Italy iPhone Photos

Just a few photos from Italy from Bindi and my iPhones...

First gelato...we didn't eat enough of the stuff!

My first dinner in Florence from Hard Rock Cafe (Tam was sick of Italian food and needed a break) - I got this HUGE plate of nachos..the photo doesn't do it justice!

 Tam and Bindi at our favourite...the carousel! 

 Trying to get a good selfie in Siena (the table of young girls behind us must have thought we were crazy).

 Finally a decent one!

 My pasta in Sienna was delicious!

 Tam and I on the bus to the outlet shopping mall...

 The outlets...much prettier than the ones in Australia!

Close up of Duomo Florence

 Osso Buco (it was so good!)

 A lane Bindi and I walked down to get to the supermarket 

 Bindi introduced me to La Milkeria - best hot chocolates, waffles and crepes! Yum!

 One night we met up with Emi's brother Zach who just happened to be working in Florence - he entertained us all with his crazy dare devil stories! 

 A very classy chemo patient I must say!

 Selfie at Ponte Vecchio 

In the hotel lobby

 Eating at a Mexican restaurant near our hotel 

 Tam under our teepee 

 Bindi under the "Indian people" sign...hahaha!

 Walking into hospital 

 Tam getting prepared for an isolation visit

 Taking Tammy in to be admitted...

Stocking up on some coke for Tam in hospital

Bindi and I were so excited to find a Sephora store at the train station and both bought new makeup!

My bag all wrapped up to fly home...it was a little over full so I wanted to protect it from bursting!

 At the airport we looked at the departure board and saw that most flights were cancelled! There was an airport strike that day in Italy! Luckily ours was one of the only flights that wasn't cancelled...phew!

 Clinton sent me this picture of him and the kids - I was missing them all so much by the end. Clint did such a great job looking after them while I was gone, thanks Clinty!

I stopped overnight in Perth again on my way home, it was so nice seeing all the family again.

Saying Goodbye to Tam

It was very hard to see Tam in isolation in hospital and know that she would be alone for a few weeks until Mum and Dad got there. The worst was knowing that she would be having another round of chemo and would be very sick over the coming weeks. The night before Bindi and I flew home to Australia we visited Tam for the last time. Normally only one person at a time was allowed to visit Tam in isolation but the nurses kindly bent that rule knowing that Tam wouldn't be having any visitors for a while. We had to scrub in and be fully covered to keep the isolation room as germ free as possible. How amazing does Tam look without hair! She has a good shaped head!

When we hugged goodbye it was hard to let go of her. Tears were shed! Tam was very brave and laughed and joked with until we left. Love you Tam x

Pisa, Italy

The day before we flew home to Australia, Bindi and I took a train to Pisa. Tam had returned to hospital to start her second round of chemotherapy the night before and was now in isolation. We were not allowed to visit her until after 3pm so we thought we'd go to Pisa and then visit her later that day. We had a bit of trouble finding our train platform but eventually we were pointed in the right direction. 

Bindi and I fell in love with Pisa, it's such a pretty little town. We enjoyed the walk from the train station to the Leaning Tower of Pisa...with blue skies and sunshine it was all very picturesque.

We had to take a photo of Vittorio Emanule II - Tam's apartment was on a street named after him. 

Arno River

Our first glimpse of our destination...the cathedral

The Leaning Tower herself! It was so crowded with tourists it was very hard to get a photo without other people in the way. However, we found out that this was nothing compared to the Summer season when there are huge lines of tourists waiting to go inside the tower. We waited less than 10 minutes. 

St John Baptistry 

Yes...we had to take one of these...

Bindi getting a photo of me trying to get every angle of the tower...

Bindi in "line" to get inside...

Inside the tower looking up

The view from the first viewing platform

Bindi about to climb up the little staircase that leads to the top

Views from the top

Bindi took these photos of the stairs...look how worn out they are - a bit slippery too!

Duomo Cathedral 

The inside of the cathedral was stunning, especially its golden roof 

And paintings on the roof like this one...

Bindi and I decided to look up the highest recommended restaurant for lunch in Pisa on Trip Advisor. It was a very tiny, unassuming little sandwich shop called L'Ostellino. 

And it was VERY popular...

Bindi and I got a porchetta, sundried tomato and pecorino baguette

It was hands down the best food we ate in Italy...my mouth is watering just thinking about it....

Mandarin trees planted in a public square