Summertime Hail
Seattleites delight! There's quarter-inch hail rocketing down at this moment in Milano! (And I've even worn a light sweater today.) the hail isn't just falling, it's being propelled to the ground...
No More Pickles!
It's hot and I've had too much salt. My fingers and toes are like little sausages. My skin is tight. I don't think I could put my shoes on if I had to. My sandals are uncomfortably snug. I've eaten...
Taormina Lemons
On a narrow, stair-stepped passage in the "centro storico" - historic district - of Taormina, there was a small shop that sets up fruits and vegetables outside. The lemons pulled me, looking like...
The Essential
"The essential is invisible to the eyes." Painted graffiti on a wall in Palermo.
Where Are We Going?
Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka. The signs that indicate Milano's M2 green line subway destination were malfunctioning and rapidly rotating through all the options. It was amusing, but noisy with its...
Nesting in Milano
A pigeon wandered into the other bedroom, twice, off the balcony. A child was practicing lessons on a recorder flute, playing "Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)". The sound was amplified through...
Eating the South
In Italy, one can go 100 kilometers and find a very different food culture. There are dishes and combinations found in just one town, and certainly in one region, not others. What Americans think of...
Dear People of Alberobello
Finding out about Alberobello, I itched to stay in a trullo for a couple of nights! Through an internet search, I found Charming Trulli, and dear Antonella. ("Trulli" is plural for "trullo".) I...
Trulli of Alberobello
A few months ago, I heard for the first time about the "trulli" of Alberobello, in the Puglia region at "the heel of the boot" of Italy. After my initial glance at images, I knew that the town had...
Destination: Lecce
Almost, but not quite at the tippy-tip of the "heel of the boot" of Italy, the city of Lecce (roughly pronounced "lay-chay") has much more to marvel at than is possible in two short days. With its...
Castles Don’t Have Wifi
In 1419, when they built this castle, they weren't planning ahead for wifi reception in the rooms. Three-foot thick stone walls don't lend themselves to today's wireless technology. I'm staying at...
Ionian Sea Shoreline
May 13 Journal Entry. Catanzaro Lido to Lecce. Training along the Ionian Sea shoreline: Red poppies. Cactus. Olives & grapes. Palms & pines. May is a lovely, ideal time to be traveling here,...