Archive for August 2016
Swimming in the Badesee in Bad Gastein, Austria
I’ve already spoken about how much I love it in the Gasteiner Valley of Austria’s Salzburg region. I stayed her many years ago as a child and then visited recently with my own family and fell in love with it all over again. It’s a great place to go for outdoor activities in the fresh,…
Read MoreAre all writers hopeless liars?
“Is the artist a liar, or simply one for whom even a fact is not a fact? ” -Ned Rorem I love this quote by American composer Ned Rorem in The Paris Review. What do you think, writers? Are we merely liars when we make up an entire world and populate it with invented characters story after…
Read MoreMountain biking in Abruzzo
The region of Abruzzo has become my favored retreat from the hectic pace of city life in Rome. This mountainous region just east of Rome has plenty of fresh air and pretty countryside. One of the things I love doing when I am out here is mountain biking with my family. My children and I…
Read MoreBook Review: After You
Like many readers, I had read and enjoyed Jojo Moyes Me Before You. I didn’t think a sequel was really necessary, as I generally like endings that leave things open for the readers’ imaginations. Nevertheless, I still picked this up when it came out and enjoyed this novel – although perhaps not as much as…
Read MoreStocking up on traditional bread and pork in Genzano, Italy
My youngest son is a sprinter, and I spend lots of time on weekends dragging him around to races in various towns across the region of Lazio. This year, we had lots of races in the pretty area of ‘Castelli romani’, an area in the foothills south of Rome. After my son’s races, we would…
Read MoreBook review: Paris Time Capsule
In Paris Time Capsule, by Ella Carey, New-York photographer Cat Jordan is stunned to learn she has inherited an apartment in Paris from Isabelle de Florian, a woman she’s never heard of. She leaves behind her society boyfriend and travels to France to handle the practicalities. There she learns that Isabelle de Florian and her…
Read MoreHamburg’s Rathaus
On a visit to Hamburg, Germany you certainly can’t miss the ornate Rathaus (Town Hall), the Neo-Renaissance palace constructed 1886-1897. Its tower stands 112 meters high and the building dominates the entire square, a collection of architectural excess, statues, and spires. Among the statues are twenty German Emperors. Today it serves as the seat of…
Read MoreHolidays as creative writing time?
I’m not sure how I feel about this. Sometimes as I leave for holidays I have big plans for what I want to accomplish writing-wise. Other departures, I realize that there is very little point in hoping I’ll accomplish anything beyond normal vacation recharging. This year I have writing goals, but I’m not sure how…
Read MoreHamburg’s Kunsthalle
When you’re in Hamburg, Germany, there is lots to do. One of the visits you probably want to make is to visit the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the Hamburg Art Museum. It first opened to the public back in 1869. You can read about opening days and times, its collection and exhibitions here at its website. Since…
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