Bear with me!

(I didn't finish this the other night and I am trying to figure out how to add to without much success.  So I am going to post it and then start a new one)

Ok, let's try this again...I've come to realize that my daughter Maria's Facebook posts are filling you in better than I am from what I thought would be a great way to journal my trip....onward and upward anyway...

I think I am going to work backwards because I'm thinking telling you about "the moment" is better than trying to recall yesterday...

Right now, we are in Chiusi (Yoga Retreat)....it is supper time 7:45 pm we've already had a few 
Appetizers, then we were served this...

Watermelon salad with red onions, feta, black olive and arugula!!  Really, really refreshing!

Next came couscous full of tiny cut up veggies and roasted asparagus and salad on the side.  One of the amazing things about being here is that we don't have to make any decisions....

Finally!

For those of you who thought you might like to follow what's happening on my trip, I'm finally doing it!

Arriving here at 7:30 in the morning Wednesday (1:30 am our body time) made for a very long day, but one that gave us a chance to to really cram in a lot of  good stuff starting with a cappuccino and cornetto (croissant) at caffe Farnese near our apartment.  Our energetic and delightful landlady treated us while she cleaned the apartment.  We walked around and took in the Campo di Fiori daily market.

Well, as soon as figure out how to post photos (the blog headings are coming up in Italian???) I will post some of the photos I've taken.  In the meantime, our first day, of course included .....churches.  Yes, in case you aren't aware, there are churches everywhere!!!  Small churches, big churches, old churches, older churches and really old churches.

We walked and we walked....to give you a perspective...our apartment is at the Piazza Farnese (the Farnese is a palace that houses the French Embassy...more to follow on that later)... We found our way to the Piazza Navona which wasn't very far at all.  We had the obligatory espresso at a caffe and walked some more.  Maria was totally awed by the Pantheon, as are so many.  When you consider that it is over 2,000 years old, it is mind blowing.   We found our way to the Trevi Fountain, which is under repair, but Maria managed to through a coin and make a wish.  Walking, walking, walking to the Spanish steps, again the fountain in front is under repair also, but we managed to get more photos, etc.

hello! this is lisa - angela's daughter in Florida...

I'm posting something as a test to see why she's having trouble posting herself from Italy!!

so...let's see if this works!!

these are St. Augustine gulls!.... again I'm posting all this as a test from the states....soon she should be able to post about her travels in Italy now that I've worked out the kinks!

The Journey Begins........

I am a 70 something woman who woke up one morning and decided that time was going by faster than I liked and figured it was time to try to enjoy some of the things in life that make memories.  

Then, as luck would have it, I heard from my friend Erin (Eat, Pray, Move!), reminding me about her Yoga Retreat in Tuscany in June!!  AHA! Great news!  Here was an opportunity to go back to Siliana Alta (An Artist in Italy), where Tony and I enjoyed a phenomenal 10 days in 2009.  Julian (the artist) and Amanda, his incredible wife who cooks some of the best meals ever, were our hosts then and would be for the Yoga Retreat also.  I would also have the opportunity to enjoy their two sweet daughters, Freddie and Izzy again. Tony (my husband, best friend and confidante) had announced that he was not interested in traveling anymore, so he suggested I go with our youngest daughter, MariaElena (didn't have to ask her twice)

Siliana Alta

Of course, one thing leads to another and I thought.....self.....since you will be in La Bella Italia, maybe this is the opportunity for you to be immersed in Italian for little while.  Google became my best friend while I searched for a school that would fit me...I found Istituto Michelangelo in Florence that offered a Senior 50+(not sure how senior that is) program.  So, all this set in motion our trip that begins today......