Post-exhibit, — the reason why we are here — we indulged in more art. The Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum is one I’ve always missed in my UK trips so I was ready to tick this off my list this time. We scheduled an entire morning here and would have spent an entire day if we weren’t completely overwhelmed. Who wouldn’t? Just like the British Museum — and many more just around London — there was just too many to see, too much to “digest”, and too much visuals to delight in and much information to absorb. Museums do that to you. One can’t imagine the tons of educational and informative materials here, along with the excitement and visual sensation you get upon viewing the exhibits here. There is also that immense gratitude to the teams that curated all these collections.
V&A MuseumThat rotunda chandelier!
And who are Victoria & Albert? This royal couple were actually cousins whose love story would floor you. Queen Elizabeth II may have outruled Queen Victoria who ruled for 67 years but Queen V was much younger (at 18) when she succeeded the throne. She and Prince Albert allegedly fell in love the first time they met and had 9 children. Their passion for each other was reported as the greatest royal love story of all time. Unfortunately, Prince Albert died very young at 42 and the Queen blamed the then heir-apparent, later King Edward VII for Prince Albert’s demise. King Edward VII succeeded the throne only after Queen V passed on. Before then, he was not granted any political power, influence or station. He waited 60 years as heir-apparent.
Just for starters. Wow!Just a short break.
At the time we visited, there was a special Naomi Campbell exhibit but we penny-pinched and didn’t want to pay extra 18 pounds 😂 We argued there’s so much to see anyway without shelling out a cent, or a pence. We did round up the Fashion Gallery and was amazed with the rare collection. Then off we went to the very impressive Raphael Cartoons where Raphael’s spellbinding works of art were on display. The tapestries were truly treasures from the Renaissance period. All seven full-scale designs! Spent much time here that we hardly covered the entire, huge museum and literally hopped from hall to hall until our feet and legs could hardly carry our weight any longer. I thought the British Museum was big, but Victoria & Albert is even bigger. So much variety and such an enormous collection. It can be a chore to navigate the massive museum, so it’s best one plans how to view the collections. Of course, we didn’t have a plan but we soon realized that the exhibit items are displayed not by period like in other museumsbut by artistic category: fashion/textiles, visual arts, sculptures, architecture/design, jewelry, etc. Thankfully, they did segregate the artifacts and treasures among the British Galleries, Asian Galleries, and the Europe Galleries. The artworks from Asia were even thematically divided like there was a separate hall for Buddhist sculptures clustered by region. Further separated were Medieval and the Renaissance Galleries. And there was a separate hall for potteries, ceramics, etc. In my humble and amateurish opinion, the clustering is one major chore and I can understand how the curators must have argued over the years on exactly how these items should be exhibited.
How to say your ooohs and aaahhhsImagine this!
Suffice it to say that sorting out these magnificent works of art (others call it “loot from the wars” — but let’s not get into that) is a tremendous task. With free admissions, who dares to complain? I only wish I live somewhere near and have the time to spend 2-3 hours daily, to visit one hall or section at a time. No way you can do this in one go. Not even in 3. That’s how I did it in Madrid (Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza) yet I still can’t claim I covered the whole area. The last hall we visited made us decide to leave. Not because we’re unimpressed, but because we were utterly overwhelmed that we wanted to leave “in that drop-jaw state”. If you missed seeing David in the Academia at Florence, you can try your luck viewing its cast here without paying for museum admission nor lining up to buy a ticket. And stare at this giant of an artwork to your heart’s content. For free.
Summer officially ended while we were on our train ride from sunny Liverpool towards the capital of Scotland. We chose Edinburgh for many reasons. Many (free) museums. Culture. Scotch Whisky. Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. Harry Potter. Bagpipes and men in kilt! But all throughout our stay here, we experienced overcast skies and showers every now and then. Wet and cold in Edinburgh but we’re not complaining. Behind our apartment is the Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat beckons. Many young hikers all geared up for the hike, some with their fur babies — and I only managed to watch them while sipping coffee and enjoying scones in the Holyrood Cafe by the Palace.
Vennel Steps @GrassmarketHolyrood Palace
The Scottish pride left me with a good impression 38 years ago. I just love how they feel proud of their independence and their national icons. Alexander Graham Bell, Robert Burns, Alexander Fleming and the more contemporary Andy Murray and Sean Connery of 007 fame. J.K. Rowlings is British but she drew inspiration from many spots around Edinburgh for her 7-volume Harry Potter books. In fact there were way too many Harry Potter tours around here to show visitors the Elephant House, the self-proclaimed birthplace of Harry Potter. The Greyfriar Kirkyard, the burial site of Thomas Riddle aka Lord Vxxxx “who must not be named”. (Rowlings picked out names from the graves here, and no one knows who this Thomas is). The beautiful Victoria Street emerged in her imaginary Diagon Alley and you’d be surprised how many wands they sell around here. Plus many more.
The hike to Arthur’s SeatVictoria Street
But it would be a waste to miss the Scottish Museum of Modern Art (there were 2 across each other).A tad distant from the center with a wide expanse around the buildings. Then there’s also the National Gallery of Scotland and the Portraits Gallery. If it were sunny or at the very least rainless, it would be nice to lay out a picnic mat and just chill. I noticed though that all the flat whites and hot chocolates I drank in the museums were all good! And yes, their scones, muffins and brownies were too. One lunch we had (and repeated) was in Rock Salt Cafe along Jeffrey Street. The Scottish Breakfast was truly a big brekkie with ham, eggs, hash brown, haggis, sausage, black pudding, pork and beans and the thickest slices of really good sourdough. If that is not enough, let’s see if you can resist their baklava and other yummy pastries.
The Scottish MUSEUM OF MODERN ARTIf you visit the National Gallery of Scotland , it’s a short distance to get here. So is the Scott Monument
So there. Edinburgh may give you a lot of rain or spoil your mood but there are always the museos and the good food waiting for you. From big breakfasts to the national dish of Scotland called haggis, to the many pubs serving draught beer or whisky bars, to the many gelato and pastry shops! Many housed in century old apartment buildings.
Scottish Breakfass at Rock Salt CafeThe gelato flavors from Mary’s Milk Bar
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 CribSunday 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 ownand 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 musicalwhile 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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
After a visit to Maxxi Museum of Contemporary Art, we took a cab to Trastevere for dinner. Tourists and locals alike seemed to be all here, lining up for dinner. We’ve chosen to try Tonarello, in the Piazza Della Scala. We each ordered pasta as our “primi” and then shared a bowl of mussels. I know, we didn’t want to disappoint the Italians by making a meal out of our pasta dishes — Cacio y Pepe, Carbonara and Amatriciana — but those carbs served in their pans can be very filling. We love the moules, as well as the Prosecco. We even love the chaos and the noise you get when eating al fresco in some corner in Trastevere. The “shouts” to those in line when a table is vacated is a practiced skill. For desserts of gelato and tiramisu, we tried another barwithin the same area. As in somewhere more quiet. 😉
TrastevereChurch of Santa Maria Della Scala
Because traffic is banned from some sections like the piazzas, outdoor dining especially when it’s near-summer is truly delightful. Just around the block, tables under huge umbrellas were laid out with handicrafts, artisan jewellery, art pieces, and other curios. There was also an abundance of antique bric-a-brac in the outdoor stalls as well as in tiny vintage shops. The good coffee shops — called bars here — are easy to spot. There is almost always a line. Same goes for gelaterias which are spread all over Rome.
Al fresco Dining in TrastevereSant’ Eustachio Coffee on the go
Not sure if it’s because of the time of day we visited, but Monti seems less crowded. We had breakfast in one of the bars here. A breakfast which may well be a post-meal dessert as we ordered tiramisu and cannolis to go with our coffee. Well, we’re in Rome! The busker music then drew us out of the bar and into these cutesy, tiny vintage shops and record bars which of course took some of our precious time. All’s well, we’re having a good time. Not rushing, just browsing. At mid-morning, some activities have just began. Like bread deliveries to trattorias, shop openings, street-sweeping, etc. You can tell these Italians start their days late. And enjoy their coffee under the morning sun. (We took our breakfast table INSIDE).
Monti Neighborhood Monti
We’re glad we spent time in this neighborhood. The vibrant scene has such a local flavor that’s missing in many tourist traps. Of course, The tourists have already discovered these bohemian spots but somehow, that old character remains. Was trying to figure out what changed — and I’m guessing the tourists are here “on their own”, taking less photos, and NOT herded around in groups with a tour guide. No umbrellas! No pushing for that impossible “sans crowd” posterity shot before a fountain, a building, a Bernini sculpture. No cam whores! Why? Besides, the visitors seem to be more interested in the trattorias and osterias here. They must be hungry like us too, so the concerns and priorities differ. What do you think? 🤔
It’s been on my bucket list for the longest time. Oh well, there’s a lot more in that list and I’m just thinking Italy here. Italy draws me back time and again. It’s always been my happy place and I’m not just thinking food. And since I’m showing first-timer apos around, we did the holy triangle (Venice, Florence, Rome) but I made sure I squeezed in a destination that’s a first visit for all 3 of us. And Cinque Terre it is. Would have loved staying a few nights to explore all 5 villages but time was against us. We did just a day trip and covered only 4 towns: Manarola, Monterosso, Riomaggiore and Vernazza. We’ll check out Corniglia another time. Frankly, I would have been happy with just 2, but doing 2 more is a pleasant bonus.
VernazzaManarola
Our tour bus took us on an easy (but early) ride from Florence to La Spezia. Upon arrival, we took brief train rides going from one village to the next. In Manarola, there was a short hike if one were to get a magnificent view of the colorful houses built along the slope of the hill. Many tourists hiked up along a rocky path with railings and some spots presented photo opps . We spent some time here and yes, snapped a lot of photos. Our first set of posterity shots in Cinque Terre! Along the rocky path, we spotted doors presumably leading to residences. I imagined myself coming out of one of those doors opening up to these awesome scenes especially the sunset views.
Monterosso Riomaggiore
Manarola was our “introduction” to this fabulous place. Can’t believe I missed this place in all my visits to Italy. It’s less than 3 hours from Florence, even nearer than Venice. We love the vibe of all coastal villages. My “beach bum” dream comes into gear whenever we get near any body of water. There is something very relaxing watching the sun rise or set against an ocean or sea view. Or sipping your coffee as the sea breeze wafts through your hair. Gelato stops became the order of the day, and since we are in the Ligurian region, it’s trofie pasta with pesto sauce for lunch. Too bad we failed to try their anchovies! But the seafood salad appetizers made up for it. 😘
You need good strong legs to do this again.
After Manarola, we came upon Vernazza. Easily my favorite town. I love how the “busyness” of the town with bustling street vendors and the lively church by the shore with many small boats not so neatly “parked”side by side, make up a vibrant village replete with al fresco cafes and fruit stalls. It’s like a scene from a movie. The same tourist crowd seems to be charmed by the next 2 lively towns of Monterosso and Riomaggiore. But Monterossoboasts of a longer shoreline, attracting a beach crowd. It was a cold day when we visited but the sun is out so the low temps didn’t deter the younger ones to lay out beach towels and strip to their swimsuits and hit the water. Oh, the recklessness and energy of youth!
Our trip took a solid 12 hours, about 5-6 hours accounted for by the time spent on the bus. It’s like spending just slightly more than an hour in each village. It would be nice to revisit and spend nights in one of the towns. Dilemna is, which town? I’d likely choose Vernazza but one vote went to Monterosso. We all agreed we’d hike up to Corniglia next visit. So there. Ciao!
On an excursion from Firenze, we visited Monteriggioni and Chianti and was delighted to receive wine lessons from AGRICOLA POGGIO AI LAGHI where we tasted 4 kinds of wine, oils and balsamic vinegar. It was a wonderful, fun-filled session and everyone in the group thoroughly enjoyed the wine and oil tasting as much as the humorous spiels by the host. They even served us a good pasta dish. It was a penne pasta dish where we were all encouraged to spice it up with their chili pepper olive oil. Not bad. I actually like it despite the fact that the penne came from a box. (Seems we’ve been spoiled, feasting on homemade pasta all our days here in Italy) But I particularly enjoyed their thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar from Modena. Served with toast, but I can imagine it pairing well with some fresh strawberries. Hmmm. But back to wine, we found the winery so warm and welcoming. Quite a sensory experience just by being there, savouring every drop, every sniff, every swirl, every gulp. So very pleasant, indeed!
Cheers!2 kinds of balsamic vinegar. Gold spoon or Silver spoon?
The winery caters to special events and parties. I can imagine big birthday and wedding celebrations here. Or corporate events, like a product launch. Must be equipped with a good kitchen, I presume. The set-up is quite impressive. The vineyards extend to the Monteriggioni area, a small commune with an interesting walled settlement dotted with tiny stores and cafes. A small chapel inside must have welcomed some pilgrims doing the Via Francigena as Chianti and Monteriggioni are along the Tuscan parts of the camino. When I saw the brown markers — as contrasted with the yellow and blue markers of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela — I was reminded of my pilgrimage walk some 8 years earlier from Viterbo to the Vatican/Rome.
Entrance to the WineryThe Wine Tasting Room
We may all be familiar with Chianti as a region and as a wine, but not Monteriggioni. When the guide gave us an hour to freely roam around, I thought that wasn’t enough time. Turns out it was really such a small compact commune that an hour is all you need. Yet it presents itself with a decent square, a tiny church, a cafe and a few stores selling local handicraft around the square or from the narrow alleys. Actually I felt I was in one of those Disney “lands”. Except that we had to hike up a decent distance to reach the piazza. Only needed a choo choo train to ferry us around and save some breath. 😩
Tuscany’s landscapes are a feast to the eyes. Coming from Firenze where art permeated the city’s soul, it was nice to breath in fresh air while sipping wine sourced from the vineyards right in front of you. The landscapes framed in the walled commune’s huge, arched gates are so pretty. Imagine this same scenery just before the grapes are harvested. Or when spring flowers are in bloom. Or even the tall, thin cypress trees swaying as the wind blows. Bellissima!
Most tourists take this excursion out of Florence to visit Siena and San Gimignano. Did it in 2009; did it again this 2024 with “apos”. Like me, I’m sure they’d enjoy this part of Tuscany. If Florence is a Renaissance city, then it’s all medieval as you reach Siena and San Gimignano. All 3 teeming in art, history and culture. If only for these 3, Tuscany is truly a dream destination. For people like Frances Mayes (author: Under The Tuscan Sun), it even is home. Tuscany. Rolling hills, medieval buildings, breathtaking sceneries. Then throw in the vineyards and good food, and staying is no longer an option but a wonderful decision.
Siena’s Piazza del CampoSiena Cathedral
The Siena Cathedral is hailed as the prettiest among Italy’s Gothic Cathedrals. The alternating black and white marbles present a unique striped exterior while the interiors hold even more jaw-dropping elegance and beauty, while continuing with the black and white band-striped theme. Che magnifico! I love that this heritage site is devoid of motor vehicles but that can only mean that visitors should be prepared to walk. Somehow, being closed to traffic gives Siena that “frozen in time” charm. Just like Venezia and many parts of Firenze.
Siena’s Lovely Cityscape Michelin Guide Had This Listed
Our local guide calmly narrated the significance of the piazza and how it is used for horse races called “Palio”. Quite insane, this centuries old race. It’s a horse race, so the winner is the horse, not the jockey. I mean, the unsaddled horse that first crosses the finishing line may be without a jockey and still win. Just 3 laps around the fan-shaped piazza. 10 horses. Approximately, the race lasts 90 seconds. And they hold this pageant twice a year every July 2 and August 16 since the 15th century!
So MedievalWorld’s Best Gelato (2024)?
Our luck held out in Siena. The guide recommended where we can enjoy good Cacio y Pepe — Papei Trattoria. Pici Cardinale, and Pappardelle al Cinghiale were likewise excellent! And more luck with our gelato. The ones we had in Siena were good. But the gelato in San Gimignano even better. A sign claims it’s named most popular gelateria in 2024. But 2024 isn’t over yet. Whatever. Not complaining about the gelato though. And over the moon with our lunch at Papei.
San Gimignano’s medieval towers from the 12th to the 13th centuries now count over a dozen. A big drop from the more than 70 towers centuries ago when they adorned this Tuscan hill town. The 12th century Collegiata is often mistaken for a cathedral or duomo with its treasure of dramatic frescoes of the New Testament. The towers, the “duomo” , the piazzaand the medieval architecture should paint a beautiful silhouette against the skyline at sundown, the way I viewed it back in 2009. No such luck this time. But the elves are happy with their gelato!
We had all of 7 days and 6 nights here in Florence. Minus 2 whole days for out-of-town excursions. I stayed in to recharge for 2 whole days while apos visited more museums and met up with friends. I made sure I sent them off to Uffizi Art Gallery and the Medici Museum but interestingly, they also visited the Ferragamo Museum and the Gucci Garden Museum. I remember they enjoyed the Dior Museum in Paris last year. After all, the lines are blurred between art and fashion. On Day 1 here, I joined them viewing Kiefer’s exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi and the oldest pharmacy in the world. We also passed the piazza where the Duomo is, and we had meals at the Mercato Centrale. Beyond that, their interests seem to lie elsewhere. Just off Palazzo Strozzi is an impressive theater cum bookshop. Cinema Odeon is housed in a Renaissance palace with an amphitheater-like structure where you can claim a seat among stacks of books. We spent a lot of time here, and I’m told they went back the next day without me.
Palazzo StrozziUffizi Gallery
We were all fascinated by the art exhibit we viewed almost on a whim (Kiefer in Palazzo Strozzi) and Cinema Odeon — a very unique bookstore around Piazza Strozzi. So with our random dining finds for best gelato, best pizza, best bistecca, best paninis, best affogato and best rooftop bar. While we decided on our first bistecca at the Mercato, we chanced upon this gelateria which suggested we try this very local flavor called “buontalenti”, named after the inventor of the Italian gelato himself! The movie “Eat, Pray and Love” featured this pizza joint which now proudly hangs a photo of Julia Roberts — and we dare say it isn’t a hype. We actually enjoyed their Napoletania and Primavera pizzas, along with those Italian rice balls called arancino. Dining tips came in handy too from the hotel concierge and we’re glad we heeded Alex’s advice. Missed the ribollita and pasta I had years earlier in Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi, but we totally enjoyed our dinners at Trattoria il Giardino (loved the Tuscan coccoli) and Trattoria Burrasca (best bistecca!). As for happy hours, nothing beats sipping rosé at sundown in Art on View Rooftop Bar. If this all sounds to you like a food trip, it seriously is. The same DNA runs in their veins, after all.
View on Art Rooftop bar. The Duomo
The days I wasn’t with them, they went for quick lunches at All’ Antico Vinaio. And ate more gelato. They also swore they had the best affogato in Vivoli and promised to take me there. And I swear they were not lying! I offered to take them around the historic center to check out spots they missed but these 2 had other interests. Told you 😜 A food trip in Italy? Not a bad idea. As for me, I’m ready for our out-of-town excursions. Makes life simpler just hopping in a bus to take us to touristy spots with a laid-out itinerary guided by a tour director. No bus or train tickets to buy. No lunch reservations to book. And I ensure these 2 learn some history outside of the dining scene. Ciao!
lifeisacelebration 