Le Porte Italiane (Italian Doors)

July 15, 2019 by Joanne Bartram

Doors are fascinating.

They beckon us to enter, to explore, to see what lies beyond. They also keep us out - leaving us to imagine what we can’t see.

And nowhere are doors more fascinating than in Italy, where they have a special mystique, a special beauty. Aged, worn, colorful, mysterious - enchanting.

I take a lot of photos - and doors are often my subject. Here are some that have particularly captured my imagination.

Do you have a door photo that has intrigued you? If so, please add them to this post with a response on Facebook. We would love to see them!

Perhaps my favorite door - the one to my apartment in Lucca.-Post by Joanne — Perhaps my favorite door - the one to my apartment in Lucca.
-Post by Joanne

Fishing boats in the tiny harbor at Vernazza

Three Days on the Ligurian Coast

July 08, 2019 by Joanne Bartram

The Italian region of Liguria is home to stunning sea views, tiny harbors, fresh fish, and the world’s best pesto. To the southeast lie the five towns of the Cinque Terre. To the northwest, the Italian Riviera. How can one small slice of Italy be so blessed?

In between the Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera sits the small town of Levanto, which made a perfect landing spot for a recent short vacation with my daughter and two of my grandkids.

Levanto has beaches, boats, views, good food, and even a castle.

Levanto is the first town north of Monterosso al Mare (the northern-most of the Cinque Terre towns). It has the great advantage of being much less hectic than towns in the heavily touristed Cinque Terre. Levanto is easily reached by train, either a local from La Spezia or the faster intercity train from Pisa or Viareggio. For local transportation, the Cinque Terre Express links Levanto to the four coastal towns of the Cinque Terre and - even better - there are regularly scheduled ferry boats between Levanto and the Cinque Terre villages. Levanto has a laid-back, friendly, casual beach vibe - perfect for a family vacation.

Kids love the ferry boats between Levanto and the villages of the Cinque Terre.

We chose the charming B&B A Durmi for our three-night stay. This is a small, family-run B&B with comfy rooms and small apartments opening onto pretty courtyards, perfect for al fresco breakfasts or afternoon drinks. Elisa and Chiara take wonderful care of their guests, providing helpful information about Levanto, restaurant suggestions, timetables for boats and trains to the Cinque Terre, and even beach towels and umbrellas. Our two-bedroom, two-bath apartment was perfect for two adults and two kids, and having a kitchen for some meals and snacks was a plus. A big thanks goes to my friend Susan for suggesting A Durmi - it’s a winner!

Delighted by real Ligurian pesto at Macaja

We ate well in Levanto, too.

Think anchovies and pesto (both are local specialties), fish, and lemons (limone gelato!).

We enjoyed simple and tasty meals at the tiny family-run Macaja (fried anchovies, a pasta with pesto and one with anchovies, good salads), delicious pizza at Taverna Garibaldi, and one upscale (but still reasonably priced) meal at Ristorante Antico Borgo (ravioli filled with fish, a pesto ravioli with potato and green beans, a wonderful grilled lamb). Che buono!

But, as good as the food was, the real star of the trip was the sea. Day passes for the tourist boats let us hop on and hop off at the Cinque Terre towns (cost 30 euro per adult, 15 for children age 10 and under).

A Cinque Terre ferry boat stopping in Monterosso al Mare on the way to Levanto

In a single day we explored Vernazza, Manarola, and Monterosso al Mare. Were they crowded? Well, yes. The Cinque Terre is always crowded in summer. But in early June the crowds were less than they will be at the height of summer and the tiny villages were still enjoyable. My grandkids (ages 10 and 13) loved the harbors, coastal guard towers, narrow streets, small fishing boats, sea-themed gift shops, and - most of all - the boats that ferried us between towns, the bumpy waves, and the occasional splash from the wake of a passing boat. For a couple of landlocked New Mexico kids, this was a real adventure!

The tiny harbor and rocky coastline at Manarola

Levanto (unlike many of the Cinque Terre villages) also has nice stretches of beach. There are several private beaches (where you pay to use beach chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas) as well as two public beaches (free, bring your own umbrellas and towels).

The public beach at Levanto - soft sand, calm waters, and stunning views in every direction

And there was so much more to enjoy in Levanto - an easy, short hike up to the castle, a daily market, an old town with medieval loggia and streets, a seaside promenade, and hiking trails.

The castle (privately owned, closed to visitors) is just a short hike up from town.

Our three days in Levanto were a real treat - and a great way to show a different side of Italy to my grandkids. I will definitely return, and I hope next visit to explore northward to the towns of Rapallo, Portofino, and Santa Margherita along the Italian Riviera. -post by Joanne

The Ligurian sea is magic for a couple of kids from New Mexico!

The spray from Victoria Falls rises like a huge puff of smoke.

Victoria Falls - a True Natural Wonder

July 01, 2019 by Judy Giannnettino in Africa, Travel

I saw the mist first - rising from the river in the distance - and I immediately understood why the indigenous people of the area call Victoria Falls “The Smoke that Thunders.” The mist looks like smoke – a massive cloud of smoke that seems to sit atop the Zambezi River. The thunder, of course, is the roar of the falls, which flow at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia in southern Africa.

Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a sight I have wanted to see since I was a kid. When I traveled to the area in June, it did not disappoint. How could it? Victoria Falls is classified as the largest waterfall in the world based on its combined width of 5,604 feet and height of 354 feet. From the ground, the entire fall can’t even be seen. From the air, the sight is breathtaking. The waterfall is the full width of the Zambezi - a powerful sheet of water more than a mile wide that cascades into a chasm it has carved over time.

After viewing the waterfall from the air in a helicopter, we took a well-marked footpath on the Zimbabwe side to scope out different sections of the fall from ground level. Sixteen viewing spots dot the path and the spray from the waterfall (the mist, or the smoke) gets stronger and stronger as you go. (A raincoat is advised – and provided at the entrance for visitors who don’t bring their own.) The spray is constant, which means there also is a constant rainbow at the falls, and can be seen as far as 30 miles away. The end of the path offers a view of Victoria Falls Bridge, which links Zambia and Zimbabwe below the waterfall.

A statue of Dr. Livingstone (I presume) at Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls was given its Christian name (in honor of Queen Victoria) by the Scottish missionary David Livingstone, who is believed to be the first European to have seen the falls. There are many fun facts about the falls. The One that fascinates me the most is that from September through January (the dry season), part of the waterfall can actually dry up.

An ever-present rainbow is at Victoria Falls.

Of course, southern Africa is home to various wild animals and those, too, can be spotted near the falls. From the helicopter, we saw elephants. While taking a cruise along the Zambezi, several hippo were seen, as was a small crocodile sunning itself on the shore. And on the footpath, we were greeted at one point by a baboon running toward us, as well as several smaller primates lucky enough to call this natural wonder home.

-post by Judy

Victoria Falls Bridge links Zimbabwe and Zambia.

On Safari

June 24, 2019 by Judy Giannnettino in Travel, Africa

While Italy is my first love, seeing as much of the rest of the world as possible remains a priority for me. My most recent non-Italy adventure was to go on safari in Botswana, and despite dreaming of this for years, I really had no idea what to expect. I knew I would see animals, of course. But I couldn’t imagine what the experience would be like. Now I know why. There is nothing else like it. From the people to the animals, the lodges to the terrain, and the sunsets and “sundowners,” every experience was fresh.

Zebras and wildebeest - they often travel together.

During our trip, we stayed at three different lodges while in Botswana (we also traveled to Zimbabwe). One lodge rested on a ridge above the Boteti River, which allowed us to sit in camp or on the porches of our tents and watch zebras and elephants and birds come for drinks of water. The barking noises of the zebras could be heard at night, as could the trumpets of elephants. On the far banks, with the help of binoculars, we spotted crocodiles, herons and some impala. A hippopotamus had taken up residence beneath the game-viewing blind of the camp.

The tents themselves were more than comfortable – roughing it, this was not. Indeed, this was glamping at its finest. Double beds with cozy comforters, indoor and outdoor toilets and showers, hot water for coffee brought to the room first thing in the morning. It was all part of the experience.

The view from the porch of our tent at Meno a Kwena

The other two camps were just as great – in fact, a bit more upscale. They were in the Okavango Delta, the swampy inland delta with grassy plains that is home to a wide-ranging animal habitat and that has captured my imagination for years. Early-morning game drives, afternoon tea, sunset game drives and “sundowners” (stops for drinks and snacks while the sun sets) were on the daily agenda. So were sightings of elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, impala, kudu, jackals, hyenas, warthogs, cape buffalo, and more. The number of birds we saw was mind-boggling and the expertise of our guides was equally impressive.

Above photos, from left: an outdoor shower at one camp; elephant tracks; a rare sighting of a pangolin; bathroom sinks at a camp

We learned how to distinguish among animal tracks, why some male lions roam by themselves, how the guides tell one lion from another and over time (whisker spots unique to each cat – they’re like our fingerprints). We sat and watched lionesses stealthily move through the tall grass, hyenas hunt prey, a male lion snooze close to the road and two baby hippos sleep in the sun next to the watering hole of one camp. I was continually entranced and entertained and educated. And I can’t wait to go back. -post by Judy

French Rose’ wine at the market in Lucca

A French Market in an Italian Town

June 17, 2019 by Joanne Bartram in Italy, Italy travel, food, #italytravel, Lucca, Italian markets

On a recent spring morning, I woke up as usual in my apartment in Lucca, Italy. But by the afternoon, I had the sense that I’d been transported to a little town in France. The reason behind my confusion was the arrival of a French Market, which suddenly appeared in the aptly named Piazza Napoleone, right here in Lucca.

II love European markets and have been delighted to visit them in many cities. Although I am a confirmed lover of all things Italian, I must admit that most of my favorite markets have been in France.

The charming market in Uzes, France, 2014

In France, I especially loved the weekly outdoor market in the tiny town of Uzes, the large indoor market in Avignon, and a lively market with a whole street of olive vendors in the town of Charon sur Saone. Visiting each was a thrill for me, but I never expected to find a French market here in Lucca.

The Luccchese French Market was a “pop-up” market, here only for a long weekend in mid-May. How delightful to wander through a French bakery (with baguettes, brioche, and pastries baked right on site), a patisserie, and a whole stall of French biscuits and cookies.

There was also a colorful spice market and, of course, gorgeous French cheeses, tarts, and wines.

The spice vendor used this long-handled scoop to fill bags of spices.

In addition to the food booths, there were vendors selling a variety of French products. I browsed through stalls with French soaps, perfumes, linens, hats (or should I say chapeaux?), jewelry, and handbags.

The language was a mix of French accents and Italian words. Not a bad combination! And now I’m daydreaming about trips to France, past and future. One of the great things about living in Italy is that it puts all of Europe within easy reach. It’s time for me to plan some travel - who wants to come along? -Post by JMB

How delicious does this little tart look?