There must be hundreds, possibly thousands, of travel blogs so why another one? Maybe I’m egotistical enough to think I have something to share but mostly I would like to become a forum, possibly, to hear from others with similar experiences. Plus my own blog gives me more freedom to express my opinion. Over […]
Read MoreSix Days in Rome
Since our brief visit in 2016, see Rome post, I’ve wanted to return to Rome and see more of the city. So as I planned my 2021 trip, I decided to add Rome. Walkabouts in Rome Despite it’s size I find Rome to be a very walkable city, especially if you focus on certain neighborhoods, a […]
Read MoreThree Days in Naples
I read my Naples travel book cover to cover before my 2021 trip (DK Eyewitnesss Naples) and had a long list of places I wanted to see. But to say my first visit to Naples didn’t begin auspiciously would be a serious understatement (see Getting There and Where Not to Stay below.) In addition to […]
Read MoreThree Days in Sorrento, Positano and Pompeii
Sorrento I tried to do Sorrento on a budget and I don’t recommend it. Sorrento, and the Amalfi coast in general, is definitely a ‘go big or go home’ area. My first afternoon in Sorrento left me underwhelmed. That’s because my ‘bed and breakfast’ (BeB Caruso, see below) advertised itself as close to the Centro. […]
Read MoreTravel in the Time of COVID
Several months before our planned trip to France and Italy, I started checking the web sites of the US Embassies in Paris and Rome, thinking they would have the most up to date information for U.S. travelers. Those sites (as well as the web site for Delta airlines) were clear that we would need to […]
Read MoreThe Holidays in Italy
San Miniato al Monte and the Festa del Tartufo Bianco Before turning to the Christmas festivities in Italy, I wanted to make mention of fall festivals in general and specifically the Festa del Tartufo Bianco (Festival of the White Truffle). Beginning in late September you can find festivals for the wine harvest (see Il Carro Matto), […]
Read MoreTutto Andrá Bene
March 24, 2020: The news over the past 2-3 weeks has been beyond distressing on many levels from every part of the world. But the situation in Italy has been heart breaking. As I write this, the death toll there now exceeds that in China and the entire country is on lock down. As I […]
Read MoreIstituto Michelangelo, parte due
https://www.michelangelo-edu.it/ If anyone made it through ‘Parte uno’ this post will cover Accommodations, Weekends and Friends, and Location and Facilities; again divided into sections for 2017 and 2019. Here’s what I’ve learned to look for with respect to Accommodations, Location and Facilities: Location and facilities Is the school located in a larger city or in […]
Read MoreIstituto Michelangelo, parte uno
https://www.michelangelo-edu.it/ This post morphed into a much longer article than I planned (even longer than my typical posts) so I’ve divided it into two articles. ‘Parte uno” covers ‘Placement, classes and activities’ while ‘Parte due’ covers ‘Weekends, Accommodations, Facilities and location.’ I’m not sure how I found Michelangelo initially but I’m sure I started looking […]
Read MoreIl Carro Matto
I’ve been fortunate to see Il Carro Matto twice, in 2017 and 2019. I initially found information about it at visitflorence.com before attending Istituto Michelangelo in 2017, realizing it was scheduled for my second Saturday in Firenze. When I signed up to attend Istituto Michelangelo in 2019, it occurred to me that I would again […]
Read MoreLucca and the Garfagnana
I’ve visited Lucca and the Garfagnana three times, in 2015, 2016 and 2019, (each time with my sister). Lucca is one of my favorite towns in Tuscany and I love the beautiful mountains and little villages of the Garfagnana. But getting to the Garfagnana and into Lucca has had its challenges. So I’m going to […]
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