We left Venice and meandered westward across Italy to Rapallo, where we met up with the Hunkins.

On most of this route we avoided the autostrada. But that meant winding narrow roads with no shoulders, all making photography nearly impossible. Here are a few images from these travels.

May 31-1 We visited Mantua. This image shows some of the interior frescoes that survive in the former Ducal Palace.

May 31-2 Sabbioneta and Mantua are twinned UNESCO World Heritage sites. This photo shows part of the old wall of Sabbionetta.

May 31-3

This image is of the Galleria in Sabbionetta.

May 31-4 Further west we crossed the Apennine Mountains, where we even saw a little snow on the upper slopes. This image is of a home in the Apennines.

May 31-5

One of the residents of one of the Apennine mountain villages poses for a photo.

May 31-6 We had our usual rain as we drove westward. We then visited Lucca, in Tuscany, and spent the night there in a B&B in the heart of the walled town.

May 31-7 There are some who do enjoy the rains.

May 31-8Stefano Stefano, owner of a little restaurant in which we had our lunch, shows off part of his not-so-small wine collection.

May 31-9 A Ligurian hill town near the west coast of Italy.

Internet service has been very light, thus the delayed postings. The next post will cover our visit to Cinque Terre with the Hunkin crew.