In 1997, we traveled to Italy for the first time. We started out in Rome, went to Bologna, Venice, Florence, Siena, and back to Rome.

In 2000, we spent nine days in Paris, then two weeks in Geneva (Fenton was working at the United Nations). I was a special envoy, but I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics. From Geneva, I took a number of day trips around Switzerland and occasionally venturing back into France to the small village of Yvoire or to Mount Blanc. We finished

In 2002, we visited Craig. He was spending the year in Padua, tough gig. What kind of parents would we be, if we did not go over there and check on him? (Now, he lives in Oklahoma. He wonders why we have not gone to check up on him. But he is older now. We feel he can take care of himself). We met Craig in Rome. We then headed off to Padua. We took day trips to Urbino, Verona, Venice (twice), and other points of interest. We were there when the State Department issued a warning for Americans to saty out of five Italian cities: of course, we went to four of them.

This is, of course, the Coliseum in Rome. Many of the stories about the Christians and the lions are untrue or exaggerated. I guess maybe the Christians won more often than is reported. Fenton and I walked around inside about 20 times. Not because we wanted to, but because the exits were not marked. There was no game the day we were there.
 

We enjoyed walking among the ruins of Rome. As the song goes, "they built up with their bare hands what we still can't do today." It is incredible to look at buildings that are 2000 years old when anything in America that is 200 years old is considered historic.

Venice is nice. Here is a picture of the Bridge of Sighs. If you kiss under the bridge, it means you will return to Venice. But it is called the Bridge of Sighs that because it was connected to the Doges Palace, which housed the prisoners and it was their last glimpse of freedom. Today, it is a prime spot for tourists.
 
 

This is the Tower in Siena and the famous Campo where the horse race is held each year. I climbed to the top to overlook the beautiful Tuscan countryside. The allegory of Good Government and Bad Government is located in the museum at the base of the tower. To see the allegory of Good and Bad Government, return to the home page. To see the Effects of Good and Bad Government, and maybe learn something about Political Science as a discipline, go to the Political Science link.

This is a picture from Urbino, home of Raphael. We visited his home. The area surrounding it is beautiful and the city sits up on a hill.
It was part of the Raphael World Tour.
 

Here is a look at Notre Dame. Fenton and I climbed to the top to look out over the city of Paris. An obnoxious tourist kept cutting in front of us, so when we got to the first landing, we let her go first and then Fenton ran the stairs, staying on her heels, forcing her to go faster and faster. It was great. This is a Notre Dame I could root for.

This gargoyle on top of Notre Dame has one of the best views of the city of Paris. I loved walking around on this platform and viewing the city.

This is Paris at night. The well-lit boats illuminate the Seine. The food in Paris is pretty good. We enjoyed strolling along the Seine each evening after dinner. The bridge across the Seine was crowded every evening with families and picnickers, with their loaves of bread and bottles of wine. 

Fenton worked in Geneva for two weeks at the United Nations. I was a "special envoy" at the UN, with my own badge. I would go to the UN on Mondays, when the rest of the city was closed. The UN had a great cafeteria. This is a view from the highest point of Geneva, in a cathedral, overlooking the Lake and the Jet d'Eau

Few things were as breathtaking as our trip to Chamonix, on the French/Swiss border to overlook the Mount Blanc. We took a tram to the top. And walked around looking over the village below. We were able with a few steps to walk from Italy to France to Switzerland. It was a magnificient day.

Lausanne, Switzerland is sometimes referred to as the San Francisco of Europe. It is built on three levels and is breathtaking. The Olympic museum is located in Lausanne. If Lausanne had the Giants and Pac Bell Park, it would be perfect.

The gorgeous city of Montreux, home of the jazz fesitval, rivals Lausanne for its beauty.