Bellosguardo, Italy Travel Journals & Blogs

Exploring in #Awe
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- Oct 8, 2023
- ☀️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo Giardino di Villa Strozzi 43.771111, 11.23308743°46’16” N 11°13’59” E
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Day 20
Hitting The Wall On Traveling
October 8, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
I made up that title to grab you and you’ll hear us talk about this in today’s video but honestly we are good and navigating through the little speed bumps that arise when in another new place where people don’t speak the language and there are MASSES of tourists! And you know our lifestyle…living in Beulah, Colorado with days of not even seeing a neighbor! But we’ve got our city walking shoes on. And we topped 25,000 today.

The place I booked to stay in Florence you’ll see here in the video and photos. It’s a Sobe that is on the top floor of an old building and the marble hallway leads to our floor with high ceiling rooms plus a balcony! Mind you, clean is relative in Europe and I did have to specifically request 4 pillows. There are no blankets… it’s hot and we sleep with a sheet. If you want more towels it’s $3 each. This was rated an 8 of 10 on booking.Com and the Innkeeper from Bombay was so nice at check in. We are a 30 min walk to train station and we’ve been out after dark and feel safe. Upon Diane and Glenn’s recommendation we carry our passports and ID in our secret lockdown belts! I
We feel good about supporting the local innkeepers rather than the corporate hotels plus we have sweet interactions that feel authentic.Read more
Traveler Ahhhh! What a view😀
10/8/23Reply
Traveler Yeah and I have my own clothesline
10/8/23Reply
Traveler 🧡💜🧡
10/8/23Reply
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Exploring in #Awe
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- Oct 9, 2023, 9:03pm
- 🌙 20 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo Giardino di Villa Strozzi 43.771128, 11.23299343°46’16” N 11°13’59” E
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Day 21
I Find Places - He Gets Us There
October 9, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
Dave and I make a good team when traveling. My curiosity combined with his savy map skills lands us in fun places. I do have to laugh though because in some of the videos today Dave’s New Yorker sarcasm comes through which I take no offense to and he means no unkindness by. But it’s funny to hear.

There’s a hilarious photo of the kids at the table next to us asleep. O the joys of travel with teens!!! I’m not sure if they were on strike or really asleep.

Plus the lovely table sold us on lunch at this real Italy eatery. A lunch I will remember.

There’s more too: walking to the bus station we came upon a farmer selling cheese, bread and meat in a neighborhood! We passed by lots of fruit veggie stores. The strawberries looked yummy. Getting the bus ticket was a learning curve but 1.70 per trip was a deal and took us to a fairyland place. I loved today. And spending it with Dave.Read more
Traveler Kids are over it!
10/9/23Reply
Traveler Yeah.
10/10/23Reply
Traveler I have been reading about train travel in Italy. Did you need to “verify” your tickets after purchase once at the station?
10/9/23Reply
Traveler I had to verify - or validate - on the public bus in Florence using a simple time-clock like machine. On the high speed train between cities, on line purchased tickets are already verified. Conductor comes around and checks us in using QR code on phone. Train travel is so easy and humane compared to air travel. So much less stressful. So sad the US has not invested in train infrastructure - it is such a good way to get around.
10/10/23Reply
Traveler I love train travel… I’ve often lamented that our country doesn’t invest nearly enough in train travel… I’m enjoying the way you both are exploring … with public transit and walking!
10/10/23Reply
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Traveler Road to Rome
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- Jun 5, 2018
- 🌙 18 °C
- Altitude: 51 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo Giardino di Villa Strozzi 43.770695, 11.23420243°46’15” N 11°14’3” E
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Day 11
Road to rome
June 5, 2018 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
Left Venice in a water taxi to get back on our bus. Our bus driver’s name is Enrico and Phil praises him for being such a good driver and they work well together. Stopped at a rest Centre and took a picture for Ron of a cow and what we thought said Drink milk but said milk the cow...we ask Enrico. Then to Pisa. Much more to it than we thought. We had a local guide who was very humorous. Apparently people from Pisa did not like the Venetian or the Romans. Men selling cheap souvenirs mainly outside the walls. Phil said to watch for pickpockets. We stopped at Machiavella winery. He wrote The Prince away back when?Lots of wine tasting and some snacks....the view is from the winery. Arrived at hotel around 6 o’clock. A group of us tried to find a restaurant but ended up coming back to hotel....a very funky hotel. Little lights in ceiling and walls of bed part of room. Remember the coloured bathroom fixtures??Read more
Traveler That is a pretty funky bathroom.
6/7/18Reply
Traveler Is that a sink for kids in the corner??
6/7/18Reply
Traveler What a beautiful view!
6/9/18Reply
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Traveler Road to Rome
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- Jun 6, 2018
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo Giardino di Villa Strozzi 43.770658, 11.23423143°46’14” N 11°14’3” E
Day 12
Road to Rome
June 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I missed a walking tour of Florence this morning. Had a very sore throat, which is much better now, and dropped my IPad on my bad toe and it was sore too. At 3 o’clock we left for San Gimignano, medieval towers from the Middle Ages on a hill in Tuscany. It is a UNESCO heritage sight. We got out of bus on way up and countryside was amazing. Had a gelato and shopped. Drove to an eating place and had the best group meal so far....deep fried olives, bruschetta, tapenade on bread, ravioli, and then brought in on a huge tray, big roast of beef. Lots of merriment ensued as there was bottles of different wines on table and they brought beer if one wanted it. We sang in bus on way home and acted like a bunch of teenagers. Enrico drove bus around traffic circle 3 times as we were singing. A couple of young girls 20 or 21 are on the bus. One is with her parents and her friend came with her. Very attractive and pleasant. The danced in the aisle to ABBA’s Dancing Queen!Read more
Traveler Sounds like a great time! And weather has been good?
6/7/18Reply
Traveler Party on, you two!
6/9/18Reply
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oftunterwegs Italien, Zürich, Gran Canaria
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- Oct 22, 2018
- 🌬 15 °C
- Altitude: 57 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo 43.77394, 11.2222443°46’26” N 11°13’20” E
Day 2
2.Tag Florenz
October 22, 2018 in Italy ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
Bologna erstrahlte am Morgen im schönen Herbstton und wir gingen noch vor der Abfahrt nach Florenz kurz durch die Innenstadt. Mit dem IC ging es um 11:18 Uhr dann in knapp einer Stunde nach Florenz. Vom Bahnhof Rifredi ging es noch 30 Minuten mit der Tram weiter zum Florence Comfort B&B. Hinter einer Mauer versteckt erwartete uns ein Haus mit 6 Zimmern und unseres mit Balkon und Whirlpool. Zu Fuß am Arno bzw. im Arno (der Pegel ist sehr niedrig) ging es Richtung Zentrum. Ähnlich wie in Rom gibt es an jeder Ecke was zu sehen. Der Dom überragt natürlich alles und die Schlange am Eingang den gesamten Platz. Durch Zufall fanden wir eine Kirche mit Museum im oberen Stock und herrlichen Blick auf den Dom und das alles ohne Anstehen und Eintritt. Unterwegs habs Eis, Cappuccino und Salami-Käse Platte sowie Pizza zum Abschluss. Der Tag endete in der Sauna und im Whirlpool.Read more
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Traveler Renault Roaming
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- Nov 10, 2018
- ☀️ 16 °C
- Altitude: 45 m
- Italy Tuscany Florence Bellosguardo 43.766803, 11.21492943°46’0” N 11°12’54” E
Day 14
Musical oligarch
November 10, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
If you thought that the Russian mafia have only recently discovered Tuscania, here is evidence that they came with staves long ago. Perhaps it is just a side note to history, but I suspect they acted in concert.Read more
Tony Hammond Russian around as usual Rols?!
12/1/18Reply
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