We were led in song by the talents of our Music Director Mr. Craig Denison and our Accompanist Mr. Dan Copher. The trip was well organized by Choir Manager Ms. Malissa Vasquez and Head Choir Mothers Mrs. Ballester and Mrs. Sedlack. Our tireless and ever patient chaperones were Mrs. Arnst, Mr. Escabi, Mrs. Hambrook, Mrs. Newstreet, Mr. Tatis, Mrs. Verburg, and Mr. Vosburgh.

Florida Singing Sons:
Ian Anderson, Joseph Angello, Alex Aragon, Steven Arnst, Ricky Ballester, Alex Blanken, Tommy Bolger, William Bridges, Ben Burnett, Leo Buscemi, Brian Cavanaugh, Robert Chaiet, Zach Denison, Javi Escabi, Daniel Fagot, David Fagot, Leroy Fellis, Andy Fiorenzi, Tyler Fye, R.J. Gonzalez, Louis Joseph, Jacob Newstreet, Sean Olsen, Bradley Peterson, Gui Proenca, Abel Roman, Ian Starratt, Daniel Steele, Josh Thomas, Nick Tsouroukdissian, Chris Velasquez, Davis Verburg, Chris Vosburgh

Second Generation Singers:
Jake Andrews, Sean Cavanaugh, Terrance Chin-Loy, Lino Galavis, Bernie Gonzalez, Chris Hambrook, Ryan Hill, Cody Liese, L.B. Lunde, David Luzinski, Michael Luzinski, Danny Perez, Jeremy Sawh, Evan Strouss, Ryan Strouss, Andrew Tatis, Jonathan Tweneboah, John Wilson

Wednesday, June 14, 2006: We arrived at the FSSB building for our noon call, where Mr. Strouss organized us for a group picture in front of the bus departing for Miami International Airport. There were only a few dry eyes, but some very excited boys, as we departed Fort Lauderdale! Check-in at MIA went very smoothly; only Jake Andrews was identified for extra security scrutiny. Mr. Tatis hovered close by in case Jake needed him. We were surprised to meet the rest of Second G in the terminal and enjoyed our lunches. It was a short time until we boarded and departed for Frankfurt and Paris; then it was on to the Eternal City – Rome!

Thursday, June 15, 2007: Following a long trip across the Atlantic Ocean, we arrived to a foggy, drizzly Paris. Our layover there was uneventful, until we boarded the plane that would take us to Rome. There, we learned that there had been mechanical problems with another plane in Rome that would cause a two hour delay … UGH! After a long and very sleepy time spent on this jet, we arrived to a gorgeous day in Rome. Our trusty luggage crew quickly assembled our vast array of suit cases, we changed U.S. dollars to Euros, and met our tour guides, Trixie and Martino. Austrian Trixie commented that Mrs. Ballester’s Italian was better than hers! We boarded the double-decker bus that will serve as our transportation here. Most boys ride on the top deck, affording them terrific views of the picturesque Italian countryside. The trip was lovely: Italy shares some of our foliage – Oleander plants line the highways, there are Magnolia trees, Hydrangea bushes, and citrus trees. The big differences are the grapes growing by the side of the road! We traveled 1½ hour to Fiuggi, where we will stay in the Hotel Bristol for the next few days. After checking in, Mr. Denison rehearsed the boys and we covered ground rules and procedures. Then it was off to an authentic Italian dinner, served in courses: minestrone, lasagna, breaded veal cutlets with fried potatoes and a tomato salad, wrapped up with Tiramisu for dessert! On full tummies Mr. Denison led us on an excursion around the Fiuggi town square. It was a beautiful, cool evening, and we enjoyed our brief tour. Showers and setting out uniforms for our two performances tomorrow concluded our first Italian evening. It was time for lights out before we realized it … buona notte!

Friday, June 16, 2006: The morning dawned early and cool. Breakfast was a delicious “European” buffet – breads and jams, yogurts, ham and cheese, scrambled eggs, caffe and tea. We boarded our bus and were off on our whirlwind tour of Vatican City and ancient Roman monuments! First stop, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, where we viewed beautiful artwork and enjoyed a guided audio tour. We walked to the Trevi Fountain where all the boys threw Euros over their shoulders into the water, wishing it a certainty they would return to the EternalCity in their futures. We enjoyed a quick walk to the Piazza Navona. Lunch and even faster “speed” shopping with local vendors preceded our walk to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was an ancient arena, converted to a church during the later Roman Empire. Gorgeous marble, in an unbelievably huge setting was the first stop for our Italian concerts. Bradley Peterson and Chris Velasquez met with local friends and family, and the boys played to what may be their largest, most diverse audience ever. Second Generation Singers featuring soloists Terrance Chin-Loy, Andrew Tatis, and Jeremy Sawh wowed the crowd with their rendition of “For the Longest Time.” This performance was a moment the boys will cherish for the rest of their lives. It was time to board our buses; people from the audience stopped Mr. Denison and the boys to congratulate them on their performance as we made our way to the Basilica Santa Maria Degli Angeli e Dei Martiri to rehearse our evening concert. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner of prosciuto and mozzarella cheese, green salad, and a large variety of pizza, followed by gelati (Italian ice cream!) The Italians invented ice cream, and we all agree that this must be the best in the world! There are too many flavors to name, and they are each soooo delicious that we don’t miss the “mix-ins”! The Basilica is an incredible edifice, first constructed by the Romans as a bath site. During the Renaissance, Pope Pius IV commissioned Michelangelo to convert the structure to a church. The result is phenomenal. The church contains many beautiful art pieces, including a unique bust of the martyr John the Baptist. The boys sang a magnificent concert to an audience of approximately 100 spectators. Their music was so well received that following the concert, the parish priest offered a special blessing: “For the choir, for a safe trip, for the conductor, and for their accompanist. We are so fortunate to have had a rare occasion to host a choir this good.” The church choir asked our boys for a special encore performance in their choir suite, where we sang “For the Longest Time” and “Orange Colored Sky.” High praise, indeed! Louis Joseph and Zach Dension led the way as most everyone fell asleep on the ride back to Fiuggi and the hotel. We’ll see you in the morning!

Saturday, June 17, 2006: A lovely day began with the breakfast buffet, followed by a bus trip through the mountains to Monte Cassino. Monte Cassino is the first Benedictine monastery, and is located on top of a mountain. It has been destroyed four times; the last time was during World War II during the German occupation, when Allied troops (Americans) bombed and leveled it. Each time the monks have lovingly restored it back to its original condition. It is beautifully baroque and the boys sounded absolutely gorgeous during the concert they sang there. Hearing the choir featuring soloists Alex Aragon, Steven Arnst, Leroy Fellis, Jacob Newstreet, and Sean Olsen sing Steal Away under the expansive arches in these churches will bring tears to the eyes. After a brief trip to the souvenir shop, we were on our way to Sora, another mountain town located approximately 75 miles southeast of Rome. The town was preparing to celebrate the festa della gioventu. We ate a wonderful lunch, again served in courses; L.B. Lunde, Chris Hambrook, Ryan Hill, and Jeremy Sawh have mastered eating bread dipped in olive oil, salt, and pepper. We then went to the municipal building to meet our hosts. The newly elected mayor greeted us warmly and the boys performed Hosanna to the Son of David. We toured the museo and were pleased to learn about Soran ancient history. The town was founded in the Common Era before Christianity, and blossomed during the rule of Caesar Augustus. A short walk around the corner, and we were at the Chiesa di Saint Restituta, where we performed in concert with the children’s choir from the Accademia Musicale di Sora, our official hosts. The two music directors exchanged music, good wishes, and small gifts. The boys sang beautifully and were given a standing ovation by the townspeople – bravo! Bellisimo! The parish priest was so pleased with our performance that he asked Mr. Denison to conduct two encore numbers and began his Saturday evening mass later than usual to accommodate the lengthened performance. The boys closed the evening with The Lord Bless You and Keep You. We returned to a terrific dinner served at the hotel of vegetable soup (we discovered that some chaperones, Miss Malissa, and Mr. Copher love split pea soup), pasta Bolognese, pork loin and peas with bacon, salad, and Italian flan topped with whipped cream. No one leaves the table hungry on this tour! The highlight of the evening was the World Cup Italy v. U.S. soccer game. Our gracious hosts hung both countries flags and put up a huge screen on which the hotel guests, locals, and the boys watched the thrilling tie game. We retired to our rooms for quick showers, and it was time for lights out on another successful day!

Sunday, June 18, 2006: Bon giorno! The boys wished our tour fathers a happy father’s day at our breakfast buffet and we loaded the bus for our trip back to Rome. We took the subway to the Colosseum and were awed by its size and history. For many boys, this was the first time they had used a subway. The boys listened attentively to our tour guide and snapped many pictures along our walk. Growing in the walls of the ancient structure were signs of new life. The caper plant is native to Italy, and grows only in the spaces between the old mortared walls. It has a unique white blossom, with a lovely scent. We learned that the ancient Roman sites were spared World War II bombing devastation because of a treaty signed by the democratic ruler who succeeded Mussolini. The treaty specified that other sites could be targets, as long as the ancient sites were left alone. After our tour we ate lunch at various restaurants – where some enjoyed lasagne and cannaloni, some had pizza. We rendezvoused at the Colosseum and walked to the subway stop. After boarding the bus, we were on our way to Calvi dell’ Umbria. The trip to this small, mountain town was amazing. We saw some of the remains of the Roman aqueduct system, old castles and fortified city walls. Along side these were orchards of olive trees, fields of sunflowers, and grape vineyards. The Umbrian countryside looks like a postcard, the beauty of which is difficult to capture on film. We arrived at the small town for our evening performance. The hospitality of the people was overwhelming. Again, the people had celebrated a town festival. This time the narrow, cobbled streets were decorated with flower blossoms, seeds, and spices. The designs were similar to Rose Bowl floats in the U.S. in building material, but constructed on the streets, like a sidewalk painting. Breathtaking! The boys did their best not to trample this lovely work as we toured this incredible town. Our hosts bought the boys gelati and it was time for the concert. The whole town must have turned out for our boys at the Chiesa Saint Maria Assunta. Their sacred music is always well received. As always, they brought down the house with our American music. The boys sang the Gershwin medley for the first time on tour and the crowd loved it. Our gracious hosts reflected on the Italian choral heritage, which inspired most of our music. They said that they were so pleased to see the tradition continued so beautifully across the ocean in America. The boys were treated to their second standing ovation and cheers from the crowd, “Bravo! Bellisimo!” Some people in the audience were even moved to tears by their beautiful voices. The boys were given the opportunity to appreciate Mr. Denison and his hard work when the crowd recognized our maestro! The townspeople set out elegant pastries like crostata chocolate and torte de fruita. There were roast pork sandwiches for them to devour in the square. Second G, led by Bernie Gonzalez, and some of the concert choir boys, led by Ricky Ballester, enjoyed meeting the locals (girls) and exchanging email addresses! We were sorry to leave, but had to depart for Assisi and our next hotel. A late dinner featuring spaghetti, ground sirloin steaks and French fries, topped with more gelati was enjoyed by all! It was time for lights out – tomorrow promises to be just as exciting! Ciao!

Monday, June 19, 2006: A fine European style buffet breakfast awaited us in the morning – juice, a yogurt assortment, corn flakes, boiled eggs, breads, meat and cheese. We departed for San Francesco de Assisi, the monastery that St. Francis built. The church is located in a lovely old town with narrow streets and stone buildings. It was quite a hike to the top of a mountain, where both are located. There was beautiful artwork – frescoes painted by Renaissance painter Giotto line the walls of the two main churches. The remains of St. Francis are located in the lower church, and he is buried with his friends. The front of the basilica is a square where there is a huge picture frame calling for a few group pictures. The square is lined with modern art focusing on problems of modern life – war, discrimination, substance abuse, etc. The town is quiet and quaint, and all (Davis Verburg being the exception!) enjoyed walking its streets and shopping in the little shops. After our tour, we left for Spoletto, home of the international music festival that begins here next week. Spoletto is larger than the towns we have visited, more the size of its sister city Charleston. Mr. Denison used to spend his summers in Spoletto when he was in graduate school. There we had a terrific lunch of pasta and gnocchi at the restaurant Del Quatro. After lunch Mr. D took some of the boys on a walking tour of the town. We visited a park, hiked to the Pope’s Chair (a rock formation), and a Roman aqueduct. Tyler Fye, Daniel Steele, and Louis Joseph conquered their fear of heights and hiking. We enjoyed gelati and granite at a shop at La Rocca where Mr. D happened to meet with an old friend. It was so nice for him to meet Mr. D’s figlio, Zach. Afterwards, groups went shopping, played at the park, or explored a castle or the Duomo. We all gathered at a gelati shop. Yes! More ice cream! The boys befriended a black Labrador mix dog they named Fabrizio. They wanted to take him home, but we were afraid he wouldn’t pass customs! It was a quick bus ride back to the hotel where we feasted on pasta in vodka sauce, veal scallopini, and salad. After such an active day, we needed showers and an early bedtime! Buona notte!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006: We slept in and awoke to our breakfast buffet. We boarded our bus and were off to the Perugina chocolate factory. We saw a video, took a tour, and of course, shopped! Will those souvenir purchases make it home? We continued our travels into Tuscany. The landscape changed into more mountainous terrain, similar to the Smoky Mountains in the southeastern U.S. There were many more grape vineyards and sunflower fields that cover fields as far as the eye can see – gorgeous! We continued on to the picturesque town of Siena, where once again we found narrow cobbled streets and terrific shops. We disembarked our bus at a fortified castle, and then walked to the Piazza dell Campo, a brick square with a beautiful clock tower and many pigeons. Mrs. Arnst explained to the boys that the Italians find pigeon chasing offensive, and they have refrained from that fun activity. Then we ate lunch, mostly pannini’s and gelati (surprise!). After lunch we walked to the Duomo de Siena. The church is famous for many things, most notably the black and white marble from which it is constructed, inside and out. This huge building resembles a zebra in its striping. The front fascade of the church is under reconstruction and we were unable to view it. The medieval floors are inlaid marble and there are small chapels to each side of the main altar. The boys sang a lovely concert of sacred music. Sean Cavanaugh’s flugelhorn has become very well traveled and was put to good use in this beautiful space. Every time they sing, many people stop to comment on their beautiful voices. It is so refreshing to meet other Americans; they are so proud to hear an American choir in Italy. The boys are truly ambassadors, for our state, and the entire country. After singing, we briefly toured the Duomo, noting it’s interior baptismal font, basement burial niches, and lovely side chapels. After our visit to there, we went shopping (our boys love to shop!). We boarded our bus and traveled onto Montecatini, our hotel base for the next three nights. Some of the boys sleep in rooms furnished with bunk beds. Fun for everyone! We enjoyed a terrific dinner of pasta with peas and bacon in vodka sauce, roasted pork and potatoes with peas (Louis Joseph’s favorite!), and ice cream almond torte. The boys had a rehearsal in preparation for their concert mass in Florence tomorrow. After another busy day, it was time for showers, teeth brushing, and bedtime. Arrivederci! Wednesday, June 21, 2006: We slept in until 7:30 a.m. and enjoyed another European breakfast buffet – meats and cheeses, breads, cornflakes, and juice. Then we were off on an adventure. We leisurely drove through the Tuscan countryside. The boys have been amazed at what appears to be the lack of traffic lights in the cities we have visited. The Italians drive very fast, and it’s every man for him self! Yet here in the country, there were traffic lights; go figure! We passed through the hilly terrain, up to a sheep farm where sheep cheese (formaggio!) is produced. The boys enjoyed visiting with the resident cats and dogs and we had a magnificent family style Italian lunch of antipasti of prosciutto, sausage, supresata, and pecorini cheese, lasagne, roast chicken, fresh carrots, and potatoes with salad, and ricotta cheese topped with honey for dessert. Believe it or not, we could move after this feast, and we left for our trip to Venice. Unfortunately, the Tuscan hillside no longer agreed with Ian Starratt’s tummy! We made it to Florence and had time to walk the streets that Da Vinci and Michelangelo once called home. The cobbled streets are narrow and packed with street vendors and mimes. We made our way to the magnificent Duomo, this time a green and white striped marble. Inside the boys sang the last daily mass. The priest commented (in Italian) on how impressed he was with their ability to sing in the language of the church around the world, Latin. We sang a small concert for the benefit of only our ears. The church was empty and the boys formed a circle in one of the large side chapels. The music, as it echoed through the empty church, was expressive and beautiful. Mr. D said he had never heard an echo carry for so long in any church, as we never heard the end of the last note sung. The tired guard chased us out and we boarded the bus for the trip back to the hotel. Our dinner of pasta, fished baked in a light tomato sauce, carrots, and potatoes, topped with flan for dessert, was waiting for us. We enjoyed seeing the end of the Argentina v. Holland game and it was time for lights out! See you in the morning!

Thursday, June 22, 2006: We began our day with our now traditional European buffet; some of the boys admit to longing for pancakes and bacon! Then we were off to Pisa. The Field of Miracles was truly beautiful. Located inside the fortified city walls are the Duomo, Baptistery, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Evan Strouss composed his own alliteration – “Tilting Tower of Tuscany!” The boys toured the Duomo, home of sacred relics and beautiful artwork; then most of them climbed the Leaning Tower. The Tower began to naturally tilt just after construction began, and it is interesting to see how the floors appear to be “stacked” as builders attempted to correct the natural slant. The climb to the top takes you through a narrow passageway that circles the building. The marble stone has been worn smooth by millions of feet and hands ascending and descending the staircase. The view from the top of the tower is exhilarating and the boys who made the climb all said the experience was “cool.” We stopped for lunch of pasta or pizza and boarded the bus to ride back to Montecatini and our hotel. The boys laid out their concert clothes and packed their suitcases. Then, Concert Choir took a nap, and Second G enjoyed free time to play gator ball in the local square. Dinner was served, as always in courses: the pasta in tomato sauce, followed by baked chicken and cauliflower. We took the bus through the Tuscan hills into more mountainous terrain for our evening concert. On the way the boys saw Devil’s Bridge, the oldest medieval bridge in Europe. Sean Olsen made up a new rhythm game of snapping and clapping that many boys played during the bus ride. Also, this summer, cards have replaced the hacky sack as a favorite past time. The boys play many card games during the bus ride – gin, hearts, spades, and poker! Mr. Copher (a.k.a Copherus Meridius Maximus), Chris Hambrook, Ryan Hill, Jeremy Sawh, Ryan Strouss play cards, too. They would like to play bridge, but unfortunately no one knows how to play. So, Jeremy taught them all to play Trump. The concert was held in an old Franciscan convent, built in the 16th century in the city of Borga a Mazzano. The old convent grounds are now a retirement home. The garden setting looked like a movie set – ancient brick walls; grape and kiwi arbors, roses and potted lemon, lime, and kumquat trees completed the scene. Our hosts went out of their way to light the garden and amplify the keyboard. The local school children were adorable as they performed traditional Tuscan folk music. The small crowd loved our boys, and we loved hearing their beautiful voices fill the crisp mountain evening air. The highlight of the performance was the Gershwin medley. As luck would have it, Julie (our dancing doll) had been left at the hotel! Mr. D quickly improvised a solution. Our tour guide, Miss Trixie, proved to be a facile dancer and “living doll” as Steven Arnst, Sean Olsen, and Ricky Ballester twirled her through the garden. After the concert the two choirs exchanged small gifts and enjoyed one another’s company. Our boys enjoyed playing on the giardino lawn and snacks the local people provided. It was a late arrival at the hotel, and we went straight to bed! Good night all!

Friday, June 23, 2006: Buon giorno! We greeted the day with a European breakfast and quickly loaded the bus for our trip into Florence! We took a guided tour during which the many famous buildings and art in this beautiful town were explained. The city is much larger than anticipated, really a metropolitan area of several million people. We ended our tour at the Accedemia and were able to view the original Michelangelo work “David.” The boys were impressed with the art and were busily snapping secret pictures in the forbidden zone. There are various posters, aprons, and key chains throughout Florence that represent this work, too. We lunched on pannini and pizza at a huge restaurant that contained three working bathrooms! After lunch we walked to the Leonardo da Vinci museum, an interactive display of his plans and working models of his inventions. The boys had a great time exploring this wonderful place. Da Vinci’s life is represented on a timeline in the museum and his actual written work and notes are there for viewing. Da Vinci was a Renaissance genius who had dyslexia, a condition that caused him to see and write in mirror image. Afterwards, we shopped at an open-air mall and enjoyed gelati or cool drinks before boarding our bus for the long journey to the Venice area. The Tuscan mountains and hills gave way to the plains of farmland as we made the 5 ½ hour trip. We arrived in Venice in time for a dinner of risotto Parmesan, beef in burgundy sauce with carrots, green beans and French fries, and vanilla gelato over fresh fruit. It was time to shower and hit our beds after a long day. Tomorrow we visit Venice!

Saturday, June 24, 2006: We feel as though we have awakened in Florida. The cool mountain temperatures have given way to sunny, warm, more humid weather. It was a beautiful morning, and a new European breakfast buffet: ham and cheese, breakfast breads, stewed and raw fruit, yogurt, and corn flakes, served with juices, café, and hot chocolate – yum! We took our bus to the ferry station for the short boat ride to the island of Venice. Venice is actually an archipelago of small islands, all joined by the Grand Canal and bridges like the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge (Venice’s highest point!) Steven Arnst, Alex Blanken, Andy Fiorenzi, Chris Velasquez, and Davis Verburg are all happy to have taken up Mr. D’s challenge at the beginning of the trip – to climb to the highest point in each city we visit. They have climbed to the top of each town! Some of it was really hard work! The boys found the pigeons of Venice most fascinating. They are quite tame, used to being fed tons of corn by the tourists. We took a guided tour through the maze of city streets. Then it was time for a tour of the Murano glass factory. The boys were impressed with the high temperatures and the elements necessary to create such beautiful, colorful blown glass. A trip to the souvenir shop, with highly discounted prices, was a necessary ending to the glass-making exhibition! We trooped to a terrific lunch of bruschetta and pasta with tomato and meat sauce. Then we had 4 hours of free time for shopping! Most of us walked the crowded, narrow streets on our constant search for bargain prices and the “just right” gift! We also enjoyed more gelati. The afternoon culminated with more pigeon feeding. Second G treated the Venetian tourists “For the Longest Time.” They are so good that the jealous local musicians struck up their own tune in jealousy – rah! We took the ferry back to the mainland and continued our trip to the hotel. There we all enjoyed a terrific dinner of pasta in meat sauce, baked chicken with mashed potatoes and peas, completed by chocolate mousse! It’s been a wonderful, busy day, and it’s time for lights out. Our alarms will ring early tomorrow for our trip into Venice to sing the mass at the Duomo de San Marco!

Sunday, June 25, 2006: What a special day! The morning dawned warm and sunny as we all enjoyed our breakfast buffet. We boarded the bus to take the ferry to Venice. From there we proceeded to the Duomo de San Marco for 9:00 a.m. mass. The boys sounded lovely as they sang the traditional sacred music written for performance in this setting. The sound literally circles your head and the listener becomes part of the music. There was quite a large audience and the boys were applauded after singing “Lord I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” for their last number. We took obligatory pictures on the altar and made our way to the San Marco Piazza. Singing Sons and Second G sang a capella for a large crowd. The audience was very appreciative of their impromptu concert. The Japanese tourists especially liked Ricky Ballester and Leo Buscemi. The boys were even asked to pose for pictures – guess they’ve found their market! There are many American tourists here in Venice, too. They continually stop us during our walks and inquire as to where we are from and are so supportive when the boys sing. We regrouped and made our way to the gondola launch site. Each group of six piled into the glossy, narrow, black boats. The boys were amazed at the buoyancy of these vehicles. The gondoliers answered questions about their craft and the boys serenaded their chaperones during the voyage. Joseph Angello, Ricky Ballester, Leo Buscemi, Brian Cavanaugh, and Tyler Fye joined Steven Arnst, Tommy Bolger, David Fagot, Louis Joseph, and Jonathan Tweneboah in singing “Voi Que Sapete” to their chaperones. Mrs. Arnst heard William Bridges, Leroy Fellis, Sean Olsen, Daniel Steele, and Josh Thomas sing “Edelweiss”. Mrs. Arnst’s group joined in song with their gondolier! We broke into groups for lunch and afternoon activities; some went to McDonald’s and some went to Burger King – time for a taste of home! The feast was happily consumed and it was time for more fun in Venice. One group went touring the modern art museum with Mr. D; Mrs. Ballester, Mr. Tatis, and Mrs. Verburg took a group on a walking tour led by Lino Galavis; Mr. Copher, Mrs. Newstreet, and Mr. Vosburgh enjoyed the FSSB version of the Amazing Race (a scavenger hunt through San Marco Piazza); and Miss. Malissa enjoyed quiet time with boys interested in pleasure reading on church steps and listening to live music at outdoor settings throughout the city. And of course, there was shopping! During the walking tour, the boys sang as they walked and when they stopped at various locations. The sound carried through the narrow alleyways and always attracted a small crowd. They were met with applause and smiles of appreciation. We met again for the ferry back to the mainland. All the boys wanted to participate in games of soccer or gator ball. Louis Joseph was the star of the gator ball game because he scored so many goals against the much larger Second G opposition. As a reward, they carried him off the field on their shoulders! Alex Blanken scored four goals for his team during the soccer game. Some of the boys sat and visited with Mr. D. Zach Denison picked a tiny bouquet of clover flowers for Mrs. Newstreet. We were a rather stinky bunch for the ride back to the hotel, where we quickly cleaned up and went to dinner. Dinner was cheese tortolini, veal scaloppini with spinach and French fries, followed by gelati. During dinner Mr. Copher announced the winners of the Amazing Race! First place was taken by Alex Blanken, Ian Starratt, and Andrew Tatis; the second place team was led by Cody Liese, Robert Chiaet, and Daniel Steele; and third place was Javi Escabi, R.J. Gonzalez, and Jacob Newstreet . All of the teams received beautiful, papier-mâché Venetian masks in remembrance of their trips to Bell’ Italia! All of the other contestants received a piece of Murano candy to decorate their rooms. Thank you Mr. Copher! It was time to pack our suitcases again; it’s hard to believe that our last full day in Italy is tomorrow. We long for the people and things about America we miss … but Italy has become dear to us, as well! Sleep tight!

Monday, June 26, 2006: It’s hard to believe this is our last day together on tour! We awoke to a hot Italian morning, and our usual breakfast buffet, supplemented by scrambled eggs. We boarded the bus for the 1 ½ hour trip to Verona, a beautiful town built by the ancient Romans, and the setting for Renaissance writer William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We enjoyed a guided tour through the old city streets, past the Roman amphitheatre, which was preparing to host an opera festival. We also saw the gates of the old city, city hall, and heard the history of the town told through its buildings and statues. We ended our tour at the homes of Romeo and Juliet. Lovers leave messages to one another on the tunnel walls of the passageway into Juliet’s courtyard. We learned the balcony on which the two ill-fated lovers talked was a fictional creation of Shakespeare; balconies on their houses would not have existed for security reasons. The Italian government decided that tourists were disappointed when they visited the site and saw no balcony. So they added a balcony to the fascade early in the 20th century. There is a lovely bronze statue of Juliet in her courtyard, said to bring luck in love to those who touch it. Some of Second G couldn’t resist the challenge! We had a terrific fast food lunch, Italian style: pizza, French fries, and soda. Then there was time to explore the city streets and complete our last minute shopping. There are not a lot of Euros coming home! We met back at the town square to board the bus to take us to Navarro, site of our last hotel. Upon arrival, we discovered the hotel was not the facility we expected. Some last minute finagling resulted in a hotel change to a much nicer location. We went to dinner at a lovely restaurant featuring pasta in tomato sauce, with veal steaks and French fried potatoes. Our tummies full, we returned to our hotel where Mr. D hosted a brief meeting in the cool evening air. He announced that next year’s tour would be to the Northeastern United States, and said good-bye to our seniors and Tommy Bolger (who’s family is moving to Georgia) and John Wilson (who’s family is moving to upstate New York). Second G seniors made tour awards, and everyone received a Venetian mask to remember the tour. It has been a wonderful, whirlwind two weeks, and it is hard to believe that we leave for the airport in just a few hours. We can only hope that our coins tossed into Trevi Fountain bring us the luck we hoped for – a return to this magical countryside someday in our futures. Ciao, bell’ Italia!

Respectfully submitted,

Carmen Newstreet