Vicki & Leslie Wine Tasting in TuscanyAfter a marvelous meal tonight with a friend at Presto Cucina, a wonderful little Italian bistro in Vancouver, I started thinking about my fantastic trip to Italy in 2006. I got looking at my photos and thought I'd share with you a few showing how much I was smiling then.
Italy is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited. It surpasses England in climate (sorry my British friends) and even France. Of course, this is just my humble opinion and I certainly haven't seen that much of the world...yet. However, I did love the architecture (both ancient and modern), the food (oh my goodness, the FOOD!), and the people. Along with seeing major tourist attractions, I had the opportunity to visit many little towns and villages off the beaten track and met some "real" Italians. Having spent 4 weeks in Italy including a week in Sicily, I can hardly wait to return to this wonderful country - and I will one day. There is so much more I'd like to see and revisit. Who would like to join me?
The group has its first dinner at Piazza Navona in Rome.
One of the statues in the Piazza Navona.
On the boat approaching the Cinque Terre.
The group takes a photo op on the cliffs of the Cinque Terre.
In Tellaro, a little village near Lerici which is across from the Cinque Terre, our base for 5 nights.
looking down on Portofino, where all the rich & famous stayed in the 50's and 60's
Pretending to be rich and famous while lunching in Portofino
A photo op by a vineyard in Tuscany
Our last night in Rome after 4 weeks traveling
(I was tired by then and forcing a smile).
How many smiles can you count in this post?
17 comments:
I have a friend who has visited Cinque Terre and said it was terrific, lucky you. I hope to visit Sicily and take my mother with me, wouldn't that be fun. Your groups seems to have had a great holiday.
Nostalgic photos for me too Leslie. I would love to go back any time. I'm not sure why I don't. I guess because the "old scientist" is not as keen as I am. In fact I've been three times on my own, well with a group from UBC. Did you travel for a whole month with the same group? I went to language school there three times, as well as all the other times starting with our honeymoon in 1961!
Ive never been to Italy, so thank you for taking me on your trip!
Looks wonderful!
Plenty of smiles! It must have been a wonderful time.
Well, what's not to smile about? Even the memories make you smile. They make me smile.
What a fantastic trip...four weeks in Italy, what a joy!!!
I would join you Leslie, and please don;t be sorry, Italy surpasses Engand not just with the climate.
I am not that into achitecture, but agree with you on the little villages with "real" italians. :-)
Leslie, that looks SO WONDERFUL. Omigosh!
Who is that in the first picture with you? Is that Vicki?
I've never been to Italy, but my granddaughter is going in just a few weeks! Your pictures are so much fun! Did you try to snag an Italian man?? Just kidding.
Nancy snag an Italian man? I WISH!!! There really is something about those Latins!
Josie I've fixed the picture so everyone knows it's Vicki and not you.
Leslie...that looks like so much fun...you are gorgeous girl...I mean really gorgeous..what a wonderful smile you have...as for going to Italy with you...oh gosh I would love to go...three of my sisters and their husbands are all going to Europe this year...my one sister who is a retired principal from Richmond(I wonder if you know her)is leaving for 6 months to Europe..then in July my other sister and her hubby go to Italy were he is from and then my other sister is going later that month and they all are going to meet in Italy, along with my brother and his wife who are spending a year in Wales on a teachers exchange...so a 1/3 of my family will be in Europe this summer...boo hoo....again love your photos and thanks for sharing....how was your day with Josie?
Mary Ann, check out Josie's blog for her rendition of our evening out for Italian food. I figured we should each do something different here. Gosh, you would LOVE Italy, too! Is there no way you can get over there to be with your family?
Wow! What a great trip! Talk about a lot of beautiful people!!
I hope you get back soon and know you will have lots of offers to join you!
I read the John Grisham book, Playing for Pizza, recently and a lot of the book discussed the culture of Italy. I had not realized how important food is to their culture - but it sounds good to me!
Take care and I hope you get back to Italy soon!
One of my favorite things about blogging is the virtual travel. Thanks for taking me to Italy. It's certainly on my list of things to do before I die. I can't wait to meet you in June!
Beautiful photos of an obviously happy time. Thanks for sharing them.
Wonderful memories of Italy! We went in 2001 (in April) and had a wonderful time. We didn't make it to Portofino or Sicily but went to Rome, Siena and Florence. Our hotel in Rome was right near the Piazza Navona. I remember that fountain!
I'd love to go back, we'll have to plan another trip there!
I'm in the middle of reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love" which is about her journey to Italy, India and Indonesia - I'm only in the Italy part right now and have just been wishing I was there!
Wonderful photos, Leslie and I'm so glad you love Italy as I do. As you know, I'd be happy to show you around whenever you want to come back to Sicily!
I love your travel posts and the post below about the Scrapbook...really lovely...and now I have Wander-lust something terrible- just want to GO somewhere....England ? Italy ? does not matter...all good....and the food...sigh...now I am just plain starving....
( on my blogroll I have a blog called Blue Lotus- a lovely blog by a Canadian Woman living in Japan- you would enjoy ;-)
thanks for sharing..and giving us all a smile..
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