January 20, 2026

January 20, 2026

Aimee set the alarm for 4 AM this morning. After dressing and final packing, we dragged our bodies out of our Florence, Italy hotel and into the nearby Piazza. Our driver arrived exactly on time, just like both trains we took. Italy is the new Germany apparently.

Our first flight took us over the snowy Alps right past the Matterhorn peak landing in Paris on time. We flew Air France on this leg. We always look forward to it as their food is usually very good. We weren’t disappointed. We could smell the fresh croissants as soon as we got on the plane. Our flight also took us across the Butter-Oil line. Rome cooks in Olive Oil. Here we savor a croissant dripping in butter.

After a couple hour layover, we boarded another Air France flight. This one came with a full meal. It was delicious. Afterwards I asked for seconds for dessert and a big glass of Cognac. Our long flight took us over Iceland and the center of Greenland. Both looked snowy and very cold. Pack-ice continued across the Davis Strait to Baffin Island. I was a little surprised. It is going to take a lot more global warming before the famed Northwest passage is truly navigable. Right now only a polar bear would love it.

Since this is a day flight, I took the opportunity to watch three movies. They included two of the three original Star Wars movies I haven’t seen since they first came out. While watching I kept an eye out the window as we passed the lofty Grand Tetons rising steeply from Jackson Hole. Later I saw Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.

During our long layover in LAX, we took the opportunity to freshen up with showers. That is a nice perk of the Business Lounge. By the time we board our flight to Tucson, I am exhausted and I sleep the entire way.

We are happy to be home. Neither of us likes the cold anymore. I am ready for Tucson warm. Aimee is tired of the art lessons I have been giving her. She has some post-trip reading assignments learning about Greek and Roman mythology and Renaissance art. We had a good trip though. Despite the forecast for continuous rain, we had only a few showers over two days. Despite being winter we found crowds aplenty, especially in tightly packed Florence, the home of Pinocchio. We also got lots of exercise. Aimee's phone said we walked 117 miles!

Rome is a great mix of ancient Roman culture and more modern Baroque papal splendor and excess. It is endlessly fascinating. A visit to Florence filled in the missing Renaissance period. Fortunately for my tastes, both cities had venues overflowing with sculpture. While Aimee could relate to the famous Boy with Thorn in his Foot, I like the dynamic statues that invite you to walk around them. Bernini was the master of this art form.