Venice has a world renowned Carnaval every year, where masks and elaborate costumes abound. The practice comes from the Middle Ages, when only persons of Noble birth were allowed to wear masks. In an attempt to quell civil discontent, it was declared that peasants could wear masks and engage in debauchery one week of each […]
Italy 4 – Venice, Part 1
On our first night in Venice, we visited a cicchetti bar (small finger foods, which would be called “tapas” in Spain). On their wall was my new motto in life, as seen in the upper right image. ☺ What first comes to mind when you think of Venice? James Bond destroying buildings on the canal? […]
Italy 3 – Cinque Terre
Sunset in Vernazza is when the village becomes most colorful We continued our Italian trip to Cinque Terre for the past few days. This is actually a designated (UNESCO world heritage site) national marine park consisting of five seaside villages connected by hiking trails and trains, hugging the rugged Italian Riviera. They are extremely picturesque […]
Italy 2 – Pisa
We visited Pisa today, and of course made a beeline to the Tower of Pisa, which is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Medieval Times in Italy and one of the most recognizable structures on earth. As we entered the walled complex, the Leaning Tower of Pisa became quite prominent. The architecture is […]
Italy 1 – Toto, I Don’t Think We Are in Ecuador Any More!
Sunset at Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence We began our travels by staying overnight in Madrid for a layover between Ecuador and Italy. After studying Spanish for 3 years in Cuenca, I figured I would be able to communicate in Madrid. Well… yes and no… Every time I said anything in Spanish, they looked at […]
Is It Safe in Ecuador?
We have never before reposted someone else’s blog article here, and I don’t expect to make a habit of it. However, I read a blog today that is on a topic I have harped on repeatedly, and is written better than I believe I have been able to do. This article was written by Jim […]
Manhattan in Buenos Aires?
Tango is a popular theme of painters in Buenos Aires. We bought this painting for a wall at home. We arrived in Buenos Aires yesterday. After a couple days of walking around, our biggest impression (and surprise) is how similar the town is to Manhattan (New York City), which we visited last November. The frequent […]
Exotic New York
Another day of wandering around New York City and running up record numbers on our pedometers. We have gotten used to seeing a lot of fresh fruits and flowers in Ecuador. New York has small corner stands throughout East Village, with everything just as fresh but having a more polished display. First target neighborhood was Chinatown. […]