Ritiro in Umbria

Posted on April 3, 2012 by howard goldman

Shifting gears, after four energizing days in Roma, we hitched up our Lancia Ypsilon and headed north through the verdant fields of Lazio to five days of retreat in Umbria. Tuscany gets all the “props,” yet Umbria remains a secret … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

My Italian Vacation: a user’s guide

Posted on March 31, 2012 by howard goldman

My Instant localization kit: Hip sunglasses – 4 Euros (negotiated price from South Asian street vendor) Hip scarf            – 3 Euros          “              “               … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Ritorno sugli investimenti

Posted on March 28, 2012 by howard goldman

  “Signorina, una domanda, per favore,” began an irresistible questioning with Laura, Head Waitress at Canova, Roma’s paradise for cappuccino and crowd-gazing. We have traveled 6,245 miles to investigate a recurring question from last year’s luxuriance at Canova: a man … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Rhapsody in Budapest

Posted on May 1, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 36 photos.

My grandfather, at age 14, walked from Romania (Moldova) to Rotterdam to gain passage to America. I imagine him, apart from the trials of that journey, traveling through the great Utcas of Budapest: marveling at the monuments of the Hapsburg … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 1 Comment

Walzer in Wien

Posted on April 27, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 33 photos.

“My hair looks like shit,” Lisa deprecated.  We are heading into the last week of our journey, and the hardships of the road were taking its toll. I assured her she looked beautiful and cosmopolitan, and  after a little unwohlsein … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 3 Comments

Tracking der Osterhase in Österreich

Posted on April 24, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 27 photos.

Herr Johann Schendl’s family has owned the Gasthof Sänger Blondel, in Dürnstein, since 1730. The gasthof’s name is based on the legend of Richard the Lionheart’s faithful servant, Sänger Blondel, who discovered his master was imprisoned in Dürnstein castle by … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 2 Comments

Der Ton der Musik

Posted on April 20, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 27 photos.

Frau Steiner’s correct, yet warm welcome was the balm we required after an arduous train journey that snaked through the breathtaking Alps and delicate springtime valleys of Austria  (our editorial policy forbids lurid descriptions of the exigencies of our carriages … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 2 Comments

Una favola di due Venezia

Posted on April 18, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 24 photos.

Veneta, including Venice and Treviso, was our final destination in Italy. We spent a few hours in the surprising town of Treviso upon our arrival – it is a “tax free” banking zone, featuring stylish folks, canals, smart urban planning, … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 3 Comments

Dolce amore a Verona

Posted on April 13, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 21 photos.

“…Heaven is here Where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog And little mouse, every unworthy thing, Live here in heaven and may look on her…” – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 3.3 Verona, the Florence of the North, is … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 2 Comments

Insouciance a Toscana

Posted on April 10, 2011 by howard goldman

This gallery contains 24 photos.

  So many photos – so little bandwidth. We migrated to Tuscany 4 days ago, and have been based at the mother ship of Italian guest “farms”, Agriturismo Savernano. There are more expensive retreats, perhaps some with more elegant food … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 4 Comments