Staying at a monastery guest house was one of the most peaceful, serene experiences I’ve ever had. Smack in the middle of chaotic Kathmandu sits this oasis of spiritual grounds, devout monks going about their business, and spartan but very quiet hosting rooms and cafe gardens….except this morning when a concert of what sounded like … More Getting My First Taste of Nepali Arts & Family Traditions
It would take a Herculean effort at this point to document all the incredible experiences we had and sights we saw while in Puglia. We visited a number of lovely smaller cities during the week we were there, and I’ve collected a few choice photos to share. The memories that stick with me… Trani: A … More Puglia Images: So Much to See, Never Enough Time
We decided to visit Martina Franca – a nearby town – specifically because we’d heard about an antique street fair street fair from the owner of the bed-and-breakfast. We had rented a car so we could venture out easily to the many small towns and cities in the Puglia area and this turned out to … More Martina Franca and Wine Tasting
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
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
Living La Vida Loca 