No, don’t straighten it! Instead, clear out all of the crap surrounding it on the south side of the Field of Miracles. This nonsense can be sold outside of the gate or better yet, far, far away in a field near the road. The hectoring of the Africans offering a beautiful “Rolex” for (Oh take […]
Greed may cast a pall over 2010 Passion Play in Oberammergau
Bookings for the 2010 Passion Play in Oberammergau continue at a fast clip, but will there actually be anyone at the show? The tickets are being reserved by big tour companies, who have hopes of reselling them (at a profit, of course) to the end user. Word on the street in Bavaria is that while […]
Thanks Art and Carol!
The first trip of the 2009 season is now history, and what a trip it was! From Rome to Orvieto and explorations of Umbria, to Tuscany and Liguria and back to Tuscany. We covered more than 2,000 kilometers together, and very little of that was on straight roads! This was Art and Carol’s second trip […]
The Road to Volterra
This has to be one of the most scenic drives in Tuscany. The twisting road between San Gimignano and the ancient Etruscan town of Volterra rewards the traveler with vistas of farmland, isolated farms and hilltop towns. The greenery of this time of May knocks your eyes out.
The other day in San Gimignano
Staying two nights in one of Tuscany’s most fascinating and popular hill towns. San Gimignano is a real magnet for the bus tourists, who enter the southern gate in a non-stop flood starting around 10:30. First stop – the gelato shop just inside the first town square, winner of the award for “Best Gelato” several […]
Portovenere
A stop in Portovenere on the way between Sestri Levante and Lucca rewards the photographer with this awesome view from the old church at lands end of Lord Byon’s Grotto and the coastline stretching off in the direction of Riomaggiore and the start of the Cinque Terre. It was all I could do not to […]
Pisa
Art holds up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Built originally as a lighthouse (Pisa was a port) the tower started leaning almost immediately, even before the fourth level was added. The rate of tilt has been dramatically slowed thanks to modern engineering. If the tower ever gets completely straightened, millions of plastic leaning towers sold […]
Portofino
Portofino is one of the treasures of the Ligurian Coast. The vivid colors of the old fishing village are best appreciated while cruising into the bay by ferry from nearby Santa Margherita. That’s what we did on a sparkling warm day recently. Climb the stairs to San Giorgio for the best overview of the town.