Jeffrey Johnson 6/18/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/18/21

Siena, Montepelciano! Bellisimmo

Another enjoyable breakfast under the morning sunshine.

Siena set as our first destination, we hit the road again. Jeff has really been looking forward to seeing where Palio is held. An age-old horse race that has been taking place for centuries in the piazza.

*The central piazza…the place where Palio is held each summer*

Parking a ways away we trekked up into town to the central piazza.

Ended up touring a small museum as well. ( Mainly for a stop at the restrooms ;) )

Back out of town and headed for lunch. La Toraia, where we were recommended to go for bistecca. A steak the Italian way! Off the highway and down a gravel road. Passing the farm where they were raising these giant white cows on the way. Well we were talked out of ordering the giant bistecca to a smaller version. There would have been no way we would have been able to devour a whole giant one!

Stopping at Montepulciano on our way back to Lupia.

We found a lot of lovely stores here. A copper store (Bottega del Rame) with handmade copper cookware.

A leather store with great uniquely crafted goods. A store by the name of Cugusi where we picked up se pecorino cheese. A lot more lovely places, too many to list. After exploring the town a bit we stopped for some espresso and dessert at a Cafe. We were lucky enough to find a seat on their balcony to enjoy our goodies and the view as well!

Back at our home-base Lupia we took a little snooze before deciding what we were going to do for supper. We made the right choice by driving to a small town nearby (Montifolcino).

13 Gobbi was the name of the restaurant. Homemade pasta (caccio e pepe) done in a wheel of Pecorino cheese.

Perfecto! Jeff was already wanting to come back for more before we even left!

Home to Lupia! Found out our air conditioner wasn't working in the room. We had questioned it the last two nights. Our solution was opening doors and widows and enjoying the country air for the night. Thankfully it has been cooling off at night.

Jeffrey Johnson 6/18/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/18/21

Small Hilltop Towns, Natural Hotspring, Tutti Bene!

Exploring Tuscany… A lovely breakfast in the courtyard served by Marco. Talked with a American couple a bit before we were served. Even breakfast is served in a laid back style.

Once finished we grabbed our travel backpack full of the goods we would need for the day, loaded up into our Blue Fiat and headed for Pienza!

Pienza, one of the many hilltop towns in Tuscany. Full of shops selling Pecorino cheese and yummy meats! Bought us a few kinds of meats to pack home with us. Wishfully thinking of how nice it would be to have quality stores like this back at home!

We set off in search of a market we knew was taking place in Pienza today. After much searching we found it. Not quite what I was expecting or maybe it was getting too late in the day. Maybe we will have better luck elsewhere?!

Feeling hungry we stopped for lunch at cute little restaurant. I had tomato soup with burrata on top and a salad with a bit too many brown pieces for my liking. Jeff had pasta with ground pork ragu. Finishing our meal by finding once again a gelato shop!

Hot Springs as our next destination. Stopping by the hilltop town of Montalcino for a few viewpoints, espresso, and water. (It's a hot day here in Italy.) Ready to roll again we set off in search of the hidden hot springs. Mostly used by locals the springs are not known to many tourists. The only fee is a parking fee for parking along the road. Finding the trail we went in search of a perfect spot.

Going downstream we found a private spot.

Still warm maybe not a hot as where most of the other people were. Beings there was no facilities a change in the woods was the best option we had. We'll sitting I a pool of warm sulfur water surrounded by nature is definitely a experience. No luxury spa just a waterfall massaging your back!

Ready for the trip back to Lupia, we started on the forty five minute drive back. Full of curves, narrow roads (some gravel roads) and lots of Tuscan scenery!

Not feeling like taking time for a long supper. (Myself dealing with a headache…) Deciding to order supper to our room and eat it on our patio table. Jeff chose a pasta dish and I had the Greek salad. ( cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and large chunks of fresh soft feta cheese) Different from any Greek salads I have ever tried. Really good.

Enjoyed watching the sunset before turning in for the night…

Jeffrey Johnson 6/14/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/14/21

Tuscany Hills Are Calling, Prego!

Another sunny day and breakfast outside in our hotels little courtyard.

We had wanted to get o good view of the city by going up one of the towers. It was closed. (Probably due to covid. Seems to be one of the strictest places on covid rules that we have been to so far. A few things we encountered on the stay here just didn’t make any sense.)

Renting a car in Italy. A new experience for us! Renting the car in Lucca made the transition of driving in a new country easier than starting out in a big city. A blue Fiat 500 luxury with clear windows and black wheels, manual and not atomatic. Not what Jeff was wanting! He was wanting a Minni Fiat 500.

*Our ugly blue fish bowl…but oh the memories this ride would make with us!*

Got to take what you can get when there are no other options!

The Italians enjoy taking there time eating and the trains may be delayed. One thing we have learned is their driving is the opposite. They really drive quite fast. Roads here in Italy tend to be a bit tighter with not as much room. Jeff driving a manual and trying to keep up with them… Well I am a copilot most of the time giving out directions, speed limits, please slow downs, and trying to remain relaxed while we keep up with the rest of the folks.

I am glad we got full coverage on our car! Are first bad encounter was a hail storm while going down the auto strata. Hard to see at times and the pounding hail on the car was quite loud! We survived.

*A rain and hailed storm shortly after driving off the rental lot…kinda humorous after we were through it*

Stopping at the roadside quickstop we enjoyed a salad and a coke for lunch.

*A nice lite lunch in one of the amazing Quickstops along the AutoStrata highway….and yes an espresso to*

The last of our journey was curvy country roads and the last few kilometers was gravel. Arriving to the cutest country, boutique hotel Lupaia in the heart of Tuscany countryside.

A great country villa making us feel at home quickly.

*Lupaia…the most charming, prestine Tuscan Villa…Mandy’s favorite!*

We enjoyed our evening and dinner. A good dinner that took time.

*The old stable makes a great dining room!*

We were amazed at how many Americans were here. One couple ( from Florida) had seen us in Manarola and we both ended up the same place in Tuscany! Another couple was from Nashville, TN. Also a friendly respectful French couple with the cutest little boy.

It’s always interesting the hear the different languages in Europe. At Lupaia we heard French, German, Italian, the different English accents, British, American ans I think some Australian as well. A diverse group but impressive how we are all so alike. We all have our own ideas and ways of doing things. However we can earn so much from each other if we have an open mind to new ideas, food etc…!

*The heated pool works great even when it’s raining and cool…*

*A view of the hilltop town Montepulciano…we had a great view of this old majestic hilltop from our room. In the coming days we would visit this town…it’s beautiful!*

Cheers to all hope you have a happy day!

Let us know you thoughts, questions or suggestions.

Email: Contact@dustyduffel.com

Jeffrey Johnson 6/14/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/14/21

Ciao Manarola, Buongiorno Lucca

Our last morning in Cinque Terre…

Packing up and eating up a few leftovers out of the fridge was a start to our morning. A beautiful day! Deciding to enjoy the gorgeous weather we set off to hike the trail from Manarola to Corniglia. Stopping at a caffe for a coffee and pastry before we hit the trail.

The most amazing hike I have ever been on! Climbing steps that we thought would go on forever! Past Vinyards, Olive groves, Gardens, and a few homes. Passing through a tiny mountain village in-between. Mountians on one side and ocean below. Stunning!

*The hike begins…incredible views straight ahead.*

*Living on the edge…trial between beautiful hillside vineyards*

*High mountain town we walked through between Manarola and Corniglia*

*Through the foliage we see our destination…*

*Corniglia…the legs want to be there already!*

Reaching Corniglia after our three hour hike we found a place to get some fresh squeezed orange juice and a frozen lemonade.

Refreshing! Now the four hundred some steps down to the train station to catch the train back to Manarola. Got a quick lunch of foccacci from Cambusa once again. One final climb back up to our little home here to fetch all our luggage. Much easier taking it down to the train station them all the work it took to get it up to our apartment!

Lucca Bound! Or maybe after a bit. Trains can be delayed quite frequently here in Italy. We had to transfer to a different train part way through the journey. Got a old train this time no AC. Had the widows down and it was still hot! (note: Italy in June can be a little warm. Packing cloths that breath well will make it more bearable.)

Arriving in Lucca we taxied to our hotel inside the walled city. After checking in we headed back out into the streets. Knowing we would get more tired if we sat down and relaxed! Finding Pastry shop Taddeucci we sat down with some espresso and Buccellato (A anise and raisin sweet bread a local treat here in lucca). Enjoying the view of the piazza as we ate.

*Un Caffe, Un Cappuccino di Piazza…Lucca*

The hike in the morning must of left us with a appetite! We hunted down a Quaint little chocolate shop for a few chocolates to try. Finding another pastry shop Jeff found something else to try! Beings it was to early for supper and the local place we wanted to try opened at seven thirty we decided to go for gelato. Glad we did! Found a window seat to enjoy it. Pear chantilly and cloves, salted pistachio, and coconut were the flavors we tried. So good!!

*Tip: If the Gelato is covered its the fresh, real deal …no preservatives*

Our walking took up to the walking/bike trail on top of the walls of Lucca a four kilometer trail. A very large wall around the city. Made me think of the Walls of Jericho. Could they have been so wide as well?

Supper time was finally arriving! Deciding between two local restaurants was a hard decision to make! Went with trattoria by the name of “La Bottega di Anna e Leo”. A good hearty supper. I went with the zuppa (a local soup) and salad. Jeff went with a traditional Lucca pasta (Tordelli Lucchesi).

*The place locals go to eat…it was amazing*

*The best pasta with meat ragu…the soup was very hearty as well!*

Full and tired we headed to our hotel for some much needed rest! Bonne Notte…zzzzz!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/12/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/12/21

Manarola, Santa Margherita, Portofino!

A day by the sea is a day well spent! Agree?

Starting off the day with a walk down to Aristide for breakfast once again.

We enjoyed the morning by not doing a whole lot just enjoying the town, the people, and our own little apartment. At noon we picked up some Focaccia from Cumbusa. A quick lunch costing little. After filling our water bottle at a nearby faucet we settled on a park bench to eat our lunch before heading to the train station.

Beings it was a bit drippy at the time in Manarola. We decided to train towards a bit more sunshine. Portofino as our destination. We took the train to Santa Margarita. From there we taxied to Portofino. Picture perfect little town! Hiked up to the church and Castelo Brown for some good spots to overlook the town. We ended up in the cemetery at one point. Can prove to be quite interesting as well!

*Unusual cemetery…but we noticed the same in Cinque Terre area as well*

Heading down we took the path that led to the marina.

Scenes from the Marina… A large yaht that had just arrived from London. A fisherman was gutting a fish on the wharf while a duck and seagull waited nearby to get fed thier little bit from the cleaning. The water was so clear you could see the fish swimming around. Big yahts and little fishing boats, Portifino a place where rich and everyday people mingle…

*A view from the castle overlooking Portofino*

Retracing our journey we headed back to Manarola.

*Portofino, Santa Margarita train station*

Stopping by Davide's restaurant Il Porticciolo we got supper before we headed back to our room. The mussels were the best I have ever had!

Full and happy we headed back up to our amazing AirBnB apartment to watch a gorgeous sunset over the Mediterranean Sea…

*Quiet evening streets of Manarola…notice the boats in the street*

*The last evening in Manarola….a bit sad hope to return someday…it’s a special place in this diverse world.*

Tomorrow we go on an unforgettable hike between Manarola, Corniglia and then catch the train to Lucca….check back soon!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/9/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/9/21

Bellisimmo Manarola & Cinque Terre!

Have you ever found a destination that stole part of your heart…?

Benvenuto! (Welcome) to Manarola the quaint Mountain Seaside Village in Cinque Terre part of the Liguria region.

We began morning by heading down to breakfast. You are either climbing up or down here in Manarola. Not much level terrain walk upon! Da Airstide is where we were recommended to go. We enjoyed our breakfast and watching the people coming and going.

Before heading back to our room with a view we did a little widow shopping. Stopped at a small market for salami, oranges, and olives.

Back at our room we did a bit of blogging ;) finally! Laundry has been on the to do list as well. I was greatful they had just installed a washer just before we arrived. No dryer! Be like a local and hang your clothes out the window. It’s what they do here. I am thinking I must be pretty spoiled with my big washer and dryer!

Heated up our leftover pesto pasta and had our goodies from the market for a little lunch.

Fueled up once again we got ready to go on our next adventure! A boat ride with Dario. Down to the little marina we went where he was waiting for us.

Dario took us by boat to each of the Cinque Terre towns for some good views by water and point out some other facts along the way. Pointing out some caves he swam in as a boy gave us a little incite of his life growing up in a seaside village.

*Riomaggiore one of the five towns in the Cinque Terre area*

*Corniglia the only town without a port*

*Monterosso the largest and easiest to move around without much elevation change.*

Jeff really enjoyed jumping off the boat and having a refreshing swim in the sea!

*Areas like these make great swimming spots*

Seems a bit salter the the gulf coast of the US. You can tell there is salt on your skin after drying off from a dip in the sea.

So Thankful the rain stayed mostly behind the mountains and we were able to enjoy our ride!

Our next jaunt consisted of hiking down to a quiet place by the sea to have a swim. Jumping off the rocks and right into cool, clear, salty ocean water is a experience to be remembered! Beings the water was a bit choppy we didn’t stay in for long. Enjoying the warm rocks in the sunshine instead.

On the way back from our swim we headed back up through town instead of hiking around by trail. We happened upon the guys lowering one of their little boats into the bay. Quite interesting. The ones they aren't using are parked along the street. They have to be rolled down and lowered into the bay when needed.

For supper it was Billy’s once again. I have a feeling it may be one of the better places to eat here. I cleaned up while Jeff went to pick up our supper. Enjoying the friendly bunch as he waited. Dario happened to walk by. Told Jeff he was doing the right thing by ordering to go. Beings he knew we had a room with a great view. Our supper consisted of grilled Sea Bass, pasta with a spicy tomato sauce, bread, and a chocolate cake with lots of almonds.

We seemed to have a good appetite after a day of Sea and Sun. Wide open windows, the sea breeze blowing in, a good supper, and a good view. A Perfect end to a fun day!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/8/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/8/21

Firenze, Pisa, Manarola

Good Morning from Firenze! Shopped around this morning a bit. Looks like Florence is a great place to buy leather goods. Real leather produced here. You just have to bargain a bit. Everyone wants to sell you leather from their shop! Linens and Leathers it is what dreams are made of. Florence is a great place to shop!

Gilli Caffe, established two hundred and seventy years ago. A charming caffe with lots of Character. We found a quiet corner with our caffe’ and sandwiches. Relaxing! I tried a Shakerato for a different version of a coffee drink. Jeff went with un caffe one shot of espesso. Snagged some Gelato on the way back to the hotel from a would be haunt of ours if we lived in Florence.(One flavor we tried was raisin cream. We weren’t sure what we were eating first!

Back at our Hotel we commenced to pack our bags once again. The challenge is real! Trying to fit more in then what we came with. Taxi ride to the train station and we were on our way. Someday maybe someday we will be back! With all the tourists I image! We are totally enjoying it with no crowds!

Bound for Cinque Terre! How Exiting!

On the way we decided to get off at Pisa for a little adventure. Guess what for? Took a taxi to see the Tower of Pisa! Our taxi driver was kind enough to drop us off for five minutes to check it out. Loaded back up and we were headed back to the train station. Amazing to see the Leaning Tower in real life and not in picture books. Puts a whole new image in your mind when you think about it.

Arrived in Manarola around six in the evening. Met our our Air B&B Host Erica (Erica is a US girl from Florida. She has been in Italy seven years with her Italian, Davide.)

Wow! What a workout pulling and lugging your luggage up the hill and steps isn’t for the faint of heart! The view from our room is totally worth all the effort it took to get up here! The sea, the village, and the view of the terraces on the hillside make for a spectacular view! If you need a place to stay this would be a great option for you. It’s Lovely!

A few steps down the street is a trattoria.“Billy’s” is the name. Supper consisted of a local fish sampler platter and fresh pesto pasta (Homade pasta and homade Pesto the best!) from“Billy's”.

Before the sunset we took a quick hike up the mountain to enjoy the sunsets views. We can’t hardly believe we are here. We totally are engulfed in the rugged beauty of it all!

… and now we sleep for tomorrow we will wake to a new day with new adventures…

Jeffrey Johnson 6/7/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/7/21

Firenze

“Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like a diluted wine.” Henry James

After a great night rest but still feeling a bit sore from the numerous kilometers walked the last several days, we checked out the the beautiful hotel we had called home base for the previous three nights. Hailed a taxi for the 10 min ride to the train station. Once again travel was a wonderful relaxing experience, always impressed with how efficient and prompt train transportation is in Europe. Roughly 1 hour and 30 minute train ride from Roma to Firenze. We arrived at 12:05. Our hotel sent a driver to meet us and chauffeured us to the nights lodging. We were upgraded to gorgeous room with a perfect view of the must see Ponte Vecchio bridge. A sixty five room hotel on the bank of the Arno River in middle of Florence, we were told that only fifteen rooms had guest. Just a example of the light amount tourists we are experiencing in cities and popular sights we have been at so far in Italia. They were so glad to see a US passport!

We skipped lunch and headed out to meet our tour guide in Firenze booked through “With Locals” an app. It is a great option if you want a local to show you around a city or destination. It will be only your party and the local giving you the tour. No worries about big tour groups. Its very personal and a great experience.

Book a tour of the Highlights and Hidden Gems of Florence with Zeynep Arzu. Check out this Withlocals profile https://www.withlocals.com/host/zeynep-arzugcd8ecd120

Our guide for the Highlights and Hidden Gems of Florence tour was Zeynep Arzu. We were her first tour for twenty twenty one! She wanted to celebrate with us! A great tour full of enthusiasm for her town of Florence. A town overflowing with culture, history and beautiful personality.

*Guido Aretino created music notes, see the tablet in his hand. He was from Firenze.*

*The man that discovered America and mapped the east coast. He was from Firenze.*

Part way through we stopped for a afternoon snack at the cutest little shop. They served an amazing antipasti tray. So Delicious, really liked the salami with fennel. Good food is even better with the shop owners that make a person feel so at home and welcome! (Prego)

Zeynep also gave us a tutorial on Gelato! There are three different versions. Artificial, semi artifical and the real deal. The artificial has more chemicals in it to keep it from melting and is piled high all pretty looking. Next is the half way good version. It would’t look quite as fancy more level in the trays. The real deal is all inclosed in canisters to preserve it and to keep the right temperature. Quite a a interesting guide to go by. We know what we are looking for now! Zeynep took us to a small place the locals went to and we had a taste of her version of the real gelato!

After our very interesting tour of Florence we headed back to hotel to clean up a bit before heading to dinner. Dinner was enjoyable had soe hilarious moments due the neighbors at the nearby table…Afterwards we took a short walk around town before headed to our room for a relaxing time on our balcony listening to Italian night life carry across the water and trying to catch on the blog which we falling way behind on…Buone Notte!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/5/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/5/21

Napoli

It all begins with an idea.

Horizons Broaden With Travel and Food!

It’s always refreshing to see and learn how others do things better.

Buongiorno! Come Sta? Bene, Grazie!

Our day started about 7:30 am. After a nice breakfast we took a taxi for an easy ride to the train station Roma Termini which took around 10 minutes and cost around 9.40 euro plus a small tip. Train travel so enjoyable! It must be one of the most relaxing ways to travel especially in Europe. They do train travel very well, a streamlined experience. We heard train travel can be a bit delayed in Italia at times, so far, no problems.

Our day trip from Roma departed at 10:00 am after gazing out the window at the beautiful countryside (impressed with the hay agriculture here) we arrived at Napoli main train staion Napoli Centrale at 11:16 am. Gennaro was patiently waiting for us. So good to see his familiar face after spending the previous day with him in Roma he truly is like a good friend of ours now!

Reserve a Napoli Food Tour with Gennaro! https://www.withlocals.com/it/host/gerrib57d4e6718/

We hopped in his car and wow were we in for a totally different experience…Napoli is a fast paced, chaotic city, quite diverse. Lots of traffic cars, trucks, vespas, scooters, pedestrians all trying to use the same roads and intersections. So glad Gennaro was driving in his home city he is a pro driver especially when parallel parking, he can squeeze his vehicle into the Smallest spaces with just inches to spare (or less!). (Tip: If renting a car in Italia, smaller the better will make your life easier.)

*Gennaro's parking skills…the best and he knows it lol!*

Why was Napoli on our list of places to visit in Italia? Considering Napoli is the birthplace of Pizza it seemed like good enough reason to visit, plus there is Espresso!

*Dark, rich, density alittle thicker than Roma*

Our first stop was for quick taste of the local Napoli doughnut, small and cookie like. Imagine a combination of butter, almonds and pepper…it really worked together well. Delicious! We picked it up at “Leopoldo" and enjoyed it on the go. This was just a small part too the food tour, we will tell you more about the food later in this blog post.

Gennaro then navigated his car to a couple excellent high scenic spots overlooking the city of Napoli and the Bay of Napoli. What spectacular view! From these spots we could easily see the Island of Capri, Mt Vesuvius and the city of Pompeii off in the distance.

Napoli, Bay of Napoli and Mt Vesuvius in the distance…

*Island of Capri! “Imagine the face of a Lady who is reclining with her hair flowing behind her”…Gennaro description and it fits very well.*

Too bad we wouldn't be visiting these popular destinations this trip maybe some other time? We the drove down to the edge of the sea, the most clear beautiful water!

From the sea, we drove into the old city center to continue the main portion of the food tour that we had traveled to Napoli to experience. We managed to get the car parked once again and headed out on foot.

First up was the long awaited taste of the original Margherita Pizza. Perfecto! Bravo! So Delicious. As Gennaro pointed out true Napoli style is to fold the pizza in a wallet shape for easy eating on the go. See picture.

The Margherita is very simple, fresh Tomato sauce and super fresh Mozzarella cheese with optional fresh Basil. Gennaro told us sereval times there is Only One True Pizza, Napoli Margherita. Even Rome pizza is different.

Fresh Buffalo Mozzerella and Tomatoes. Unique to this region. Really good! ( Each Region has its own particular cheeses, meats, pasta, sauces, and wines that they make locally. Different food everywhere you go, not just the same Italian dish over and over again!)

*The shop were the Mozzarella came from.*

Our next stop the fish market (Pescheria Azzurra). Gennaro pointed out the different fish and named them. He ordered us a paper cone of fried seafood (shrimp, salmon, calamari, anchovies and a fried dough ball with seaweed). Just eat the shrimp shell it’s not bad we were told as I got my hands all dirty trying to get the shell off.

Napolitan Ragu a Sunday lunch tradition in Napoli. The mommas start cooking the meat sauce on Saturday. Beefy slow cooked tomato sauce over scialatelli pasta and topped with fresh Parmigiano. “Il Ragu Come Piace A Me”

Gelato once again! Gennaro realized that I really like it and took us to another Gelato place! Lemone Gelato for me and for Jeff's sweet it was a Neapolitan Rum Baba. ( a sponge cake soaked in a rum syrup) Quite good reminded me of the rum flavoring I use at home to make a rum butter sauce.

Then the Espresso of course! It is know here not to drink water after a espresso. Let the coffee taste linger…

Gennaro took us back to the train station. We said our good byes. ( Told Gennaro to come to Mississippi to visit! He has been to California, New York, and Florida. On business that is. He is a designer for Bridal Wear. A business that has been in the family for three generations. He was impressed that I sewed my own clothes.)

Took the train back to Roma. Back to our hotel to clean up a bit.Wondered the streets abit observing the difference between Rome and Napoli. Found a bite to eat. The place we were recommended was all booked and it was around ten. Had to search for something else that struck our fancy! After eating we walked to the Trevi Fountain after dark to take in the view. Totally worth it. Sometimes you have to put forth the effort and go even if you are weary! The chance may never come again…

Sorry for the delayed blogging we are falling behind hopefully ours days will soon allow us with more time to catch up….Arrivederci! Buone Notte!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/4/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/4/21

Roamin Roma

Our day start off with a delicious breakfast in this beautiful, relaxing garden piazza…omelet, porridge, pastry basket, toasted bread and jam, expresso, English breakfast tea.

Met our tour guide for the day Gennaro at bottom of the Spanish Steps. We had the best time with him, such a knowledgeable gentleman willing to please every step of the day.

Our Tour started at the original Piazza Del Pololo and the old main gate to the city, built before Christ.

Next we hopped in his car for ride closer to the area we would see during the first part of the day. Here is a list of some of the places we visited.

Colosseum
Circus Maxis (Site of the mighty chariot races. Having listened to the book Ben Hur, this was fascinating)
Palatino Hill ( A hilltop building site in old Rome where the empires and politicians would have lived in their Palaces. The book called “Emporer: The Gates of Rome” by Conn Ingulden , will bring this area to life)
Roman Forum ( the heart of the main Roman city, political buildings, temples, etc)
Piazza Navona including Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi (site for games…Track and Field etc back in the day…)
Piazza Campo de'Fiori (market place till 4:00 pm )
Pantheon ( impressive built in sun clock with the hole in the middle of the dome)

Trevi Fountain (Beautiful)

*Circus Maxis…the site of the mighty chariot races*

Meanwhile the touring was taking time. It was getting mid afternoon. Gennaro, Jeff, and I were getting a bit hungry and a bit heated from the sun. Food sounded great! Gennaro mixed in a bit of a food tour as we finished the historic tour. Here is a list of the foods we tried…

Trapizzino (Roman Style Pizza Pocket) I had Eggplant Parmigana for a filling and Jeff had the Pollo alla cacciatora Bianco. (From “Trapizzino"
Suppli' (seasoned rice balls with different add-ins dipped in egg and breadcrumbs then deapfried)(From “Trapizzonio" as well)
Focaccia (Roman style Pizza) Flat bread with toppings. We had olive oil and tomato sauce for a topping also tried the margarita. Which is only cheese and sauce. Napoli is the only place to get Authentic Pizza! (From bakery “Roscioli")
Gelato (Italiano, It can not be called Icecream. My favorite is lemone. Tangy and refreshing. No milk or eggs in the ingredient list. (More about Gelato coming in the Florence blog!) (From “Venchi")
Tarimisu Classico- Jeff’s favorite nothing beats eating the real deal in Italy!
Espresso! Umm… I Think there will be a few shot pulled once we get home to try to get it corecto! ;) Stood at the bar and downed our expresso and had a nice chat. A typical Italian standard to stand and down a expresso. You pay more if you were to take a seat at a table. Now we can compare Rome expresso with Napoli expresso!

Book a tour with Gennaro! https://www.withlocals.com/it/host/gerrib57d4e6718/

In the evening after the tour we visited a beautiful park and gardens Villa Borghese. (Which should be named the Parco di Amore, lol.) We enjoyed sitting on a park bench near one of the main paths and watching the locals for a time.( Street Gym, little kids having roller blade lessons, boys doing stunts on thier bikes ect.) It was entertaining! Basically no one in the park was wearing there masks. At least not over their nose and mouth. Nice to see Freedom!

Jeffrey Johnson 6/3/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/3/21

Roma

Buongiorno! Good Morning from Roma! Finally! We met our driver after he had to wait two hours on us at the airport. What a mess getting through all the paper work and testing!

Our driver pointed out some highlights enroute to our Hotel. He was telling us today is Republic day in Italy. Italians take the day off. More locals in the street. Will see what tommorow holds. Maybe less people.

Upon arrival at our Hotel we headed to the roof top terrace restaurant for a bite to eat. Great views, Great food! How often are we allowed to say that on this trip? Jeff had Ravioli Carbanaro. I chose the Terrazzo salad ( tuna, artichokes, avocados, marinated tomatoes, and greens) with fresh olive oil and basalmic vinegar (So sweet no comparison to what I use at home.) for a dressing. A complimentary bread basket with oil for dipping as well. Finished it off with a complementary side of fresh cherries, minni canolli and puff pastry filled with cream filling. Headed back to our room for a good hot shower and a well deserved 3hr nap!

Feeling a bit more energy we headed out to the streets for a bit. Our hotel is at the top of the Spanish Steps. We took in the views from the top and headed down for some widow shopping and checking out the Restoranti along the back streets. (Always will find a little gem of a restaurant if you travel off the beaten path!)

Our dinner reservation was nearing. Back to the terrace for relaxing supper as the sun set, the lights twinkled, the Italian language flowed around us. Relaxing and beautiful!

Now for the food. Starting off with the bread basket and olive oil. We shared a Burrata and Tomato Salad. I had the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, Red Prawn Tartare.

Jeff had the Veal Milanese, sautéed Rice and Greens Beans.

Dessert and coffee followed… Tarimisu with a Coffee Granita and whipped cream. Complimentary bit of goodies to finish the goodness off!

Let’s call it a day! Arrivederci! (See you later)

Meeting our local guide Gennaro (it will be just us two and Gennaro) tommorow at ten thirty for a tour of Roma…Buona notte (GoodNight)

Jeffrey Johnson 6/1/21 Jeffrey Johnson 6/1/21

Travel Day

Our long awaited travel day to Italy has arrived. Starting at 6:40 am. Fueled up for the day on Oatmeal with Chocolate chips and Raspberries. Took care of the dogs and last minute chores etc..

After taking inventory of our packed bags and wondering Why we didnt have much room left, we loaded up in the awaiting vehicle. We enjoyed our private chauffeur to the airport, Thanks Mom!

Departed on time (12:11) from our local regional airport GTR nonstop to ATL.

Arrived in ATL on time preceeded to concourse E international terminal for the circus of paperwork, verifying our covid test we took in MS and then waiting in queue for a rapid Antigen test before we board. More waiting on the results…good news we were negative again! All clear to board at 5:15 pm.

Time to eat! We headed to the lounge for a bite to eat and relax… currently trying to learn how to blog…Lol… any tips are welcome!

On board Flight DL0062…Just enjoyed a beef tenderloin, potatoes, delicious salad, bread and Ben and Jerry icecream for desert. Now relaxing, reclining and catching up on details of the trip for the days ahead…excited and so grateful for this opportunity to go to this long awaited bucket list destination…Ciao!

Rise and Shine! The cabin lights came on 90 minutes before landing in Roma and breakfast was served. We were able to sleep alittle, the problem being we didnt get sleepy until 3 hrs before landing…Arrived into FCO airport about 20 minutes early. Enjoyed viewing the beautiful rolling countryside.

Next we had to navigate the circus of FCO airport, including the paperwork just to registered for our 3rd rapid antigen test in 72hrs timeframe… to be continued on the Roma post.

(For those who are wondering if vaccination is required to travel? No, we would not have taken this trip if we would have had to be vaccinated with the covid shot)