climbing the domes from firenze to orvieto to rome

passport fiasco ended in true fiasco. didn't get it and had to miss my flight to italy. then had to reschedule through san francisco basically taking a risk that i would get it before my flight took off at 2. a russian man in a gold mini cooper dropped it off, and i managed to get here. we had to miss the amalfi coast, which was really sad. but anyway.

we are now in firenze *oh how i cant resist using the italian spellings* and we love it. charity was a real trooper climbing up the 500 steps to the top of the duomo dome--well, she climbed it far more easily than myself, but then discovered she had vertigo, and since i was the one who wanted to go up because i read that stupid book about its architectural genius, i felt it was my doing. after reascending like 50-100 steps to get various different aspects of the architecture, we decided my new motto is: i like to climb shit. i pay to climb shit. i.e. the 101 and the santa maria del fiore dome. though if i really liked to climb shit regularly i would be a hell of a lot thinner.

the food has been fabulous, but expensive, of course. we are walking my ass off. rome was incredible. everywhere you turn there are ruins. it is surreal and gorgeous and cool. i saw the Pantheon! (which i kept awesome calling the parthenon because...well, i know more about chinese history than western it seems.) and the colosseum. there were little kids on field trips at different places. i cant imagine going on a field trip to the Forum where julius caesar gave speeches. so neat. also went to st. peter's and the vatican museum. st peter's is ENORMOUS (but i like st paul's better :). there is an awesome tim burtonesque sculpture with a skeleton holding an hourglass emerging from under some people. the sistine chapel really is impressive, the characters actually sort of look like they are climbing out of the ceiling. and you can't swing a dead cat around without hitting some form of catholic clergy of all races and sizes. we actually took a picture of a store that outfits priests. i noted today, while looking at a mosaic on a baptistery of the devil eating people (yes, eating, like a half eaten person falling out of his mouth) being thrown into hell, that i used to think the buddhist/taoist folk religion was incredibly vioent, but thatthe many asian tourists might feel right at home in italian religious institutions. eek. Orvieto is where i would really want to be for the long haul if it were to come to pass, though :) Lauren really chose the most wonderful and charming town to stay in. it is exactly what you would think of in an italian movie where people know each other and there is a little chocolatier and adorable cafes and old churches and cobblestone streets and wineries. for now, i am drinking cappuccinos, taking illicit pictures of the David(10 euros??) and getting into the swing of things. I am really looking forward to when Lauren comes to meet us tomorrow. we are going to go to the uffizi and then tromp around town--hopefully making illadvised leather and stationery purchases for which firenze is known. more whenever possible,julie.