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Convents, Cable Cars, and Clothing: Travel Goals Italy
The day is overcast as we drive around the lake to Santa Caterina del Sasso. An ancient monastery along Lake Maggiore, Santa Caterina is carved into the rock. It hangs above the lake as if suspended by magic. After parking and trying to decipher signs that seem to suggest the monastery is in two different…
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Mottarone, the Tiniest Alp: Travel Goals Italy
The morning broke cool and cloudy. Because the forecast for the rest of the week included rain, we decided to drive up to the top of Mottarone. The smallest mountain in the Alps. The tiniest Alp. The road was surprisingly busy, and unsurprisingly winding and narrow. Gangs of cyclists clogged the road. Once we got…
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Climbing the Sacred Mountain After Sailing to the Island of Silence: Travel Goals Italy
Saturday in Northern Italy is marked by hordes of men on bicycles taking over the roadways. These biker gangs are problematic because the roads are narrow as they curve up and down the foothills of the Alps. The general rule I’ve determined is the narrower the road and the more blind curves, the more cyclists…
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Birthday Journey To Locarno: Travel Goals Italy
Today I turn 58 years old. To celebrate, I am traveling to Locarno Switzerland. It sounded like a great idea, yesterday, when after an “uphill day”, the travel office in Stresa was finally able to book it. After two unsuccessful attempts to purchase seats had failed, finally getting tickets for the rail and ferry Swiss…
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Lost in Time: Travel Goals Italy
Isola Pescatori, the island of the fishermen, was meant to be a brief stop. We sought out a quiet restaurant on a remote alley, away from the tourist boat crowds. The waiter took us up flights of stairs and seated us in a window overlooking the rooftops. The pasta was fresh and regional, accompanied by…
Prisoner of Hopes: a blog about Hopeful Living and Finding Adventure in the Everyday Things of Life
