family, Vienna, wedding
Schönbrunn Palace wedding day
What a magical day! We gather at the palace in our formal finery, and the tourists who are on the grounds for other reasons are quite taken with our glamorous selves. A wedding at the Schönbrunn is not a common event. The ceremony is to be in the white and gold room, where a string […]
family, Vienna
Vienna – Belvedere and the groom’s dinner
It’s Friday now, and the wedding party is starting to gather from around the world. On Thursday night, those who were already in town came together at our apartment for hellos, beers, and a dinner Christine and Liz created called Refrigerator Surprise. Magically, it’s enough for everyone. On Friday morning, we decide we have time […]
family, Vienna
Kunst Automatons
Several of you have commented on the gold covered treasures of the Kunst, but little would you know that one full room was mechanical automatons! Music boxes, clocks, and mechanical toys of detail beyond belief. I was especially fascinated with the golden ship with wind-up power – moves itself, has drummers and flute players and […]
family, Vienna
Vienna – Crosses, swords, lutes, and beer
Our days in Vienna have settled in to a pattern — sleep as long as we want, get up and drink many cups of coffee, read on our various devices, and then muster about noonish to start our touring. Today’s first stop is the Stephansondom, a gargantuan gothic cathedral bits and pieces of which are more […]
family, Vienna
Welcome to Vienna
After a short hop from Bologna, we are in Vienna, where a fellow with a sign awaits us. (Which is pretty cool, since how many times have you stepped off a plane into a sea of sign-bearing drivers and never had them be for you?) He takes us to the Jewish Quarter and our apartment. […]
family, Italy
Last day at the villa
Today, we leave Casa Duetto for good, and we are sad to say goodbye to our amazing view and quiet evenings in the Apennine ridge. We discover we have a set of orphan photos, snapped on this phone or that, and collected here as a reminder to ourselves of what life is like at the […]
family, Italy
A day trip to Lucca
On this day of sunshine, we are able to successfully wrestle ourselves out of bed, take our showers, and make our way to Lucca for exploration. Not far from Florence and Pisa, Lucca has somehow escaped the masses of tourists bound for those two other places. Lucca is surrounded by a wall which dates back […]
family, Italy
The vintage bicycles of Lucca, Italy
Our day in Lucca was filled with many nice images, but Pat was won over by the number of people who primarily travel by bicycle. The old city within the wall is closed to most vehicles (except for residents) so bicycles are a preferred form of transport. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and vintages – […]
family, Italy
Barga and Ponte A Serraglio
After a day of rest and recovery, we are ready to explore some of the many villages that make up the Territori della Valle Del Serchio. The driving remains challenging and scary, but luckily, the men like the adventure and the chance to go fast around sharp turns. First stop is Barga, considered one of the […]
family, Italy
A long day’s journey to Casa Duetto
The first day is all about getting to the destination still in possession of all luggage and a modicum of good cheer. We meet our travel mates at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport for the ceremonial checking of the bags and frisking by the TSA. Two and a half hours, and we are in Toronto for a […]