Category: Europe


And Just Like That, Here’s 2025

Filed under: art, Chile, cruising, Europe, Italy, lima, Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Patagonia, Peru, South America, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — Leave a comment
December 10, 2024

Same time last year, I was only too happy to welcome the new year. It was a very challenging 2023 then and by God’s grace, we breezed through 2024 with many pleasant surprises and happy developments. And just like that, here we are on the last few weeks of 2024, looking forward to a very Merry Christmas and an even happier 2024.

Nightcap at Fairmont Hotel

The first quarter of 2024 was nearly uneventful until my visit to our OZ branch in Sydney. The visit was actually a prelude to an even longer trip crossing 3 time zones. Sydney was our takeoff point for our South American adventure. I waited to join my travel buddies on a flight to Santiago, Chile on April 2. The “barkada trip” covering Chile and Peru spanned over 2 weeks but I left earlier than the rest to join my 2 “apos” in the beautiful city of Venezia for the biennale exhibition. But that’s getting ahead of my story. Patagonia on Chile’s side is magnificent — the kind of adventure you should have planned for when you were younger. Seriously. But visiting it now still stirs that adventurous juice within you. The vista was so dreamy it casts a magical spell. We’ve had some mishaps and coming into Peru, experienced altitude sickness of sorts. Yet, we all cherish the memories and weeks after the trip, found it a chore to move on. We’ve traveled to many beautiful spots together but this South American journey is one for the books. Santiago, Patagonia, Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Lake Titicaca and all the places in between comprise one magical holiday, compelling us to rethink our future travel plans.

Torres Del Paine. Patagonia. Chile.
Cusco. Peru

It was agonizing to leave this happy group to take that last seat on a flight from Lima, Peru to Madrid, Spain for a connecting flight to Venice, Italy. By the time I landed in Venice, I felt brain-fogged and nearly deaf after all those flight hours and anxieties over missing my connecting flight. My 2 elves were waiting for me by then as I managed to join them on the exhibit opening day. Without change of clothes, we didn’t miss a beat and went straight to the gallery where my grandma pride took over as I stared at apo’s lone entry hanging on a wall at Palazzo Mora. Grateful. Proud. Beyond Happy. We celebrated the day I arrived with a sumptuous Italian dinner before I hit the sack and snored the night away. Just one night. The following morning, we took the train for Florence where we spent 6 nights and then to Rome for 3 more nights before flying home. It was an Italian holiday that went better than planned.

Venezia

London

Some friends ask me where I get the energy. By September, we got ready for yet another art exhibition in London. Before the London exhibit, we took side trips to Liverpool and Edinburgh in Scotland. A most rewarding trip in 3 cities in the United Kingdom. Apo and her mom enjoyed these detours and prepped us good for the exhibit of Filipino artists in D Contemporary in the Mayfair area of London. Took all of nearly 3 weeks for this UK journey. Stayed home less than 2 weeks before flying back to Sydney — a second visit this year, and this time as a prelude to a New Zealand cruise aboard the Celebrity Edge. Not my first cruise but my first trip to further Down Under! Twelve nights on this big boat, half of which spent at sea. Our big group of 29 made it across those unpredictable waters and found the NZ spots under the tourist radar quite interesting, if not charming.

Celebrity Edge Cruiseship Behind me.

Marina in Auckland, New Zealand

I am home now. Happy to have bonded with my OZ family before and after my NZ cruise. Happy to be back to attend a reunion with college friends and of course, to spend Christmas and New Year with my family. No trips outside the country nor out-of-town. We are staying home to spend time with balikbayan kin and friends. The Yuletide calendar is full, marking a couple of birthdays and a wedding anniversary as well. We have made some Yuletide traditions simpler over the years. Simpler, but more “present”. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. May 2025 bring us peace, prosperity, harmony and many treasured moments with our loved ones ❤️

My OZ family
Christmas Party
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And That’s It, UK ❤️

Filed under: Europe, Food Trip, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — 1 Comment
October 11, 2024

The years were 1986. 2000. 2003. 2019. And now 2024. From the first visit to this recent trip, I am so happy to visit the same spots, while still leaving more for the succeeding trips. Who knows when the next one will be? There is simply too much to see, enjoy and cherish. The old monuments are still there. Many of the major museums are still free. The West End musicals and plays are still way cheaper than if you were to watch it in Broadway. The dining scene has improved way over my expectations —- as tastes and cuisines have merged and made for a gastronomic experiment. The tea and coffee scene, along with the pastries, is still divine. And the markets and little shops — especially the bookstores and vintage shops — an experience not to be missed.

The best buns we’ve tried. Notting Hill.
Buns from Home. 2024. London

London, After 5 Years

Notting Hill

Anna’s London Exhibit 2024

Exploring London’s Museums and Art Galleries

Kensington Gardens

As for Liverpool, the confidence wasn’t 100% when I pulled this into our itinerary. I love the Beatles but I wasn’t sure my apo and her mom would enjoy the vibe here. Still, I thought the city has way more than the Beatles and there’s the cafe and pies scene like everywhere in UK, plus the museums. The waterscape may also provide a change in scenery, or so I thought. Well, I actually worried for nothing. My 2 girls loved it here. It likewise helped we had a good hotel. (Trivia: this 70 y.o. booked the hotel and they gave us a room for the “elderly”. Read: handicapped or someone with mobility issues. The room had installed handrails everywhere and the toilet is actually as big as a good-sized room!)

Inside Cavern where the Beatles Band started.

Beatlemania in Liverpool

What’s a Scouse or Scouser?

About Edinburgh, this is a trip down memory lane for me. Was here in 1986, at the height of winter, alone. No digicams, no selfie-sticks, no credit cards, no cellphones. I stayed longer than planned when I met a couple who asked me to dogsit for a couple of days in a cottage not too far from the Holyrood Park. I didn’t realize the dog was a Rottweiler who loves to cuddle. But I had a couple of days in a cottage all by myself, rent-free and with full access to the refrigerator filled with good stuff to make filling sandwiches which I packed whenever out of the house. I kept the litter box clean and walked the dog to the nearby park. But I dared NOT bathe this pet that stood taller than me! This explains why I chose an apartment near the same park for our Edinburgh stay. I couldn’t remember the place where I stayed in 1986, but wanted to reminisce the same familiar spots. No energy though this time to hike around.

The park behind our Edinburgh crib for 4 nights.

Back in Edinburgh After 38 Years

Autumn in Edinburgh

Three generations. We’ve made family trips, more often pre-pandemic, but of late, I’ve been doing more “gramping”. That’s the new slang for travels with a grandparent. I love it. I craft the major itinerary, meaning I decide on the destinations, work out the hotels and transport. Sometimes, including the major walking tours too. The youngest takes care of navigating us through the cities, researches and decides where to eat, museums and attractions to visit. Her mom is the one who keeps us sane, minding our bags, the groceries and the DIY breakfasts and snacks in the bag! We’re a team. My kind of family travels. Looking forward to the next one!

The real reason why we are here.
Anna’s London Exhibit 2024

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Liverpudlian or Scouse?

Filed under: Europe, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — 2 Comments
October 8, 2024

If you’re finding it difficult to understand British English, just remember there are actually 40 dialects and accents in the UK. What we found, or heard, in Liverpool is quite charming. The “scouse” may refer to the dialect or accent, or it may actually mean a person hailing from Liverpool. The accent is a cross between Irish English and North Welsh accent, with a little Norwegian mixed in. Sounds pretty unique, huh? To say goodbye, the more popular way is simply to say “ta’ra”. Funny, but in my local language, the same word means “let’s go”. And to refer to something as “minty” has nothing to do with taste or scent, it simply means dirty. In reality though, “scouse” is a dish. And yes, the people from this city are actually nicknamed after a stew dish made of beef or lamb with potatoes, carrots and onions much like our local “menudo”. Served as a stew or topped with puff pastry like a pie, it is a hearty meal. Liverpool being a port city, the story goes that the traditional Liverpudlian dish was actually brought in by sailors. We had it for our first meal in a diner called “World Famous Docklands Fish & Chips Shop” in the Royal Albert Dock.

Scouse Pie (like Chicken or Beef Pastel)

The dockyard houses a Maritime Museum, the Tate Liverpool and Beatles Story Museums, along with several restaurants and food trucks serving anything from ice cream to an assortment of street food. It’s a good walk around the docks where one also finds the “Three Graces” which is a title given to 3 waterfront buildings defining Liverpool’s skyline. These century-old buildings are the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. In 2015, the Beatles statue was erected right smack at the Pier Head fronting the Three Graces. A photo in front of the Beatles Statue has the heritage buildings for a splendid background.

Beatles Statue with 2 of The Three Graces

Beatles Story Museum

There’s lots to do in Liverpool. Beatles fan or not, the docks, the museums, the Baltic Market and the numerous shops and restos should keep any visitor busy. We also got lucky with our lodgings. The hotel is very roomy, clean and very reasonably-priced and is a walking distance to the dockyard, passing a number of shops and dining places. This northwestern city is popular not only for its music scene but also for sports (they have 2 famous football teams — as corrected. Thanks!) and as a university city. Not to forget, there’s also the Liverpool Cathedral which is the largest in UK and the world’s 8th largest church. Very near it is the Chinatown — the very first to be established in Europe. It houses the oldest Chinese community in Europe and is marked by an arch claimed to be the largest outside of Mainland China.

Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Chinatown

The only unfortunate thing we encountered while in Liverpool was the Baltic Market was not open for business. There were a few shops open, but it wasn’t as vibrant as what it could have been. We planned on eating there but ended up having coffee in the nearby Yonder Cafe, which serves good coffee by the way. Having said that, we truly made good use of our time in Liverpool. The shops and food trucks look really cute and interesting but alas, we can’t have everything. Ta’ra!

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Yayoi K in Kensington Gardens

Filed under: art, Europe, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — 1 Comment
October 6, 2024

What a pleasant surprise! Yayoi K is one of our favorite modern artists and having planned to visit the Lady Di Memorial in Kensington where she lived for many “royal” years, we were just unprepared to spot the polka-dotted yellow pumpkin across the Kensington pond. I was panting for breath after walking around the memorial gardens when I spotted the yellow and black pumpkin. Couldn’t believe our luck to find it here on full display (unveiled in July, up until November 3, 2024) — the tallest pumpkin structure to date! Quite frankly, I am sooo impressed that Yayoi at 95 years of age is still very prolific with her sculptures and signature infinity and circles installations spread all over the world. Not bad for someone who has been suffering from mental and psychological issues since childhood. Having lived in an asylum since 1977, it is reported that her iconic pumpkin structures are reminders of her happy childhood. This holds much meaning to me — the few local artists I’ve talked to have almost always integrated their childhood memories into their art. A poignant reminder how minds and mindsets are forged, developed and nurtured through the years, and then expressed in some form. Art or otherwise.

Yayoi K behind us
Yayoi K across the Kensington Pond

Enough of Yayoi Kusama. We are in Kensington Gardens near Kensington Palace where Lady Diana lived and raised her two sons Prince Harry and the king-in-waiting Prince William. This prime piece of Crown Estate land houses a “Cradle Walk” (a tunnel of arched arbour of twigged lime) surrounding a Sunken Garden where a statue of Lady Diana with three children stand. It’s a beautiful memorial to Lady Diana that evokes mixed feelings that remind people of her royal life in Kensington Palace where she lived since her wedding to the day she died. The round pond nearby has resident ducks and swans — a perfect setting for family picnics and lovers’ quiet dates.

The Lady Diana Memorial in Kensington Gardens
Kensington Palace

The gardens adjoin Hyde Park so bikers have this vast expanse to do their “laps” while enjoying the tranquility of rest stops in front of the sunken gardens, the kids’ playgrounds, the Palace, the Pond. Imagine all that green space! It is London’s massive oxygen station. Though the Kensington Gardens are more “formal” and close early , Hyde Park is open for longer hours. If there’s one thing I truly envy Londoners for, it’s their free museums and many lovely parks, gardens and squares. 💕

The Cradle Walk
The Garden around the Pond
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From Harry Potter to Nottinghill

Filed under: Europe, Food Trip, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — 4 Comments
September 28, 2024

Back in London from Edinburgh. Trained in at King’s Cross and checked out Platform 9 3/4 before heading home to our London crib. Post-exhibit event (the major reason why we are here), we spent an entire day reliving Nottinghill — that Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant starrer with that famous quote “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” That was way back in 1999. The first time I set foot here in 1986 pre-Nottinghill the movie, I just remember this area as a spot for book lovers and shoppers for antiques and curio items. The coffee and scone scene is still fabulous — tried Cheeky Scone — and was not disappointed. It was a long walk from Nottinghill up to Chinatown bordering SOHO but we needed our nourishment after visiting the book shops, that famous blue door from the blockbuster movie and all the quaint curio shops left and right of Portobello Road.

King’s Cross Train Station is a fabulous structure but it is now more famous for this spot. Thanks to JK Rowling’s Harry Potter .
King’s Cross Station

Now, Portobello Road just off Nottinghill Gate Station gives off bohemian vibes. There are countless vintage shops, delis and coffee shops. Very vibrant, and quite busy too. It is tempting to shop around or just browse through books in those little bookstores that’s hardly the norm in big cities. I even found a basket full of wrapped books where a conspicuous sign state “blind date with a book”. What a creative idea! There’s a hint of what the book is all about and it’s like a teaser of what you’d find upon unwrapping the package.

Nottinghill Spots

Book and film lovers will find a haven in Nottinghill. But do watch the movie first for context. 😉 Otherwise you’d just think of this bohemian village in London as a place for shoppers and maybe as a dating place. Besides, that “blue door” can just be another door to anyone unless you have seen, and enjoyed the movie. Soon after finding the movie spots, enjoying the scones with coffee and shopping for cutesy vintage items, we went for more walks in search of a serious meal. Four Seasons at Gerrard Street was our choice for early Chinese dinner. Now this may sound like a day of eating, shopping and fangirling to you, but that’s exactly what it was. When in London, as with anywhere else, you’re free to make your own memories. Ta Ta!

That “blue door”
Scones & Coffee at Cheeky Scones
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Back in Edinburgh

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September 22, 2024

It’s been 38 years and finally, I’m back. Hardly had any photos back in 1986 and visited only a few sites then — pre-digicams, no Google maps, no uber. This time around, we’ve pre-booked our train rides, apartment, Johnnie Walker experience and tours of the Old Town and New Town for 2 straight days and left the other days for whatever we fancy doing at the moment. It’s only Day 2 and we have 2 more days to go. But my legs are up from all that walking uphill and downhill and my arms are sore holding an umbrella up. I promise to wear a raincoat tomorrow if it still rains! Or maybe we should do the Museums when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

First Order of the Day: Johnnie Walker
Next Order: Haggis, Neeps and Tatties

As soon as we got off the train and dropped our bags in our rented apartment, we took the road via the nearby Holyrood Park and booked a ride to the Johnnie Walker Shop for a tour much like the one we did in Amsterdam. Enjoyed the history and the rest of the Scotch Whisky tasting experience. One even takes a “quiz” so you can enjoy your own “blend”. Personalized. Customized. Enough to rev up our appetite for a dinner of haggis with neeps and tatties, steak pies, fish and chips at the Tolbooth Tavern which has stood the test of time the last 200 years. The next day we found another 200 year old lunch place — easy to do here in Edinburgh. Old is in vogue so it’s quite interesting to try “new things” in this Scottish capital. Like the Harry Potter tours. But please… no ghost tours for me.

Diagon Alley inspired by Victoria Street
Elephant House is the “birthplace” of Harry Potter. A cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote the famous series.

But if you ask me, I like best the strolls around Dean Village by the water of Leith, and the park around Scott’s Monument. And yes, the view of Edinburgh Castle from the Vennel Steps is one of the unbeatable shots. Just be prepared to scale those steps! And when visiting Holyrood Palace, check out the Holyrood Park and meet new canine friends who enjoy all the grassy space. As for Arthur’s Seat — I have watched “One Day”, both the movie starring Anne Hathaway and the series (which I prefer), but I’m still not convinced I’d like to do this hike. But then again, we still have 2 more days. Between the hike and the museums here, you know where the preferences lie.

Scott’s Monument

Dean’s Village in New Town

Edinburgh Castle
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Beatle’d in Liverpool

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September 20, 2024

It’s nearly 40 years since I set foot here. The Beatles have put Liverpool on the map and The Cavern along Matthews Street was like a sacred place for fans like moí. I don’t remember a museum nor a bus tour dedicated to the famous band then, but today you’d find an assortment for every tourist’s liking. I’m glad I brought sobrina y nieta with me here. The visit to the Pier Head where one finds the huge bronze statues of the fab 4 and the Museum of Beatles Story on the day of arrival enough to rev up their curiosity over their Mamu’s rock stars in her heyday.

Paul, George, Ringo & John in front of the Three Graces near the Pier Head.
Inside the Beatles Story Museum
Bus Tour that took us to Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, homes of Paul and John, Eleanor Rigby’s graveyard, etc

With their curiosity piqued, we were all ready to visit the former homes of Paul, John, George, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the graveyard where Eleanor Rigby was buried, and many more. All throughout the bus ride, our guide played Beatles music almost everyone can sing to. I’d say the average age of passengers on that bus was 65. And my sobrina y nieta must have pulled down that average!

In front of the house where George H was born.
The house where Paul and family lived.
Where John Lennon lived.

Beatles fans know it all started with Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Both wrote many of the songs too. Started in 1956. Soon George H joined a year after. Ringo Starr joined or rather replaced the drummer after they adapted the Beatles name. Up until 1969, they dominated the charts. I grew up with them. My teen years were marked by Beatlemania. When their manager Brian Epstein died in 1967, and when John Lennon & Yoko Ono hooked up, it was somehow expected that the Beatles will soon disband. Yet their songs will last forever and experience many versions.

This building appeared on the sleeve of Ringo Starr’s first solo album.
Beatles Museums and pubs everywhere!

When our tour ended at the famous Cavern where it all started, we went in for a few drinks and enjoyed the music from a one-man band playing mostly Beatles songs. The vibe was so festive, cheery, so much fun. All songs familiar, dancing feet can’t be stopped, the stage open to anyone who feel like “expressing” themselves. No need for introductions, everyone there is a Beatle fan, and that connects everyone!

Where it all started!
Had so much fun inside the Cavern!
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London After 5 Years

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September 17, 2024

My last visit was in 2019 to attend a wedding of someone who’s like a daughter to me. I’m back after 5 years with my sobrina and nieta, visiting the newlyweds in 2019 who are now blessed with two beautiful daughters. What a family reunion. Our Saturday mid-afternoon arrival was quite uneventful as our midnight flight from Manila through Dubai went as scheduled. Struggled though with body aches and lack of sleep. Just so happy to be back, visiting them and for another reason I plan to write about in a separate blog.

Our London Crib
Sunday Roast at Windmill. Plus some sticky toffee pudding and peanut butter cheesecake. Yum.

It was a no-brainer what to do the following day. Intent to “get our bearings” in our new crib, a Sunday Roast lunch prepped us for the “walkabout” in our new neighborhood. There were pubs, restaurants and more cafés to visit, and playtime with the little humans at the neighborhood parks and squares. But the first timers in London with me need an introduction to London with all its pageantry and historic sites. And not to forget — the free admissions to several museums! On our 1st day in the city center, we visited the must-do’s. It would be almost criminal not to go see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Bridge and Westminster. We skipped an afternoon city tour to do Courtauld Gallery on our own and even had our lunch in its Art Café. On the same day, we watched “Phantom of the Opera” at His Majesty’s Theater but not before visiting nearby National Gallery. It was a full day as a tourist and we were wasted by day’s end. Wish we could spend more time at the Covent Garden where we started, and had lunch in Borough Market instead. We love markets! But some sites just had to be scheduled another time. At this moment, we are even inclined to cancel some excursions out of London just so we can do more time exploring the city. That means Stonehenge, Oxford, Cotswold will have to wait for sobrina y nieta’s next trip.

Spotted this old gentleman while waiting for the changing of the guards in Buckingham Palace.
All that pageantry!

The years are beginning to tell — I struggled later in the day after all the walking and I nearly fell asleep during the musical while nursing a sore back and pair of legs which walked nearly 25,000 steps. Before then, I could hardly keep up with Nieta doing the rounds at the National Gallery. For our pre-Theater dinner, I had to insist I need my soup and we ended up in Chinatown for our dimsum, noodles and chicken and veggie soup. We also tried the Filipino ice cream place called Mamason where “halo halo” and “dirty” ice cream are very popular. Sweet endings for a lovely Chinese dinner. I noticed I truly turn very Asian in tastes and preferences whenever I grow tired. Makes sense?

National Gallery at Trafalgar Square

Big Ben and that London red double decker bus!

His Majesty’s Theater

For trips outside of London, I have booked train rides, hotels and tours in Liverpool and also in Edinburgh. Have been to both about 40 years ago! Eager to visit these 2 cities now after a long while. It’s a meaningful and nostalgic trip for me as I visited these 2 as a student with no credit card, nor a proper camera. Not to mention how I then budgeted my weekend trips using my savings off the student allowances. I have no kitchen skills but learned to cook my meals then, just so I can save money. I enjoyed traveling during the winter season because that meant cheaper lodgings and many vacancies! So the trips to Liverpool and Edinburgh promise many precious recollections of happy times and adventures. Will write about our experiences here separately. So watch this page for updates! Ciao for now.

London Bridge
In Search of Harry Potter?
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Gramping With Mamu

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September 5, 2024

Gramping. It’s becoming a trend where grandparents travel with grandchildren. It can be fun, but it can also be disastrous for some especially if there are no shared interests and food preferences. I have taken trips with the “apos” (grandchildren) before — once to Madrid to stay with a niece, and another time to Sydney to visit our relatives. But lately, we have taken trips together on our own, staying in hotels or apartments, charting a travel itinerary based on what the 3 of us wish to do and deciding each day on what and where to dine. Mostly, we ended up visiting museums and cultural attractions but we also managed to squeeze in a concert in each of the trips. The very first gramping was in 2023 starting in Amsterdam where we literally exhausted as many museums we can cover, checking out the bars and sleeping in most mornings. Our days started late unless we planned some day trips and we almost always managed to eat well. From Amsterdam, we took trains to move around and based ourselves in Brussels, Brugges, Nimes and Avignon before moving to Paris. Food porn all the way without minding the calories as we burned them just walking all around. It was a wonderful trip and we delighted on our food discoveries while tracing Van Gogh’s provençal life. Wrote many blogs about this gramping adventure but here’s the blog summary.

Just One More Croissant

It has been under a year since that gramping when we found ourselves haphazardly planning a 2nd gramping. This time to Italy. An invitation for my nieta to join a few other Filipino artists to exhibit their works in Venezia is simply too difficult to pass up. And so it went that I caught up with them on their last day in Venice, as I was coming off another trip. The plan was to train from Venice to Florence where we based ourselves and did day trips to many other Tuscan spots before settling in Rome where we flew back to our Manila nest. Just 2 weeks. Too many places we wish to visit but not enough time. As I came off another trip, the apos crafted our travel itinerary right down to where and what we’d eat as well as some time for a cafe crawl and bar hopping. Once more, we had a wonderful time. Never thought I’d pile up so many journals for this rather short trip but the memories just overflow and required some “order” for proper safekeeping!

The Big 3 of Italy ?

By this time, we 3 are pretty sure we travel well together. Apos are now quite adept crafting travel itineraries, hotel bookings, train reservations and dining options. The last item is important. With only 3 of us, it is nearly impossible to share meals if we don’t have similar food preferences. We also share the same passion for a good brew and gelato breaks are a given whenever we’re traveling. Happy hours are delightfully enjoyed and this is when we love chatting about our favourite spots and plan where else to go. We have also mastered the art of grocery shopping for some lazy dinners and breakfasts while doing our laundry.

And now, we’re off again. The full activity in UK beckons so watch this page for updates. Ciao for now.

Around London
And That’s It, UK ❤️
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The Big 3 of Italy ?

Filed under: Europe, Food Trip, Italy, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels — 4 Comments
June 1, 2024

If I had my way, I’d either go to Lake Como or head south to Sicily. Perhaps even jump off from there to visit Malta, which has been in my bucket list for sometime. But this is an unplanned trip and the principal destination is Venezia for nieta’s participation in an art exhibit there. Met up with them, spent just another night in Venice and hopped on a train the next day to Firenze. Having based ourselves there for 7 days and 6 nights, we spent 3 whole days doing excursions to explore Tuscany and the Italian Riviera. After a week, off we went to the Eternal City. Not enough time to cover as much ground in historic Rome but we managed quite well. Nothing rushed. We skipped some but enjoyed whatever we managed to visit. This blog summary lists all the cities and neighborhoods we ticked off in about 2 weeks. Just click the links for more photos and details. Ciao!

Trastevere and Monti

Touristy Spots in Roma

Cinque Terre

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Monteriggioni and Chianti

Siena and San Gimignano

Around Firenze

Touchdown: Florence

Overnight in Venezia

Palazzo Mora. Venezia Biennale 2024.
Florence
Rome
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