Mother's Italian Job

April 20, 1954

This morning we caught the boat to Capri.  From there we got in a little motorboat and went to the Blue Grotto.  There we got in little row boats to go in the Grotto.  You have to lie down in the row boats to go in.  Inside the water is very blue and looks like there is a light shining from below.  The boatmen sang too.

Blue Grotto Capri

Outside Blue Grotto

Capri April

Mother at Capri

The trip over was kind of wet because we were rushing so we wouldn’t have to wait so long at the Grotto.

Then we came back to Capri and go the funicular up to Anacapri where we had lunch in the patio at the Manfrechi Hotel – very good (can’t find this hotel).  Afterwards we went to the Gardens of Augustus.  Caesar had a palace here.  The view was wonderful.  We could see the “light house rocks” which still have Roman inscriptions on them.

Lunch at Capri - Manfredi Hotel

Light House Rocks at Capri

Farouck has a home on Anacapri too.

Then we came back to Sorrento and did some shopping – mostly looking.

         Now we are getting ready to go see the Tarantella dancers, which originated here (southern Italian couple folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo).

Tarantella dancers

         The dancers were at a place called the American Bar.  I can’t say very much for the dancers, but they were colorful.  We were escorted home by 4 boys on motorcycles!!!

April 21, 1954

I have never seen such drivers.  The bus drivers here are terrific.

After riding the bus and the train all day from Sorrento we finally arrived in Florence.  We are staying at the Hotel Baglioni Palace (this hotel is the heart of the historic center of Florence).  We are in a suite and it is tremendous.  Why you could put our room from the Milani in this bathroom!  In fact somebody came in looking for their room.  They thought this was the hall.  Then someone else came in looking for the elevator!!

It has rained on us all day.  Hope it clears up tomorrow.

Everyone sings in Italy.  We have seen lots of little straw houses, old walled cities, etc.

Singers on train Florence to Venice

Straw houses on the way from Florence to Venice

April 23, 1954

Yesterday morning we went sightseeing.  First we saw the Church of St. Lawrence which has the crypt of the Medici family.  The Chapel of Princes is above the crypt.  The scene on the altar is made of all natural colored stones – no painting.  Michelangelo did a lot of the statues here.  Late 1500.  Next we went to the Baptistry of St. John which is the oldest church and is made of Florentine marble.  The cupola is painted in gold.  It is the most important piece of work.  There is also a wooden statue of Mary Magdalene in repentance.  The Cathedral is next to it (the Duomo, I’m guessing).  It was started in the 1200’s and finished in 1886.  It is beautiful on the outside.  Inside is a clock with only an hour hand.  The Bell Tower is in the same place with the two churches.

Baptistry of St. John Florence

Bell Tower Florence

Cathedral Florence

My picture of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Florence 

We passed what is the oldest Citadel – 1255.

Then we stopped at the Square of Lordships (Piazza della Signoria) which has loads of statues.  Filled in square with statues because people always met there when something went wrong.  There is also a palace here too – Ancient Citadel of Florence.

My picture of the Piazza della Signoria

         Next we went to the Church of the Holy Cross (Basilica of Santa Croce) which is the 7^th largest church in the world and the 2^nd largest in Florence.  Michelangelo’s tomb is here.  This is on what used to be the Industrial Square.  We went into a shop that makes mosaics.  It was amazing the way they make them.  Then we went into a leather factory.

         Then we went to Michelangelo Square which has a wonderful view of the city (it also has a bronze copy of his statue David).  We rode along the Avenues of the Hills which are very pretty.

Florence from Michelangelo Square

Then we went to the Pitti Palace which is tremendous – 1400.  The Pitti family was the wealthiest and most influential family of Florence.  They were bitter opponents of the Medici family but never lived in the Palace because they lost everything before it was finished.  The Kings of Italy used to live here at one time.  Now it is an art museum.  Saw Rafael’s Madonna of the Chair.

At Pitti Palace Florence

Pitti Palace

Then we went to Peruzzi’s – very famous silversmith – oldest in Florence.  Saw the Ponte Vecchio which was the only bridge not destroyed.  Over the Arno River – Germans on one side and Allies on the other.  Funny little shops from back on bridge.

In the afternoon we went shopping on the Ponte Vecchio and in the Straw Market where I spent all of my money.  Twas fun.

Straw Market 

Mother on Ponte Vecchio bridge

Ponte Vecchio bridge

My photo of Ponte Vecchio Bridge from the Uffizi

Last night I took some things out to an Italian family for Mrs. Tutts.  They didn’t speak English but we made ourselves understood.  Then we went to the Roof Garden at the hotel.  Very nice and a good view of Florence at night.

We finally got to Venice, and I just love it.  [I did too.  For some reason, it made me a little emotional to know that we both loved it.]  When we came out of the bahnhof, there was the Grand Canal and all of the gondolas – just like all of the pictures.  On the way to the hotel, The Europa (there is a Westin Europa in Venice that overlooks the Grand Canal.  It is a 5-star hotel!), we saw gondolas parked in the garages – two poles!

Grand Canal in front of bahnhof

Canal in Venice

My picture of the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal

         The hotel is certainly crummy looking on the outside, but very swanky on the inside.  We have a nice room and bath.  Our tub is the funniest thing I ever saw.  It is a square and has two levels.  You sit on the upper level and put your feel on the lower level.  I felt just like I was sitting in a first grade chair while taking a bath!!!

Bathtub in Venice

Mother and the party gals at the Europa Palace on Grand Canal

This afternoon we went to St. Mark’s Square.  It is just like the movies – loads of pigeons and people.  We sat in one of the sidewalk cafes and ate ice cream – just like all the rest of the Italians.  Then we went shopping.  I have never seen so many shops in my life in one area.

St. Marks Square

My picture of St. Marks Square

I ran into Joan Diembacher in the lobby.  I hadn’t seen her since we landed, so we had a nice long chat after dinner.

April 24, 1954

Venice on the Adriatic!  This morning we went sightseeing by foot.  We first saw the Church of St. Moses – Baroque style (heavy) – 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Adriatic Sea Venice

The winged lion is the symbol of Venice, and you see it everywhere.  Venice began in the 5^th century and was a group of 120 islands.  Each island was under a different ruler until 687 when they elected one ruler – the Doge (Duke).  They were important for trade with the Orient.  In 1866 Venice joined Italy.  The population was 315,000.  It is built on wooden piles – no rocks – and the old part is sinking.  Sometimes, very rarely, the water even comes up in St. Mark’s Square.  There are 350 bridges here that connect the town.

Doges Palace – on St. Mark’s Square.  There were 120 Doges.  It was the seat of the Venetian government but is now a museum.  It is made with lead, wood, brick, and mosaic.  (We have seen inlaid wood and marble and now inlaid lead on the steps of the palace.)  The prison is right next to the palace and is connected by the Bridge of Sighs.  When the prisoner crossed the bridge he supposedly sighed here – thus the name.  The prison was built in the 17^th century and last used in 1922.

Doges Palace Courtyard

My picture of the Doges Palace

Bridge of Sighs

My picture from inside the Bridge of Sighs

The palace is very ornate and had tremendous rooms.  Most of the rooms were covered with paintings, but there were two that had nothing except old armor.  In one of the rooms there was the “Lion’s Mouth”.  There were about 70 of them all over Venice for secret political papers.

Then we went down into the dungeon where the political prisoners were kept.  It was very dark and damp.  The cells were very small and lined in wood with only a wooden bed.  Lord Byron spent one night here for the experience and inspiration for one of his poems.  His cell is in the original condition.

Right on the waterfront are two tremendous pillars topped by the lion and St. Theodore.  The executions were held here.  There are two red pillars on the balcony of the Palace where the executions were announced.

In St. Mark’s Square, opposite the execution pillars, is the clock tower built in 1499.  The hour is in Roman numerals and changes every 5 minutes.  Below the time is a sun dial with the 24 hours on it.

Clock Tower St. Marks Square

St. Mark’s Church was built in the 4^th century and again in the 11^th century.  It is covered with mosaic both inside and out.  In the vestibule on the ceiling are stories from the Old Testament and inside from the New.  It is connected to the Palace.  The Venetians used to go there to pray before the Madonna of Victory before going into battle.

Then we went to a lace factory.  It is amazing to watch them make lace.

This afternoon we went down to watch them feed the pigeons at 2 o’clock.  I have never seen as many pigeons in my life.

Pigeons St. Marks Square

Me trying to keep from being poop bombed by pigeons at St. Marks Square

Then we went shopping.  I don’t see how there could be any tiles left here because I bought them all.

Tomorrow we get up about 4 o’clock to start our journey back home.  It’s been a grand trip.  I do like Venice and it has been nice and mild here, thank goodness!

April 26, 1954

Well, here we are back in dear old Straubing, and it’s kind of nice to be home.

They got us up at 4 AM yesterday morning and I haven’t been to bed since.  On the way to the bahnhof we saw the Coca Cola delivery truck – a gondola.  We had first class accommodations on the train.  Did we ever feel suity!  Barbara and Muriel had to come up and sit a spell because they said it would probably be their only chance to!

First class lunches on train coming back from Italy

             We got into Munchen about 1200 after riding through the Austrian Alps most of the day.  It was a beautiful ride.  We got a train out of Munchen at 2320 for Regensburg.  We sat there for about 3 hours and got a jeep to Straubing.  We finally got in about 0600 this morning.  It was a rough trip and a rough day today.  But we surely did have a grand trip.