We spent this morning attending to some mundane household chores, including using the washing machine for the first time since our arrival. Despite the lack of instructions, we were able to do a load of wash, but it took almost 2 hours for the cycle to finish. The apartment has no clothes dryer, so we were forced to use a drying rack that we placed outside on the balcony. Although there was direct sunlight for awhile, by the time we left the apartment around noontime the entire balcony was in the shade; plus the winds were nonexistent. Needless to say, when we returned later in the day, the clothes were still as wet as when we had hung them out to dry! Today for lunch we tried the Trattoria Chantecler, a restaurant we had passed when ... read more

A frontal system brought some heavy rain showers throughout this region of Italy yesterday, along with some lightning and thunder to boot (go figure that out, with air temperatures in the mid-50s!). Needless to say, the inclement weather put a damper on our plans to pound the cobblestones and explore another section of the town. So we stayed put inside our apartment the entire day, venturing out only for a grocery run in the late afternoon, and for dinner across the street at Benvenuti in Casa in the evening. We had another wonderful experience at this family-owned and -operated restaurant, where friendly, attentive service along with delicious Italian cuisine seem to be the key ingredients to its success. We are simply amazed at how a husband and wife team can manage to cook and serve with ... read more

The miserable weather that dogged us yesterday gave way to clear, sunny skies today, and the thermometer inched its way up to the mid-60s later in the afternoon. So we set out around 10:30 in the morning, walking to the nearby Parco di Villa Fiorentino, a small park toward the western end of Corso Italia. This park is the site of a villa that now houses a foundation where various cultural events and exhibitions take place. The well-manicured grounds are planted with a variety of plants and flowers, including some lemon and orange trees, and a children's playground occupies a portion of the site. The park was virtually empty when we arrived, and would be an ideal place to relax or bring a picnic lunch. After visiting the park, Dee wanted to find the housewares store ... read more

Yesterday was a day of rest and recuperation, as we're still struggling to recover our "mojo" after a tiring day of overseas travel. Our diurnal rhythms are way out-of-whack, with sleeping schedules completely disrupted. So we decided to lay low all day, occupying ourselves with unpacking, organizing clothing and personal items for a two-month stay, and familiarizing ourselves with the apartment. One of the benefits of extended stays when traveling is the lack of urgency to see and do everything as quickly as possible, so we have far fewer deadlines and time constraints with which to contend. Late this morning we finally ventured out, the primary mission being to forage for groceries. First we scouted out a butcher shop just a block away from our apartment, where Dee found some basic items and very friendly service. ... read more

After a four-year hiatus during the COVID pandemic and its aftermath, it's finally time for us to wipe the dust and cobwebs from our passports, and embark upon another odyssey to Europe. The tentative plan for this trip, which was a surprise birthday gift to my lovely wife and travel partner, is to make Sorrento in southern Italy our home base for two months, taking side-trips wherever the winds and our whims take us. At this point, Rome, Madrid or Barcelona, and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (on the French Riviera, not far from Nice) are among the destinations under consideration. We'll spend the final two weeks of our journey in Paris. During previous trips, in 2016 and 2018, we enjoyed visiting the Amalfi Coast/Naples region of Italy, including Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, the Isle of Capri and the impressive Greco-Roman ... read more