Cool art installation
November 9, 2024 in Vatican City ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Francesca was amazing and not shy at all about asking the docents if we could take shortcuts. She had no problem demonstrating the movement of this beautiful sculpture!
The Vatican, Parte Seconda
November 9, 2024 in Vatican City ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Food and wine tour with Francesca Romani
November 9, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
After our Vatican tour, I went on a delicious tour through the Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. Great food everywhere, and Francesca is a food pusher! There was no need for dinner that night! I can'tRead more
The Jewish Ghetto
November 9, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
There was delicious food in the Jewish ghetto but also sober reminders in gold cobblestones of those who lost their lives to Hitler based on only their religion and culture. Sadly, humanity has a veryRead more
Rome/Foligno/Sant Angelo in Pontano
November 10, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
This is the visit I have most been looking forward to, and it has exceeded my expectations! John and Tara met me in Foligno at the train station and immediately treated me to caffe and a deliciousRead more
Parco Della Pace
November 11, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Again, there is a theme. Europe experienced the worst of World War 2 and Italy, in particular with Mussolini...who does he remind you of? This park had 3,000 to 4,000 prisoners living in less than aRead more
Porto San Giorgio and The Adriatic Sea!
November 11, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
My beloved tour guides, John and Tara, suggested I visit the Adriatic Sea, so after Parco della Pace, we had another field trip to Porto San Giorgio. It was once again an absolutely perfect day withRead more
The Frassasi Caves
November 12, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
These caves were discovered in the early 70s by a group of 16 year old boys. They are the largest caves in Europe and they were amazing!
Cortona in Tuscany
November 13, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
We had a beautiful drive through Tuscany to get to Cortona. They filmed parts of Under the Tuscan Sun here and you can see why. I bought beautiful hand painted ceramics from the artist herself. Later,Read more
Even More Cortona!
November 13, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Villa Grazioli in Grotta Ferrata
November 13, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
This is our hotel for the next 2 nights! Just a few km outside of Rome, but worlds apart. We got here at sunset and we are all in awe. Here is some history:Read more
Inside and outside at Villa Grazioli
November 13, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 10 °C
A beautiful villa bought and sold by several cardinals, one of them a Borghesi. 🙄 What a vow of poverty they made.
Castel Gandolfo
November 14, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
This was such a cool artsy town. We bought a lot of fun things and roamed the town for a few hours before the big highlight...
More Castel Gandolfo
November 14, 2024 in Vatican City ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
The art and sculpture is everywhere!
Francesca, part 2!!!!
November 14, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
We had the most amazing feast (it was supposed to be light apertivo...) Francesca had something else in mind. It really does pay to know a local food and wine guide. The restaurant itself was anRead more
Julie's Last Supper
November 14, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 8 °C
When life gives you lemons go to Turkey!
November 15, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Well, my trip has hit a glitch, but I am rolling with it. I got to the airport almost 3 hrs early and missed my flight. I read the screen wrong, waited at the wrong gate for 2 hours and did not hearRead more
The neverending travel day(s)
November 16, 2024 in Turkey ⋅ 🌬 9 °C
I have now been up for 25 hours. Rome airport for 10 hours, 3 hrs in the air, Istanbul airport for 7 or 8. It is VERY different here! There are no x-ray machines for security, so they hand checkRead more
TravelerIt has been a really awesome experience. My goal is to do one big thing every year that scares me, and traveling alone was one. The tour helped ease me into it, but the 4 days in Milan and 2 extra days in Rome count. The stay out in the country with John and Tara was a real highlight, for sure. Everyone should have friends like them in their life. I am a lucky woman!
The end of a 48-hour travel adventure!
November 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Not only am I almost home, but I walked right past Tig Notaro on my way to the gate!
Day 5 Lydgate Beach, Lihue
June 20, 2025 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Our first real day of sunning on the beach, and yes, we got fried! The day was gorgeous and so was the beach!
