Looking Down the Tyrrhenian Coast

August 31 – September 9 Amalfi & Cilento Coasts, Campania, Italy Twenty minutes into our ascent from Sorrento town up the cliffs near Sant’Agata, and Ollie was puking up his breakfast. Such was the nature of the roads in this part of the country that his delicate tummy was simply no match.  And so we… Continue reading Looking Down the Tyrrhenian Coast

Old Stone Homes and the Art of B&E: Umbria, Italy

November 17 – 18 Renzetti, Umbria Italy Culpability is still an item up for debate.  Who was to blame for closing the front door while forgetting the key inside?  The little stone cottage that sits at a turn in the road eleven kilometers outside of Cittá di Castello, was, in that one instant, completely impermeable. … Continue reading Old Stone Homes and the Art of B&E: Umbria, Italy

Right On Le Marche

October 30 – November 5 Le March Region, Italy Towards the end of October while we were in Rome, between two dovetailing disasters that contributed to one of our more hellacious weeks of travel in recent memory, Ryan made an important discovery. “Look here. This website says this little town claims to be THE HALLOWEEN… Continue reading Right On Le Marche

Bumps and Breaks: Learning Travel Lessons the Hard Way

A Tough Break

October 21 – 25 Rome, Italy We truly were looking forward to returning to Rome.  After several weeks in the sleepy hills and townships all over Tuscany, we were ready to return to a place that had become something of a home to us.  This would be our third pass through the city, and it… Continue reading Bumps and Breaks: Learning Travel Lessons the Hard Way

She Did NOT Just Do That: Val D’Orcia, Italy

October 15 – 22 Central Tuscany, Italy See this face?  It’s belongs to a young John the Baptist.  It was carved in the 13th century by a member of the  Sienese school, and it is on display in Volterra’s Pinacoteca e Museo Civico. See this face?  It looks familiar, right?  However, it has nothing to do… Continue reading She Did NOT Just Do That: Val D’Orcia, Italy

Worldschool Fall Semester 2012: Urban Planning

September 2 – 3 Pompei, Herculaneum & Mount Vesuvius, Italy Lots of folks want to know how we educate our kids while remaining location-independent. It’s a fair enough question in its own right, although, for the moment, it really only pertains to Oliver, seeing as how he is the only member currently in our company… Continue reading Worldschool Fall Semester 2012: Urban Planning

Going Underground in Naples

Naples, Italy August 29 – 31 The sun had rolled slightly away from its zenith at three in the afternoon when we pulled into the gnarled streets surrounding Naples’ central storico (historic district).  Despite this, it’s cruel heat still radiated over the ancient paving stones at Plebecito Square, and scarcely a soul ventured outside while… Continue reading Going Underground in Naples

Molto Piccolo

Rome, Italy August 23 – 29 At 4:45pm, we have exactly fifteen more minutes before we are ejected from the Galleria Borghese.  Fifteen more minutes is all the time my family has to run up the stairs to the second floor, past four or five Carravagios, a couple of Titians, and two of Raphael’s more… Continue reading Molto Piccolo