tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58507837451306034212024-03-05T08:15:10.708-05:00Reeds Around the WorldAround the world trip blogSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-85451910082649756212012-11-02T06:30:00.000-04:002012-11-02T06:30:02.408-04:00Signing Off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our travels have come to a close and now so does our blog. A huge thanks to all of you who followed us. We really enjoyed blogging on all of our adventures knowing that we had so many loyal readers following us along the way. Thank you!!!<br />
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Now that we are home we are, of course, sad that our adventures are over. But we are having a great time reflecting back over all that we saw and experienced this year as well as all of the wonderful people that we met around the world. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Great Wall, Moscow to the Mongolian steppe, and Shanghai to Swakopmund, the world completely wowed us!!! We will never forget this year and this adventure!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsTi0OrtR8OZUjGWSX1eEmr_TDqCgNhnrqEAUTKR39Go1R89MOTjpg1g-ahT1GlA0AAzgvjVBtUOAaW5jUMbIuYL6eZfJeE_d12fQzk-5KaUqeAbT2HdKyls-emOZWGWk_2Pzy_rW2vE/s1600/IMG_7911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsTi0OrtR8OZUjGWSX1eEmr_TDqCgNhnrqEAUTKR39Go1R89MOTjpg1g-ahT1GlA0AAzgvjVBtUOAaW5jUMbIuYL6eZfJeE_d12fQzk-5KaUqeAbT2HdKyls-emOZWGWk_2Pzy_rW2vE/s640/IMG_7911.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over Botswana's Okavango Delta</td></tr>
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-David and Sara</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-83837049033110284062012-11-01T10:21:00.000-04:002012-11-02T16:54:33.935-04:00By the Numbers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><b>Number of days spent traveling the world</b><b>:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">287 days</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of continents visited</b><b>:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">5 continents</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of countries visited</b><b>:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">25 countries (not counting Hong Kong, Macau, the Palestinian Territories, any countries we passed through on layovers, or the good ol' USA)</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of nights spent not in a hotel or hostel (i.e., in a hut, tent, ger, train, plane, boat, or airport): </b></i><span style="color: #0b5394;">60 nights</span> </div>
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<i><b>Number of flights:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">44 flights</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of miles flown:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">46,455 miles</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of cars rented:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">7 (New Zealand, Tasmania, the Great Ocean Road, Queensland, Turkey (one big car and one small car), and South Africa -- plus two scooters in Koh Samui, Thailand that we didn't include)</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of miles driven:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">10,395 km / 6,459 miles </span></div>
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<i><b>Number of miles traveled by train:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">13,177 km / 8,188 miles (train trips in Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Mongolia, Russia, and Italy)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span><i><b> </b></i></div>
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<i><b>Number of different ways we crossed international borders:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">5 (plane, train, car, boat, and on foot)</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of boxes shipped home:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">6 boxes</span></div>
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<i><b>Hottest temperature:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">115 </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>°</b>F (<a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/07/beating-heat.html" target="_blank">Antalya, Turkey</a>)</span></div>
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<i><b>Coldest temperature:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">19 </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>°</b>F</span> (<span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/05/kala-patthar-18200-feet.html" target="_blank">Kala Patthar, Nepal</a></span>)</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of books read:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">32 books (not including all of our guide books)</span><i><b><br />
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<i><b>Number of pictures taken:</b></i> </b></i><span style="color: #0b5394;">21,429 pictures (we're editing and trying to cut down this number by at least half)</span></div>
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<i><b>Number of folks from home who we saw on the trip:</b></i> <span style="color: #0b5394;">9 </span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">(plus <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/12/were-off.html" target="_blank">Sara's uncle</a> in L.A. on the way to New Zealand and our <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-york-city.html" target="_blank">NYC friends</a> on the way home)</span><u><br /></u></span></div>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-54657631838340334782012-10-29T23:14:00.000-04:002012-10-29T23:14:01.376-04:00Israel in a Nutshell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpHywepFvjBedmdRmNU03W3bJ5fl8mKIwD98Eeeb5TBOn8yFbsDXFQgT6Y9BNStJWhzh4ChLESWfbd-hLqcTaqmGi8e4VVFOxCUs9o1tKhTVgkXSWMgbUgtt3V4YCxhw9VFXVXJbc6x4/s1600/IMG_0866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpHywepFvjBedmdRmNU03W3bJ5fl8mKIwD98Eeeb5TBOn8yFbsDXFQgT6Y9BNStJWhzh4ChLESWfbd-hLqcTaqmGi8e4VVFOxCUs9o1tKhTVgkXSWMgbUgtt3V4YCxhw9VFXVXJbc6x4/s640/IMG_0866.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerusalem's Old City with the Mount of Olives in the background</td></tr>
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<b>Sara's Top 3</b>:<br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/10/jerusalems-old-city.html" target="_blank">Old City Jerusalem</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/little-town-of-bethlehem.html" target="_blank">Bethlehem</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/rosh-hashanah.html" target="_blank">Experiencing Rosh Hashanah in Jerusalem</a><br />
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<b>David's Top 3</b>:<br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/10/jerusalems-old-city.html" target="_blank">Jerusalem's Old City</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/little-town-of-bethlehem.html" target="_blank">Bethlehem and the West Bank</a><br />
People watching (especially at the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-western-wall-above-and-below.html" target="_blank">Western Wall</a> and along the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/via-dolorosa.html" target="_blank">Via Dolorosa</a>)<br />
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<u>Impressions</u>: Without a doubt, Israel is one of the most interesting places in the world. As such a holy place for three of the world's major religions, Israel certainly attracts fervent followers. We met a lot of really good people in Israel and the West Bank, but we also witnessed a lot of tension and conflict. It was sad to see so much tension, armed security, and animosity in a land that is so holy to so many.<br />
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<u>Food</u>: The food in Israel was delicious! We arrived during pumpkin season and enjoyed several different pumpkin salads. We were pleasantly surprised to realize that the ever-present hummus in Jordan was also in Israel! <br />
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<u>Accommodation</u>: One of our best decisions was staying at <a href="http://www.abraham-hostel-jerusalem.com/" target="_blank">Abraham Hostel</a> in Jerusalem. We spent eight nights there, and it really made a difference staying at a place that we liked so much. The price was great and the location along Jaffa Street couldn’t have been better. We were only a 15 minute walk from the Jaffa Gate of the Old City, a 30 minute walk from the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/israels-museums.html" target="_blank">Israel Museum</a>, and a short tram ride from <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/israels-museums.html" target="_blank">Yad Vashem</a>. We had a private room that was as nice as most of the hotels we had stayed in. The hostel hosts weekly Shabbat dinners and also hosted a <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/rosh-hashanah.html" target="_blank">Rosh Hashanah</a> dinner while we were there. We were invited to help cook the meal before enjoying it with about 40 other guests at the hostel. These were two of our favorite nights in Jerusalem!<br />
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<u>Weather</u>: We were in Israel for just under two weeks in mid-September and the weather was great -- sunny cloudless skies most days and temperatures in the 80s, which felt very comfortable to us after the higher temperatures in Turkey and Jordan.<br />
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<u>Itinerary</u>: We spent quite a bit of time looking online at companies that would help us with an Israel itinerary, but everything we found was way out of our budget near the end of our trip. Instead, we decided instead to go it alone. Renting cars and getting around by taxi can be extremely expensive, so we opted to base ourselves primarily in Jerusalem with a couple of days in Tel Aviv on the back end. Basing ourselves in Jerusalem allowed us to explore the city and take short day trips. Through Abraham Hostel we booked day trips to the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/nazareth-and-sea-of-galilee.html" target="_blank">Sea of Galilee</a> and <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/masada.html" target="_blank">Masada</a>. We booked our day trip to <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/little-town-of-bethlehem.html" target="_blank">Bethlehem</a> through <a href="http://www.muradtours.com/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Murad Tours</a>, and we both agree that it was an incredible day.<br />
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<u>Getting Around</u>: We crossed into Israel at the Aqaba-Eilat border crossing. The crossing itself was fairly straightforward (David had to wait 20 minutes on a bench for some extra background checks), but then we spent the rest of the day at the bus station waiting for a 5 pm <a href="http://www.egged.co.il/eng/" target="_blank">Egged</a> bus (Israel's largest bus company) to Jerusalem. To travel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv we took a sherut (shared taxi) that was really quick and easy. Public transportation was a great way to get around Israel -- easy, inexpensive, and safe! <br />
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<u>Religion</u>: Everywhere we went in Jerusalem seemed to relate to either the Jewish, Muslim, or Christian faiths. On one of our first nights in the city we learned about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_syndrome" target="_blank">Jerusalem Syndrome</a> characterized by religious-themed obsessions or delusions triggered by visiting Jerusalem (there is debate over its validity). Jerusalem is the most religiously intense place that we have ever visited.<br />
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<u>Military</u>: National military service, three years for men and two years for women, is mandatory for men and women over 18 years old in Israel. We never really got used seeing men and women fresh out of high school dressed in military uniforms and carrying machine guns everywhere we went.<br />
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<u>Safety</u>: We signed up for the <a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_4789.html" target="_blank">State Department's STEP program</a> during most of our trip in order to receive any safety alerts about places we traveled. It wasn't until our first morning in Jerusalem, as we were getting ready to leave our hostel to explore the Old City, that we received our first advisory. It called for extra caution in the Old City. Although we did still spend that day in the Old City, we were definitely extra cautious and avoided areas with barricades and significant military presence. On the surface Israel seemed very peaceful, but the huge military presence kept reminding us that we were in a very tense area.<br />
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<u>Money</u>: We found Israel to be very expensive, especially when compared to Jordan. The Israeli New Sheqel (NIS) is the currency.<br />
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<u>Clothing</u>: With so many different cultures and religions in Israel, especially in Jerusalem, the clothing we saw ranged from the traditional, conservative clothing worn by Hasidic Jews to the Muslim burqa to Western-style clothing that you might see in any American city. We stuck with conservative (for us) clothing so that we wouldn’t stand out.</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-23321548624328115382012-10-26T16:29:00.001-04:002012-10-27T08:16:14.733-04:00Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I added a <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/p/books_25.html">tab</a> at the top of the page with a description of all of the books I read about the countries we visited along our trip!<br />
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~Sara</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-50139551846558356622012-10-24T23:36:00.000-04:002012-10-24T23:37:58.233-04:00Packing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How do you pack for a ten-month trip around the world? Are you supposed to stuff 287 pairs of socks into one suitcase? What about clothes for cities, mountains,
beaches, and deserts? We've added a <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/p/packing.html">new tab</a> up top describing how we did it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQsKHV-ytzKZgCxRGpLBf0ynWbRf7IfWMmKFUBIol7dH1QzLLhQ_XC1Z1RgKQxi5YfvQxrV9GyKT4cZb5KoDa3LXoVZTvABy9rTaY8MG9z7YQhXEkVjlc9h5VWdpRr1AV8uX5y6Mhuxw/s1600/P1010067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQsKHV-ytzKZgCxRGpLBf0ynWbRf7IfWMmKFUBIol7dH1QzLLhQ_XC1Z1RgKQxi5YfvQxrV9GyKT4cZb5KoDa3LXoVZTvABy9rTaY8MG9z7YQhXEkVjlc9h5VWdpRr1AV8uX5y6Mhuxw/s640/P1010067.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our nice clean bags before leaving for the airport to begin our journey</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-70905407536828685922012-10-22T10:56:00.000-04:002012-10-22T10:56:10.425-04:00Jordan in a Nutshell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaAZsNRW2AYVjo5U_ab7XWKpVkYIeG7zGNE-Y8R_oLBlBZiIXegbpVztrZy55Y7vw4HrxwHNFZ1Mqoz4ipJvOw4VACVtvwX_W8eg_30od65gxekXVfiExKoYIjuBSc6Nlrso0RPiVemU/s1600/IMG_0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaAZsNRW2AYVjo5U_ab7XWKpVkYIeG7zGNE-Y8R_oLBlBZiIXegbpVztrZy55Y7vw4HrxwHNFZ1Mqoz4ipJvOw4VACVtvwX_W8eg_30od65gxekXVfiExKoYIjuBSc6Nlrso0RPiVemU/s640/IMG_0275.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jordanian flag</td></tr>
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<b>Sara's Top 3</b>:<br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/arabian-days.html" target="_blank">Wadi Rum desert</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/petra.html" target="_blank">Petra</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/floating-in-dead-sea.html" target="_blank">Floating in the Dead Sea</a><br />
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<b>David's Top 3</b>:<br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/petra.html" target="_blank">Petra</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/arabian-days.html" target="_blank">Wadi Rum</a><br />
<a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/bethany-beyond-jordan.html" target="_blank">Bethany Beyond the Jordan</a><br />
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<u>Impressions</u>: We loved Jordan! We spent twelve days in the country, longer than most visitors, but there was plenty to see and do. We were happy to be able to spend so much time time in the heart of the Middle East and to get a good taste of the region. We felt completely safe the entire time and very welcome in the country. <br />
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<u>People</u>: The people in Jordan are fantastic, some of the friendliest and most welcoming that we met during all of our travels! They love their country and love sharing their culture. We particularly enjoyed meeting and spending time with the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-bedouin.html" target="_blank">Bedouin</a> during our time in the Wadi Rum desert. <br />
<u><br />Food</u>: The food was fantastic. When we were in Turkey we were expecting to eat more hummus than we did. In Jordan we made up for lost time. Hummus was everywhere. It was served with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yum! Bedouin tea, made with sage, cardamom, cinnamon, and/or wild thyme, and always lots of sugar, was another highlight. <br />
<u><br />Weather</u>: We arrived in Jordan at the beginning of September. The weather was warm during most of our stay, but it was a nice change from chilly nights in Africa and extremely hot days in Turkey. We were told that September and October are the nicest (and most popular) months to travel to Jordan. <br />
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<u>Itinerary</u>: We started with three days in <a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/mosaic-map.html" target="_blank">Madaba</a>, and from there took day trips to <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/jerash.html" target="_blank">Jerash</a>, Amman, and several desert castles along the highway to the east toward Baghdad. Then we visited Mt. Nebo, <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/bethany-beyond-jordan.html" target="_blank">Bethany Beyond the Jordan</a>, and <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/floating-in-dead-sea.html" target="_blank">the Dead Sea</a> on our way to <a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/petra.html" target="_blank">Petra</a> for three nights. After Petra, it was onward to <a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/arabian-days.html" target="_blank">Wadi Rum</a> for <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/arabian-nights.html" target="_blank">three nights</a>, and finally <a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/snorkeling-in-red-sea.html" target="_blank">Aqaba</a> on the Red Sea for two nights. <a href="http://www.jordantracks.com/" target="_blank">Jordan Tracks</a>, a travel company in Wadi Rum owned by a local Bedouin, did a fabulous job helping us plan our itinerary.<br />
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<u>Driving</u>: Renting a car in Jordan would not be too difficult except for Amman, where driving is not for the faint of heart. We opted not to rent a car in Jordan, instead hiring local drivers to take us from one place to the next. Hired drivers are very affordable, love telling about their country, and let us keep our eyes on the sights rather than the road. We also passed through a couple of checkpoints that could have caused some confusion if we were driving ourselves. David did enjoy <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFRsiJ8o9Im5sH54J2wwCqADcHKF-D1D_1Hin1Rj_0zsD2MBOgWsC7RxjmXeCb5_HH0bMsDFAHMmRxLLftePncyUsyal74wzhoLeozg-N-C_dY5YATD4GMdpeahNIfuZQ06uyF0DtRXs/s1600/P1080190.JPG" target="_blank">driving around</a> the desert in Wadi Rum though! <br />
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<u>Religion</u>: Jordan is predominantly a Muslim country, with an indigenous Christian minority making up about 6% of the population. Many of the Jordanian Christians live in <a href="http://www.reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/09/mosaic-map.html" target="_blank">Madaba</a>, the first city that we visited. We attended a service (in Arabic) at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Madaba and also enjoyed exploring the excavations underneath the church and taking in the views from the bell tower. Islam is the state religion, but Jordan has laws that promote religious freedom in the country and there is little sectarian conflict.<br />
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<u>Clothing</u>: Being a predominantly Muslim country, the majority of men and women dress conservatively. Most women cover their heads, shoulders, and knees. Christian women generally do not cover their heads but still dress conservatively. Sara felt most comfortable wearing clothing that covered her shoulders and knees. She did not cover her head except when entering a mosque. David wore long pants during our visit. <br />
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<u>Politics</u>: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as it is officially known, is a constitutional monarchy. King Abdullah II is the chief executive and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. We understand that the government is in the midst of implementing democratic reforms in response to the Arab Spring demonstrations and protests in the region. After leaving Jordan we saw this interview of <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-23-2010/exclusive---king-abdullah-ii-of-jordan-extended-interview" target="_blank">King Abduallah II on the Daily Show</a> when he was in New York for the UN General Assembly.</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-30919383805344653452012-10-18T08:00:00.001-04:002012-10-18T17:56:59.624-04:00A Map of our Travels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This handy map shows the path that we took around the world. You can even zoom and scroll! We added a <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/p/maps.html" target="_blank">new tab</a> up top as well. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="http://www.blogabond.com/BlogMap.aspx?tripID=192824" width="100%"></iframe><a href="http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=192824" style="font-size: 80%;"></a>
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Thanks for traveling along with us!!!</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-5933325054174432932012-10-15T17:52:00.001-04:002012-10-15T17:52:16.926-04:00Our Trip Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-york-city.html" target="_blank">fun night in NYC</a> we made our way to LaGuardia for our final leg, a flight to Atlanta.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tG4ysQS2MmZZ1XxOIKkZTSBYMI098ei5rUE-PvGmRCAyuwgOOWTEdb_sylOKB0pVj14x_xH-bYw9Jo9xlJN7b7p5fys760kZetJG_54oF5HW3Eq1KbaC6ZKJgrCCq6psFLoMV5sI7aY/s1600/IMG_1679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tG4ysQS2MmZZ1XxOIKkZTSBYMI098ei5rUE-PvGmRCAyuwgOOWTEdb_sylOKB0pVj14x_xH-bYw9Jo9xlJN7b7p5fys760kZetJG_54oF5HW3Eq1KbaC6ZKJgrCCq6psFLoMV5sI7aY/s640/IMG_1679.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our flight home</td></tr>
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As we boarded the plane there was no denying that we were wrapping up our amazing adventure. We spent most of the flight reminiscing about the trip and writing our thoughts in the journal that we kept through the journey. The trip home was a little sad, but were very excited with so many people to see at home and the possibilities of new adventures on the horizon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe2F2Y-2fzuUTo6hB_t4fC55K1mvZu9ZCGIT2JeQwGOd22yTBLCveZlMfiCeFb3ASXZahdMq0_vOPUBepLmVfojwE1fnqI1VWpYWbRLvV1MPB0C6MsJQP8NJ_2gQVjFveoLSYpQbTmvM/s1600/IMG_1680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe2F2Y-2fzuUTo6hB_t4fC55K1mvZu9ZCGIT2JeQwGOd22yTBLCveZlMfiCeFb3ASXZahdMq0_vOPUBepLmVfojwE1fnqI1VWpYWbRLvV1MPB0C6MsJQP8NJ_2gQVjFveoLSYpQbTmvM/s640/IMG_1680.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day # 287 - Back to where it all began</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBIOARKpWhT1V1mxaf-DjCPmYBGYwsVTYYxbCdf0pbbljUya5SJy1vGJto8CeqfIVj0emK6UQy5_LsuJktYqgQfEHfd8wQZnP0UDdB3o02MoU03TiV-ZKgfPqein9m1E5r5Ckh3hr3jo/s1600/P1010068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBIOARKpWhT1V1mxaf-DjCPmYBGYwsVTYYxbCdf0pbbljUya5SJy1vGJto8CeqfIVj0emK6UQy5_LsuJktYqgQfEHfd8wQZnP0UDdB3o02MoU03TiV-ZKgfPqein9m1E5r5Ckh3hr3jo/s640/P1010068.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day # 1 - Leaving for the airport on December 29</td></tr>
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It is hard for us to believe that we pulled off our trip, especially with no major mishaps. There are so many things that could have gone wrong and thrown us off of our path, and we feel so fortunate that we really made it all the way around the world. <br />
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Over the next week we plan to pop back into the blog with a few final trip summaries, packing lists, and maps. We loved keeping the blog and are thrilled to know that we have all of these memories for years to come. But it also added a lot knowing that all of you were checking in and traveling along with us! Thanks for being such great travel partners and stay tuned as we wrap things up! :)<br />
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~Sara and David</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-841672917181391592012-10-11T09:48:00.000-04:002012-10-11T16:06:05.799-04:00New York City!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
New York was our first stop back in the USA! Spending a Tuesday night in the city gave us a chance to rekindle a law school tradition -- Tuesday night wing night! I can't think of a more perfect welcome back to the States than twenty scorchin' wings and a night with friends in NYC. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLGdg1AnJyQOOiv-7p4Rj8KAJQrxtWro1h0yzfGX-H1bwxuZq6a6l_PHSxuK7CqWgfVxFyqF_25NJV4lQvSFZRFEMFLPWXdsFYLW9-iddIxUyv2ZvqtGFvFzlbTMqYnZ8iFxk4FzUNrM/s1600/P1080537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLGdg1AnJyQOOiv-7p4Rj8KAJQrxtWro1h0yzfGX-H1bwxuZq6a6l_PHSxuK7CqWgfVxFyqF_25NJV4lQvSFZRFEMFLPWXdsFYLW9-iddIxUyv2ZvqtGFvFzlbTMqYnZ8iFxk4FzUNrM/s640/P1080537.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuesday night wing night at Blondies on the Upper West Side</td></tr>
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-David</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-88308401853507338232012-10-10T09:04:00.000-04:002012-10-10T09:04:00.368-04:00Bye - We Miss You!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow! We had the most wonderful time exploring, biking, hiking, and eating our way around Tuscany with the Paganellis. We will be talking about this trip for a long, long time! We miss you already and we can't wait to see you in Georgia soon!<br />
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<i>For the first time on our trip as we waved goodbye we were the ones leaving, heading to Milan by train to begin our trip home.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshKOXoBZxZ5j_dnjqsxslWgbmM5ThoekRqYqr5NH1EYaTbGQVeVXdWIPGXcvHBSKq6Jp7mjmqFoGlDalF8FiyrEQuDLXCcCvmwBVssG-Ad-eA_fiFAggyS0bHFWhiZYDfbeizrFuISmI/s1600/IMG_1648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshKOXoBZxZ5j_dnjqsxslWgbmM5ThoekRqYqr5NH1EYaTbGQVeVXdWIPGXcvHBSKq6Jp7mjmqFoGlDalF8FiyrEQuDLXCcCvmwBVssG-Ad-eA_fiFAggyS0bHFWhiZYDfbeizrFuISmI/s640/IMG_1648.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye!</td></tr>
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</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-71897171664507438932012-10-10T08:57:00.000-04:002012-10-10T08:57:00.129-04:00Sabbatano<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Italian food is wonderful, but eating Italian food in an Italian home with Italian family takes it to a new level!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4U1nHZVRKdIrCoKVZliZqDyDd5aV9sROrkGcFTSMk6hQp_Ivh6GRevcok26tZcs2kuGLJigha3qWFpdmRseqKGlgg-mmoy3emGwAz5URwrGwLW465wHiVjTx6LTH2Fi0f3IkalKX7yQ/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4U1nHZVRKdIrCoKVZliZqDyDd5aV9sROrkGcFTSMk6hQp_Ivh6GRevcok26tZcs2kuGLJigha3qWFpdmRseqKGlgg-mmoy3emGwAz5URwrGwLW465wHiVjTx6LTH2Fi0f3IkalKX7yQ/s640/IMG_1637.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea's parents cooking dinner</td></tr>
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We walked into Andrea's parents' home in Sabbatano (a little group of homes in the hills above Valdottavo) to the smell of fresh pasta cooking. But that was just the "primi." The "secondi" was pork, roasted potatoes, and fresh tomatoes. And the "dolce" was homemade tiramisu and gelato. What a meal!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-d_mYzSNuVAAx6EJdwPlcjweSBOZTah063kWjteGW1EUlnyetkNln8CkiS10_pj4xEVIWpWeqVho99WmQ5VmRkoL_7MUsUedQzQdfVw_66pI9QgEGKUHbEhR0VABtgsKBUWEodAda8o/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-d_mYzSNuVAAx6EJdwPlcjweSBOZTah063kWjteGW1EUlnyetkNln8CkiS10_pj4xEVIWpWeqVho99WmQ5VmRkoL_7MUsUedQzQdfVw_66pI9QgEGKUHbEhR0VABtgsKBUWEodAda8o/s640/IMG_1643.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Action shot" at dinner in Sabbatano</td></tr>
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Good family and and good food -- I think that is what Italy is all about!</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-17067454958649187502012-10-09T10:02:00.000-04:002012-10-09T10:02:00.724-04:00Our Last Hike!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When we set out on this around the world adventure, I don't think either of us anticipated that our hikes would be some of the highlights of our trip! From our first hike in <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.it/2012/01/tongariro-alpine-crossing.html" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> to our amazing <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.it/2012/05/everest-base-camp_11.html" target="_blank">Everest Base Camp trek</a> to dozens of other hikes around the world, we have covered quite a bit of ground!<br />
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Long before we arrived in Italy, Katie and Andrea told us about one of their favorite hikes in <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.it/2012/10/vagli.html" target="_blank">Vagli</a> to Passo Tambura. The pass is really exposed, and we knew that we might not be able to hike to the top if the weather weren't perfectly clear. Luckily we woke up in Vagli to amazing weather and we were off!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG6HG61tQ6-CFEHybMCa67y_IPjc7JcBJwQZtczqfHQoDa3yJbTxlWfV9k2JeuZspff9Ya8i3OZrTWLLDby7RygbnVn6-r9jtX6BYCjG_8E0OdI15-YMgKUzA_RgeMl_raT2YXV1sdo8/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEG6HG61tQ6-CFEHybMCa67y_IPjc7JcBJwQZtczqfHQoDa3yJbTxlWfV9k2JeuZspff9Ya8i3OZrTWLLDby7RygbnVn6-r9jtX6BYCjG_8E0OdI15-YMgKUzA_RgeMl_raT2YXV1sdo8/s640/IMG_1593.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree-lined path to Passo Tambura</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUFRcWUInKzQFClzrSxinN-xs57ZJw9uIPB4OCoRUgPrdhdshypYKoGBOScFqRN2sAq7tzTDrrJpwoPIXkeCLU-a4rtx3mRAcQFbZLXD9ZSfmQeV92bXsu1BAqwMo3v-l8KqcmsP5Uwk/s1600/IMG_1595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUFRcWUInKzQFClzrSxinN-xs57ZJw9uIPB4OCoRUgPrdhdshypYKoGBOScFqRN2sAq7tzTDrrJpwoPIXkeCLU-a4rtx3mRAcQFbZLXD9ZSfmQeV92bXsu1BAqwMo3v-l8KqcmsP5Uwk/s640/IMG_1595.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking above the trees to Passo Tambura</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1izAYfwyNKwuYgNOQIVcbiQQgJUDnLM3TVrZtFPfWXB3xpeDvSpoAp-SLpRvwCGMQONDoq56pBd0D9qfKJzD88PTGTOxyyUU38BI550O4P38W5f38AXSh73FWbqjY7bXkpOE56IUQrQ/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1izAYfwyNKwuYgNOQIVcbiQQgJUDnLM3TVrZtFPfWXB3xpeDvSpoAp-SLpRvwCGMQONDoq56pBd0D9qfKJzD88PTGTOxyyUU38BI550O4P38W5f38AXSh73FWbqjY7bXkpOE56IUQrQ/s640/IMG_1597.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the top of Passo Tambura</td></tr>
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Once we made it to the top we could see all the way to the Ligurian Sea. We took in the view for a few minutes and then it was time to try to get a picture of the four of us. Easier said than done, but after about ten tries we ended up with this one.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrDqBIQRvDOOp6SP8X3vslPOFEe7H9p20JfMs_TM3s2FGPcx-MvTGyzJ1pSxkjr1zWAmgY_0Ek0RdZ4MMbcEgr3hKa9EJ0eEFum2BVGIunqNGNZGGFqUNwabwBlJlyFrk8XUMCMiIpRE/s1600/IMG_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrDqBIQRvDOOp6SP8X3vslPOFEe7H9p20JfMs_TM3s2FGPcx-MvTGyzJ1pSxkjr1zWAmgY_0Ek0RdZ4MMbcEgr3hKa9EJ0eEFum2BVGIunqNGNZGGFqUNwabwBlJlyFrk8XUMCMiIpRE/s640/IMG_1610.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Passo Tambura crew</td></tr>
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We made it to the summit for the last time on this trip! Our poor shoes will welcome a break.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3DSZw-kOegE12uCrfqr96JZHTEh2O6Fhw2hDv88uko7nq_vk5bnXZfgl4WmTBPj4g0VvOmVsLxwpJ30314cdWPHIy0H1eZb9UeOGzYg1JPVZL_2mL8K-Eur2IxYb8R2favSnING2qJM/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3DSZw-kOegE12uCrfqr96JZHTEh2O6Fhw2hDv88uko7nq_vk5bnXZfgl4WmTBPj4g0VvOmVsLxwpJ30314cdWPHIy0H1eZb9UeOGzYg1JPVZL_2mL8K-Eur2IxYb8R2favSnING2qJM/s640/IMG_1617.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the summit of Passo Tambura</td></tr>
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Now we are looking forward to tackling some of the great hikes back home in the States!</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-9285699968947894172012-10-08T14:05:00.000-04:002012-10-08T14:05:13.110-04:00Vagli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We spent a fun couple of days in the mountain town of Vagli Sopra, which Katie and Andrea call home during the winter season.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPDKMT36LGfLIYG8lEMhhympuGU-RSPlEQ25ZrqNjN9M0Fvw44Io7Sg0BVyw_Q1SL_ug_CUu5KYF0dDr7uIb6oy6x4nirJNuGOlFMlVh7Zcw4_DduO6sZCC_TTd-bC2t6EQL-GeT9seo/s1600/IMG_1542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPDKMT36LGfLIYG8lEMhhympuGU-RSPlEQ25ZrqNjN9M0Fvw44Io7Sg0BVyw_Q1SL_ug_CUu5KYF0dDr7uIb6oy6x4nirJNuGOlFMlVh7Zcw4_DduO6sZCC_TTd-bC2t6EQL-GeT9seo/s640/IMG_1542.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie and Andrea's house in Vagli Sopra</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3eSEdaOIPNNOyNtK0QOJSu94jPKrOXzNJB355Vfp0XCyKSomTxTqfRBTxJdkByt4bQX6jVcdiSwOk0q_gzzUm2-9u778-Sy00tVxa-DDUHXxtwyBq5girssIul9vnsqF62yi1hQ-HJU/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3eSEdaOIPNNOyNtK0QOJSu94jPKrOXzNJB355Vfp0XCyKSomTxTqfRBTxJdkByt4bQX6jVcdiSwOk0q_gzzUm2-9u778-Sy00tVxa-DDUHXxtwyBq5girssIul9vnsqF62yi1hQ-HJU/s640/IMG_1560.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a walk in the mountains above Vagli Sopra</td></tr>
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Nearby Vagli in San Romano is the Fortezza della Verrucole. During our sunset visit to the fort we spent most of our time gazing at the views from every side. The Italian landscape never gets tiring!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sunset visit to Fortezza della Verrucole</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-2919331854749738202012-10-07T10:33:00.001-04:002012-10-07T11:05:45.029-04:00A Walk through Valdottavo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Valdottavo is a small Tuscan town north of Lucca and Pisa. It is beautiful, and as I said to Katie over and over, it just feels so Italian. Katie and Andrea spend the summer in Valdottavo, and it has been such a treat getting to know the town.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Valdottavo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlLKSmUJB1ggOPBjXi2VXGUWNEJSo21uavQHjV6H5M-lcYBVRJ3nLsTAk6HpQyZ0B85VWhbXIu5Z_vecDpysNxcPTv_yUZ9GvOt-OGuTOXC002ftyXAWBTIbTLKxh9vxQsOiItv1qiCo/s1600/IMG_1909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlLKSmUJB1ggOPBjXi2VXGUWNEJSo21uavQHjV6H5M-lcYBVRJ3nLsTAk6HpQyZ0B85VWhbXIu5Z_vecDpysNxcPTv_yUZ9GvOt-OGuTOXC002ftyXAWBTIbTLKxh9vxQsOiItv1qiCo/s640/IMG_1909.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Valdottavo from above</td></tr>
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We took a long walk through town one day and took pictures along the way. Our first stop was a bridge crossing the small river that runs through town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_Q0AYjat1Eou1-HP1paMRcuTT6Ii5DLbe8Z_qhOVbMRvzxe13kMNnVo93pCAi03sd2AqUWy9Ik538GMxxYyueOfGU07OSlboima8MLaK0Sdebr2noYCY-WL4s-nRx2VLLpOmxX5RTd0/s1600/P1080478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_Q0AYjat1Eou1-HP1paMRcuTT6Ii5DLbe8Z_qhOVbMRvzxe13kMNnVo93pCAi03sd2AqUWy9Ik538GMxxYyueOfGU07OSlboima8MLaK0Sdebr2noYCY-WL4s-nRx2VLLpOmxX5RTd0/s640/P1080478.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sara and Katie on the bridge in Valdottavo</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Then we walked down the main street in Valdottavo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main street in Valdottavo -- Villa Unita d'Italia</td></tr>
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Of course we made a stop at Valdottavo's local grocery store! We bought some grapes but didn't have the correct change to pay for them. No problem, just bring it by another day. Valdottavo is great! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhp0xNj8oYFnAwbXV8FDWVmodqf4PW0hE3VDzo2CrW-jr8nZsdpg_GlJ9N6VIf8S-jCfR4-c01eLXyveMBiWX2nqTA37rvY-CWIsFM8ohVxnPkkUhucBruC20v2IZMPdbgh8SODH8haU/s1600/IMG_1930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhp0xNj8oYFnAwbXV8FDWVmodqf4PW0hE3VDzo2CrW-jr8nZsdpg_GlJ9N6VIf8S-jCfR4-c01eLXyveMBiWX2nqTA37rvY-CWIsFM8ohVxnPkkUhucBruC20v2IZMPdbgh8SODH8haU/s640/IMG_1930.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalina grocery store in Valdottavo</td></tr>
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And then we came across one of our favorite sights of the day -- Andrea outside of his house slicing prosciutto crudo for lunch. Yum!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea getting lunch ready</td></tr>
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We will really miss Valdottavo, but the good thing is that we know we will be back to visit Katie and Andrea!<br />
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~Sara</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-29872412548548767572012-10-06T17:11:00.001-04:002012-10-06T17:11:43.466-04:00A Day in Florence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
David's Florence favorite: "The David" (at least the fake one outside the Palazzo Vecchio)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPkOpoOobOyvDIBj5igJ4pXUWKRrXMLeGYSM6kLTveksmIhapVxjQ5OuXu-w4s26Nrd-kXEXK-bea5paWog9cSaeMtreBg0BiHkb-8LhaLpKfLWcCAhpl40do1EoBmVM7xit3xjk3F4Y/s1600/IMG_1480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPkOpoOobOyvDIBj5igJ4pXUWKRrXMLeGYSM6kLTveksmIhapVxjQ5OuXu-w4s26Nrd-kXEXK-bea5paWog9cSaeMtreBg0BiHkb-8LhaLpKfLWcCAhpl40do1EoBmVM7xit3xjk3F4Y/s640/IMG_1480.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David and "The David"</td></tr>
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Sara's Florence favorite: the FREE Rick Steves' <a href="http://www.ricksteves.com/news/audio-tours.htm" target="_blank">audio tour</a> that we took through the city! <i>Thanks to our friends who let us in on this fabulous secret!</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OyB9Ke3GPGOzIOfaU4tJt7WVDByZ92DjmZbaob01WsERig7v3uSA2y7dTg2Eq1hJmXbwTN7p9VVdLM5VkOhH21LN6p0jZgeN44J7Rp9uulr07U04KpBGsq2naVxviR1aRWeBZNf6gjM/s1600/IMG_1461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OyB9Ke3GPGOzIOfaU4tJt7WVDByZ92DjmZbaob01WsERig7v3uSA2y7dTg2Eq1hJmXbwTN7p9VVdLM5VkOhH21LN6p0jZgeN44J7Rp9uulr07U04KpBGsq2naVxviR1aRWeBZNf6gjM/s640/IMG_1461.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listening to our audio guide - a shared iPod</td></tr>
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Our tour took us past the Duomo <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWUelIOLAZ43HiMc7uFM4fRrQEum19D3tyMuWo5bv4Y8ejQKnYCXfXHPVHVb6hVzrk86ABJfJzeeK-Xb0if0yu7_1tI4Oq-7lUnL7RyOJ-HNLXG09jf8AhyphenhyphenpNrE166PqnY5wUcYWZySI/s1600/IMG_1464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWUelIOLAZ43HiMc7uFM4fRrQEum19D3tyMuWo5bv4Y8ejQKnYCXfXHPVHVb6hVzrk86ABJfJzeeK-Xb0if0yu7_1tI4Oq-7lUnL7RyOJ-HNLXG09jf8AhyphenhyphenpNrE166PqnY5wUcYWZySI/s640/IMG_1464.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Duomo in Florence</td></tr>
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And the Palazzo Vecchio -- the old Medici palace<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeWDwhQBJhoeB7BcDqBqgERhfKkVT99WCUSn8_0g01oRHhBou_iUFEQ4ObBosiK41_4nTrHEZ33vrXi9sD_U_GXus1ln1ChFNK_7qpI4TYE-fstlGFdEC6g92pqLzku36sIx8I1Ch5rQ/s1600/IMG_1471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeWDwhQBJhoeB7BcDqBqgERhfKkVT99WCUSn8_0g01oRHhBou_iUFEQ4ObBosiK41_4nTrHEZ33vrXi9sD_U_GXus1ln1ChFNK_7qpI4TYE-fstlGFdEC6g92pqLzku36sIx8I1Ch5rQ/s640/IMG_1471.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Palazzo Vecchio in Florence</td></tr>
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To the beautiful Ponte Vecchio.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdtIOJUIW0UY-lbEHRejoefDI_rb_PoRgKsHv-u69Bi1huwQhqPkYL8XoSxyoRKT3_pzkciUgKsMOo78MNE9yRpZC_9FlQKL_2DunrFJpwDCgQ5OVQayPniTxalpCaya6R7HAGL6ZdcU/s1600/IMG_1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdtIOJUIW0UY-lbEHRejoefDI_rb_PoRgKsHv-u69Bi1huwQhqPkYL8XoSxyoRKT3_pzkciUgKsMOo78MNE9yRpZC_9FlQKL_2DunrFJpwDCgQ5OVQayPniTxalpCaya6R7HAGL6ZdcU/s640/IMG_1484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponte Vecchio</td></tr>
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Our last stop was at a hotel with what must be the best view of Florence. Katie whisked us up to the rooftop like an expert. Worked like a charm! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3kXrpEEoXJQjnsyhTQczA-p7GfPM6ufXxxoPVWj1bbw4NHuEc1FYfSEhQ2mKkmRa3ojpBYck8IYb3aMXQWKfbqO8hVL-jFE6Nq9HS4hDSbe30cUKBfzyfUWNKipEYguPOqc-5PCH5-4/s1600/IMG_1516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3kXrpEEoXJQjnsyhTQczA-p7GfPM6ufXxxoPVWj1bbw4NHuEc1FYfSEhQ2mKkmRa3ojpBYck8IYb3aMXQWKfbqO8hVL-jFE6Nq9HS4hDSbe30cUKBfzyfUWNKipEYguPOqc-5PCH5-4/s640/IMG_1516.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftops of Florence with the Duomo in the background</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-51771460927372135752012-10-06T14:40:00.002-04:002012-10-06T14:41:21.026-04:00Four People, One Bike<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Check out this picture. Sara is really happy. Andrea not quite so much.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulRUww8rShjnfVxo5TWk9ABigBhNbkfiRZuwPYPRMyFI2TGkepKCiyKt6fcgBoyv5NePS8Q0fK3oj4bxNfLGHAtv5Nt_uG0CQMIiKs1H9E18IoEthd2sKTq9DCIVGCcSXg6MSPW_6vO4/s1600/IMG_1985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulRUww8rShjnfVxo5TWk9ABigBhNbkfiRZuwPYPRMyFI2TGkepKCiyKt6fcgBoyv5NePS8Q0fK3oj4bxNfLGHAtv5Nt_uG0CQMIiKs1H9E18IoEthd2sKTq9DCIVGCcSXg6MSPW_6vO4/s640/IMG_1985.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aboard our bicycle cart in Pisa</td></tr>
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Much to Andrea's dismay, we spotted these four-man bikes soon after visiting the <a href="http://reedsaroundtheworld.blogspot.it/2012/10/the-pisa-pose.html" target="_blank">Leaning Tower</a>. Andrea graduated from university in Pisa and did not want to be spotted by a familiar face while tooling through town on a tourist wagon. But none of us were standing between Sara and her dream. Before we knew it we were racing through town, and our attention quickly turned from embarrassment to survival. We can happily report that Andrea avoided (too much) embarrassment and we all survived to tell the tale. <br />
<br />
-David</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-55307550882812369822012-10-05T05:10:00.000-04:002012-10-05T05:10:00.105-04:00The Pisa Pose<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Pisa pose</td></tr>
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Just as much fun as posing with the Leaning Tower is watching everyone else pose. Here's the scene:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kicking over the tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resting his feet on the tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding up the tower</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-20160447339844567252012-10-04T06:32:00.000-04:002012-10-04T06:32:00.703-04:00Biking around Lucca<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biking along the wall in Lucca</td></tr>
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The city wall around Lucca used to defend the city against its neighbors. Today it is a picturesque pedestrian and bike path.<br />
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The round trip around the city is about three miles. When it took us about 30 minutes for our first lap, we realized we were riding pretty slowly and stopping for lots of pictures. We picked it up the second time around!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFJTY4JC3Ae6AcvgRwqPdWIddFtfRJeP1A4dxx1Pd2ZVqvv_nn765xaQkAv0E2aN__yOzp2QeL7jlvaOB-XG0AXhyhXfSD1g9VneZCfWu1OEc9UaG2aQ0xEx8L_oV2s1t1K6n1WYLeuA/s1600/P1080496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFJTY4JC3Ae6AcvgRwqPdWIddFtfRJeP1A4dxx1Pd2ZVqvv_nn765xaQkAv0E2aN__yOzp2QeL7jlvaOB-XG0AXhyhXfSD1g9VneZCfWu1OEc9UaG2aQ0xEx8L_oV2s1t1K6n1WYLeuA/s640/P1080496.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the wall in Lucca</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-9E6z37iGRXKQ7_h7_2tzMXqYhB5qNt3AnqV9fgPTxqfSg-NsJ0mkHZy2Gkazk2sxT7l8aJNGudroOpkpKyl6CsfDv4i_syUJxkXHmTCoApATCQFMIp8ob0tEJAVjbwVfsphxVGV0hE/s1600/P1080497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-9E6z37iGRXKQ7_h7_2tzMXqYhB5qNt3AnqV9fgPTxqfSg-NsJ0mkHZy2Gkazk2sxT7l8aJNGudroOpkpKyl6CsfDv4i_syUJxkXHmTCoApATCQFMIp8ob0tEJAVjbwVfsphxVGV0hE/s640/P1080497.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Plaza del Anfiteatro in Lucca</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMaRwXigUkfH8XPskpXp8_orA6FMIH_mtakBNsC_-LMfa9PwnEuwgNe2BhEh-5-5H_n338vhtEJxFanrGauTJEAK47Tkpm2OYfBwEZv_3giDBgTTX0fwqDQKsAhkd46MmeElaTg2lb_U/s1600/P1080491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMaRwXigUkfH8XPskpXp8_orA6FMIH_mtakBNsC_-LMfa9PwnEuwgNe2BhEh-5-5H_n338vhtEJxFanrGauTJEAK47Tkpm2OYfBwEZv_3giDBgTTX0fwqDQKsAhkd46MmeElaTg2lb_U/s640/P1080491.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gelato stop during a drizzle in Lucca</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-85474122211109588412012-10-03T05:21:00.000-04:002012-10-03T12:06:02.054-04:00Vecchio Mulino<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vecchio Mulino</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78piI59d8hAzswGpWptaAATH7F5qRvEgGah38yH34CPsdt-NZKaWSNupN3jHmlGpElNAx1-vR_ArIKn26mQzM9ZnM3TKCnGeRO8nV5dYo9_9cXy8iu_51g1z7e4GDmQ31iGD3XoJdgPU/s1600/IMG_1388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78piI59d8hAzswGpWptaAATH7F5qRvEgGah38yH34CPsdt-NZKaWSNupN3jHmlGpElNAx1-vR_ArIKn26mQzM9ZnM3TKCnGeRO8nV5dYo9_9cXy8iu_51g1z7e4GDmQ31iGD3XoJdgPU/s640/IMG_1388.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sara and Katie enjoying lunch at Vecchio Mulino</td></tr>
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Last year during Katie and Andrea's wedding week celebrations we visited <a href="http://www.vecchiomulino.info/" target="_blank">Vecchio Mulino</a>, a small enoteca in the little town of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. The prosciutto is the stuff of dreams. Since leaving last year we had been talking about how much we wanted to go back. We made it back exactly a year after our first visit!<br />
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There is always the fear that a place won't be as good as you remember, but in Italy you don't have to worry about that! The food this year was even better than we remembered.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKR1gj-Yk6n7wTd3qSlZe6HHv-IM9fur6FhMmibKWvIY4UDCCXgRyIHowibLLGAVVBSfT9I8a9YgZ_wUUxe34qb9dJ-SDKmODdZNo8hS5tobZCj_hwQEgE9W8yP2qhy1dRWwxQRtgXJc/s1600/IMG_1384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKR1gj-Yk6n7wTd3qSlZe6HHv-IM9fur6FhMmibKWvIY4UDCCXgRyIHowibLLGAVVBSfT9I8a9YgZ_wUUxe34qb9dJ-SDKmODdZNo8hS5tobZCj_hwQEgE9W8yP2qhy1dRWwxQRtgXJc/s640/IMG_1384.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of meats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdmQcHvylevnh4sz3yzEgO9JYw-2C8maXrm5MT4jGdlJ23HVI7vFodog9AY0z3xAvB-AqZdjU8UejLuAPDP1jK1ojJZ7izHgfKnNtLPrOPKS9royj1tgVLAGTUDVhqoQfdeg2nlGWHL8/s1600/IMG_1386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdmQcHvylevnh4sz3yzEgO9JYw-2C8maXrm5MT4jGdlJ23HVI7vFodog9AY0z3xAvB-AqZdjU8UejLuAPDP1jK1ojJZ7izHgfKnNtLPrOPKS9royj1tgVLAGTUDVhqoQfdeg2nlGWHL8/s640/IMG_1386.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cheese platter</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-30369040131261008492012-10-02T07:32:00.000-04:002012-10-02T16:39:47.411-04:00Milking the Mechanical Cow!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The town of Borgo a Mozzano near Valdottavo has a milk vending machine! Local farmers fill up the machine with fresh unpasteurized milk each morning. A euro fills up a bottle with milk that was in the real cow earlier that day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David milking the mechanical cow</td></tr>
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It's really easy to milk the mechanical cow!</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-61513989008042845392012-10-02T06:52:00.000-04:002012-10-02T06:52:00.252-04:00This isn't so hard!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first run together of the trip</td></tr>
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Although we are a bit out of running shape (this was our first run together of the trip), we quickly realized that when the scenery is this spectacular running isn't so hard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPvVSlIwP_1JCES2rFyk4vNnzrGQrDDl2chEtkS-FwoXMQGXlYzoKwGKyQfoMLTtw5WBJzynXRUw87Lhfdm7TailSLb2sTPJCe1FKoGpM4K6r6qtJ_roKcHqv6giv5AEF1SBG0xik484/s1600/IMG_1869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPvVSlIwP_1JCES2rFyk4vNnzrGQrDDl2chEtkS-FwoXMQGXlYzoKwGKyQfoMLTtw5WBJzynXRUw87Lhfdm7TailSLb2sTPJCe1FKoGpM4K6r6qtJ_roKcHqv6giv5AEF1SBG0xik484/s640/IMG_1869.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie and David -- Valdottavo is the town just above Katie's right shoulder</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybAlJD5HxKmnNOumQiowtmoXSmnT1NUTTLpx5xtXzfhKX4XkURB1d1r43dIuf99aVGAcD_i4sptEKTotaazA2Bs25J6GEwPmgVyYHfikqRGJFyE4PmQxlb6SSaHIHFNLAGdC7pFb2ZGg/s1600/IMG_1872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybAlJD5HxKmnNOumQiowtmoXSmnT1NUTTLpx5xtXzfhKX4XkURB1d1r43dIuf99aVGAcD_i4sptEKTotaazA2Bs25J6GEwPmgVyYHfikqRGJFyE4PmQxlb6SSaHIHFNLAGdC7pFb2ZGg/s640/IMG_1872.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An awesome sister - picking fresh figs for us!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0oHSUk-HKrRgH4lbRGpiLQFXhOWEcyAvHUzGQmD70TQ_lIBMwvpcvDpUd_M7B7HwYAL1muvgJ-lfUT-8fHNwSHm5AnQ1_sbBzlmh399peHbKH7MGChxDEmeOF9oV-heaDrNhcubxWFI/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0oHSUk-HKrRgH4lbRGpiLQFXhOWEcyAvHUzGQmD70TQ_lIBMwvpcvDpUd_M7B7HwYAL1muvgJ-lfUT-8fHNwSHm5AnQ1_sbBzlmh399peHbKH7MGChxDEmeOF9oV-heaDrNhcubxWFI/s640/IMG_1879.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David in a bunker along the Gothic Line, Germany's last major line of defense in Italy during WWII</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-73212086287601020722012-10-01T15:30:00.000-04:002012-10-01T15:30:02.606-04:00Two Anniversaries!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknun4qVIrXLoYHRUDpZV-vK7X4iDma1YH-VV3gIYuM-Ge4ic8N0chjsxCUxiDJJWm5l63IgKE8ea68-h25Wi62DzR9N1EC_b9kvVGc3mZGo7_gL2Q6ZWVPgMfObX2ZlbZxWHvbmF2nLc/s1600/P1080502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknun4qVIrXLoYHRUDpZV-vK7X4iDma1YH-VV3gIYuM-Ge4ic8N0chjsxCUxiDJJWm5l63IgKE8ea68-h25Wi62DzR9N1EC_b9kvVGc3mZGo7_gL2Q6ZWVPgMfObX2ZlbZxWHvbmF2nLc/s640/P1080502.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toasting to nine months on the road!</td></tr>
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Tracking our monthly "adventure anniversaries" has been a fun way for us to keep track of how long we've been away from home and how many amazing places we still have to go. A couple of nights ago we celebrated our last one, toasting nine months on the road. Wow! This time next month we'll be back stateside. <br />
<br />
Today we are celebrating another really special anniversary! But this one isn't ours. Katie and Andrea were married in the most wonderful Italian wedding imaginable on October 1 last year. It is so much fun to be back here exactly one year later. We are looking forward to celebrating with you guys this year and for years to come! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeuoTXt-DmfG_iZqWAIJBugBgBFwWCKRUvkUgIqQp5wZ8yqFimd3eOTSNZCLmWYCxh_64yemAsLwpq6IKwlgkPkDU5MBoonpavIgdGswTyPETe3xIfiejMvrEaBf8064WM8J8W5UOHOs/s1600/K&A+wedding.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeuoTXt-DmfG_iZqWAIJBugBgBFwWCKRUvkUgIqQp5wZ8yqFimd3eOTSNZCLmWYCxh_64yemAsLwpq6IKwlgkPkDU5MBoonpavIgdGswTyPETe3xIfiejMvrEaBf8064WM8J8W5UOHOs/s640/K&A+wedding.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie and Andrea - they're married!</td></tr>
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</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-84836736243074755512012-10-01T07:00:00.000-04:002012-10-01T07:00:19.083-04:00Valdottavo - Look Who's Here!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-gYaDUV12y-nARD-kI7FspN04a7HLqQ4HyxPiADvN2qYCxVuGILVGlzFtzbf9UNrr_YpR-CTR8RXy9T0B29gp-MyghsF8YCzWw8OQ8qWP6x6YSYEKOcsOukmZlxF7sAS7dy9yx8JnvQ/s1600/P1080474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-gYaDUV12y-nARD-kI7FspN04a7HLqQ4HyxPiADvN2qYCxVuGILVGlzFtzbf9UNrr_YpR-CTR8RXy9T0B29gp-MyghsF8YCzWw8OQ8qWP6x6YSYEKOcsOukmZlxF7sAS7dy9yx8JnvQ/s640/P1080474.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just outside the train station in Pisa - a wonderful reunion after nine months!</td></tr>
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This is the last stop on our adventure -- two weeks in northern Tuscany visiting my twin sister Katie and her Italian husband Andrea. We are so happy to be here!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIASBzg6dmZsiDFS9-_D6N9DuxSa9-eYfeobvDtaoZ_Bp-hkMJpE3Qv94n4iQzpfYEoG1YPAAi0LBIWyGOtlAuvlNhMWfgw1O_2D3lKhH8-Ru3dbB0sEgHXqZqFDKg-oWQnGmHEUPzblY/s1600/P1080505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIASBzg6dmZsiDFS9-_D6N9DuxSa9-eYfeobvDtaoZ_Bp-hkMJpE3Qv94n4iQzpfYEoG1YPAAi0LBIWyGOtlAuvlNhMWfgw1O_2D3lKhH8-Ru3dbB0sEgHXqZqFDKg-oWQnGmHEUPzblY/s640/P1080505.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Katie and Andrea at a restaurant in Valdottavo</td></tr>
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<br />
~Sara</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-64562878019760942542012-10-01T04:18:00.002-04:002012-10-01T04:18:49.268-04:00Jerusalem's Old City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>This post got lost in the shuffle.</i> Here are a few more (belated) highlights from Jerusalem!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjlM9m3P43EAtQ4ydTEc8KHYTVelfqwSfxeTcAkpOA_MgLQ-XnHu3bJxkKJ6jf3vHRGynShOnKKQv2hQv4dcw-a7ZcTash3Jvk3JQaG2Pp5EFeVMDaQxbvEtxAOKZPRImVmlztqxa-pg/s1600/IMG_0715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjlM9m3P43EAtQ4ydTEc8KHYTVelfqwSfxeTcAkpOA_MgLQ-XnHu3bJxkKJ6jf3vHRGynShOnKKQv2hQv4dcw-a7ZcTash3Jvk3JQaG2Pp5EFeVMDaQxbvEtxAOKZPRImVmlztqxa-pg/s640/IMG_0715.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Garden of Gethsemane near the foot of the Mount of Olives</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTbdT9qXJU9fAyTFratPh8TFaANhgpHPMRZeeybkQzia69-2PIYGgq0YtsHgd6PYf6cFlVDGZnXRcEmVKCicOnZrorrOVSp5iM4q_5KcNevCE0IFBe3_rI5715XOn_B06_Ki2ijkD2mc/s1600/IMG_0931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPTbdT9qXJU9fAyTFratPh8TFaANhgpHPMRZeeybkQzia69-2PIYGgq0YtsHgd6PYf6cFlVDGZnXRcEmVKCicOnZrorrOVSp5iM4q_5KcNevCE0IFBe3_rI5715XOn_B06_Ki2ijkD2mc/s640/IMG_0931.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzx9nwae-Mw6-P9hZlAKL55DV2o2AJQbfRo8WU-xiT8J1qZHJ3w8NZOj88RIVFsn_FIt1E0yggWHOM_B-eLxVa8kDTkKSksiZ6IiZE-KMP3Gjg5FM9l27ehucRqV0_nuv-_-psbdk8xfo/s1600/IMG_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzx9nwae-Mw6-P9hZlAKL55DV2o2AJQbfRo8WU-xiT8J1qZHJ3w8NZOj88RIVFsn_FIt1E0yggWHOM_B-eLxVa8kDTkKSksiZ6IiZE-KMP3Gjg5FM9l27ehucRqV0_nuv-_-psbdk8xfo/s640/IMG_0836.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Garden Tomb</td></tr>
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Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850783745130603421.post-71367613400730705302012-09-30T15:11:00.000-04:002012-09-30T15:11:00.710-04:00Ciao Rome!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqyO8XUnLcK5o-bkw94wShRJYL0_cjUHORVhRxX0mkOfjRpGZwE0Jjzj9imdklS1NnN-iOLUVjHjjjjb5oVljNPK_aXxM7rns3tPLL0t9uqkS3EVkovSNGRJc4hdpGrZArt9BBNB7JxQ/s1600/P1080473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqyO8XUnLcK5o-bkw94wShRJYL0_cjUHORVhRxX0mkOfjRpGZwE0Jjzj9imdklS1NnN-iOLUVjHjjjjb5oVljNPK_aXxM7rns3tPLL0t9uqkS3EVkovSNGRJc4hdpGrZArt9BBNB7JxQ/s640/P1080473.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Colosseum lit up at night</td></tr>
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Ciao Rome! We threw coins into Trevi Fountain, so hopefully it won't be long until we see you again.</div>
Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111252317044877539noreply@blogger.com0