Today we learned a bit about the vast history of mask and mask-making in Venice. The tradition of mask wearing (and thus making) goes back to the 13th century. Masks were worn frequently to hide identity, thus giving a sort of social mobility, as well as opportunity to flirt with anyone, with impunity. Typically, men wore the "bauta" or white mask with a long nose. Combined with a cape, this gave the wearer total coverage--and total anonymity. Women went fairly uncovered body-wise, but wore black masks covering their entire faces and held in the teeth, disabling speech. This anonymity was important for flirting and sexual liasoning, most particularly during Carnevale, when partying was rampant. Masking was never allowed during Lent or on religious holidays. After hearing about this bit of history, we decorated our own masks, ... read more

This week I visited yet another church. This church, which I shall leave unnamed, was awful. I hated its pitched gothic ceilings and gloomy interior, hated the incongruous-looking chapels flanking the sides. Admittedly, I am "churched out" as we say lately. One church, two churches a day for months and it all starts to look the same. Well, not quite. As I left this church I said to myself, "it isn't Salute." "Salute" is the nickname of our local church, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. It is not the closest church to us, because there are churches everywhere in Venice. Though Salute is perhaps a city block away from us, there is another church between here and there. But Salute is special. Salute sits at the entrance to the Grand Canal. It is here ... read more

We took one of those Eyewitness Travel top 10 books on our trip to Barcelona. It has inspired me to come up with a list of my own, in answer to this question: Why do I love Barcelona? #1 It looks like home. Well, in parts, anyway. The marina with the boats tied to the docks, and down by the port where the cruise ships come in, and the cargo ships offload--in all that, I see Long Beach. Walking along the waterfront, with the wooden walkway, towards the aquarium, with the theater and the restaurants, and the palm trees lining the streets, yes, it looks like the LBC. The quality of the light, too, and the dry air are all reminiscent of So Cal. Miles of bikepath open up and the ocean lies before me, ... read more

We planned our visit to a bike race around Lake Como. For those who know my husband and youngest son, this makes perfect sense. The Tour of Lombardy, as this race is called, Is the last race of the season for pro cyclists. But the rest of us - me, my friend Jackie and Ari - We were happily just along for the ride to see Como and relax in the lakeside town of Bellagio.      Bellagio is often referred to as "the prettiest town in Europe." I know there is plenty of competition for that title, but I do believe this place is in the running. Immaculate Bellagio has winding cobblestone streets, lovely old churches, charming buildings in pale earth tones, flower boxes at every window and not a chain store in sight. Not ... read more

The Croatian coast is the landscape of my dreams. This, for me, is the most beautiful of type of climate and topography: dry, rocky with lavender and brush and pine along the sea. And such a sea! The Adriatic here displays the most dramatic pallette of marine colors, from turquoise green to indigo blue. The water is clear all the way to the bottom and is teaming with fish, crabs and other sea life. There is nothing more exciting to me than swimming off of white rocks into a deep ocean, as we did these days in Rovinj, traveling by bike to various coves and tiny bays south of the town. We explored tide pools and mysterious rock sculptures and I watched all my other plans--traveling to Pula to see Roman ruins, going to mountain towns ... read more