Vanessa's Photos and Reflections...

 A local salumeria - like an Italian deli - all sorts of dried and cured meats, cheeses, etc..

 And after a visit to the salumeria... nothing better than P a la P...... panini a la piazza for lunch. Anyone see a gelato stand?

 Piazza de la Signoria in Florence at night. This building was one of the Medici family residences during the Renaissance period.

 In the court yard of the Vatican Museums. The modern art bronze globe at the centre was a gift to the pope from a foreign country.

 This is the modern town of Pompeii that has grown up around the ruins. The old ruins and archeological sites are just over the fence on the left.

During our boat tour around the island of Capri, we went to this famous wishing arch, sort of an Italian Perce Rock... if one makes a "romantic" wish as the boat passes through, it is supposed to come true. We wonder what Vanessa wished for.... read on...

From Vanessa:

Part 1:     I miss Italy. I miss the food, the culture, the language, the architecture, the art and of course I miss i bei ragazzi italiani! It is hard to summarize the most memorable parts of the trip because each day was unforgettable. For ten days I travelled with a group who never failed to make me laugh; even on the long bus rides, there was never a dull moment while travelling with the Madonna girls. Truthfully, I enjoyed the bus rides because a lot of bonding took place while we were on the road.

If I had the option to return to strictly one city I would go back to Florence. Each city was unique but somehow between getting lost multiple times, climbing the Duomo, enjoying a pizza Genovese, riding a bicycle through the city and sitting down on the steps of Santa Croce I fell in love with Firenze.

Returning to Toronto was tough. When people ask how was your trip? I always respond, "I wish I wasn't here." Everyday in Mr. Steggles' history class, the girls and I always find ourselves recounting our time spent in Italy. Even though we are back in Toronto, the girls of Madonna's Italian Miss-Adventures - 2012 will never cease to relive the wonderful moments of Italia.

Part 2:     Italy was awsome!

Vanessa D.