Andrew's Travel Blog

Recording my adventures for memory's sake

Tag: italy

Ratings by the Scoop

The rankings are in.  Gelato around Rome and around Italy have been tasted, felt, experienced, and seen, and here’s the results of all those sweet, refreshing efforts.  Each gelato was ranked on five categories weighted in the following manner: Taste (40%), Texture (25%), Color (15%), Ambiance (15%), and Price (5%)

Roman Reservations

While in Rome, I am put in charge of making the dinner reservations for the family. Having had some practice navigating foreign cities and finding places to eat over the last many months, I feel ready for the task. In addition, in my previous visits to Rome, staying with two friends very involved in the [...]

Galleria Borghese

Our last day in Rome starts at the Galleria Borghese, a private collection of paintings, sculptures, and antiquities.  Although in these last five months, I have been to many a museum, I still do not consider myself a museum person.  That said, the Galleria Borghese is only two floors with about ten manageably sized rooms [...]

The Meta Church

Rome is old Rome is new It’s tale’s fold As times flew By this time of the family vacation in Rome, there is a clear morning routine of showering, breakfast, commenting on how lucky we are about the perfectly cool weather, and so on.  For breakfast, Julie, I, sometimes George, and sometimes Mom would go [...]

Palazzo Colonna and the Villa Medici

I have spent a fair amount of time in Rome over the last month, but it is not until today that I realize what I may have been passing on the street.  Behind closed windows and plain facades, some of these buildings house ornate rooms with invaluable art collections. Today, we tour the Palazzo Colonna [...]

The Vatican

Although in my previous visits to Rome I had been staying just outside the walls of the Vatican, I did not previously venture inside knowing that I would be doing so with my family.  As per usual, I navigate the family to the meeting point with our guide, Alessio.  One big advantage of having a [...]

The New Modern Italian Style of Cooking

Appetizers: Filangee of Carrots in white balsamic vinegar with black sesame seeds Pancetta stuffed with prunes in Negroamaro wine sauce First course: Tagliolini with Guanciale and filangee of Roman zucchini on yellow pumpkin sauce Second course: Veal and pork “Straccetti” in the Pizzaiola style Eggplant a la “Parmigiana” Desserts: Ricotta cheese mousse with Amaretta in [...]

The Reunion

Many moons have passed With much happening anew Since we had all amassed But now to Rome we flew. Early in the morn we start We’re on the road by six So that for Rome we can depart Where we’ll meet the other kids Tourists and cobble stones In a city hard to navigate Leave [...]

Traveling with Parents

There were a couple changes, in no particular order, that I experienced when traveling with my parents: Bedtime moves to 10:30pm Nicer meals More map folding Automatic shifting rental car More talk about grandchildren Nicer accommodations Greater patience needed Increased planning Good meal conversation Never missing breakfast

A Little Luccan Relaxation

A little shopping, a little eating, a little resting, a little writing, and a little reading, all followed by dinner at the apartment and a choral performance in the evening.  Now that we are on our last day in Lucca, we can confirm that the apartment where we spent the week worked very well.  We [...]