So, I’m back here on Sipping Espresso… blogging. Weird. I’m in America. I’m blogging aboutItalyfromAmerica. Can I do that?! Is that even allowed?! Well, I promised you in my Final Blog Post From Italy that I would finish our tale of overseas adventure and intrigue (OK, OK – more like overseas adventure of gluttony and transparency), so I suppose that I’ll have to make good on my word. For those of you that are sick of hearing about these adventures… I’m sorry, but I’m OCD and I am not much good at leaving things unfinished.
“Well, get going already Dad and tell us this story”!
So, let’s flash back; way, way back to this past spring when Jen’s sister came to visit. Just as they departed for Venice and Rome, we took our own leave from Como and headed toward the metropolitan city of Trieste. When I think about what brought us to Trieste, I finally understand the word bittersweet. We undertook the four-hour road trip to Italy’s easternmost city so that I could run in the Maratonina d’Europa (Europe’s Half Marathon). Despite having to add the somewhat embarrassing “ina” suffix to the end of Maratona (changing the meaning to “very little”), completing my first half-marathon was a very “sweet” accomplishment for me. However, the impetus behind the race was a very “bitter” one. Jen and I had started listing all the things that we wanted to do before our time in Italy came to an end. This particular road trip checked many of our boxes; competing in a race in Europe, a visit to the city of Trieste, time in the region of Friuli–Venezia Giulia, capped off with a visit to Slovenia (upcoming post). Now, that checked a lot of boxes, so careful planning began and hotels rooms were booked.
Julia and I stand in front of the glasses they had set up for the race
Here’s how I would sum up Trieste – it is a MUST-SEE city. Sometimes I find myself guilty of trying to label a city by comparing it to another city. “Rome is like New York, but much older and without the high-rises”. Sometimes, you’ve just got to stop and appreciate where you are for what it is. Don’t try to “label” the place or put it in a box; its easy to fall into that trap with Trieste. A city that has bounced back and forth between Slovenian, Austrian and Italian rule leaves us with a place today that is proud of its blend in architecture and attitude. Trieste is a city not at all confused about its confusing identity. With a rich mix of Slavic, Germanic and Latin influences – I am simply content to label this magical place as one of the most “European” cities I have ever visited.
We’re finally here in Trieste!Fountain that accurately describes Trieste’s ties to the seaAlong Corso Cavour, the main street adjacent to the cities famous piazza
My race was on a Sunday and so we arrived Saturday with a planned departure on Monday. After we checked into the hotel, we strolled down to the Piazza Unità d’Italiato register for my race. I had often heard this piazza referred to as “the most beautiful piazza in Italy” and what I saw did not disappoint. The grand square is the largest of any on the water in all of Europe. On this particular spring weekend the piazza was also the location of my finish line.
We walked down with a friend I made in the hotel – he was also running in the raceJen hangs out with Julia in the squareThe Piazza Unita d’Italia at nightJulia hugs Jen while we were walking around
We didn’t have much to worry about the night before the race, so we strolled through the piazza and walked the roads along the water. They had all sorts of fair-type events set up for the race, including tents serving beer, desserts and carnival rides. I took Julia on the Ferris Wheel and got a great view of the city and the harbor. After the fun, we took in a spectacular seafood dinner near the harbor (mm’mmm I’m making myself hungry for fresh Italian food. Never had that problem while writing until now, when I can’t get it quite as easily).
I get ready to take her on her first ferris wheelAway we go…Daddy/Julia selfieView from our car at the top of the ferris wheelThe sun set shortly after our ridePicture with momPicture with dadThe sunsets in Trieste were like nothing I’ve ever seenThe light play from the sky was this stunning both nights we were thereWe had to try some delicious frittelle with Nutella“Honey… you’ve got a little Nutella, riiiiight there”Walking through the piazza with daddyJulia loved playing with the glassesSelfie at dusk
On race day, I was up and at ’em early – ready to beat my goal time (which I didn’t do). Of course, I forgot that I was in Italy and so the start of the race was a little later than I originally planned. I kept warm by jogging around the parking lot and taking in the crowds. I was tickled when I ran past the snack tents used for refueling depleted calories (usually covered by bananas and power bars) and found brioche and other Italian pastries. When I finished, I could not have been more pleased to be greeted by Jen and Julia; and to have Julia wear my medal.
Julia got up early to see me offThere wasn’t much happening at the start line until after the race was supposed to beginAnd we’re off!I had the sea to my right for almost the entire half-marathonI felt (and looked) like death, but I crossed the finish lineBut I got my medal…Which I was happy to give to JuliaMy little peanut was proud of me… that was the best part of allJulia may have been more interested in the biscotti than the medalFamily picturePicture along the Canale Grande (Grand Canal) that runs through the city streets
After the race, we stopped for a quick snack and beer (hey, I earned it) before going back to the hotel to change. Then, it was time to tour the city! Even though my marathon race was just a maratonina, I’m sure that we walked the remaining 13.1 miles as we wound through Trieste’s ancient streets. This was especially challenging, since the first part of the tour required me to carry Julia and her stroller up the Scala Giganti (Giant Steps). We capped it all off back in the Piazza Unità d’Italia for happy hour before a wonderful dinner.
We stopped for a beer and light snack along the canalJulia rode a merry-go-roundThe touring began with the Scala dei Giganti (Giant Steps) – this is only about 25% of themAfter a long uphill climb, we got this panoramic of the cityWe arrived at the Castello di San GiustoStatue in front of the castle depicts maritime soldiers at warIn front of the castle were ancient Roman ruinsYoung soccer players compete where ancient Roman soldiers stood a thousand years beforeI can never catch Jen for a candid!Here I am in front of the Castello di San GiustoNearby is the Cattedrale di San Giusto – see if you can find the two cannon balls that have been lodged in the stone during a siege from the sea centuries beforeLovebirdsWonderful ancient streets – this is Viale XX SettembreHalf-Marathon or not… this kid had to get up and down these stairs somehowChiesa di San SilvestroTeatro Romano di Trieste – ancient Roman theatreWe stopped back in the piazza for happy hourMy happy hour Instagram shotJulia and I took a stroll around the piazzaChiesa di Sant’Antonio Nuovo at the end of the Canale Grande – well-lit at nightMy girls at night
If you ever find yourself in northeast Italy (I’m talking to YOU, when you plan that inevitable visit Venice) – do yourself a favor and carve out a couple of days to see Trieste. You’ll be glad you did!
Man, do I love the bad puns in my titles or what? Probably about as much as I love posing rhetorical questions to my readers…
Roughly twelve days ago, I was as proud of myself as Arvind Mahankali when he successfully spelled knaidel to beat Pranav Sivakumar and secure the championship title during the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee (apparently, this particular Indian-American knows a thing or two about Jewish comfort food). Why was I so pleased with myself, you ask? Well, I thought that I had finally caught up with our stories on the blog. And then a whirlwind of activity commenced in a flash as Jen’s sister arrived for a visit with her boyfriend. We had such a nice time traveling and eating with them (really, is there anything else you would want to do in Italy?) that now I have a ton more to write about. Additionally, we left them to their own devices while we embarked on a rewarding road-trip, which I cannot wait to tell you about. So, now once again – I am behind the times again faster than you can spell prosciutto.
An accurate portrayal of me as I struggle to keep up with the blog
When I was looking ahead toward the next 5-8 posts, I realized that I would be remiss not to step back and mention our visits to Pisa and then Massa in northern Tuscany. When I last wrote, I detailed our trip to Lucca (HERE). During the drive home we detoured to marvel at the Torre pendente di Pisa (Leaning Tower of Pisa) before getting back on the road. We hadn’t traveled too much further when our perfectly timed Italian stomachs told us it was time for lunch (at first I thought our three stomachs growling in unison was a tractor-trailer honking furiously at me). I was more in the mood for a leisurely lunch than a quick stop at an AutoGrill (picture a rest-stop along the NJ Turnpike with better food and espresso). I turned to my trusty “TripAdvisor” cell phone app and searched for a restaurant near us. I discovered Il Fatty (yeah… you guessed the translation; The Fatty) in the city we were approaching. With a name like, “the fatty” – how could you go wrong?! I took the exit toward Massa and headed into the center of town.
Torre pendente di Pisa – Leaning Tower of PisaJulia strikes a poseWork on the tower began in 1173 and took 199 years to completeJulia photographs me in front of the towerBattistero di San Giovanni (Pisa Baptistry) and Primatial (Pisa Cathedral)
You may not have heard of Massa (we hadn’t), but if you’re a fan of interior design, than you’ve definitely heard of the province in which Massa is located, Carrara. Carrara marble is the fashionable stone of choice for kitchens counters the world over. The stone has been mined in this area for centuries (Carrara marble has been used since Ancient Rome). Upon exiting the highway, my mind was set only on lunch with no expectation of discovering any real beauty; the area is heavily industrialized. Like a naval shipyard or factory park, the landscape is blanketed with large machinery, billowing factories and tractor trailers transporting thousands of pounds worth of the white stone.
Massa and Carrara are sister cities in the Province of Carrara
However, we were surprised when we got away from the mining equipment and approached the center of town. The city itself was clean and beautiful. It became obvious that Massa has prospered as a result of the local product. The town is well designed and perfectly maintained. Even the street curbs and park benches are made of Carrara marble! After a delicious lunch at Il Fatty we wanted to discover what the city had to offer. There seemed to be a surprise around every turn. We found orange trees and large piazze (town squares), ancient buildings and ample shopping. We were pleasantly surprised to see how much is available to tourists, although the place is happily devoid of the map-reading, fanny-pack wearing, crowd-shoving sightseers (by the way, I’m not casting stones; that is usually us in a nutshell, less the fanny-pack).
Il Fatty’s “signature” sandwich – Panino LamprodottoPanino salsiccia e rapiniHomemade torta di riso, proudly made by the owner’s son, AlessandroThe interior piazzaSome of the colorful buildings of MassaGreat statue in the center of the main piazzaGovernment building in the main piazzaThere were orange trees everywhere
There is even a wonderful 15th century castle perched high above the town. We took the narrow and windy drive up the hill, only to discover the castle was closed for repair. Oh well, I was able to get a couple beautiful panoramic’s of the city and neighboring sea.
Massa on the road to Malaspina CastleView of Massa from aboveThe position of the city is well situated between the coast and the mountains
If I can borrow a page from the Michelin Star guide-book, I would rank Massa with a full star (out of three). One star denotes a very nice place worthy of a visit (but not a place to go far out of your way to see). If you do visit, tell Alessandro at Il Fatty that we said hello. However, be weary of his suggestion to try the local favorite, Panino Lamprodotto. It’s basically just tripe (cows stomach) on a bun – not my favorite Italian food. Of course, I would be lying if I told you I left a single bite behind.
It’s been nearly a month and a half since my last meaningful post and I am once again faced with the monumental task of getting caught back up. I’m not sure how or why I allowed myself to get so far behind, but I do know that I have left myself a lot of work. The wine, cheese and salami will just have to wait (well, I suppose it can’t hurt to have a little wine while I write). I would like to apologize to my readers for this delay and I would like to acknowledge one loyal reader in particular; Helen actually reached out to me through our Contact Us page and basically said, “what the hell, Greg – where’ve you been?!” Helen and everyone – even though it can’t excuse the lack of content, we just got back from a two-week trip to the States where, in my capacity as Best Man, I roasted my good buddy Josh and toasted his beautiful bride, Abby (read about Josh and Abby’s trip to visit us here and here).
While we were home, I rediscovered some magical things – burritos, quality customer service and Netflix. We haven’t watched as much TV over the past year as we did over the past two weeks. I became obsessed with the Netflix original series, House of Cards – an amazing drama starring, Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood, a cagey and politically ambitious congressman who is constantly scheming and conniving to reach the next rung of the political ladder. If Frank Underwood can work through all hours of the night and stay ten moves ahead of his opposition, surely I can bang out a few extra blog posts in the next couple weeks.
You and me both, Frank
We still have tons of travel left to do together – I’ve only written about the very first part of our cruise late last year and so much has happened since. So put on your boating shoes and let’s get going…
Here we go again!
When I last left you, we had already visited Rome (here and here) before hitting the Mediterranean Sea for Florence. We spent the next day at sea (which means there is no port and therefore no disembarking the ship), which can often be my favorite time onboard a cruise ship. We tend to pick our cruises based on the ports of call, but I always like to be sure there are two or three sea days allotted in the itinerary. It may sound crazy – but it’s nice to have a day to relax in the middle of it all. Carrying a toddler, stroller, backpack (and sometimes even a wife) across miles and miles of city streets, on and off tour buses and in and out of museums [while rewarding] is a lot of work. To have a day where you cannot do anything other than enjoy your ship’s amenities is a pretty sweet prospect. That, and I like to gamble – sea day’s are the only time you can sit in the casino all day (or as long as your wife can tolerate being left alone with your child).
A dormant volcano visible from the ship while we sailed past SicilyApparently, gambling is a part of our blood line – Julia enjoys the Casino as much as I doFirst she hit the slotsNext, she discovered the blackjack tables – that is definitely my little girl
The first sea day was also the first “formal night” and so we all three enjoyed an opportunity to get dressed up and go to dinner. I was up a little after a hard day playing blackjack and so I was in high spirits. The delicious prime rib they served helped to keep me and my tummy happy (they even brought it out “bloody and still mooing with a mountain of horseradish”, just like I asked) . After dinner, we took in a very enjoyable show and went to bed content with a day of doing… well, not much of anything.
Ready for a fun “night on the town”Julia let me take her for a spin on the dance floor before dinnerJulia and Jen at dinner
The next day we woke up at port in Corfu, Greece. It was drizzling and we had a long day at port in a relatively small city, so we decided we would try to wait out the rain on the ship. We spent the morning participating in some of the cheesy activities organized by the ship’s Cruise Director (imagine a business team building activity). It would have been an uneventful morning if it had not been for a strengthening bond between two little girls who would quickly be known as the fastest of friends onboard Celebrity’s Silhouette. Ava had met Julia in one of the cafe’s the day before and she didn’t hesitate to chat her up on either occasion. She was likely craving companionship of someone close to her own age (Ava is about a year older). The two instantly clicked and after the game, they spent some time dancing, playing and “conversing” (if you can consider each girl stating her independent and random observations a conversation).
We meandered about the ship while we waited for the clouds to disperseAva found a new friend in Julia and Julia discovered her new hero
As the girls played, we spent some time getting to know Ava’s parents, Catherine and Jim without realizing that we were making fast friends of our own. After just a few minutes talking with Cat and Jim, we learned that they have a close-knit family too – they were cruising with Jim’s brother, “Uncle” Mike and his wife, Feng as well as the boy’s parents – Bob and Dorothy. The entire family was very pleasant and even though we didn’t realize it at the time, we were forming a relationship with a big family we would “adopt” as our own for the remainder of the cruise. Eventually, the rain let up and we took our leave for Corfu.
A panoramic of Corfu, Greece
Corfu is a Greek Island dating back to 1300 BC when it was first inhabited by the Phaeacians. The history of the island is a story penned by bloody battles and conquests. This is evidenced by the two fortresses that enclose the capital city; two formidable structures standing as pillars of protection against would-be invaders from the sea . Jen and I decided that we were up for a walk and so we strolled from the ship, past the “New” Fortress (Νέο Φρούριο) and into the downtown area. We meandered past ancient churches and charming shops and restaurants when heard a tiny, little voice scream, “Juila”! It was her new friend Ava, who came barreling up and generously gave Julia a big hug and a piece of her bread. We kept hiking past the outskirts of town and into the Old Fortress (Παλαιό Φρούριο) – a citadel that offers the most magnificent panoramic of the ancient city, justifiably deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Strolling through the city streets and taking in the shopsThe city streets of ancient Corfu are full of charmWe walked past beautiful churchesWe came across Ava eating lunch with her familyOld Fortress (Παλαιό Φρούριο)The Old Fortress and church that was built on the grounds for the soldiersCrossing the drawbridge toward the Old FortressThe church and Old Fortress high atop the rocksJen and Julia stroll across a desolate stretch on their way toward the churchA view of the sea from the fortress wallsJen and Julia take in the viewFrom the top of the cliff, we had a great view of the city and our shipJulia sits along a fortress wall with Corfu in the backgroundShe gives me a big hugJen wanted to get in on that action
After a pleasant and rewarding day, we concluded our self-guided tour when we missed the last bus back to the ship, thereby closing the loop on our long walk by hustling back to the ship on foot. We were just moments away from getting back on a course of exploration throughout eastern Europe, just as I am back on track blogging. For any other HOC (House of Cards) fans out there, imagine me concluding this post with two quick raps of my class ring on the desk. Frank Underwood would be proud!
I don’t know anyone in their thirties that really goes around saying, “I’m Greek” because he or she was in a fraternity or sorority – but it was certainly fun to be a part of Greek Life during college. Jennifer and I were both “Greeks” while we attended Virginia Tech together and we each established lifelong friendships that have opened world’s of opportunities.
Lauren and Jen in front of Lake Garda
One of Jen’s sorority sisters, Lauren recently came to visit – and they instantly fell into their old college routine. We welcomed Lauren at the train station; she was arriving from Switzerland having visited another friend living abroad. We went to downtown Como and had a nice dinner, before enjoying a few drinks in the piazza while a live band entertained us.
We took an opportunity to visit, Lake Garda, the largest lake in all of Italy. There is an amazing town on Lake Garda called, Sirmione. What will strike you most about the town; apart from it’s beautiful castle, hip “beach vibe” and amazing architecture – is that the water shimmers a pure aqua-marine blue, as if you’re been transported to Caribbean waters in the middle of Italy. The lake was formed by glaciers at the end of the last ice age, perhaps contributing to the unique color of the water.
The shores of Sirmione on Lake Garda
Family photo
Sirmione is certainly a wonderful place to own a boat
The history of Sirmione is quite rich – traces of civilization date all the way back to the 5th century BC. As early as the 1st century AD, the town became a favorite resort place for families from Verona (the closest major city). I would imagine a vacation home back then would be a place you’d spend an entire summer (or longer) since I would assume it would take quite some time to reach the lake from Verona (horses can only go so fast). I suppose nothing much has changed over the last 2,000 years – the rich and fabulous still snatch up the choicest water-front property for their personal playgrounds.
The medieval village stretches across a long peninsula
Sirmione has a stunning roofline
The village’s beauty is framed behind the natural beauty of trees, mountains and the lake
We loved this home inside the town
Lauren poses with me and Julia
We had an incredible lunch lake-side and then drove into the ancient Roman city. One of the main sites and a most impressive examples of fortification, is the Scaliger Castle. We spent hours walking around, stopping only for pictures and the required coffee and gelato pitstops.
The front of our restaurant
And out back, Julia takes a stroll
Julia took this picture of Lauren at lunch – apart from the partial finger over the lens, it’s pretty good!
Scaliger Castle sits as an imposing fortification in front of the ancient city
Restaurants and shops line the castles moat
A good place for a “selfie”
The castle as well as the only entry-way into the ancient city
“Cheese”
The drawbridge had been lowered
I would love to know the story behind this
The castle has it’s own marina protected by a large, fortified wall
Lauren walks along the castle’s walls
Julia tries to climb the drawbridge
Jen and Lauren stop for a picture
Another day, we visited Lecco a major lake town along our Lake Como. If you can picture the lake as a pair of legs, Como is the left “foot” while Lecco is the right “foot”. In fact, people in the town of Lecco often refer to the lake as, Lake Lecco. Of course, we all know that’s not the case – but it’s a beautiful town nonetheless.
The mountains in Lecco are quite striking
Sailboats back from a beautiful day on the water
Lauren and I take our picture in front of the lake
We loved having Lauren visit and enjoyed seeing a new part of Italy ourselves.
Jen and I recently went to Scotland with her family (HERE) and had a fabulous time exploring the Scottish Highlands. We saw Aberdeen and quite a bit of the Scottish countryside. Next on the agenda was a trip to the country’s capital, Edinburgh. The original plan was to make it a day-trip, but we felt that there was too much to see and do in just one day (not to mention a two hour drive each way), so we planned an overnight stay.
Country road in Ballater
These dry stone walls have been used as field boundaries for well over a thousand years in Scotland
We set out early in the morning from our cottage in the charming town of Ballater, and headed south (still on the wrong side of the road) toward Edinburgh. I was simply amazed to see how the landscape could change so quickly from one part of the country to the another (the colors went from a lush, fertile green to a more rustic, almost coarse landscape – beautiful in it’s own right).
A hilltop basking in the sun, near Ballater – in the Scottish Highlands
A sheep sits down for a rest
Booming commercial center near Ballater
There was a long and desolate stretch of road as the hills flattened and changed their colors
We paused at a scenic overlook to drink up the new landscape
Jen and her sister, Jessica are naturals in front of the camera
Since we opted for an overnight to Edinburgh, we weren’t as rushed to get there, freeing up time to see another glorious castle. Based on local feedback, countless websites and geographic convenience along our route, we chose to visit, Glamis Castle– often dubbed, “Scotland’s most beautiful castle”. The current home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (yes, they really do live there; we could still smell the pleasant aroma of red cedar in the fireplace from the night before) began in the 11th century with much more humble beginnings. Set far in the woods within the town of Glamis, the current castle was once merely a hunting lodge nearly a thousand years ago. But changes in Royal titles, transfer of property, the ego of a few as well as some sordid stories of murders and love affairs transformed a simple hunting lodge into the massive castle it is today. There are legends of a ghost playing cards with the devil until dawn and myths of a monster strolling through the long corridors at night. The castle plays a prominent role in Shakespeare’s MacBeth when Duncan is murdered by MacBeth in Glamis Castle. And what proper castle would be without it’s Royal ties? Glamis Castle has boasted a direct link to the Royal Family in many ways, since 1372 (most recently, the childhood home of the Queen Mother).
Glamis Castle
Welcome to Glamis Castle
Julia went right up to knock on the front door
“Well, if no one is home… I’ll just use this as a back scratcher”
The lion’s are a symbol of the castle and appear in some form in every single room (except the chapel)
Interior photographs were strictly prohibited. Obviously, I couldn’t resist.
Billiards room
Someone’s bedroom – I was hanging back too far to listen so that I could get this shot. In retrospect, I see how dumb that was. I’ll just call it… the “guest bedroom”.
My favorite room – the trophy room where Earl Beardie plays cards with the devil each night (behind the wall to the left)
After the tour (I’ll have you know, I only got scolded for using my camera about four times), we were free to walk about the museums and gardens. First, we viewed a toy soldier exhibit and read more about the Royal history with the castle. Then we strolled around the castle, along the nature trail and into the Italian gardens.
Impressive toy soldier exhibit
Private gardens adjacent to the castle
More lions
Castle from the side – the lion protects this side
Jen’s parents, Dominic and Diane snuggling up
And smooching a bit
Julia felt right at home in the Italian gardens
One of the garden’s intricate gazebos
A beautiful hedge wall enclosed the magnificent gardens
A path covered by a canopy of trees interweaving their branches
View from the garden looking back toward the castle
A similar view with Julia (who would barely stand still long enough to take one quick shot)
A second gazebo framing the garden
A guardhouse stands alone from the castle
View from the road as we departed such a magical place
After we left the castle, we pushed the rest of the way toward Edinburgh, pausing only long enough to capture a few wonderful scenic photos. We arrived late in the afternoon and strolled around town. We stopped for souvenirs and found a perfect kilt for Julia. Jen’s father, Dominic suggested that it had been too long since our last whisky and so he purchased a few miniatures for us to enjoy as we took in the sights. I didn’t hesitate to jump on board – that’s why he’s the best father in law around!
We would pass fields that glowed almost a bright, neon yellow
This guy was sitting on the job
I regretted this photo-op. I think the booth was more commonly used as a toilet than a phone
Gothic tower surrounds the statue of Sir Walter Scott, completed in 1846
Bank of Scotland, Head Offices
Allan Ramsay statue stands in front of Edinburgh Castle
Who can resist images created from flowers?!
Edinburgh Castle overlooks the older and newer parts of the city
Part of the castle
Every city has pricey real estate – you’re looking at some of Edinburgh’s most expensive private residences
And again from a slightly different angle – the old city frames the backdrop
This looks like a good place for a “selfie” LOL, #lovescotland
And this looks like a good place for a serious sip of whisky
Jess took a little sip of her own
The Anderson Clan
After walking for a couple hours, we bent the tour towards the George Street – a pedestrian friendly street full of pubs and restaurants. We found one with tasty looking food, a good atmosphere and appeared to be baby-friendly. We picked correctly and had a wonderful meal. However, the best part was when we ordered the haggis. Julia simply could not get enough. She would scream for the waiter to leave her plate each time he tried to clear it, until she got every last morsel (for those that don’t know what haggis is… just google it).
Haggis and potatoes for the table to share and try (even Diane tried it… and liked it)!
Julia nearly finished the entire plate herself
The next day, we encountered a typical Scottish drizzle (perhaps a bit heavier than a drizzle). With only indoor options appealing to us, but still a lot of city to cover – we found ourselves at a crossroads. We discovered the perfect solution aboard one of the city’s “hop on-hop off” tour buses. We were covered and warm, but still got to see all the highlights of the city, explained to us by a charming tour guide (through a thick Scottish accent).
Scotland is a city divided essentially in two. There is the Old Town, composed of wonderfully narrow and intricately wound streets that exude more charm than you could imagine. The west side of the Old Town is dominated by the large and imposing Edinburgh Castle. Over time, as the city became more and more populated, Edinburgh became one of the world’s first cities to develop “high rises” with 11 and 12 story buildings built as early as the 16th century. At one point in the 18th century, the city decided to assess property taxes based on number of windows in a building, so many building owners bricked over most of their tenant’s windows. You can still see these tax-evading buildings as you drive through the city. As population reached an all-time high in the Old Town, trash became a problem. During the night, people would dump their trash and toilet refuse from their windows onto the streets below. It became well known which streets to avoid after a night drinking in the pubs, lest you wanted a shower of the worst kind.
When the population reached an unmanageable amount, city planners developed the New Town on the northern end of the city. A young, relatively unknown 27 year old, James Craig became the lucky architect for the new city. He did a wonderful job establishing a well-laid city that stood in stark contrast of the chaotic city just south. Edinburgh became divided by Princes Street. Take note, that it is Princes (one “s”) and not Princess Street as many people mistake. The King had two sons and named this important street after his two male heirs (plural for prince). When the New Town became developed in the 18th century, the city planners hoped and envisioned that the cities elite would immediately move to newer section. But no one did – no one wanted to move to what was essentially “the boonies”. So the city built some of the most elaborate and beautiful homes and actually paid the cities upper crust to move into the New Town.*
Below are some shots I snapped on our tour as the bus rolled at a rapid pace through this fascinating city.
*The interesting little tidbits I sprinkled in above, were all given to me from the tour director.
Royal Scottish Academy, featuring a magnificent collection of works by Scottish artists
A street scene in the old city
A closer view as we drove beneath part of Edinburgh Castle
After experiencing a wonderful tour and benefiting from a clearing sky, we elected to exercise the “hop-off” feature of our tour and headed around a bit by foot. We did a little shopping, a little walking and a little eating. Diane got a plaque with her Clan’s tartan for her new home in Maryland.
Julia plays with her nonno
Striking church door
Julia turned out to be a pretty decent make-shift hat during a drizzle
Edinburgh is a port town – you can se the water along the horizon
We wrapped up an amazing couple days in Edinburgh and set our courses back to Ballater. We travelled along a new route and got to experience even more of this wonderful country. A few of my favorite images from the drive are below.
This was absolutely stunning in person
Why did the sheep cross the road? So I could stop in wonderment that this was actually happening
He let me get about 10 feet away before he started telling me to back off
Our wonderful trip to Scotland had come to an end. So too had Jen’s family’s visit with us in Italy – sadly, we bid them arrivederci, cheerio, adeus and a good trip home.
Our good friends Michel and Shirley have a wonderful home in a small village in the Côtes du Rhône region of France. They invited us to join them for a few days recently, an invitation we were happy to accept. Google maps told me that the journey from our home to theirs was approximately six hours and so we decided a stopover at the beach for a night would break up the drive nicely (read about it HERE). After a relaxing night in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, we headed north to Sablet, France so that we could savor an enjoyable visit with good friends.
Sablet, France
We arrived in Sablet as scheduled, late in the afternoon. However, I had misplaced all the phone numbers to reach Michel and so I wasn’t quite sure exactly where to go upon arriving in the village. Michel gave me specific instructions not to attempt a drive directly to his home. “The roads are far too narrow – many cars scrape on either side. Don’t attempt it – park at the local bakery and head by foot”. I only had his home address plugged into the GPS and admittedly, I had the words of Barney Stinson ringing in my head “I shouldn’t attempt the drive… challenge ACCEPTED!” After creeping up, up, up, slowly, slowly, slowly – I made it to their home. Luckily I made it with all car paint intact – but it was close. I had been far too cocky and got lucky – I literally had centimeters on either side of my car at times. We found their home and discovered they were just out at the local market, preparing for our arrival.
Michel is a business man, blogger (his blog), wine connoisseur and a fabulous chef. He owns a restaurant that I’ve mentioned in past blog posts, Bistro des Copains in Northern California. Jen and I knew that we were going to be in for a treat if he was coming back from the the market with fresh groceries to make dinner. When they returned home, we walked in, unpacked and quickly settled in for an epic meal. Luckily, Michel and Shirley are grandparents of four wonderful kids – and so they were naturals with Julia, who instantly fell in love with them both. After a wonderful dinner, stuffed and tired from a long day – we turned in, excited about the following day. Even though we didn’t know the plans, we were still eager knowing that we would have an action-packed day lead by two wonderful guides.
Pan fried fish cooked by Michel
Filleted and seasoned with butter, oil and capers
Shirley made the most amazing strawberry and rhubarb torte
Cheese and baguettes for breakfast. Not something you normally think of eating at 8:00am. However, this rich indulgence seems perfectly normal when you’re in France…and when the cheese and bread are that good, you are happy to get your fill. After breakfast, but before I finished my last sip of coffee, Michel jumped up and declared that, “we will be leaving in ten minutes!” For me, this was wonderful – an early start to the day. For Jen, nothing could be more horrific. She rushed to get herself ready, get the baby ready, get the diaper bag packed, etc. and still make it to the car before we pulled away. Somehow she managed and we set out to the first of three villages we would see throughout the day.
The term, L’un des Plus Beaux Villages de France (official site) means, One of the Most Beautiful Villages of France. This is a formal classification, reserved for only the most special of villages that dot the landscape of this fantastic country. Of the 32,000 villages that make up the country, only 157 are classified as such. 15 of these villages are in Provence, where Michel and Shirley have their home. We were fortunate enough to see 3 of these impressive places all in one day.
One of the Most Beautiful Villages of France
The first stop on our tour was Venasque, a hill-top village at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Venasque overlooks vineyards of many types, including vast fields of cherry trees (a unique sight in a landscape otherwise dominated by grape vineyards). The cherry’s were just starting to come into bloom and so we stopped to take a couple pictures. This medieval town has only the remains of three Saracen towers from those times. A large church from the 11th century stands in the center of town, composing part of the unique beauty we discovered while there.
Approaching Venasque
Venasque sits high atop a hill
We passed fields of cherry trees
Michel in action, capturing images for his own blog
Julia and Jen in front of the remains of the medieval castle
The view of the valley below
Julia enjoying the scenery
A fountain in the center of town
We passed many bicycle tour groups in each of the villages
Michel strolling along with Julia
A street scene in Venasque
The villages main church framed behind a wonderful tree
A fountain in town, La Planette
Church in the center of town, dating back to the 13th century
Julia playing in the fountain
After leaving Venasque, next we drove to Gordes, a village with houses literally clinging to the sides of the Vaucluse ridges, overlooking the Cavaillon plain. The houses and narrow cobble streets are arranged in winding tiers all the way up to the [existing] Renaissance castle and church. Gordes is a village well known to artists, including Chagall (and others I don’t know and can’t remember). Before entering the village from the top and winding our way down and back… we needed to refill and refuel. Lunch time! Michel and Shirley selected a place they had dined before – a charming outdoor restaurant tucked behind a local gift shop. After a delicious lunch, we started winding our way through the streets of Gordes. Jen and I bought Julia a cute hand-made sun dress. We found some of the most picturesque scenes we’ve ever encountered. And right on cue for our magical family photo – Julia didn’t want to cooperate for a posed photo. At least I got some nice landscape photos.
I’ve never seen anything quite like this before – simply stunning in person
Gordes – another angle
It almost appears to be sliding off the side of the cliff
Approaching the city wall – marked by the medieval castle
The main square, what we call a piazza… what do they say in French?
Further into the main entry point
Walking through the village
We had a great time walking around
The girls had fun
A scenic view, indeed!
View of the valley below
Loved this…
and this…
and of course, this!
The buildings in Gordes were truly special
Even the angels come here to day dream
A better view of the castle
Le Jardin – store in the front, restaurant in the back
Enjoying a wonderful lunch
Julia stopping to smell the flower with Shirley
Jen took a picture of me taking a picture of the village
Cheeeeese!
We eventually left Gordes and drove to Roussillon, a village far different than the first two. Along the drive in between towns, we passed a beautiful vineyard that I thought to be so typically French. But the real bonus was when we discovered a huge field of poppies, growing wild – we had to pull over and take some pictures.
Anyone up for a bottle of wine?
Large field of poppies
The poppies were growing wild
Roussillon screams its independence from other nearby villages by proudly brandishing peaks of vibrant red and ridges of bright orange. We were instantly reminded of Sedona, Arizona. The village sits atop the biggest ochre deposit in all of Europe and the result is a civilization built on bright orange clay-like earth. The village itself has since been shaped by the surrounding land and the homes, churches and buildings all marry this natural beauty perfectly. After a long time exploring, we stopped and had an a apéritif at an outdoor cafe.
Roussillon from slightly above
The earth beneath the village was wonderful to behold
The orange earth follows the bends in the road
The houses were painted to match the landscape and unique soil
Strolling through town was wonderful
Beautifully landscaped front yards
Julia started dancing to music she heard coming from a nearby store
Street scene
Julia snuggled up to me in a nice field overlooking the valley
Great bell tower
We found “cat-lady’s” home – we counted 8 cats just in this area
Stairway to heaven?
Now that’s the way to ride down a long set of stairs
Beautifully painted door
We had one more stop left – an abbey built in the middle of the 12th century. Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is a working abby, where the local monks tend to large fields of lavender that they sell to subsidize the abby (along with tourist sales of tours and merchandise).
Abbey as we approached from above
Another angle
The monks “front yard”
Fields of lavender, not yet in bloom
12th century Abbey
Julia had fun
Julia thought this was the dog from, 101 Dalmatians
By the time we reached our “home” village of Sablet at the end of a long day, we were wiped out. But we were only half-way done! We had dinner plans with friends of Michel and Shirley’s – a couple that owns the local bar in town. We had just enough time to freshen up and then head down the street to meet them in front of their bar. We all shared a nice bottle of rosé over introductions and then headed out for dinner. I’ll feature this dinner, along with a few others in a separate “food” post.
Jen and I decided that we had so much fun on our first day, we needed to extend our two day trip into a three day trip and our wonderful hosts obliged us. Stay tuned for tales of glorious wine tastings, wonderful meals and impressive historical sights.
I have no proof that when my sister, Michelle came to visit with her husband and daughter (David and Elsa) that he was the tallest man in all of Italy… but I’d say there’s a good shot! When I picked them up at the airport, I simply looked for the tallest/shortest couple combo possible (he’s a hair over 6’8″ and she’s a modest 5’2″). I spotted them instantly and helped them get some caffeine before taking them home for our big Italian lunch.
David, Elsa and Michelle – he’s crouching down to make it in the frame
Julia’s younger cousin, Elsa was her newest obsession and she had been excited all week leading up to their visit. She would wake up every day and scroll to some of the video’s or pictures we had on our iPad and scream “ELSA!” When the real thing walked (or rather, crawled) through the door – she was like a kid on Christmas. She couldn’t stop hugging and kissing her. Although, she had an awkward way of pulling her in by the neck – so much so that we dubbed Julia the, “Scranton Strangler” (you “Office” fans will get the reference).
The girls all reunited – Julia just wanted to kiss Elsa all the time
“Is my cousin trying to strangle me?!”
Michelle and David have a high-paced, action-packed lifestyle in Chicago and they were looking forward to a couple weeks of unplugging from their demanding jobs that they both do so well. We were happy to accommodate and show them a slow-paced trip filled with lots of good food and wine. We spent a couple days in the area, taking it easy. We visited the local park with the girls, we walked around downtown Como, we drove through many of the smaller lake towns. I showed David my favorite 5k loop and we went running together nearly every morning. Michelle cracked up one day after her privacy was invaded by our little Julia, somewhere in the beginning stages of potty training. She barged in and saw Michelle on the “potty” and declared to her, “Michelle… potty… YAHHH!”
The girls playing at the park
Jules sporting a pose in Como
It was drizzling when we went to Menaggio
Getting close to the ducks
Elsa fell in love with Italian food – especially risotto
“Mom, why is Julia always all up on my grill?!”
The day we spent driving around the lake was not the most cooperative of days – the temperature was pleasant, but the views were impeded by a haze and a constant drizzle dampened our tour. We stopped for a coffee and a leg-strech in one of our favorite towns, Menaggio before two fussy babies told us it was time to get home. On our way back, the constant drizzle gave us a wonderful gift – a double rainbow! This was something I’d personally never seen and only heard about in the internet-sensation youtube video.
We pulled over and took about 10,000 photos. Below are my favorites.
You could really see both rainbows so clearly
The “inside” rainbow landed directly on Bellagio
All the girls
Family photo
David shooting the rainbow
The original plan for Michelle and David’s vacation was to spend a week with us and another week exploring another part of Europe. We convinced them that it was much easier to just stay with us, making our place the home-base. So a few days into the trip, they planned to go to Cinque Terre. Jen and I had plenty to keep us busy around the house so we sent them off exploring on their own.
Levanto (David’s photo)
Cinque Terre is a beautiful gem in the Italian Riveria. The area consists of five rural fishing villages (the name means, “five lands“) that are interconnected via a pedestrian walkway. I first discovered this not-so-well-known destination 10 years ago during a study abroad and instantly fell in love. Today, the popularity of the place has reached stratospheric heights and tourists from all over the world come to see the uniquely beautiful terrain. While the change in visitors has altered the local landscape and flavor, it does not deteriorate the beauty of the villages themselves. Michelle and David selected a beautiful B&B in a town just outside Cinque Terre, Levanto which offers beautiful panoramics of the area. They had such a lovely time that they extended their trip by an extra day to really soak it all up. I borrowed a few of David’s photos in order to post them.
Momma with her baby
Elsa, the little adventurer
When they returned from their road trip, we spent a few more days locally (the seemingly endless rain kept us close to home) before embarking on another trip, this time all together. The destination – Tuscany. The specific area – open ended. Tuscany is probably the most well known region in Italy. What many people don’t realize is that it’s quite large with a lot of wonderful places to see. What you can’t do is pick a bad area, so I was confident that my internet search would yield a choice that was at least suitable for us. I underestimated just how perfect a location we would discover. A search across many of my favorite websites for this type of thing (trip-advisor, booking.com, agriturismo.net, etc.) lead me to a B&B in the Chianti region of central Tuscany. Borgo Sicelle was the perfect place. The location (midway between Florence and Sienna) offered us a chance to embark on great day trips. The property (originally an old farmhouse, carefully renovated) allowed us to rent a small apartment with individual rooms and a kitchen. The owners (Franco and Silvia) were so hospitable that we had everything we could want and more (including pack-n-plays in each bedroom). I don’t usually use this blog as a forum to recommend places to eat, see or stay (at least not intentionally) – but I will in this case. If you find yourself in Tuscany, stay at Borgo Sicelle!
Borgo Sicelle from the road
Inside one of the courtyards, showing some of the apartments
Another apartment with their own outdoor tables
One view from the property – the large open patch is a vineyard
Directly across is a small trattoria (restaurant) and next door is a church
Our “front yard”… at least for a few days
The upper terrace
When we arrived, Franco gave us the lay of the land. He also gifted us a bottle of wine made by his brother-in-law (a Chianti, of course) and helped us get settled in by touring us around his amazing property (complete with several private apartments, infinity pool, multiple terraces, a playground, rec room and more). He also explained that many of the local restaurants were participating in a pseudo “restaurant-week” where they were offering pre-fix menu’s at discounted prices. Silvia helped us call and make a reservation at a restaurant, La Torre in Castellina in Chianti, one of the main villages in the area. We arrived on time for our 7:00pm reservation and didn’t leave until all six courses had been served and we’d had our grappa. It was close to 11:00pm by the time we got home and got the girls in bed.
Outside the restaurant
Night fell while we were inside
The Rocca of Castellina at night
Another angle of the Rocca
Julia was exhausted by the time we got home
The next day, we all took our coffee outside before setting out on an excursion Franco helped us script. We visited a few of the nearby villages, including a stopover for lunch in Volpaia – a medieval village that is as rich in history and beauty as it is in quality wine.
Coffee on our patio
Exploring Volpaia
We had a wonderful lunch here
After lunch Julia took a stroll
David tried to keep up
The girls had fun together
Julia calling out to the people below
Looking cool with mommy
A street scene in Volpaia
Another street
In the center of town
At the end of the day, we pulled together a nice selection of food (meats, cheeses, olives, sardines, etc.) and dined outside while the sun set behind us.
Rustic dinner we threw together to dine al fresco
About to sit down to dinner
The girls were quick to finish eating so they could play
We loved the sunset
The Tuscan hills came to life with such vibrant colors
The following day we went to Siena, a short 30 minute drive from our hotel. Siena was settled by the Etrucans between 900 – 400 BC. Today, it stands as one of the most visited locations in Italy. The city center has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the rich art, architecture, museums and cuisine – the city is famously known for Il Palio, a horserace held twice a year in the main square, Piazza del Campo.
Julia and Michelle made matching braids for the day
Inside Piazza del Campo
Teaching Julia how to use the camera
I took her for a walk in the piazza
Michelle with her hands full
Julia ate all of my mint gelatto
At the end of the day, we swung back by Castellina in Chianti to visit the Macellaio (butcher) and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables. We had seen Franco using the BBQ the night before and David and I couldn’t get it out of our mind. Our first choice to grill… a big hunk of cinghiale (boar), a specialty of the Tuscan region. Unfortunately, the only boar he had in that day was in a salami (which we got – delicious). For the BBQ, we opted for another Tuscan speciality, bistecca (steak) and salsiccia (sausage). As David and I approached the grill, we admitted to each other that it had been a while since either of us had grilled using charcoal (hedging in case either of us made a critical error). We were further handicapped by the fact that the charcoal provided wasn’t the posh, self-burning American kind – but rather some hard-to-light wood variation. Finally, we both had the gnawing image of Franco’s perfect coals glowing like small pillows delivered straight from Hades the night before. We managed to get enough of a fire going to grill meat – our manhood was in tact and we delivered perfectly cooked steak and sausage to the family. Thousands of years of genetic programing proved to be successful.
The butcher wielding his tools
Julia helped us pick our fruit
We had some of the antipasti in front of our “house” before the grilling commenced
Salami (boar salami on the left) and bread
Jen helping us stoke the fire
Our steaks!
A finocchio (fennel) salad
We had learned that we were a “three-bottle” family
Eventually, our time in Chianti came to an end (even after extending an extra day) and we headed back to home to Como. Sadly, Michelle and David’s visit to Italy had also come to an end and we helped Michelle pack for her flight home the next day. What about David, you ask? Well, he must have liked us so much that he stayed an extra night and flew to London the day following day on a business trip. We were thrilled to host their little family, Julia loved having Elsa and we will always remember that trip to Tuscany as something truly special.
