget. Rome is a very large city, with lots to see and do. We did tours, museums, the Colesseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Roman Forum just to name a few. There are over 400 churches in Rome to see also. I didn't realize when we went that they just started digging up old Rome 200 years ago. I mean, even today, they might start to put up a pavillion and when they dig for the lights, OOPS, they find stuff 8 feet under and then everything stops, and the archeologists come in and they start digging up homes, staircases, baths, whatever. All of Rome, at some time or another has been built on top of ancient buildings, temples and homes! The Roman Forum was filled in with dirt and used as a pasture 1,000 of years later, and then when current Rome wanted to use the ground for something, the ancient Rome was found underneath and they have dug it all out. Maybe in my simple mind, I make it out to be bigger than it is, but WOW. So much history, everywhere, underground. I thought that all the ancient stuff we hear about has always been there preserved, not buried. Anyway, I was impressed as you can see. Sorry to go on and on.

Now on to Venice. We absolutely loved Venice. With all the canals and the beautiful sea blue water, the boats, the people and the cleanliness of the city. It was very easy to get around with the Vaporetto Buses to different areas, and if you had 15 minutes, just walk! The Rialto Market was so impressive, the Murano glass jewlrey was exquisite, ATM's and pharmacies were around every corner. Our first morning there, the tide was in (sirens went off at 5:30 a.m. to warn the Venetian people to get out the walkways) and it flooded portions of the city. The walkways (2 feet high) made it easy to get around the water and still shop! Prada, Gucci, Versace........all available in Venice. The mask shops were in abundance. It was all in good fun for the tourists and it didn't slow anyone down. Our room at the hotel would sleep four, and was very big and newly remodeled. Expensive; I think it was 150 euros a night ($200) and this was for a cheap hotel with no hot water the two mornings we were there. I looked at some hotels and the average was 300 euros a night! ($450 approx.) We loved Venice so much that hot water didn't matter and we loved Venice so much that we are already planning our return trip in March! We really liked the small, quaint city on the water. No cars or automobiles of any kind, just men running through the streets pulling small wagons, yelling, "pardon, exus........" whatever they yell in Italian. You know to get out of the way!

Needless to say, we all came home exhausted and blisters are still healing on our feet. Belle and Caleb have started on the second half of their term in school. Every six weeks they get a week off and at Christmas it is 3 and in the summer they get a 6 week break mid July. The week off every six weeks is really nice. We are getting ready to celebrate "Guy Fawkes" Day with bonfires and fireworks across England. He is a guy who loaded up the cellar with gunpowder under the House of Parliment and before he could blow it up, a friend told on him. So, it is now a "holiday" here and all the villages or towns across England have bonfires and fireworks to celebrate that the House of Parliment was saved! Should be fun. Our weather has been dry and about 60, partly sunny. Really nice fall weather. The sun has started going down about 1:15 in the afternoon, it is dusk at 4:15 and is dark at 5:00 p.m. I guess this will continue and by December 1 it will be dark about 3:15. Can you imagine the sun already starting its downhill decline around noon? I can't wait! Sounds like lots of reading time to me. Belle has been going to bed earlier, and earlier because after it has been dark for two hours, she is ready for bed! About 6:30 she starts telling us she is ready! Funny, huh? No wonder I had trouble getting her to bed this summer when the sun was up until 10:30! Her body must really be affected by the light outside.

I will end now. I haven't blogged in a while and wanted to let you know about life here, besides our vacation. Everything is good! Making new friends all the time. Caterpillar has about 42 families over here. We have started a new ladies bible study during the day, twice a month, and I have joined a book club. Three of my closest friends will be coming back to America in February, March and July. I will be sad to lose them, but they are going back to the Peoria area, and I look forward to continuing a long term friendship with them there and all my friends back home meeting them also. Life keeps moving and growing! Take care everyone, and remember, "Home in Six Weeks!"

Love, Pam