Today is a holiday in Italy. It is the day that commemorates Italy becoming a republic. Somewhat like our Fourth of July. In Umbertide they celebrate with a dog show. No, it is not Westminster. The dogs and there were many of them are family pets, most of the indistinguishable breeds. Italians are just as … More June 2nd
After a challenging and most stressful year, we arrived much too tired in our home away from home in Italy. The house has not changed and we welcomed the serenity it offers. After a couple of hours of restorative sleep, our first thought was of food. Laura, a neighbor, has a wonderful restaurant a block … More Welcome to Summer, Italian Style
We received an invitation to an art show about 45 minutes north of Umbertide. The exhibition was located in a palazzo (palace) in the center of the historic district. It is only open to the public once a year, so in addition to seeing paintings, we were able to glimpse a little bit of an … More Another Saturday Night in Umbria
Across the street from our house in Umbertide is a piazza. It is an excellent place to walk to see people enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine. Recently I discovered the area is actually made up of two piazzas. The second one looks like a parking lot but upon inspection, this seemingly common … More Piazza April 25th
I am a list maker. I can’t get through my day-to-day life without them, experiencing an exquisite thrill as I check off each to-do. I am making progress. Therefore despite the fact that there is no time to do nothing, beauty abounds, and the culture encourages the art of enjoying the moment, I am somewhat … More Learning to Relax
Coming to Italy while always special is now a regular part of our traveling. This is the first winter trip for both of us and it is the first time we have spent alone in our new home in Umbria. Unlike the summer, the “Green Heart of Italy” is wet, dark, and cold in winter. … More Umbrian Winter
The temperatures are in the nineties. Sunshine fills the crevices in the piazza and it is difficult to remember that four of our five weeks in Europe were cold, windy, and most of rainy. June of 2013 brought record flooding to areas of Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. We spent our first day … More Historic Rains
I took a risk with this part of the vacation and exchanged a timeshare week for one in Keszthenly, Hungary. The “resort” was advertised to be close to Lake Balaton so I assumed (which is not a good way to process information) that was a lakeside resort. It was also advertised as a one-bedroom unit … More Our Hungarian Adventure
Visions of summer vacations have flowed through my mind for most of the last semester this year due to an unusual amount of stress that accompanied the school year. I couldn’t wait to sleep in, see some sights, and then read. Well…. it hasn’t happened in just that way. Our first week was spent in … More Riesling Country
Tuscany like much of Italy is dotted with small, old towns. Some date back to the times of the ancient Romans. In many, you will find the Centro Storico, enclosed by stonewalls. Entering the portal of these areas will take you back in time. Museums hold artifacts and famous artwork. Little shops with local crafts can … More Tuscan Towns