The footbridge is an arduous perpendicular climb. It feels never ending. But then approaching the halfway point you look up and there, seemingly suspended above the clouds, lies a fairytale village perched on a tufaceous stone cleft at 443 meters above sea level. It sits regally on a rocky crest overlooking verdant valleys and rocky
It’s a long turbulent flight. I see my friend in the seat diagonally in front of me popping a pill. I think it’s the Ativan she told me she had stashed in her purse for any possible anxiety disorders she might encounter on the flight. This is a good a time as any, seeing that
On close inspection, a small farming village seemingly abandoned and forlorn on a distant hilltop, is a cluster of red tiled-roof houses and farming sheds strung together by footpaths that meander about and lead one to the edge of the green where far into the horizon can be seen cypress-fringed pastures and vineyards and undulating
A lovely young woman is waiting for us in the dining hall of the Torre. We are up early, having slept with the angels, cocooned in our tower deep in the Umbrian woods and lulled by the hush and rush of the breeze through the trees outside our window. The dining salon looks like it might
It’s September of last year. We board our van/bus “Vito” and leave behind the vigor and verve of Naples. Through the tangle of cars coiling around the tight weave of roads I glance back and catch a last glimpse of the intense blue and sparkle of the coast, a flash of a red building, balconies
The Cappuccino is sacrosanct----- above and beyond criticism, change, or interference! And yet, like with pizza and sauce Bolognese, we have persisted in attempting to alter its inviolable nature. As it began to cross borders, this wonderful morning drink became an after-dinner dessert, a mug of boiling, sudsy milk and coffee, and, horror of horrors,
As Easter approaches, and with Napoli on my mind as of late, I’m reminded of the heavenly traditional desserts from this part of Italy: Sfogliatelle, babà al rum, graffe, sospiri. These pastries are always abundant throughout the year, moreover, the Neapolitans feel that their desserts must be substantial and satisfying. "Il dolce deve riempire la
Bella Napoli. It’s chaotic, it’s extreme, it’s overpowering! It is a city that is edgy, daring, reckless. Naples’ gritty image keeps visitors away. But get past this, because la bella Napoli is worth getting to know. Not for nothing was the saying "vide Napule e po' muore" (nothing compares to the beauty of Naples, so you
” I am presently moved by sun-drenched Parthenopea, my thanks are for you, Ischia, to whom a fair wind has brought me rejoicing with dear friends from soiled productive cities. How well you correct our injured eyes, how gently you train us to see things and men in perspective underneath your uniform light…” (from
Capri's charm and bewitchery is legendary; the combination of its world-renowned beauty and its sensualism has brought people to its shores from the earliest of times. And no wonder! This little island offers the perfect concoction of all that is desirable for the perfect Mediterranean holiday: posh cafes frequented by the rich and famous, designer