Day 10: travel to Rome

Long day of travel. We stop every 2.5 hours. Its the law. Drivers of trucks and buses will get ticketed if they violate the rule. We read, watch the scenery, take pictures or catch up on sleep. Betty, our tour director, narrates as we go or plays music of that region.

Fun facts about our coach:
1. It is a Mercedes Benz
2. It has lots of leg room. Doug likes it, I can't reach the foot rests!
3. The coach seats 46 but we only have 24 on it, so it gives us moving around room if we want to
4. Every day we change seats. We will be in the front of the coach on the way to Switzerland. Rick and Cynthia are up there today
5. Our driver is from Belgium

Leg 1: looks like the California central valley, except greener. Pretty flat with lots of farming
Leg 2: through Tuscany with beautiful green hills and lots of trees and lots of tunnels. Also some beautiful villas. (I want to live here!)
Leg 3: through Umbria with their hilltop towns. (originally built to cut down on malaria)

We are keeping up pretty well with the language. Our tour director teaches us the phrases we need to know before we get to each city, so we are communicating without using our computer translator (most shop owners speak English so it isn't too hard). It is fun speaking other languages. Now I wish I had paid attention in high school.

Note: the designers of bath tubs and showers are either heavily medicated or have a funny sense of humor.

We have had great weather! Rome is going to be about 77. Perfect!

Tonight saw the Pantheon, Spanish steps (133), Trevi fountain, and had dinner at the piazza Navona. So much history. Amazing city.