One of the highlights on our trip was hiking up the side of Mount Etna (3,403 m / 11,165 ft). In order to bypass the tourists, we decided against going to the top and instead hike up towards the top of the mountain. As always, there was a bit of smoke rising from the caldera, […]
Italy
Temples of Sicily
Before we traveled to Sicily, I read that if one wanted to see a lot of Greek temples, this was the place to go. I didn’t really believe it until I actually saw it with my own eyes. Sicily has a plethora of temples and they are beautiful. Some are in ruins, some have been […]
A Trip to Napels
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of our trip to Napels, and looking back on the trip the first thing I’d mention would be the noise. There was hardly a quiet moment during our stay: talking, laughing, shouting, honking, whistling, motors, music. It seemed to never stop. Naples was founded by the Greeks and […]
A Day in Pompeii
I’ve always been interested in history, and I remember begging for any and all books in the Eyewitness Book collection. I still have the ones I received and one was “Ancient Rome” and the other “Mummy”. Put both of them together and every since I held those books in my hand, I have wanted to […]
Postcard from Piscina Mirabilis
Just outside of Naples, this cistern ranks as one of the largest built by the ancient Romans. Not only is it hard to photograph the vastness of the cistern, it’s hard to imagine what it would have looked like when filled with water. Standing at the bottom and looking up, one feels incredibly small.
Villa Necchi Campiglio
Often times it’s the unexpected things which turn out to be the hidden gems. On a recent trip to Milan with a dear friend, we happened upon the Villa Necchi Campilio, a lovely surprise. Our feet were weary and we were looking forward to sitting in a quiet garden for a while when we found […]