JUNE 21: FABULOUS FLORENCE. It is difficult to describe adequately the city of Florence. We arrived on another brilliant day, blue sky without a cloud! One thing about our trip: we walk everywhere! Europe is NOT America, and in many places there are no elevators, escalators or air-conditioning!  However, everywehre there are little shops or outdoor stands selling bottled water, pop, etc.   We toured the Santa Croce(Holy Cross) Church. In that church are buried Michelangelo and Galileo!  Florence is also the city of the great Italian writer, Dante, who wrote the DIVINE COMEDY.  We toured a leather making factory where the work with gold and leather was incredible.  More walking through streets with buildings that are 500 years old and statues even older.  Stopped for lunch, then on to the Duomo(Cathedral), then finally Mass at another parish church. No airconditioning and the temp was above 90, but we were happy to be together and pray for you and all the pilgrims coming to Rome next week.
 FOOD: Italy is a terrific place to visit for many reasons, but one of the best is the food. A few things to share:
PIZZA: Italian pizza is very thin, more with tomato and less with cheese, always fresh ingredients.
WATER: water here is safe to drink, but no matter where you go you can buy cold, bottled water.
BREAKFAST: our hotels have offered us buffet breakfasts of cereal, eggs, ham, yogurt, fresh fruit,,,,and cheese and salami!
LUNCH: usually light and simple: a salad, individual pizza or sandwich, water or pop.
DINNER: bread, then always a pasta dish, then a main course, THEN salad, then a wonderful, sweet dessert.
GELATO: you see places in the USA advertise gelato. Nothing I have tasted in the USA coems close to what they have here. the taste of this "ice cream" is beyong anything youc an imagine.
  Interesting: two of the people on our trip have suffered from headaches for years. Since we arrived, their headaches have disappeared. One of the medical people on the trip told me that is because all the food we eat here is Fresh: no preservatives, no chemicals, all natural ingredients.
Last comment: the trip has been very good. We have seen so much, but everyday we begin with the entire group praying for our safety during the day. Everyday we offer Mass, and many people offer intentions for their family and friends at home.
 Tomorrow we are on the road a lot, and I am not sure I will be able to get to a computer before Monday, however, I will get the info back to you about our travles, especially on Sunday to Assisi, the home of St. fFancis.