Docked in Pesaro, Italy: This morning we did a walking tour of city center Pesaro, a town of which none of us were aware before arrival. We were shown the contrast between the elegant, old renaissance buildings and the post-war, bomb damage replacement modern buildings.
Our guide was dismissive of the latter. Like many Europeans his ideal place to live would be in an ancient, stylish city-center building with modernized interiors (bath, kitchen, and climate control).
Afterwards the other DrC turned to me and said, "You'd hate living here, absolutely hate it." She was correct, of course, I don't like old places to live - visiting them is okay.
As a native Californian I'm accustomed to new things, new buildings, new houses. Over nearly 50 years of marriage we've had five new houses (bought 2 and built 3); sold three at various times, and still own two. Antiques interest me only in the sense that others value them and will pay big bucks for them.
Our tour guide, Giorgio, talked me out of going to San Marino this afternoon. Said there would be a lot of stairs as the town is anything but flat. I didn't think my knees would tolerate that very well; they do okay on level ground for maybe a mile. We did that mile this morning; hills would be harder, stairs harder still.
Tomorrow we are in Ravenna, the knees should be rested by then. It is where Dante Alighieri did most of his work and where he died. He is Italy's Shakespeare, their wordsmith numero uno.
