Finishing Up European Travels
Hi! I haven't had a minute (or a handy computer) to at least tell you guys that the Italy trip went sensationally. A wonderful month there, more good food and wine than I should admit to... And fabulous scenery, taken in as we wandered in a rental Fiat -- and afoot, through gorgeous cities and towns, castles and abbeys.
Had a cool, rainy start with our pals in their rented villa in northeast Tuscany -- but the food and the touring of castles, Romanesque churches (including one from 850 AD - amazing!), etc. didn't suffer. Then to Florence -- great weather! Then to Orvieto for a delicious catch-up on a favorite place. Ate a delicious dinner in a restaurant amazingly shoe-horned into the shell of an abandoned church; we remembered the place from a visit to Orvieto decades ago.
Then, high point of the trip, 10 days wandering the archeology of the Naples area (including the 2,500-year-old Greek temples at Paestum). Finally, four beautiful days catching up on Rome (where I used to live).
We're now in London, staying at a girlfriend's home and doing a bit of theatre (good play called "Welcome to Thebes" -- a political piece with real bite! -- and also "The History Boys," which I'd not seen 6-7 years ago when it first was around, during a day's trip out to Oxford).
I am flattered that several of you have commented about my being gone...and I look forward to resuming the blog when I get home in a week, We fly from London on Tuesday.
Hugz!! J
Had a cool, rainy start with our pals in their rented villa in northeast Tuscany -- but the food and the touring of castles, Romanesque churches (including one from 850 AD - amazing!), etc. didn't suffer. Then to Florence -- great weather! Then to Orvieto for a delicious catch-up on a favorite place. Ate a delicious dinner in a restaurant amazingly shoe-horned into the shell of an abandoned church; we remembered the place from a visit to Orvieto decades ago.
Then, high point of the trip, 10 days wandering the archeology of the Naples area (including the 2,500-year-old Greek temples at Paestum). Finally, four beautiful days catching up on Rome (where I used to live).
We're now in London, staying at a girlfriend's home and doing a bit of theatre (good play called "Welcome to Thebes" -- a political piece with real bite! -- and also "The History Boys," which I'd not seen 6-7 years ago when it first was around, during a day's trip out to Oxford).
I am flattered that several of you have commented about my being gone...and I look forward to resuming the blog when I get home in a week, We fly from London on Tuesday.
Hugz!! J