Month: March 2012

When in Rome for Easter

Rome DomeROME, ITALY – This is an armchair tour of the Vatican churches, inside and out. Amazing 360 degree photos. More than 360, 360 all directions. Want to look straight down at the paving beneath you, straight up at the dome above, left, right? Anywhere. What I always wonder was where was the camera? How does that work? I’ve seen the effect of course but never such a regal documentation of one subject. And I can’t imagine how they set it up the lighting so well over and over. I know, forget the technology and just enjoy. It is better than being there in person. You just see everything.

And plus, even though Palm Sunday and Easter are almost upon us, no lines! Divertivi molto.

360 DEGREE WRAP AROUND PHOTOS INSIDE THE VATICAN

Basilica Papale SAN GIOVANNI IN LATERANO

Basilica Papale SAN PIETRO

Basilica Papale SAN PAOLO FUORI LE MURA

Basilica Papale SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE

Ah spring. When the first tiny Fiats pop up.

Midge and her Fiat 500C come out on a spring day

It is a sure sign of Spring in Maine when motorcycles and convertibles peek out from under their winter covers. Last week, inspired by day after blissful day of seventies and sunshine weather, some of us even took the snow tires off our daily drivers. And coaxed their little red Fiat and little green Ape out of the barn where they’d been happily hibernating.

And, of course, it snowed and snowed last night.

But all those early, and fleeting signs of spring, certainly do have us counting the days until we arrive in Umbria. Look out Panicale, here we come, ready or not.

By the way. We ARE ready!

We miss our roses when we are apart. And, in truth they do only come out for a week or two. But what they lack in longevity they make up for abundance and punctuality. They spread out over the pergola in a sea of yellow, regular as clockwork on May Day. And this year, on May first, we’ll be there when they come out.


DO WE HAVE VIDEOS SHOWING WHY WE LOVE ITALY IN SPRING?
WHY YES, YES WE DO:

Here are our Lady Banks Roses on Display on a typical but magical May day a year or so ago in Umbria.

And here is May Day luncheon outside Siena (with our buddy Al Fresco and a few of his fair weather friends) at the Spannocchia estate in nearby Tuscany.

See you in Italy,

Stew Vreeland

Where in the world would we be?

Where would we be without Italy? And Pizza. In this case we were in Belfast. But not the one in Ireland, but the one in Maine named after it. Our Italian foreign exchange student from Padova was named Alexia so we took this shot for her. We were thinking of her because we hope to be in Padova soon! Alexia goes to Belfast

See how easily I can work our upcoming trip to Umbria into a conversation? Yes, can’t wait. We’ll see our daughter The Wiley Traveler in London for a couple days and then plan to spend the Merry Month of May in Panicale, Umbria and beyond. Places on our dream itinerary further from our garden include repeat visits to Rome, Siena, Padova, Lago di Garda and a long awaited visit to Trieste.

Stay tuned. We’ll see how this itinerary works out.

Stew