Bongiorno from Toscana, It’s May 24th (Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday anniversary), and we are moving northwards through Italy. Just in passing, it’s worth noting my brief experience today with the Italian health system. This was an unscheduled visit to the Pronto Seccorso (casualty) at l’ospedale (the hospital). I had been suffering from a lingering respiratory infection which had deteriorated. …Read More
Bongiorno from Liguria, Pisa is a large city spreadeagled on the floodplain of the Arno River (le fiume Arno). The Leaning Tower has a gravitational pull for the casual tourist. And, it’s quite a sight. Thousands of tourists apparently concur. In fact, the famous Leaning Tower forms part of a large complex of majestic marble buildings. The …Read More
Bongiorno da Montaione! Our stay in Tuscany is coming to an end. And we’ve enjoyed every minute. In the meantime, there are still things to see and do. Armed with the keen appreciation of the fact that visiting the birthplace of a famous person usually yields nothing more than tacky holiday snaps and the collective …Read More
Bongiorno from Toscana, Picture the scene dear readers: we’re in a tastefully (let’s say, decorously) renovated stable overlooking verdant valley and sylvan hills (including the 14 towers of San Gimignano in the middle distance). 40 odd well-dressed people are at Nicoletta’s 61st birthday party, playing bridge on felt-topped tables with Nino acting as congenial host …Read More
Bongiorno from Italia, We’re enjoying our own version of Fellini’s Dolce Vita here. Every day presents another delight to follow all of the previous ones. Yes, we took Hamlet’s advice to Ophelia and got ourselves to a nunnery. This is our accommodation for the next three weeks; converted from its previous use. The lodgings are in …Read More
Bongiorno from Toscana, Next stop on the odyssey is a three-week stay in Iano, in the hills of Tuscany. The address – if you are interested in googling the map – is Podere le Monache, Iano, Montaine. The building has been converted from a nunnery and is offered for tourist accommodation by a local …Read More
Ahoj from Prague, Prague is a picturesque city with much to attract the tourist. M. (In this context dear reader, for “M.” read “Nuvolari”.) was itching to get behind the wheel of a car and we hired one for the week. She’s been driving the little red bubble and I’ve been navigating. I read the …Read More
Marhaba from Cairo, It’s a strange feeling to be in a city just after a revolution. We made a point of making our way to Tahrir Square so we could get a feel for the revolution, as the locals were unashamedly referring to the events of January 25th. We had seen – like the rest …Read More
Marhaba from Cairo, Egypt is in an interesting phase of its long history. This is a crucial time, just after the tumultuous Arab Spring and the removal of President Hosne Mubarak. With or without Mubarak, the country depends heavily on tourism and the revolution has deterred many of the usual throng of visitors. the age …Read More
Bongiorno from Roma, This visit to Italy serves more than one function. Apart from the obvious, it affords me the opportunity to revise and properly reconstiute my attitude to Italians in general, forged in the formative years in Wollongong. Being schooled with and mixing with many others from Italian backgrounds, I believe I …Read More