James Hathaway – Page 47

Travel: Tirano, Italy Day 2

Good Morning from Tirano. Yesterday was an exciting day for exploring the ruins of ancient castles and enjoying the beautiful fall landscapes.

Here are some of our favorite photos from the day.

Castello Vecchio, Grosio built in 1150 and completed in 1375.

The town of Grossio from the castle above.

We are having a blast and enjoying great weather!

We also explored the only Royal Palace in Tirano, the Palazzo Salis, home to the Count S. Salis of Switzerland. Some of the Palace has been renovated to its original condition and is currently open to the public as a museum. It’s quite interesting and unique.

The unassuming entrance to the Palazzo Salis built in the 17th century.

Elaborate ceilings in virtually every room.

Beautiful gardens featuring a Cedar of Lebanon tree over 200 years old.

Travel: Milan to Tirano via Lake Como

Good day to you!

Yesterday was a long relocation day via coach from Milan to Tirano with a detour via Lake Como. It has been almost 30 years since our last visit to the area and much has changed and little has changed.

Welcomed was the wonderful views of the lake, the lakeside town of Bellano and the magnificent mountains in all directions.

We were only slightly disappointed with the overcast skies that made photos a challenge.

Nonetheless we share these images. We hope you enjoy.

The water source from an old cotton mill nearby.

We enjoyed a great lunch al fresco in Bellano in our free time.

Travel: Milan Day 2

Happy day to all!

Today was a crazy wonderful day packed with a variety of activities. First we toured the inside of the Duomo but with a bit of excitement. This morning hosted a huge Marathon with thousands of runners. The starting line completely surrounded the Cathedral. Fortunately we had advanced tickets and breezed through security without any inconvenience.

Next was a walking tour through parts of the city center followed by lunch and the afternoon on our own.

Before dinner we met our group for a conversation about immigration, Italy’s policy and the EUs position on the topic.

Here is our day in photos.

The crowded plaza as runners prepare for the Marathon.

The massive Galleria is closed for the Marathon.

Morning mass at the Duomo is nearly empty. We have complete access without the crowds.

The spectacular bronze doors of the Duomo.

Like Rome, unexcavated ruins are everywhere.

After a light lunch and a brief rest we decided to make one more walk through the fashion and design area nearby.

These shoes are 100% chocolate! They don’t wear well but they sure taste good!

Travel: Milan, Italy

Hi all,

We were up early this morning and caught a fast train from Turin to Milano Centrale, a massive structure serving the city that is the country’s largest economic and cultural engine.

We were equally delighted to have tickets on the fastest train in Italy. It took less than an hour traveling at 180 miles an hour.

Our tour started as soon as we got to our hotel, located in center of the fashion and cultural center of Milan.

It is late now but we wanted to share a few photos from this afternoon.

J&J

The interior of the Santo Maria presso San Satiro dating back to the 1400s.

Travel: Turin, Italy

We hope this finds you all healthy and happy. We have been in Turin, Italy the last two days with our longtime friends, Marilyn and Jim, from Switzerland.

Turin is a big brawny city nestled near the Italian Alps. It’s the home of Fiat and the first capital of Italy.

With our limited time we chose to visit the Palazzo Madama, the center of Turin, with five important museums. We decided on the City Museum housed in a fortress/palace and the National Museum of Cinema housed in a massive building originally built in 1896 for no special purpose other than to rival the Eiffel Tower.

Here are some of our favorite photos. Enjoy!

J&J

This image is repeated throughout the palace fences.

The Grand Stairway leading to the galleries.

The next visit was the National Museum of Cinema.

The massive interior with films from around the world is the centerpiece of the museum.

Travel: Genoa Day 2

What an interesting change in exploring a new city. Genoa is a big city with a population exceeding 750,000 people.

Understandably, a travelers engagement changes a bit. Some people go about their routine without regard for others.

After being on the road for three weeks, it was worthwhile to pause and assess the dynamics of our recent travels.

On the flip side we have encountered many locals with a sincere sense of service and hospitality. At times like this we choose to focus on the positive and discount the negative.

We decided to explore the inner city a bit deeper and discovered a few exceptional places to eat, snack and visit.

Here are some of our wonderful discoveries and experiences.

The square in front of our hotel is a busy intersection of neighborhoods in the area.

The areas above and beyond reflect a more affluent and diverse population.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is not to be missed and dated to the early 13th century.

One of the many side chapels in the Cathedral.

After a busy morning of exploring we decided to reward ourselves with a nice lunch. After wandering through the narrow backroads of the old city we discovered a wonderful local wine bar with an excellent menu featuring local wines, exceptional salads and regional pastas.

The owner recommended a Portofino white wine.

The meat and cheese plate included four iItalian meats, four cheeses and crostini and a sweet honeypot. It was exceptionally delicious.

A charming and welcoming cafe focused on local wine and cuisine.

The Cathedral towers from a distance and a short walk from the hotel.

Travel: Genoa, Italy

Hi everyone! Today we said goodbye to Pisa. We took a two hour fast train to Genoa for our first visit and arrived early afternoon. We had plenty of time for a late lunch and a quick tour of the city.

Genoa is a fast paced economic powerhouse with international banking, a healthy shipping industry and a well educated population. It’s also beautiful with many world class attractions nearby.

Here are a some pictures from our afternoon.

Our hotel. We are the top right room. Quite nice.

This massive fountain in the centerpiece of the city only a few blocks away.

This was the menu for our lunch. It’s a half a block away from the hotel and a local institution. It’s chuck full of locals, the quality is legendary and the prices are incredibly low.

The Harbor area continues to grow and prosper.

Many former palaces are repurposed as corporate offices.

Clever displays in the old town markets.

Travel: Lucca, Italy

Today we decided to explore a city we have not traveled to after all these years, Lucca, only 25 minutes by train from Pisa!

What a pleasant surprise! It’s compact and exists mostly inside the 2-1/2 miles of Renaissance walls from centuries gone by. It is flat and easy to walk almost everywhere. There is plenty of shopping, sightseeing, and food choices galore.

We spent the morning getting acquainted with churches, towers and plazas. By late morning our stomachs are thinking about food. After getting a bit lost, we finally stumbled upon a restaurant John had read about, Trattoria da Leo. It is a favorite of the locals and the blue collar workers in town. We were treated kindly and lunch was excellent, hearty soups and salads more than enough for lunch. Like the locals, we were offered and accepted a liquor of choice to finish our meal.

Here are some of our favorite photos.

That’s our hotel, gray building on the right, Hotel Royal Victoria, in Pisa.Our hotel was built in the 11th Century, family owned and considered the oldest hotel in Italy. It’s unique, quirky, with a great roof terrace. We booked a large room overlooking the river. Do not expect luxury but the staff is more than welcoming and hospitable.

The 12th Century Cathedral and bell tower of St. Martin’s.

The ceilings of the Cathedral repeat and repeat.

Travel: Pisa, Italy

A BIG HI to everyone! We finished our cruise yesterday and will be traveling on our own again until next week.

We had a good time, made some new friends and enjoyed time with some existing friends, that’s always fun!

Our last photo from Naples on the ship was Mt. Vesuvius. We have never seen the top…Oh well.

We took the train to Pisa, a destination we have not visited in over 30 plus years. My it has changed! The crowds aren’t quite as huge as Rome or Florence but they are not far from it! Nonetheless, we had a great day getting reacquainted.

Two big observations: first, the Italian train system is massively upgraded. High speed trains seem to be readily, and affordable, available in and to most major cities whisking travelers around at relatively low costs.

Next, food quality and availability is much better now than it was just a few years ago. We have been talking to the hotel staff, other travelers and quick checks on the internet (readily available virtually everywhere so far).

OK…enough of that! Here are some photos from yesterday. Enjoy, J&J

The massive image of the fallen angel was new to us. It was touching and poignant at the same time.

Our first look at the site in 30+ years.

The Cathedral and the tower from another perspective.

Travel: Naples: Archaeological Museum

Yesterday we visited Naples. It is a massive, chaotic, gritty but fascinating city. It is also the home to one of the world’s finest museums. We spent the better part of a day exploring some of the worlds finest sculptures and mosaics housed in a former Bourbon palace.

Here are some of the collection.