Travel
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…
Read MoreZipping around the aqueducts at Rome’s Parco degli Acquedotti
If it’s an early Sunday morning in the fall, there’s a good chance I’m out shivering in some Godforsaken park around Rome for one of my son’s cross-country races. Luckily, however, I do live in Rome, and some of those parks I discover on those early morning jaunts are truly spectacular. This season’s races opened…
Read MoreProhibition-era beer in Utica, New York
On a trip out to western New York last summer, we were staying near then small city of Utica, New York. I’d never been to Utica before, but I knew its Saranac beer (and soft drinks). We saw there was a tour of the Matt Beer Brewery Company and decided to join in on the…
Read MoreMy (kinda, sorta) Rocky moment … in Guayaquil
Well, this Rocky moment certainly didn’t occur in a bout of heavyweight boxing. But I did feel like a (rather distant) cousin of Rocky Balboa each morning in Guayaquil when I went jogging up the steps to the lighthouse to enjoy the views over Ecuador’s largest city. Do you remember the original movie’s opening scene…
Read MoreA mini “Bilbao Guggenheim” in New York’s Hudson Valley
This past summer, while I was in New York City with my family, my older son and I took a driving trip up to the beautiful Hudson Valley to look at colleges and enjoy the beauty of this upstate New York region. While there, we were impressed to see The Fisher Center for the Performing…
Read MoreHangin’ out with the iguanas … in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Last week, I was in the coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was my first time there, and though work didn’t allow me as much time as I would have liked to explore, I did get a nice introduction to Ecuador’s largest city. I also had the chance to make “friends” with some of the…
Read MoreSheep, cows and horses, oh my! The perils of mountain biking in Abruzzo
My older son plays Varsity tennis each fall and is often traveling around Italy for matches on weekends. My younger son and I often use this as an excuse for a solo escape to the little town in the mountains of Abruzzo for some fall foliage and mountain biking. This year was no exception. Earlier…
Read MoreFar above Cayuga’s waters … revisiting Cornell University
Many, many years ago, I spent a very happy four years at this beautiful university campus in Ithaca, (upstate) New York, studying political science and history. Even if I adored my time at Cornell, its location in western New York’s Finger Lakes region makes it a little off the beaten track for my infrequent trips…
Read MoreHiking the Celano Canyon in Abruzzo, Italy
Earlier this summer, during a particularly steamy Roman week, I found myself daydreaming constantly about a weekend escape to Abruzzo. I often get out for weekend to the town of Ovindoli, about 1 1/2 hour drive from Rome. Since the town at 1400 meters from sea level it is much, much cooler than Rome ……
Read MoreA Provence base in Reillanne, France
On the way back from a holiday trip in Pays basque, France, my family and I decided to break up the long drive back to Rome with a short stay in Provence. We made the little town of Reillanne our base to explore the region for a few days and stayed in a pretty gite,…
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