on the ferry from naples to capri they actually had a sign reading: please flush the toilet
on the door
what a novel idea
perhaps for the Greeks who might be visiting
( they are encouraged not to put paper down the toilet - paper goes into a waste basket- cute idea but it's not catching on)

This is a series of great and VERY informative posts. Where did you stay in Florence?

And thanks for your post on my forum.

Thank you! We stayed at Hotel Santa Maria Novella in a junior suite. They have one great suite that has two balconies overlooking the Piazza. Although there was construction going on while we were there, the view was fantastic and the room even better. And not that pricey for what we got. And it's mere steps away from the Farmacia de Santa Maria Novella - one of my favorite places in Florence. It's like a church that smells really, really good. And great special treats to take home for presents. To this day, every time I put on the lotion I bought there that I meticulously mete out, I am transported back to Florence; its' beautiful churches, its' incomparable art and its' stunning sunsets over the Duomo.

"The bas-relief was pretty interesting and promoted a discussion amongst us and I put it out to you: When is the last time you can remember an American having a monument built in their honor while they were still alive?"

Don't you build a library for each of your presidents?

Good point. Part archive and part museum, they are mostly funded privately but run by the government with our taxpayer dollars. I suppose back in the day, someone would have immortalized a president on an aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" banner as well. But I would still say most stuff happens after they pass away.

Very astute observation!