Roamin' Holiday

My feelings about Rome are all over the map (no pun intended). It is a city of great beauty and yet it has a gritty feel. St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistene Chapel, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Step, and the Colosseum are all beautiful in their art, architecture and history but underlying everything is the feeling that it is every man (and woman) for themselves. Now... my perception might be slightly clouded as I had my wallet lifted while riding a very crowded bus and the rose coloured glasses were removed. Maybe I'm feeling this way because Rome has always been on my 'go to' list of places to see.

On the up side, I did get to retrace the steps of Audrey Hepburn in the movie 'Roman Holiday' and loved having that movie come to life in a new way. My fave... the Mouth Of Truth... legend says that the hand of a liar will be bitten off when placed in its mouth. (Is this the time to tell you that it is hard to type with only one hand?)

More importantly though I got to share Rome with my brother Brian and my friend Linne. We all tossed our coins into Trevi Fountain (ala another old movie 'Three Coins In The Fountain') and even though my initial visit included some bumps, I'm keeping my fingers crossed to come back another time.

Under The Tuscan Sun

What can I say about Tuscany that hasn't already been said? To be able to spend two weeks exploring the back roads and hill towns was a total delight. I don't really know if I knew what to expect but I certainly was not disappointed. Every curve in the highway and every town along the way provided us with another photo op... good thing cameras are now digital! We really felt like we had found a home away from home thanks to our wonderful host Annamaria. A highlight of our stay at Casa Gabriella was the annual olive harvest. We helped our host family 'rake' the olives from the trees onto the netting on the ground. From here the olives will be taken to be pressed and every family will have oil for the whole year. We were also invited to share a meal with the family and treated to real homemade Italian cuisine. It was an experience we will never forget!

Italy: Family Style

Memories of Italy will forever be wrapped around the arrival of my brother Brian and my dear friend Linne who joined us for a month of sightseeing, exploring, visiting, and shopping... okay, it was Linne who shopped and we watched. Who knew shopping was a spectator sport?

Milan was great (I got to release my inner Maria Callas and what's this thing about grinding your heel into the bull's you-know-what?), Lake Como was fantastic (no George Clooney sightings though... sigh...), Venice was amazing and dry (!), and the Cinque Terre was breathtaking in beauty and character. Northern Italy is a fantastic place to spend time and to spend it with family.