Elena,  

We are all now home safely and combing through hundreds of pictures that captured so many good times and beautiful places.  We will be happy to forward some on to you.

I can't tell you how pleased we were with everything....the whole trip went like clockwork and the drivers, guides and hotels were lovely.  We especially loved the guide in Rome...Manuella was fantastic!  It was very much appreciated to have the same person for the whole week.  She knows her history and is probably one of the most pleasant people I have ever met - American or Italian!  

The villa in Sorrento was over the top....the view took our breath away and we kept pinching ourselves all week long!  Andrea was delightful and the sailboat excursion to Capri was truly a highlight of the trip.  We loved the apartments at the villa....being able to spread out for a few days was wonderful.  The guide in Pompeii was fantastic and we really enjoyed the drive around the Amalfi Coast.  There is no way to describe this trip without using superlative after superlative - everything was perfect and we would go back in a heartbeat.  

I am not going to deny that I enjoyed the smaller towns more, but the beauty of Florence is hard to deny.  Our trip to Sienna and San Gimignano was a blast....arrived in Sienna the day after the famous horse race.  The track was still laid in the square and Jim managed to capture a photo of the winning horse being paraded through the streets.  The food in Florence was absolutely some of the best food we had (and we didn't hold back the whole trip!).

The Brindisi part of the trip actually turned out to be somewhat of a surprise....Brindisi is a very nice town and the little towns that Kim took us to (Ostuni, Alberobello) were absolutely beautiful.  I know this is a part of the country not normally associated with tourist travel, but we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.  

The trains were a great way to get around, but the Europeans have known that for a long time!  I wish America would get on board!  

I guess the main thing we want to thank you for is the flawless flow to this trip.....everyone is probably is little apprehensive to go out of the country and we were able to just sit back and enjoy the ride (so to speak!).  I know we probably drove you crazy during the planning portion, but we just want you to know there are six very grateful people who had the time of their lives!

Get some rest and hope you are much better soon!