Italy has no shortages of fortresses and castles, but perhaps Monteriggioni has the best location. Perched atop a hill between Colle Val d’Elsa and Siena in the beautiful Tuscan valley Val d’Elsa, Monteriggioni is strategically placed to see approaching armies from afar, and strategically placed those touring the Tuscan countryside. Just 20 minutes outside of Siena, the… Read more »
Third times the charm. At least it was for me, on my third visit to Siena this past September. The first time I went I was studying abroad in Florence. We went by train with no preparation, climbed the Torre del Mangia, Italy’s second tallest tower, and otherwise just ambled around aimlessly with no idea of… Read more »
Walking in the woods up by Lago Maggiore our friend was showing us the national park that borders his property. The problem, he said, are the wild boars. They come down to root and eat and end up creating a mess. Plus there’s the problem of stumbling upon one while hiking the area. You can’t imagine the… Read more »
Our road trip in Friuli Venezia Giulia came suddenly, after we decided to cancel our trip to Turkey. My Italian-American origins are from a small town in Friuli and I’d always imagined visiting with my dad, maybe heading to the no-name towns he somehow found to visit unknown relatives. Things change though and trip plans change. The best way to… Read more »
This is a story about finding yourself, moving abroad and refinding yourself within different parameters. It’s about the internal battle that comes with change when you find yourself in a new country. How much is acceptable? Where do we draw the line? Oh, and it’s about shopping of course. –––––––– I needed new clothes. As… Read more »
