Cortona – The Wild Dogs

Our taxi driver Enzo turned to me flashed a brilliant smile and says: “There is an old saying in Italy, it goes Quando la pecora muore, i cani selvaggi sono fortunati. It means when sheep die, the wild dogs are lucky”. He then proceeds to throw his back and laugh wildly while nearly swerving down...

A Venetian Tragedy

Venice is a city in peril. Slowly sinking from regular flooding, overcrowding from tourists and residents fleeing by the thousands, its popularity threatens to destroy its unique character and mother nature is determined to drown the rest. Each visit Mr 77 and I see water levels higher, steps we once sat on lay submerged, St...

Venice – A 3 day Guide

“At the bridge I stood lately in the brown night. From afar came a song: as a golden drop it welled over the quivering surface. Gondolas, lights, and music — drunken it swam out into the twilight. My soul, a stringed instrument, sang to itself, invisibly touched, a secret gondola song, quivering with iridescent happiness....

Venice – A midnight dream

"If you love someone, Venice will multiply that love" - Harry Cipriani, owner of Harry's Bar. I will begin at the end of our trip to Venice, while my memory is still fresh. It is getting late, almost 11.00pm, when we decide to indulge in a Gondola ride.  The heaving mass of day trippers that...

Selva Val Gardina

"You may have the universe if I may have Italy." - Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer. At 2,681 metres strange things can happen. While we were admiring the sun glinting off the glacier of Mt Marmolada, Mr 77 got whacked in his privates with the pointy end of a Nordic walking stick. I turned to exclaim...

The Dolomites – Bring the Cattle Down from the Mountain Pasture Festival !

Deep in the Val Gardena Valley,  the enchanting town of Selva di Val Gardena nestles amongst the towering peaks of the Sella and Sassolungo mountains in the Dolomites of northern Italy.  It is a place where tradition runs deep and cows are a big deal. The spectacular scenery and my love of quirky festivals led me...

Cortona – A Tuscan delight

“Life offers you a thousand chances... all you have to do is take one.” ― Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun If a trip to Italy is a feast for all the senses, then visitng Tuscany is sensory overload. Your tastebuds are treated to ripe figs, bold cheeses, salted meats and delicate wine.  Your eyes...

Pozzuoli – Volcanoes, Gladiators and sunken treasure

Before you take a trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum, make sure you make your way to the suburb of Pozzuoli. If you have a few days in Naples, the town of Pozzuoli is well worth a day (or two) of your time. Spend half a day wandering around the Solfatara and Flavian Amphitheater and then...

You say Tomato I say La Tomatina !

I like festivals that don’t make any sense. I had heard of La Tomatina through the backpacking grapevine and thought it sounded like fun.   I was headed to Spain to have a holiday with old friends and I managed to convince my travelling companions, the three Englishman that La Tomatina would be a great addition to...

Going Cruising

This time in two weeks, I will be cruising the high seas on  the Pacific Jewel, a ship which is part of the P & O network. http://www.pocruises.com.au/pages/default.aspxThis will be my first cruise and to be honest,  I have no idea what to expect and I am a little excited and also a little apprehensive. My own...