Author Archives: wes

We traveled to Greece primarily to see Athens and its ancient sites but we were hoping to take a day trip to a nearby island to get a sense of what a Greek island experience entails.  There are many islands close by Athens and reachable within a couple of hours on a ferry but theContinue reading “Day trip to Greek Island of Aegina, October 27”

The Basilica di San Petronio was intended to be the largest church ever. But it did not reach it’s full length or full width and the facade is only clad from the ground up to a bit above the doors. Basilica of San Petronio facade Rome was upset that Bologna might build a church largerContinue reading “Bologna: Archiginnasio, San Petronio Organs”

We slipped out of Barcelona in the nick of time, the day before the messy election.Then after taking a taxi, a huge ship, a walk, a normal train and a high speed train we arrived in Bologna, just in time for the visit by the Pope, il Papa Francesco. (Be certain it is “il” andContinue reading “Bologna: Pope, San Petronio, Santo Stefano, September 29 – October 1”

Our third city, Barcelona, is one of our favorites. On this visit, instead of renting an apartment, (as we usually do), we stayed in the new, five-star, twenty-eight room, six-story, Hotel The Serras, facing the Mediterranean. In the lobby, they greeted us with smiles and glasses of cava, (Spanish sparkling wine. The French prohibit themContinue reading “Barcelona, September 24-27, 2017”

One of the highlights of early Fall in Emilia-Romagna, in addition to fresh porcini, zucca and chestnuts, is the Verdi festival of Parma.  The Parma/Modena area has been home to many opera legends, e.g.: Pavarotti, Tebaldi, Toscanini and Verdi.  The annual Verdi festival celebrates this heritage with performances of several Verdi operas in various venuesContinue reading “La Traviata, Teatro Guiseppe Verdi, Busseto (near Parma), October 9”

Our next destination was Bologna, Italy.  The easiest way to travel from Spain to Italy is by a 1 1/2 hour plane ride.  But Wes thought the idea of traveling by ship on the Mediterranean would be more adventurous.  While cruise ships make this journey routinely, they take several days and make stops along theContinue reading “Barcelona to Civitaveccia by overnight ferry, September 27/28”

Granada, our next city is like a dream. On one of it’s hills is the Alhambra, which is a combination of fortress, village and royal palaces.Here is a bit of very general backstory. In the year 711, people from north Africa, we will call them moors, islamic moors, flooded into Spain. They took possession ofContinue reading “Granada, September 20-24, 2017”

Two carryon bags for each of us!

We are on the road, in celebration of our sixtieth birthdays, traveling in an eastward direction, for eleven weeks, until we arrive home in mid-December. Our trip began in Spain. We departed from Los Angeles on a Monday morning and arrived in Madrid on Tuesday morning. We have been, several times, to Madrid. It hasContinue reading “Madrid, September 18-19, 2017”