Even if you are not a wine connoisseur, I would highly recommend visiting wine country in regions of the world where growing grapes and making wine is the way of life and defines the culture. And one of the most popular wine regions of the world is Tuscany, Italy. I have had the good fortune of visiting Tuscany twice and ah, what can I say … Continue reading Visiting wine country in Italy
What can I say about Capri? The two days spent in Capri, an island off Amalfi Coast in Italy stand out among all my travel memories like a clear teacher’s pet that the teacher keep’s comparing every other student to for decades. The island of Capri, located in the Bay of Naples, is half an hour by ferry from Sorrento and about an hour by … Continue reading The Mediterranean jewel that is Capri
A rolling hilltop in Chianti, Tuscany, which seems content and contained at the same time. This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge is New Horizon – where we explore something we want to achieve in 2017. For 2017, I want to find my happiness within and in the moment, instead of getting caught up in the loop of “I would be happy if only…..”. As they say, … Continue reading A hilltop in Tuscany, Italy – New Horizon
“Driving will not be easy in this rain.” “Why don’t we take the SITA bus?” I say, referring to the big blue public transport buses easily identifiable on the road. ” That would not be any fun.” “Fine, let’s go tomorrow then.” “Oh-kayy (sigh) Let’s just go.” This is the bizarre conversation that Sach and I had, on repeat for about 5 times, before we … Continue reading The Amalfi Coast drive – with gray hues instead of blue.
When you are in Rome as a tourist in the month of August, you would feel that you are in a mythical place where all the locals have disappeared and the tourists have descended in such large numbers that they are everywhere, and I mean everywhere…. You could go into the most narrow and sleepy looking alley, hoping that it would lead to a deserted … Continue reading When in Rome…..
The stunning views of Brunelleschi’s candy-cane dome and all of Florence and the surrounding countryside – this was our reward for climbing the 414 steps to get to the top of the adjacent bell tower. The steps were tall, narrow and at certain points, downright hazardous! But the views from the top were a fitting reward. Now all we had to do was brace … Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge – Reward
You have done your research and have meticulously read and reread the guidebook. As you embark upon on the drive, full of twists, turns and hairpin bends, you try to fight the very last smudge of doubt – what if the whole experience, after all the twists and turns, is not worth it? For this week’s photo challenge – Twist, I have selected the fruits … Continue reading No twists, no glory – Weekly photo challenge “Twist”
“..The storybook journey, replete with fragrant wildflowers and colorful butterflies, is topped with uninterrupted views.. ” When I read this article about Cinque Terre in the New York Times, the part about the paths being fragrant with wild flowers seemed like a bit of an exaggeration. But months later, as we climbed the many stairs in the hike from Monterosso to Vernazza , I remember thinking that … Continue reading The hiking trails of Cinque Terre
For sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea, as you make your way through meandering hiking trails at the very edge of lush green mountains and intercept Italian villages that seem lost in time and natural beauty, there is no better place to go than Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre, which means “Five Lands” in Italian, stands for the Italian Riviera villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, … Continue reading Getting to Cinque Terre
While I was going through the Frommer’s Italy travel guide few years back to figure out our itinerary for a 16-day and first Europe trip, I stopped at the page that showed the Duomo (cathedral) in Milan. It was one of the most amazing architectural works I had seen, well, on paper. However, Milan did not seem to offer much else, so Milan was dropped … Continue reading Give Milan a few days.
It's a Wonderful World! 