Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but I no longer know how the years fly by so quickly. But race by they do, and here we are in 2019. Here’s hoping your first days of the new year are starting off right, and to all you readers and writers out here – wishing you a spectacular…

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Luckily no more bulls on Madrid’s Plaza Mayor

On a recent trip to Madrid, we enjoyed clear winter days – perfect walking weather to explore Spain’s capital … and explore the city by foot, we did! Our walks, of course, often led us back to Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. The pedestrianized square is stunning – even more so with a lively Christmas market set…

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Greetings from the slopes

With any luck, when this post goes out I’ll be here. Looking forward to a little time relaxing on the slopes. I so love being out in the mountains, enjoying fresh, mountain air, feeling that nagging pain on my muscles after the end of a long day of skiing, and enjoying a good book in…

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Baby, it’s cold outside…

It’s not just that today’s the shortest day of the year, and that it feels as cold and dark as it’s going to get. It’s not only that in Rome – after a balmy autumn – we’re now experiencing chilly temperatures. The real reason I constantly finding myself humming what has become a Christmas classic…

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Pirandello in the ER

I had to take my younger son to the emergency room this past weekend. Luckily, we were able to rule out more serious concerns with exams, but – until we got the good news that all was well – we had many hours to spend in the ER. I had thrown into my bag the…

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Getting into the Christmas spirit … in Madrid

We recently went on a weekend trip. My younger son asked to go “someplace Christmasy – like Vienna or Berlin”. We didn’t set out to dash those hopes, but in the end, we chose Madrid, Spain. The Spanish capital wasn’t selected for its Christmas decorations, but we were pleasantly surprised that it was well decked…

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‘Tis the season for books!

It’s come around once again … the holiday season, also known as the perfect time in which to purchase books! It’s also a good time for me to check out books I might not have known otherwise. I’ve already selected historical books for my husband, business and economics books for my older son, and everything…

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Egyptian splendor … in Madrid

I’ve been a few times to Madrid, but when I was back for a visit last weekend, I was surprised to learn that Spain’s capital boasts an impressive Ancient Egyptian monument. This can be found at the Parque de la montaña, close to the Royal Palace. It is called the Temple of Debod and it…

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