It's been awhile

Much has changed since I was at Falling water and hiking civil war sites. In 2009 we went to Italy and had a grand tour. If I get some time I will post. Stayed in Massa Lubrense for a week looking out at Capri and the steaming Vesuvius. Had dinner with Gore Vidal in Ravello after seeing the Greek ruins of Paestum and the following day on Gore's suggestion went to Herculaneum. Capri was magical as usual and then when we ventured to Casserta to the Unesco site we were all blown away. It was the same architect that built Versailles. The French Bourbon's figured out Naples was no place for the French. So they created some aqueducts and made a Versailles that was 4 times the size. The art in the palace though is rather special, especially for Italy.The theme was all enlightenment. not a bloody jesus or suckling babe on Mary anywhere. It was all constellations, tools and greatness of human endeavor. We walked the garden/pools. Everyone else took buses, or bikes, etc. We thought they were silly until about half way there we found that each of these pools was a football field long. With fish bigger than us swimming in them and then huge sculpture scenes rivaling anything in Rome. But we persevered and made it. It was like Rocky. We were drenched in sweat and jumping or barely jumping we were so tired. Yes the Italians were amused. Then we had to walk back and drive to Florence. I hidden gem. No one was there but really worth seeing. We loved Florence and then had an amazing meal that consisted of a pound of truffles. We smelled of truffles for days. We could have stayed a great deal longer in Florence. The Uffizi was amazing. Walking the steps of room with a view was a life long dream fulfilled.  And then we were off by train to Rome. We were pretty exhausted but we did ancient Rome the first day. It is amazing to see how close and intertwined modern day rome and ancient rome really are. It was like going to Concord for the first time and realizing transcendentalists all lived on the same road and had been taught by the same teach Mr. Alcott. It just made everything much clearer in all that you had read.Rome seemed so much more understandable. We did the Vatican art museum and Sistine chapel the second day. Sickened my stomach I must say. Makes you realize why Luther went home after seeing it himself and writting a few things in protest.
Did not mean to make this post about Italy. Just sort of went there. Much more has happened or greater import like Joe and I having a little human. And Joe being diagnosed with stage IV Cancer. But I suppose it is more fun to write about Italy.