Europe

July 25, 2023

Italy and climate change: It’s hot as Hell here and all signs say it will only get worse

It’s hot as hell here in Rome. It hit a record 109 degrees last week. I mercifully got my living room air conditioner fixed but that’s only a temporary solution to the bigger problem facing Italy. Like the rest of Europe, Italy is facing massive consequences due to climate change. People are dying from the heat; people are evacuating fires. People who say climate change is a hoax haven’t spent time in Rome this month. This is my analysis.

July 18, 2023

Joan of Arc: In Rouen, her legacy still burns bright 600 years after she burned for France

The Normandy town of Rouen is more than just a nice escape from Paris. It’s also the site of where Joan of Arc burned at the stake in 1431. Much of the town is dedicated to one of the saviors of France as it has a museum and church in her honor and a giant cross on the site of the pyre. It’s next to a beautiful public market.

July 11, 2023

Mont Saint-Michel: Normandy’s sandcastle in the sky is Disney worthy but watch your step

Mont Saint-Michel started out as a little chapel inspired by a vision of St. Michael but over 1300 years has developed into one of the top tourist attractions in France. It still serves as a church and we were lucky enough to attend a noon mass after surviving a crowded walk to the top.

July 4, 2023

Normandy and July 4th: A riveting walk through the bloody World War II battle that changed the world

The D-Day Invasion of Normandy’s beaches on June 6, 1944 turned the war in the Allied Forces’ favor. We did a tour of the beaches, cemetery, memorial and museum and saw what it was like that day and the bloody three months that followed. On America’s Independence Day, I think it’s appropriate to post a blog about the place that changed the world forever.

June 27, 2023

Italy regional guide Part II: From Molise to Veneto

Italy’s 20 regions stretch from the Mediterranean to the Alps and all are oh, so different. Last week I wrote about the first 10 in alphabetical order. This week it’s the next 10, from the undiscovered villages of Molise to the tourist flood in Venice.

June 20, 2023

Italy regional guide: From Sicily to Trentino, 20 regions to stimulate your vacation shopping

Italy has 20 regions. Each one could qualify as its own country. They have their geography, customs, cuisine, history and dialect. I’ve been to 19 of them. If you’re dreaming of an Italian vacation but don’t know where to go, use this as a guide. This is the first 10 regions in alphabetical order. I’ll post the other 10 next week.

June 6, 2023

Tropea: If “Italy’s Most Beautiful Village” is good enough for Hercules, it’s good enough for me

Calabria is Italy’s least-developed region, its most rural, but Tropea is its pearl. It was awarded the Most Beautiful Village in Italy in 2021. I spent a week there working on a book and loved my sea view and the relatively empty beaches. The food was great and the people friendly. And easy to reach from Rome.

May 30, 2023

A.S. Roma on cusp of its highest European pinnacle and a city is about to explode

I’ve only been an A.S. Roma fan for only 21 of the club’s 96 years of existence but Wednesday night I may witness its highest achievement on the European stage. We play Sevilla in Budapest for the Europa League title. The implications are huge. It not only moves our 2022-23 year from oblivion to the Champions League next season, but it also may have an effect on whether manager Jose Mourinho stays for the last year of his contract. A city is on edge.

May 23, 2023

Italian wedding in the rain: Nothing can dampen romance on a lakeside paradise

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I’ve been to my share of Italian weddings but Saturday’s in the lakeside ville of Anguillara Sabazia was different. Short and sweet, heavy on scenery, food and reception. Marina shot the wedding and I tagged along for support and a slice of true Italian culture.

May 16, 2023

Italian citizenship: One American woman’s tale of how she did it and how you can, too

If you have Italian heritage and would like to move to Italy, you can obtain Italian citizenship. But it’s complicated. It’s difficult. It’s time consuming. It’s confusing. Annamaria Borelli came to Italy from New Jersey and managed to obtain citizenship. This is her story and advice.

May 9, 2023

“Eat, Pray, Love” lunch scene puts Ristorante Santa Lucia on city’s crowded tourist trail

Anyone see “Eat, Pray, Love”? It’s the movie where Julia Roberts plays a lost divorcee who travels to Italy, India and Bali to “find herself.” My favorite scenes were shot in Rome, particularly when she’s ordering lunch. The dishes being cooked appear on screen as she orders them. I ate at that Ristorante Santa Lucia Saturday night and talked to the owners about the “chaos” during filming.

May 2, 2023

Ferrara: Florence’s Renaissance rival still puts on a show

When people travel to Venice, they should stop in Ferrara, a thriving former Renaissance cultural power between Venice and Bologna. It sports a 14th century castle complete with a moat and drawbridge and numerous museums showing off art from its glory days during the Renaissance. The town is rich and hopping, thanks to a progressive mayor and a citizenry with pride in its past.

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