Marina and I attended Rome’s massive pro-Palestinian rally Saturday and I talked to many of the supporters. They were equally enraged by the Israeli “genocide” and Italy prime minister Georgia Meloni’s inaction. However, they were quick to point out they were not antisemitic.
Since retiring to Rome 11 years ago and getting fairly heavily into wine, I rarely get headaches. Yet I always did in the U.S. So do my readers. I sought answers at a recent wine tasting of my favorite Piedmont wines as well as wine experts in the U.S. and California. The culprit isn’t sulfites as I always thought. It’s much more complicated.
I don’t know why visitors always ask me to recommend a hotel in Rome. I don’t know. I live in apartments. But over the last few years I’ve taken Marina to six hotels in Rome for one-night “staycations.” It has given me a small glimpse at the hotel scene here. Unfortunately, two we visited have closed. For what it’s worth, here are four we can recommend.
Pesto is one of the most popular sauces in Italy and two weeks ago Marina and I went to the birthplace of pesto: Liguria. During our four days in the port town of Porto Venere, we had pesto on pasta, in paninos and even on pancakes. We also interviewed the instructor of a pasta-makìng school. I became so addicted I bought a bottle of his homemade pesto.
If you’re tired of crowds when you travel, try to get off the beaten path. With more people traveling than ever before, that is getting harder. But guest blogger Karen Anthony gives some suggestions around the world.
I had never heard of Porto Venere until Marina suggested it for our 10-year anniversary. It looked perfect. Close enough to Cinque Terre to enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery but far enough away to avoid the mobs. Well, tourists still poured into Porto Venere but it’s nothing like Vernazza in July. We also had a lovely apartment away from the Old Town right on the beach with one of the best restaurants we’ve been to in Italy almost next door.
I was one of the millions around the world caught off guard by the naming of American cardinal Robert Francis Provost as the new pope. I was not interested in writing about Pope Francis’ successor but when I saw it was the first American pope in history, I raced to the Vatican. I found optimism from a wide range of people, from American pilgrims to nuns to Carmelite priests. I like the pick, and not just because he’s an American.
Meteora is one of the most gob-smacking sights on earth. It’s where six monasteries sit atop giant pinnacles of rock formed millions of years ago when a series of earthquakes made a lake disappear and the land to rise. Today, the area in Northern Greece is a fascinating look into Eastern Orthodox monks’ lives in isolated monasteries with spectacular views.
Ten years ago today, I went out with Marina Pascucci for an aperitivo in Rome. We’re still going out — around Rome, around Italy and around the world. Tonight marks our 10-year anniversary, a grand feat considering the challenges cross-cultural relationships have. I discuss our journey with some learned observations from an Italian relationship counselor.
I woke up ready to write about my trip to Meteora, Greece’s towering collection of monasteries hanging off cliffs. Instead, I wrote a bigger religious story. Pope Francis is dead. It was announced at 7:30 a.m. Rome time and I raced down to St. Peter’s to capture the scene. It was business as normal but there was a very solemn backdrop.
My Travelers’ Century Club had our semi-annual meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, recently and the next day we took a trip to Mount Athos, considered “The Holiest Place on Earth.” It’s a peninsula with 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and 2,000 monks who don’t have TV, newspapers, radio or Internet. Women are strictly forbidden. So is photographing the monks. But we received an invite and it was an illuminating visit, not only for those expanding their horizons but also anyone who appreciates beautiful architecture.
(Director’s note: Delays and cancellations are a part of travel and are never easy. But there are ways you can fight back. Freelance writer K. Blaauw breaks it all down in this guest blog.) Flight delays and cancellations are a common inconvenience for travelers worldwide. Waiting for a delayed flight can be frustrating, but it […]
