Hi Everyone. Hope your all having as good a time at home as we are here.

Today we were in Livorno, Italy. It's about 1 1/2 hours from Florence. We took a 9:00am excursion which just basically drove us to Florence and back. We could have taken a train and saved a fortune but, the Italian rail service is notoriously late ("Italian Standard Time - IST) and we couldn't risk missing the boat on the way back.

Monica and Pankaj Singh met us in Florence. They are spending about a month in a small town about an 1 1/2 hours away (in the other direction from Livorno) with their two kids (Shiv and Meena) while their kids are involved in some type of music immersion program. They are two of our best friends and we always have a great time with them (we go on vacation with them every February.)

We meet up in the Piazza Giovanni in front of the Duomo Church. Before they arrive I decide to change some dollars into euros at one of the "Change" booths and get ripped off. I intended to just inquire as to how much they would charge for a service fee but, she was busy and asked me how much I wanted to change so I just put down my $200. She took the money and gave me a receipt to sign. When I looked at the receipt and realized I wasn't even going to get a 1 - 2 exchange (due to the exorbitant service fee) I wouldn't sign the receipt and just asked for my dollars back. She wouldn't give it to me and she wouldn't give me the Euro's either until I signed. I ended up having Beth call the Policia (that the Police in Italian, in case you didn't know) over and explained the situation. They said that in Italy once you put the money down you were agreeing to the fee. I asked why I then had to sign; wasn't that when I agreed to the fee. The cop gave me a dumb look (similar to one we have all seen on cops in the states - I apologize to all my cop friends, you guys are geniuses) I'm not going to win this argument with the Keystone Cops and the rip off artist. I eventually get my Euros (without signing) and take a piece of paper with the companies number to file my useless complaint later.

We basically walk around Florence with Monica and Pankaj and catch up. We hadn't seen them since a few days before they left (about 2 weeks ago) and we are really interested in what they and the kids have been doing. We wander around, look in the stores, and try to find the Michalengo statute of David.

We finally find the museum with the David and, after waiting on a line for 20 minutes, find out they don't have any more timed tickets for today. We start to walk away when I spot a scalper. I get 4 timed tickets for the Museum for about 25% more than face value. Not bad if I don't say so myself. We decided to go eat lunch before the Museum. We walk the side streets of Florence until we find someplace. We sit down and proceed to have an amazing meal. Beth has Rizzotto, I have Taglietella (a thick pasta) with a cream meat sauce, Monica has her favorite Spagetti Bolenese and Pankaj has a Seafood Rizotto dish. We all have a great cup of cappuccino and share the most amazing Tiramisu. I great meal with great friends in Florence; what more could we ask for.

We go back to the Museum. After about 10 minutes on the ticket holder line we get in and make our way to the statue of David. I try to convince Beth that Michalengo had a problem with "proportions" and that certain parts of the statue may appear much larger than they really were. Monica makes us walk around the back of the statue and we discover that it's actually her favorite view of it. She obviously likes a nice hard (as in Marble) butt! We have a great time walking around the rest of the museum with me cracking my usual smart aleck jokes. Monica brings out the worst/best in me.

We then begin the walk back to the Piazza Nouvela where we have to meet out group (and which is across the street from the Train Station for them.) A final 45 minutes of enjoying our day together and it's obvious that we all wouldn't mind having more time to spend together. (by the time we get back to the Ship I call Pankaj and ask if they want to meet us in Rome tomorrow - he actually says that they will think about it but, I know it's a long trip for them.)

We had a non-descript dinner and hit the casino. We each make a minor withdrawal (me at Roulette and Beth at 3 card poker - again) and then go to see a Spanish Dance Group. After about 5 minutes I give Beth my best Jack imitation ("Hasta La Bye Bye") and get out ofthere.

I have arranged a private car to take us to Rome and drive us around for the entire day. A little pricy but, we are told that the city is crazy busy and didn't want to end up in "excursion hell" with 50 of our not-so-closest friends. Hopefully it will be worth it.

Mark