Dear Blog, Long time no talk. I'm sure that you have missed me. Lots has happened in my life since I last wrote. I have celebrated my one year anniversary as a working adult (lets be real though...not much celebrating going on haha). I have a wonderful kitty who has 100% stolen my heart. I …
Once you’ve hit 3 countries, it’s officially a EURO TRIP!
It's official: I am in the midst of my first ever Euro Trip. What exactly is a Euro Trip? Quite simply, it is a vacation where you visit three or more European countries before heading home (Source = Julia Fiorio). Thanks to San Marino, I am now a European traveller. Wooo! Wait...San Marino? That's right. …
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Florence: Home Sweet Home (August 28-31)
When I first stepped off the train in Florence I was grinning bigger than the Cheshire Cat. It didn't matter that I was hot and sweaty or that I still had to carry all my luggage for 20 minutes to reach my hotel. All that mattered was that I was back in Florence. In 2011, …
Abruzzo: The Final Countdown (August 25-27)
3...2...1...Abruzzo is officially region #18. Celebration time? While I explored Abruzzo, I stayed in a hotel in Pescara but spent two days visiting Sulmona and Ortona. When I first told people I was going to Abruzzo, I was subjected to everyone's opinions: some good, some bad. (In case you were wondering, Italians aren't always so …
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Santa Maria al Bagno: Exploring my Roots
One of the things I love best about Salento is I am always learning new information about my Italian side of the family. After compiling all this information for a while, I think it is safe to say that my grandfather was a rich man. Not just your typical rich person, but the kind of …
Buon Ferragosto: Partying Like a Rockstar (August in Gallipoli)
Ferragosto in Galliopoli is like Spring Break at Panama City Beach. Except the beaches are a lot better, the people are a lot more attractive, and the partying doesn't just last for a week. Let me backtrack for a second here. Ferragosto is a national holiday in Italy. Officially, it is celebrated on August 15th …
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Ancona: 2,400 Years Makes for an Old City (August 12-13)
On my way down south to visit my family, I figured I would stop in Ancona and add another region (Le Marche - #17) to my list. I didn't know what to expect. Every single person I had talked to, and there had been many, told me not to go to Ancona. I wasn't really …
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Verona: Family, Love & Music (August 10-11)
We made two mistakes right off the bat in Verona. 1. We should have planned to stay for longer than just one night. 2. I need to learn to communicate better in Italian Let me explain...I have an aunt and a cousin that live in Verona. (And when I say Aunt & cousin, I mean …
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Trieste: Beginnings Aren’t Everything (August 7-9)
We are taught growing up that the beginning of a story is key. Start with an attention grabber that will make people want to read what else you have written. I am officially apologizing to all my elementary and middle school english teachers: I have no exciting beginning to this blog post. However, I hope …
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Lugano: Swing and a Miss with Swiss (August 4-5)
To satisfy our constant need for adventure, Patrick and I decided to make a quick stop in Switzerland for a couple of days before continuing our Italian journey. Unfortunately, things were not as perfect as they seemed. Lugano, Switzerland is located on Lago Lugano which is partially in Italy and partially in Switzerland. It is …
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Taking Little Steps 