The breakfasts at the main house of the bed-and-breakfast we stayed at were plentiful each morning. Micaela, the owner, does all the baking of breads, and there was always a spread of cereals, yogurts, fruit meats, and great coffee. We got to meet some of the other guests and particularly a couple from Amsterdam. He … More Grotti di Castellana
It was basically two days in transit to Puglia, Italy (The “heel of the boot”). Historically, this was the poorest region of Italy but in recent years it has grown in population, industry, and tourist popularity – known now for friendly people, beautiful farmland, wines, and great rustic cuisine. We took a train from Solana … More Puglia and the Trullis
I am painfully aware that I live in a very comfortable daily bubble. I am privileged in so many ways I try very hard to not take that for granted. Sure, Andrew and I have our individual and collective challenges along the way, but I am overwhelmed now – emotionally and intellectually – by feelings … More I Know I’m Not the Only One Feeling Lost…
When Andrew and I first mentioned to friends and family that we were thinking about visiting Medellin, there were many raised eyebrows. “Have you seen Narcos?” “WHY would you want to go where the cartels are shooting each other and innocents who get in the way?” “Are you going to buy cocaine???” The fact is … More Medellin, Colombia: Violent History, Amazing Transformation
Our last stop on our three-week adventure in Japan was specifically designed for a “chill” finale, so we headed by train from the Kumano area up the coast to the Izu Peninsula to Shirahama. We opted to stay in a small B & B that turned out to be perfect to end our trip. Nestled … More The Final Stop: Shirahama
A Slice of Life One of the things that Andrew and I most enjoy when we travel is getting to know local people. It’s not always easy to do this when you are in “tourist mode”, wanting to see famous sites, try the best versions of local cuisine, and do this as comfortably as possible. … More A Homestay, Close Encounters with Sealife, and a Spiritual Journey
Never let it be said that we travel within a narrow range of experiences. Andrew and I like to cast the widest net possible to capture as many faces of a country and culture as we can within the constraints of the time we have. Certainly, during our 3+ years in Spain we got an … More Chabad, Pancakes, Kabuki…and all that jazz!
Andrew and I agreed that it was important to bear witness to what happened at Hiroshima while we were in Japan. Admittedly, this was not on our original itinerary, but something about the current state of the world and the recent rise in global unrest, divisiveness, and antisemitism had us rethinking our tourist priorities. There … More Hiroshima…
With our incessant wanderlust and a lot of family logistics since our trip, I am miserably late in posting about our wonderful trip to Japan. We went on our own and I take some pride in having planned our itinerary myself (with the kind help of other travelers who’d gone before and my now-trusty assistant, … More Japan: The Expected and the Unexpected
The best laid travel plans sometimes give way to unanticipated curveballs. We were supposed to do a biking trip in Slovenia and Croatia as part of a larger European vacation that included as-yet undiscovered (by us) parts of Italy. Alas, Andrew decided to go off on his electric bike on a sunny day – solo … More Change of Plans: Still Sicily Though…
Living La Vida Loca 