Italy still going on!

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Thursday, July 1st- Another early morning after a long day of site seeing and battling the Italians. After a quick breakfast we sat out fron of our hotel for an hour waiting for a bus that never came just to find out that our practice was cancelled and rescheduled for later in the day. So we did what anyother top team would do, go back to bed! We took a little nap then met for lunch and the went down to the beach for a nice little ocean swim and then some time in the Recco pool. After swimming jetty to jetty for and hour we got in the pool and worked on a few things. We then headed back to the hotel for a short break before heading off to a new pool for our last taste of Italian water polo. There we played a team that included the goalie form the national junior team as well as a couple of division 1 players. They were a bit short handed so we rotated our own girls with their team. Let me tell you that if you think I yell a lot you should have heard they coach of the team we played against. He yelled enough for the both of us. Once done with our game we headed back to the other hotel for dinner in that resturant and it was delicious! Pasta with mushrooms, clams, and peach cake for dessert, yum! Well thats what i ate the girls had pizza once again. Actually they all had different items off the menu.


Friday, July 2nd- Good by to Recco/Camogli now off to Venice! A nice little 4 hour bus ride through the country side of Italy, once again stopping at some random rest stop along the way for food. Once in Venice we finally found our guide and boarded our private boat to to our Hotel. The Hotel Dei Dogi! The boat pulled up right to the back door of the hotel. This was a beautiful looking hotel and it was very high class. Good thing the front looks good cause most of our rooms were about 115 degrees all day long. We had dinner in San Marco square which by boat was 30 minutes away but evediently it was only 10 minutes walking dstance. Dinner was good at some little hole in the wall place down some small alley. It was then time for some Gelato and then back to the hotel.

Saturday, July 3rd- Last full day in Italy!(or so we thought)- Started off with another boat ride back out to San Marco Square followed by a tour of The Doges Palace and St. Peters Bisilica. We walked across the Bridge of Sighs, which turns out to be a walkway in the prision. Afer the tourn we were then taken out to Maruno Island and a tour of a glass blowing factory. The actually brought us right into were they do it and we were able to watch a master glass blower do his work. He made a beautiful horse in a matter of minutes. We were told they start learning their trade at age 9 and do nothing but work in th factory from that age on. They say it takes about 15 years to lean a specialty. We then did a bit of shopping in the area before returning to San Marco square for lunch and shopping. Finally had me some spaghetti and meatballs for lunch and it was pretty good. I don't understand how these people over here are not fatter with all the good food there is to eat. It was then back to the hotel and some free time on our own before our last dinner in Vence(or so we thought). Jennifer and I enjoyed a peaceful Gandola ride around the Grand Canal, although Jenn wouldn't let me sing when our boat guided said he couldn't. We all met up for dinner and of course more gelato. the back for another night in the 5 star luxury hotel with the broken air conditioners.

Sunday, July 5th- Early morning of packing , breakfast, and boat ride to the airport. Once at the airport we learned that our filght from Venice to JFk was cancelled. We then spent the next five ours dealing with Delta Airlines and finally were able to get a flight home but of course it's not until Monday, July 5th. :-( Luckily the airlines did put us up in a hotel with air conditioning it because it is hot out! Hope all is weel and you all enjoy your 4th of July.

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