Author Archives: Kim Baumgaertel

Hill Town #1:  San Gimignano  (SAN Jim-KNEE-an-yo, yo.) Getting there was half the fun because they don’t call ’em “hill towns” for nothin’…and Italians drive (mostly red) Fiats.   The countryside is lovely with patchwork fields of grapes and olives punctuated … Continue reading →

Number of Euros we owe for a parking fine incurred yesterday:  28 Steaks we bought from the butcher for tonight’s dinner:  3 Days we have to pay the parking ticket before it increases to 41 Euros:  5 Bathrooms that did … Continue reading →

…and the floods came up.  Wind slammed shutters, water poured from an angry sky, and streets flowed like rivers just as the forecast predicted.  The six travelers rendezvoused for breakfast at the front door, clad in rain gear, fleeces, umbrellas, … Continue reading →

Today’s forecast was for rain and 60 degrees.  It was wrong. Vernazza is one of five “Cinque Terre” towns on Italy’s west coast, and the one where we sleep.  Today we decided to not hike to Corniglia because of the … Continue reading →

Coming to you tonight from Vernazza, in rooms rented from Gemmy.  Gemmy was so very excited to hear that we did still come, as it has been rainy and cold here in the Cinque Terre region.  Yep, we came via … Continue reading →

Yesterday and today were Italian-school-children-field-trip days in both Naples museum and Pompeii.  “Silencio, raggazi!” is not difficult to understand, even if you didn’t brush up on your Duolingo Italian before landing in this country. This teacher was very animated in … Continue reading →

If a wife tells her husband not to put his wallet in his back pocket and he does it anyway, will it get stolen? Yes. On a lighter note, Dave met three guys from his hometown in Minnesota while we … Continue reading →

Arrivederci, Roma!  We said heartfelt ciao-ciaos to our Arena House hostess this morning, grabbed our last Italian breakfast from the coffee shop down the block, and hoofed it to Termini station, luggage and all. Last night in Rome, we took pics of … Continue reading →

Italian breakfasts consist of cappuccino and a croissant, so they are considerably lighter than we’ve been used to after plentiful spreads in Israel and at the Hilton.  But, our little hotel here in Rome gives us “breakfast tickets” to take … Continue reading →