Christmas in Italy

Stained glass window on the walls of the duomo in Siracusa

How do you sum up three weeks of travel around a country that included 8 cities? After spending two days sorting through pictures I'm not at all sure I'm up to writing anything extensive; so I thought I'd share some of my highlights from our time in Italy.

• The brightly colored houses on the island of Burano outside of Venice
• Riding the funicular part of the way up the mountain around Trento to Sardagna and the spectacular view of the Dolomites from that vantage point
• Some of the unusual nativity scenes scattered around Assisi
• Discovering my favorite church window in Italy is still the rose window of San Rufino in Assisi...from the outside
• The bridge of angels leading across the river to Castel San'Angelo in the Vatican
• The pure cheesiness of visiting Juliet's house and tomb in Verona
• The absolutely spectacular golden mosaic behind the altar in the Church of Maria in Trastevere, Rome
• Relaxing among the historical building and sea front on Ortygia Island in Siracusa, Sicily
• Even more cheesiness at the Boca della Verita  on the wall of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome where legend has it that if you tell a lie with your hand in its mouth it will bite your hand off
• Hearing the church bells ring through the clear clean air
• Watching mom enjoy gelato almost every afternoon
• The overwhelming size of the Colosseum sandwiched in the middle of Rome
• Not having to spend Christmas alone this year and having my mom for company

Mom and I in the Arena in Verona