No Place Like Home
As Dorothy said, "there's no place like home". This spring, in anticipation of leaving Milano, I had my eye open for some symbolic "ruby slippers" and found these at a little street market for 20...
Rhubarb Homecoming
Sunday Morning. August 1. (I arrived home yesterday in late afternoon.) Home in the summer chill of Seattle with a 60 degree morning. I slept well with the window open to fresh, cool air. Absolute...
New Faces, More New Friends
How often do any of us put ourselves in the position to meet so many people in so many ways in so short a time? How readily do we open our lives to the touch of strangers? I came here to Italy...
I’m Not a Tourist
Tourists don't feel like this. I came here wanting to have relationships and experiences, and to gather images. I have done all that… and my imminent departure, tomorrow morning, is harder than I...
Reconciling What Remains
It's Thursday afternoon. On Saturday morning a car and driver will meet me here at my apartment and drive me, with whatever I'm carrying home to Seattle, to Milano Malpensa Airport. Though I'm not...
Cogne: Alpine Italy
Journal Entry: 24 Luglio The bus just left Aosta, heading back to Milano. I have been visiting my friends, Ewa and Piotr, in Cogne for two days where the "uniform" is hiking shorts and boots,...
Into Mountainous Valle d’Aosta
On Thursday, the bus pulled away from a 95 degree day in Milano and headed into increasingly blustery skies in the Valle d'Aosta at the far northwest of Italy. (Find it on the map here.) I shot a...
One Week ’til Blastoff
One week from today, at this time, I will have schlepped my bags by taxi and train to Milano Malpensa airport; checked in, with machine gun carrying guards in the mezzanine above me; gone through...
Goodbye Mary
It would have been impossible to leave Milano without saying "goodbye" to Mary. Our first meeting is a story in itself, finally happening last March after much anticipation. We've seen each other a...
My Raw Meat Salad
I'm going to miss my Insalata di Bresaola, my salad of dried, cured (raw) beef. Boo hoo. They can't bring bresaola into the U.S. from Europe because of the mad cow disease X years ago… But a nice...
Hot Like a Sauna
It's been toasty-o here in Milano lately, with temperatures in the high 80s to high 90s, and humid. When I walk out of my apartment, it's like walking into a sauna! I'm grateful to have air...
Carlotta Café – Milano
Octopus as tender as a dream, served warm and simply, with potatoes, olives and olive oil. Fish and pasta prepared and presented with an expert hand. Warm-hearted hosts, all family, welcome their...