Geo: 51.5002, -0.126236The overnight flight arrived in London as scheduled. We sailed though immigration and customs. It seems that every other country than the US has easier access. This is the first time that we have packed small enough to carry on everything with us. We each have a rollaboard suitcase, and Philip has his computer case and I have a small tote bag. We could take about anything we wanted on the Continental flight from IAH to LHR, but I was worried about how much we will be able to take on the Austrian airlines flights. We do get better and better at packing small most every time we travel. This trip includes two distinct climate areas, so that added to the problem of what to pack. London should be cool and wet, but the ... read more

Geo: 35.1241, -106.768... read more

Geo: 35.0841, -106.649... read more

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823Outside our apartment on the way to the Metro stop, we pass by a long string of advertising signs. The signs are different every time we pass by. It seems that one candidate will cover a long stretch of the signs with a series of identical paper posters, only to have them shredded or covered over with another candidate's signs before the day is over. The signs we see in the mornings as we are going out for the day are different than the ones we see in the evening when we are coming back to our apartment. The country has regional elections coming up March 28-29 and Premier Berlusconi's party has been excluded from the election in Rome because, basically, they didn't get the paperwork in on time. We've heard (mostly) and seen ... read more

Geo: 41.9, 12.4833Trying to see as many places as we can while we are here, we made stops at the Trevi Fountain, the Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Capitoline Museum, the Victor Emmanuel monument, and Trajan's Column, but we started the morning with a tour of the Borghese Gallery. Following advice from the guidebooks we read, we went upstairs to the Pinacoteca first while most of the visitors were on the first floor. After touring there, we went down to the main displays on the first floor. The gallery requires all cameras and bags, including purses, to be checked before entering the gallery, so I have no photos. I imagine that if everyone took photos, then the experience of looking at the art would be very different--interrupted by flashes and waiting while ... read more