Drink dance and learn better italian

I can hardly keep up with all we are doing on this amazing tour.....
Last night we took a dinner cruise that went around venice and we had a 4 course meal to candle light as we looked at the city lights shining on the water----yes, very romantic----but not so much with a boat full of 60+ and yet, we danced, ate, drank, and laughed all the way to venice. I was hoping one of them would not burst an artery or have a heart attack. We walked around St. Marcs square and admired the music and people at night---took an amazing gondola ride---then we took the boat back, danced on the boat some more---and then me and a younger man, Bill ( and by younger man I mean 57) went to a local bar. This was a riot---of course I wanted to speak with the hot italian men, but when one good looking italian called me over to his table I must have sounded like a retard. All I could say in italian was " I like cappuccino." " (Vorrei capuccino_and "I like travel." (vorrei viajarle) And they just looked at me like--Uh yeah, ...so what. Imagine some random person walking up to you in a bar telling you they like coffee and travel.
A real conversationalist I was. I thought my italian was better, but after a few glasses of wine and dancing on a rocking boat all night, thats all I could remember. Anyway, it is as if Venice is enticing you to be in love----the music, gondola rides, wine.......but for some reason I feel happier alone then I ever have----not even envying the couple next to me making out. Although I can't help the part in my head that is saying to them
" Oh sure, its great now in the city of LOVE but just give it a few more months and brace yourself before the tsunami of heart break hits"
Oh well, if the coffee in Italy can be strong and bitter, so can I. :)

More ASSisi

As I said, this is such a quiet, spiritual beautiful place---the streets are lined with old brick corridors, flower pots, gelado cafes, wine bars , nuns and priests--oh and a bus full of tourists.
The last place I ever thought I would find any kind of romance was here---surrounded by people who committed their life to celibacy.
There I was, in this deserted town,with the two other girls my age on the roof of this hotel........ and out of nowhere a few italians show up with a bottle of wine, some great stories and, well, lets just say romance finally found me---
Can I just say "A TOAST TO JULIET! Thanks girlfriend, I owe ya one :)"

ASSISI

Well who would have thought that St. Francis of Assisi lived in the most beautiful place YET. The history of this saint is that coming from incredible wealth, he went off to war, ended up in jail, had a transformation, came back to Assisi and stated that he was going to give up all material possessions and live a humble life of compassion-helping the poor, treating all creatures equal. He started giving away his dads rich garments--his dad thought he was going crazy, so he took Francis to the bishop for help. Here is the best part- St. francis waited for all the towns people to gather, and right there in front of the bishop and his dad, he stripped naked and ran off into the hills --telling his father that his only papa now was the big guy in the sky. Somehow he got a following, did some pretty cool miracles, was blessed by the pope and the rest is history. I think at this point if I saw a cute naked man run for the hills, I just might follow him too.