Posts Tagged ‘Europe’
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … in Verona
Fitting for a Saint Nicholas Day post that we start taking a look at Christmas decorations. This day (or 8 December – The Immaculate Conception) is when many Italian towns begin decorating their centers – although the date is constantly being pushed earlier. Luckily for us, the decorations were up at the start of December…
Read MorePalladian splendor in Vicenza, Italy
I adore the northern small city of Vicenza, in Italy’s Veneto region. I first came here many years ago, and had not been back in years. When my youngest son had a cross-country race nearby, I jumped on the change to get back and visit this jewelbox of a town. I was not disappointed to…
Read MoreAbruzzo’s WWI Memorial soldiers in In The Shadow of The Apennines
An important symbol in my newly released novel, In The Shadow of The Apennines, is the memorial soldier statue found at the high peak of the Italian mountain town that serves as the setting of my story. My novel’s protagonist, Samantha, is an American who moves to the tiny Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano, hoping…
Read MoreEnjoying fall foliage on an Abruzzo getaway
I was in desperate need for a weekend get-away out in the mountains, and so was my son. The weather forecasts were perfect, and we decided to take a short get-away to our favorite mountain hamlet in Abruzzo – Ovindoli. It was exactly what we needed: fresh mountain air, long walks, fall foliage, and fantastic…
Read MoreSqueezing out those last drops of summer – on the beach in Sperlonga
I love summer. And yet, it’s the season that always seems to race by fastest. So when my younger son asked me if we could go on a beach get-away for our last summer weekend, he didn’t exactly have to twist my arm. I was happy to make a weekend escape to Sperlonga, one of…
Read MoreSpectacular views from the top of England’s Durham Cathedral
Earlier this month, I made my first visit to the northern town of Durham, England to atend the Historical Novel Society’s biannual conference. For each conference, they choose a historical city in the UK – so it was a great chance to explore a new destination I hadn’t yet seen. Durham is a beautiful, medieval…
Read MoreCooling off in Rome’s Piscina delle rose
Anyone who knows Rome, knows that Rome is hot in summertime. And this summer was no exception. To cool off this summer, my younger son and I were often spending Sundays ar Rome’s outdoor public pool, Piscina delle rose. This pool was built in 1960 – the year in which Rome hosted the summer Olympics.…
Read MoreAdmiring the Roman aqueducts during cross country races at Rome’s Tor Tre Teste
For years, I would rise early morning Sundays in the fall and winter to take my youngest son to compete in cross-country races. Now he competes exclusively in track and field, which means early weekend mornings are at tracks instead of cross-country sites. Kind of a shame because the cross-country sites in Italy are spectacular,…
Read MoreWatching the cross country runners around Veneto’s Fimon Lake
Last October, my younger son had a cross-country championship up on northern Italy – near the spectacular town of Vicenza, located in Italy’s Veneto region. I decided to drive up to watch the race – and lucked out with a spectacular, sunny weekend. The 5K race itself was held on a beautiful course – along…
Read MoreYay! Outdoor cinema 2022 kicks off again on Rome’s Piazza Vittorio
Summers in Rome are hot. VERY hot. But we are fortunate to have mostly comfortable, and sometimes downright breezy evenings. Cue in the Roman tradition of outdoor cinema. There are various venues around Rome, but one of the ones I enjoy most is the annual Notti di cinema a Piazza Vittorio – at Rome’s Piazza…
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