Day 28 - February 20th 2009 En route to Florence, Italy

Met the entire cast and crew of the API study abroad group, numbering about 87 strong, at Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere. Boarded one of the two premier buses hired to cart all of us up north. Fiddled with the iPod touch, read some Warren Buffet and just generally passed the time until we made a rest stop at an AutoGrill off of the highway. Ate my brown bag lunch of pita with salame Milano and Emmental cheese and mustard. Back on the bus for the rest of the trip. Our group is too big for one hotel so we split into the Hotel Bigallo where the LdM crew was staying. The hotel looks right out at the Duomo so in terms of location this place has it in spades. Excellent staff and rooms as well. We took off from the hotel to have a guided tour of the main tourist sites of the town. Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, etc. After the tour I met up with Florentine native Katie Suomineno and the crew + us went over to the Mexican eatery Tiauana for a bit of a change of flavors from the pizza and pasta. Dinner was tasty tacos and tortillas with margaritas and having paid the bill, Katie and I went forth the her favorite lounge Loch Ness for a glass of wine and beer with her bartender friend Mark. The lounge is right next to the dance club Twice and we proceeded over there for a bit of lights and music fun. Katie grabbed a cab and I sauntered home to the hotel.