Author: Gracefully Global travels

A dream job doesn’t always have to be perfect: What I’ve learned as a guide in Rome.

I learned when I was still nearly a teenager that dream jobs aren’t all they are cut out to be when I landed a much sought-after role as a directing assistant to the directors of the Lion King, the stage musical, in Los Angeles.  When I started the job, my memories of walking through Times Square in New York and dreaming about seeing and working on all the Broadway plays were still fresh.  It only took three months of an exhausting and somewhat mind-numbing round-the-clock work schedule in Los Angeles preparing for the opening of the Lion King to teach me that there’s always a complement to our dreams: reality.

Fast forward (quite) a few years to just two weeks ago, when I started another dream job joining a team of OPCs who provide on-site program coordination for CISabroad‘s Faculty Led Programs around the world.  I was brought on due to my expertise in Italy, and I was offered my first week-long program in Rome, which just ended a week and a half ago.  And I’m still trying to catch up on sleep.

Me and my partner in crime and fellow CISabroad OPC Jamie, as we wait for the students and faculty to arrive at the airport.

Ha!  Actually, I’m exaggerating.  Slightly.  When you think about how exhausting it is to be a tourist – being outside on your feet everyday no matter what the weather is like, taking in a million new details and always having to be on your toes because you’re so far from home – and multiply that exhaustion by the amount of people you are responsible for as an on-site coordinator making sure every detail goes as planned for their experience abroad, the math is clear as the exhaustion multiplies very quickly.
But in the end, life is all about balance, right?  When I am in a challenging situation, I’ve learned to ask myself: ‘Does the experience and the work outweigh the exhaustion?’   And in this case, the answer is an overwhelming ‘yes.’
This job has given me the opportunity to see the cities that I have visited so often in the past in a whole new light through the perspectives and the knowledge that the students and faculty bring with them to these cities, from something as simple as a student’s comment about how she is surprised at the grand scale of all of the buildings in Rome, to visiting places that I would never have even known existed, let alone gone on my own, thanks to the expertise of the professors and the CISabroad staff that design the travel abroad programs.

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Students and faculty crossing the street on a tour of the churches in the center of Rome.

This work is only going to enrich the resources and the stories I get to share with you on Gracefully Global blog, and I’m really looking forward to hearing your feedback on my new job. 🙂
In just a few days I’m heading to Florence to prepare for a program that will be visiting Florence, Ferrara, and Ravenna!  I love these cities and I can’t wait to see what the students think of them.  And I’m already saving up some extra sleep hours so I’ll be doubly prepared. 😉
Since I’ll be on the road for the next week and a half, I won’t have many updates for you.  But in the meantime, here are a few highlights and favorite discoveries from our last program in Rome that maybe you can enjoy for yourself someday:

Baths of Caracalla near Appia Antica
Students seem dwarfed in size by trees at the Baths of Caracalla during our day trip to the Appia Antica area.

Appia Antica: Via Appia is a historic Roman road that connects Rome with Brindisi in the south, and when I say historic, that’s an understatement.  There is so much history to explore in this area outside Rome along the historic Appian Way that it could easily take you all day, including the Catacombs of San Domitilla, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Palace of Maxentius, and a bit of a drive away, the Baths of Caracalla (my personal favorite).  The downside to this neighborhood is that it is best reached by car, but there are buses that can take you there.  It is worth the investment in a day trip, especially if you like nature, as there is also a great park nearby that is beautiful on a nice day.

Capitoline Museum view to the Forum
Students looking out onto the Forum through the beautiful arcades along the side of the Capitoline Museum.

The Capitoline Museums: I very much enjoyed this group of archaeological and art museums on Capitoline Hill in Rome for reasons other than the artifacts – on one side of the museums (which are all connected but a bit confusing to navigate across) the view of the Forum is amazing, and on the other side of the museums there’s an affordable cafe with a gorgeous terrace where you can sit and enjoy the view of the city.  This is a destination for a beautiful, relaxing day – it is never crowded, and you can sit far above the crowds and enjoy the best views of both historical and contemporary Rome.  It is also right next to the Victor Emmanuel Monument (note that there is paid admission to go to the top of the monument), so if you want an even more dramatic view of Rome you can head up the monument after you’ve enjoyed lunch at the cafe.

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square
Pope Francis looking wonderful as ever during the papal audience in St. Peter’s Square.

The Papal Audience: On Wednesday mornings, if Pope Francis is in town, he gives an informal service in St. Peter’s Square which is a free, ticketed event, open to anyone who would like to attend.  I had no idea what to expect of this experience, and it far outweighed my expectations.  It was such a positive experience seeing so many families excitedly waiting to see the Pope and to sense his wonderful spirit as he greeted pilgrims and audiences, and finally to enjoy the peacefulness and spirituality of hearing him speak.

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Excited audiences anticipating the Pope’s arrival.

The Pope usually starts greeting audiences around 10am, then speaking around 10:30.  There are introductions of groups in attendance in all different languages beginning at 9am.  We arrived at 8:45 and we easily found a seat.  You have to go through security, and tickets are free but required.  We had a difficult time requesting tickets when we went directly to the Vatican, and then we got a tip – if you are American, contact the North American College, which is the U.S. Bishops seminary in Rome at this email address. When we finally contacted them, they were very gracious and helpful and coordinated our tickets right away, and even gave us an orientation in their office so we would know what to expect from the experience.  They were truly wonderful, which added to the experience as a whole as being positive in every way.  Please note that we attended the papal audience during the early spring.  Summer hours and logistics will be different due to demand.
The Prati neighborhood: We all stayed in the Prati neighborhood in Rome.  As a tourist on my own accord, I never would have thought to stay here.  But it was truly a delight.  Not only is it well-positioned to reach many of the must-see destinations in Rome like the Vatican and Castel Sant’Angelo, it is pretty and “orderly” and has very few tourists and many chic bars and restaurants, making dinner after a long day on our feet an easy choice.

Here are our dining favorites in Prati:

For breakfast we loved Vero Cafe (Via Marcantonio Colonna, 30, which is not far from Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Cavour) because of its organic, healthy, and delicious traditional Italian breakfast offerings as well as more hearty American-style bagel breakfast sandwiches.  They have a wonderful staff, and also offer to-go cups for coffee and tea, which are a true rarity in Italy.

For lunch, don’t miss the opportunity to try the neighborhood star, Il Gianfornaio (.  They actually have several locations in Rome, so check out their website linked above.  They are a bakery, making delicious pizzas and desserts, but are also pros at buffets in general and offer a weekend brunch buffet and a nightly aperitivo buffet.  It is a popular, hectic place better for a quick lunch or dessert and coffee, but whatever you end up getting will probably be quite tasty.

Tea and ricotta tart at Il Gianfornaio.
Tea and ricotta tart at Il Gianfornaio.

For dinner there was nothing better than the warm, modern basement of Zi Gaetana and a huge, traditional, thin-crust pizza followed by one of their incredible desserts.  We also really liked 3Quarti for its traditional menu mixed with some fun surprises and its comfortable, pretty interior (although it is small so a reservation is suggested, otherwise be prepared to wait a bit).

Zi Gaetana dessert
Jamie and I were both exhausted yet determined to make it through dessert because it isn’t every day we can get a dessert like the ones they have at Zi Gaetana.

My secret travel packing tips.

Packing is a pretty personal experience.  Maybe you’re a student, a businessperson, an artist, or a health nut.  Whatever is important to you dictates what you need to bring.  So instead of giving you a packing list for your next big trip, I’m offering you the packing techniques I’ve adopted over my years of European travel and two international moves.  Good packing can reduce your stress during your travels by helping you think through your packing ahead of time and plan for whatever you might need in the new environments you’ll be exploring.
If you do happen to be looking for a packing list, there’s a lot out there to choose from, including HER Packing List, which indexes packing lists by type.   The lists are focused on women, but certain things are universal, right guys?
Please note: This post focuses on trips with international airlines that offer generous baggage allowances.  If you are traveling a budget airline between countries in Europe, visit my budget airline post for tips.

1. When it comes to packing, controlling weight is key in order to avoid paying high overweight airline fees and a lot of stress on yourself.

Yes, I’ve been that person sitting on the airport floor in the check-in area, looking like my luggage exploded as I am re-shifting all of my personal items to knock five pounds off the weight of my checked baggage to avoid a $100 fee.  This process becomes even worse in a foreign country, where you have to go to a cashier window to pay the excess weight fee, and then stand in line again at the check-in counter with the receipt, risking missing your flight.
Here are some tips for avoiding overweight baggage:

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Making last-minute luggage shifting outside of JFK on my way to Milan.
  • Try to limit the amount of shoes you take with you.  Shoes are the biggest space and weight hogs.
  • If you can bear it, wear your heaviest pair of shoes on your flight (you can always take them off during the flight).
  • Put any non-liquid, heavy items like cameras, shoes, batteries, and even jewelry, in your carry-on if you think you are close to exceeding baggage weight restrictions for your checked baggage.
  • Make sure you have removed any excess packaging from any items you are traveling with.  You’d be surprised how much weight a little extra cardboard, plastic, or glass here and there on a souvenir or cosmetic can add up.
  • Take a jacket out of your bag, if necessary, and clip it onto your purse or carry-on with a travel jacket clip.

Wholesale-Cotton-font-b-Foldable-b-font-font-b-Reusable-b-font-font-b-Grocery-b2.  If you are flying international and think you might buy a lot of souvenirs, pack a large recyclable grocery bag to use as a carry-on on the way back if necessary.

International flight baggage allowance usually includes two checked bags, a carry-on and personal item (but be sure to double-check the baggage policy before you leave!).  If you buy so many souvenirs that you can’t fit them in your luggage, you can always check both the luggage and your carry-on, and then carry-on instead your large recyclable grocery bag.  Make sure to transfer your souvenirs to your former carry-on that you are checking (especially if they are liquid!) and your important traveling items to your grocery bag.  I know, walking around an airport with a recyclable grocery bag is not the most fashionable solution.  But recyclable grocery bags are light-weight and don’t take up much space, and are perfect in this sort of last-minute packing emergency.  Needing to buy a new luggage while on vacation in order to get all of your belongings home is not only time-consuming, but can also be pretty expensive.
 

51rR7sw-i3L._AC_UL320_SR318,320_3. Saving space is important, but space saver bags are only helpful to a point.

Space saver bags are fine, and if they help you get organized, even better.  I’m not a big fan because I find the plastic tool that helps you seal the bags often falls off, and the bags become difficult to re-seal, so they become useless.  If you are going on a trip that involves a lot of stops/changing of hotels, this is especially annoying.  And, needless to say, who has a vacuum on vacation with them?
Instead of space saver bags, I organize with inexpensive laundry bags they sell for separating your clothing items by type during washing.  They come with a zipper and really last a long time.  They don’t make noise like the noisy plastic space saver bags do, because they are made of acrylic fabric, which also makes them more durable.  You can usually find them on the same aisle as the space saver bags.
 

4.  Get an L.L. Bean hanging toiletry kit.

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In my humble opinion, there is no other toiletry organizer on the market that is as well-made and well-designed as L.L. Bean’s hanging toiletry kit.  I get no money from L.L. Bean.  In fact, when my dad first gave me this toiletry kit as a birthday gift, I was underwhelmed.  Fast forward 10 years later, and not only am I still using it, but it is my most valuable travel accessory.  I use it nearly every day because I travel so much, and it easily and effectively holds all of my toiletries.  In fact, it does such a good job that I forget how much is in there and it can get really heavy, so watch out for the weight!
 

IMG_61335. Speaking of toiletries, leave behind your expensive bottles of serums and moisturizers, and use contact lens cases instead.

If you are only going on a two-week trip or less, it is pretty easy to count out the amount of serum/moisturizer drops you need for your trip by pumping all the drops in a water-tight contact lens case.  Believe me, I’ve lost a lot of expensive products during my travels through damage in the traveling process.  Don’t risk ruining expensive products and benefit from not taking on the extra weight of the big bottles.
 

IMG_61356. Protect your blush, bronzers, powders, and eye shadows from breaking and crumbling  with disposable face pads.

My fabulous friend and fellow adventurous traveler Giovanna told me about this tip and the tip above.  I’ve had enough casualties of my make-up over the years that I embraced this tip from the first day she suggested to me.  Placing one or two make-up remover pads on the faces of my powder cosmetics has definitely minimized breakage.
 

7. Get out your suitcase at least a week in advance and start filling it with trip-specific items that you don’t use every day.

There are many trip-specific items that you don’t use on a daily basis, like your passport, so why not get them packed in advance and save yourself the stress and energy of packing these items the night before your trip?  If you have your luggage or carry-on out in advance, it is a gentle reminder to think ahead about important items you need to pack, and you can toss them in as you think of them throughout the week before your trip.  I’m leaving for Italy in three days on a work trip with CISabroad, and I’ve had my luggage out since last weekend.  I realized when I put my camera in my luggage that I needed to charge the batteries.  I was so grateful not to be charging batteries at midnight the night before my trip!
Types of items you can pack in advance:

  • Energy bars/snacks for traveling days
  • Camera and accessories
  • Gifts for relatives (if you’re paying someone a visit)
  • Passport
  • Winter clothing accessories
  • Plug adapter

8. Ensure your comfort in unknown environments by packing a large, light-weight scarf that you can keep in your carry-on or purse.

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I keep a large, light-weight scarf in my purse year-round.  It is a lifesaver.  When I’m on a plane, I use it as a blanket.

During the summer I use it as a shawl if an evening gets a little chilly.  During the winter I use it as a scarf.  It can also be a beach cover-up, extra layer of warmth on your legs outside on a cold night, the list goes on and on.
I’m using it as a shawl on a chilly summer evening in Ojai, California in the photo above, and in the photo on the right, I’m using it as a scarf on a chilly summer morning in Birmingham, England.
 

9. Do your vacation shopping trip several weeks in advance in case there are a few items you can’t find and need to order online.

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I went to Target a few weeks ago, and while I checked off most items on my shopping list, the shopping trip also reminded me of other items I needed.  I wanted a high-quality, fashionable backpack that fit my laptop.  Not an easy item to find, and Target didn’t have one.  I went home and found one online, but the item was back-ordered.  It is supposed to arrive tomorrow, three days before my trip.  Close call, phew!
 

10. Use pill boxes to keep small items like jewelry separated on long trips.

I admit, I’m a lover of accessorizing, so pill boxes aren’t necessary for everyone, especially for short trips when selecting one or two pairs of earrings that go with everything is a better option.  But my trips are quite long, and I get bored with just two pairs of earrings after a while.   I’m thrilled to finally have such easy access to them!  This is another tip I got thanks to my traveler buddy Giovanna!
 

11. Pay attention year-round to the travel-sized section of your local pharmacy or big retail store to look for clever travel solutions.

Although your basics are always available, the travel-sized product selection is constantly changing, and varies significantly from store to store.  If there’s a product you use regularly that you’d like the travel-sized version of, it isn’t so easy to find it by just going to one store.  So just pay attention year-round whenever you find yourself at a CVS, Rite Aid, Target, ULTA, etc.  For instance, a few months ago Target had several travel-sized Burt’s Bees products that I had never seen there before, and are since gone.  And I just picked up travel-sized nail polish remover wipes, which are so much lighter than my mini-nail polish remover bottle, and isn’t considered a liquid.  I’m so excited about this find. 🙂  Please note: Certain cosmetics brands you can contact directly or go to their websites to find travel-sized versions of their products.  I often pick-up specialty travel-sized products when I’m at ULTA.
 
 

Life Imitates Art or Art Imitates Life?

After completing two master’s programs in arts management, the topic of art and its relationship to life is of particular interest to me and has been the topic of many a paper and lengthy discussion with colleagues.
But in the case of the weekly WordPress photo challenge “Life Imitates Art,” I’m abstaining from profundity of any kind and delving into this photo challenge quite literally, utilizing the immensity of my library of travel photography as a significant asset.  I mean, doesn’t everybody love taking silly statue photos?

On that note, I now introduce you to the tip of the iceberg of my silly statue photo collection.  I apologize in advance.

Police statue in Budapest
Statues with lots of personality seem to be commonplace in Budapest, including this one just down from St. Stephen’s Basilica. Here my friend seems to have transformed herself into the pot-bellied double-breasted policeman.
Young girls statue in Trieste, Italy
My lovely arts management colleague Valentina interacts with a graceful statue in Trieste as if she were one of the group.

Polar bear statue at Venice Arsenale
This is one of a series of shots created with an obscure animal statue, me performing a selfie, and my friend Dan in the background responding to the serious posture of the animal. This polar bear is at the Venice Arsenale. We crack ourselves up.

Rhinocéros statue at Musée d'Orsay in Paris
Here are Dan and I again, this one with a giant “rhinocéros” statue in front of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

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My Dad at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. He’s the best model.

Manhole statue in Stockholm
Here in Stockholm, art imitates life with this statue of a man popping out of a manhole as people whiz by, as if he were about to fall into stride right behind them.

Stockholm Old Town statue
Another moment in beautiful Stockholm where art imitates life. This evening I was strolling through Old Town on my own, and this statue was so full of life that he almost transformed into my travel companion.

Dozza flower mural in Italy
My beautiful friend Lauren seemingly the human embodiment of the whimsical beauty of this flower mural in Dozza, Italy.

Saint Faustino’s Day: Celebrating Singledom the Italian Way

After spending most of the last five years of my life in Bologna, Italy, the day after Valentine’s Day will never be the same.  With the same pioneering, rule-breaking spirit that the Italians have brought to art, fashion, engineering, architecture, and crime, they’ve also brought to Valentine’s Day by creating their own holiday celebrating singles everywhere (everywhere meaning: the more the merrier) called Saint Faustino’s Day.  Happening annually on February 15th, the holiday would more appropriately be described as “clandestine lovers day.”  Since today is Saint Faustino’s Day, and you might not find yourself anywhere near Italy, here’s a little story to get you inspired for next year’s party planning.

It was a quiet afternoon in January and my tranquil afternoon was rudely interrupted by my telephone.

“Riiiiiiing!”

“Hello?” I answered from my apartment in Bologna, Italy.

“Yo Peg!  What’s up?  Can I use your place the day after Valentine’s Day?” comes the voice of my high school friend, also an American living in Bologna, and herein referred to as GF to protect his identity.

“What?! Why?”

“Why do you think? I want to meet girls!”

Sigh.  Of course.

“I don’t understand how your constant interest in the opposite sex has anything to do with my place or the day after Valentine’s Day,” I responded with the typical bit of annoyance creeping into my voice, a common occurrence in conversations with GF.

“Peg, what’s your problem?  Everyone knows the day after Valentine’s Day is singles day in Italy. I can’t have a party at my place!  I’d have to do the cleaning up!”

Obviously my friend GF has a lot of redeeming qualities that outweigh – or at least balance – the less than ideal ones.  And, as usual, I fell prey to his obscure charm and agreed to host a February 15th singles party at my apartment, much to the chagrin of my three roommates. I mean, hey, I was single.  Why not get into the spirit, right?  No sense in languishing in feelings of inadequacy on Valentine’s Day when I can be busy party planning for Saint Faustino’s Day.

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Party planning in Bologna.

Party-planning immediately got underway, meaning I created what turned out to be a fairly robust Facebook invite.  GF constantly monitored it to check out how attractive the girls were that had RSVPed “yes.”

But as the big day approached, I got sick.  Strep throat.  It wasn’t pretty. And I had no insurance to get antibiotics, as my “permission to stay” application had not been finalized yet by the Italian authorities, which meant that I was living in a crack within Italian bureaucracy and had no legitimate access to healthcare (although, to their credit, I could always go to the hospital and would be well taken care of).  On February 12th I found myself sitting and crying on the couch in our dining room because my fever was so high. I didn’t know what to do, and things really weren’t looking good for Saint Faustino. My Turkish roommate Zey, who is possibly the nicest person on earth, walked by on the way to the kitchen.  She assessed the situation (me) and quickly produced the travel antibiotic she always gets before leaving Istanbul and returning to Bologna.

I started taking them right away.  I stayed in bed constantly, abstaining from all social invites and even cancelling teaching English lessons.  I was determined: I had to get well for the Saint Faustino party.

Valentine’s Day came and went quickly.  Forgettable.  And I quickly found myself waking up on Saint Faustino’s Day.  I was still really sick.  So what did I do?  I got out of bed, took a shower, and put on my best pink cocktail dress and a whole lotta makeup.  I figured if I wasn’t going to heal the old-fashioned way, I may as well just give it the good old college try.

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We decorated our dining-room-with-a-couch with a random assortment of accessories from the 99 cent store (actually, multiple 99 cent stores, since they are practically on every corner in Bologna).  Friends started arriving, mostly from my graduate program at the University of Bologna and our extended circle.  GF arrived fashionably late with his sidekick and enough liquor for an army.  He immediately started complaining about my playlist and anxiously awaiting enough guests to make the party not embarrassingly empty.

And came they did.  Very fashionably late. But what would a party be in Italy if the guests arrived before 11pm?  Boring, that’s what! 😉  Friends came in groups and trickles of singles that we knew from all over town.  People tossed their coats in my room.
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Was everyone single?  Not even close.  But we all had at least one thing in common – we were all indisputably fun-loving.  Somebody brought a guitar.  Others starting noting my Valentine’s accessories and playing games.  People paired up and then mingled again. A couple found my room suitable for making out, which didn’t stop people from grabbing their coats and enjoying the entertainment.
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I noticed my project partner in my statistics class was spending a long time in my kitchen talking with the roommate of one of our classmates, a beautiful Italian woman.  GF noticed too and wasted no time in swooping in as soon as my statistics partner left early.  Hallelujah!  The party was officially a success.  GF met a beautiful woman that he wouldn’t have met otherwise.

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I don’t remember when GF and his Saint Faustino’s Day interest left.  But I remember quite distinctly that my last party guests didn’t leave till 4am.  And they insisted I join them wherever they were going next.  I declined, out of character for me.

I didn’t want to push my luck.  It was 4am, I was feeling better than I had in over a week, GF was happy, and I had just thrown a memorably enjoyable party.  Life was good.

So I went to bed, and woke up feeling awesome.  GF called.  No fireworks with his Saint Faustino’s Day catch, but he was happy nonetheless.  My statistics partner messaged me.  He wanted me to help him get to know this girl better.  The same girl.

Never a dull moment.

And now, they are married.  My statistics partner and the beautiful Italian girl that made such a splash at my first Saint Faustino’s Day party.  I can barely wait to tell their kids the story of how their parents met in my kitchen.  And it is all thanks to GF, and the fierce spirit of the Italians in their quest for love.  There is no occasion not worthy of pursuing potentially life-changing love, especially the day after Valentine’s Day.  Here’s to making the most of every day, especially today.  Happy Saint Faustino’s Day!!!

Time: A deep past mixes with a hopeful future in Central London

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Central London, to me, has always had such a polished image.  A place of beautiful, modern architecture brilliantly integrating with impeccably cleaned streets dominated by 18th and 19th century architecture and defined British culture.  And once in a while, a piece of incredible street art.

Piccadilly Circus
A lively Friday night in Piccadilly Circus.

 

St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral towers in the background and people hurry to lunch.
East London street art
Post-modern street art in East London

 

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My guide on our walking tour of Central London.

On the other hand, Italy, where I spend much of my time, has been a place of older architecture, and older history.  But last summer in London I really had a wake-up call in the form of an updated history lesson – Central London is seeping with history, and has even been referred to as the “Pompeii of the North” in reference to the significance of the archaeological digs taking place there.  London is a place where the passage of time cannot be ignored.
As I explored the city on guided walking tours and just following my own curiosities, I was astounded that all it took was to pay attention just a little more, and suddenly all the clues to the stories that permeate these streets started to appear. History came alive, right in front of me, in the form of Shakespeare’s old haunts, including the church he attended, or an apartment he lived in.

IMG_5626Or the Roman Temple of Mithras that is literally in the heart of central London, and has been moved from its original location due to major construction projects in the area.  Despite the modern and international image that London has, the significance of its history can’t be ignored, even when new developments have the potential to cover up the old reminders of its past.

I am writing this piece in response to this past week’s theme of time in the WordPress community, and a blogger I highly respect that is hosting this theme, Lignum Draco.  The featured picture at the top was my inspiration for this post. It is a very modern perspective of London and the passage of time, but its very existence is representative of how far London has come since 43 A.D..   But really the scrawling of hopes and dreams for the future rooted in the past by so many people over the course of this public art installation, is time in and of itself.  This piece of public art is on the South Bank, a beautiful neighborhood that has changed so much, and serves as another reminder of the passage of time and the long evolution London has gone through to bring it to where it is today.

London South Bank night view
A view of London’s South Bank at night.

Illustrious Instants: The Undeniable Beauty of Venice

There are two types of people in the world: those that love Venice, and those that really don’t.  It seems rare to find someone that has a neutral opinion of Venice.  I get both sides – Venice can be crowded, touristy at times, hard to navigate, it doesn’t have the best weather, and then there’s the flooding issue.

But despite all of its flaws, the architecture, ambiance, and sheer novelty of Venice are undeniable, and it is hard to argue against ranking it as one of the cities in the world that should be on everyone’s bucket list.  I’ll never forget stepping out of the train station the very first time, and stopping on the steps to take it all in: the view of San Simeone Piccolo proudly standing as the backdrop of the flurry of activity on the canal, right in front of me.  It almost felt like being in a dream.

That trip taught me which type of person I am – the kind that loves Venice.  I’ve made countless trips to Venice since that first time in 2011, and I hope to make countless more.

As Carnevale 2016 comes to a close today, Venice is on my mind.  Here’s to many more  gorgeous carnevali to come!!

Here’s how Google Maps helps me navigate a new city like a local.

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I love to travel solo or semi-solo and Google Maps is the best companion, as not only does he help me find my way, he always let’s me get my way.  We’ve had a lot of adventures together, but we’ve had to work at our healthy relationship.  I’ve had to share a lot with Google Maps and keep him updated – good relationships are a two-way street, after all.  So in order to take advantage of all my Google Maps has to offer and execute my tips below, I’ve had to be logged-in to my Google Maps application on my smart phone so it remembers who I am.
Once you’re signed-in, you can really discover the miracles of Google Maps. Here’s how it has made me a better traveler:

IMG_59371. I can always find my way, with or without data, with Google Maps Offline Maps feature.

There is nothing more frustrating (and scary) than being exhausted after a long day as a tourist, trying to get back to your hotel, realizing you don’t know how to get back, and not having a data plan on your phone to feed your maps application to help guide you home.  Usually I load my directions via WiFi at the restaurant where I eat dinner before I retire for the evening, but sometimes I forget and other times WiFi isn’t available.  This is where Offline Maps is a lifesaver – it doesn’t need WiFi or a data plan to function (although it is slightly more limited than using Google Maps online as it doesn’t offer transit, bike, or walking directions).  I make a point to add downloading Offline Maps to my to-do list for all the cities I plan to travel to before I leave on vacation.

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Even if you think you don’t need Offline Maps because you have a rock star international data plan on your phone, you can never be too prepared. One night at a Paris metro stop I had unknowingly arrived just after the last metro I needed left for the night (Paris metros notoriously finish running relatively early in the evening on weekdays, like between 11pm and 12am).  While I had data on my phone during my Paris trip, at the time I was in the metro tunnel with no usable data signal, unsure of what I should do next.  Luckily I had previously downloaded Paris as an Offline Map on my phone and didn’t need a data connection to use it.  While it couldn’t load transit directions, it was enough to let me cross-reference with the metro map to see how far it was to get to my hotel from a different metro stop with an alternative metro line that was still running from the stop where I was waiting.

 

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2. I have the memory of a goldfish, so I always update my saved Google Maps “Home” location with the address of where I’m currently staying, no matter how briefly I’m there.

Sometimes the most obvious pieces of information can be the most elusive, such as the address of where you are staying in a foreign country. Take this familiar scenario, for example:


You get to your hotel or Airbnb via all the reservation information you printed out at the office before you left on your vacation.  You check in to where you are staying, have a rest and a shower, and set out exploring for the rest of the day.  You have a fruitful few hours of exploring and are ready to call it a day.  You reach for your reservation information to reference the address of where you’re staying to tell the taxi you’re planning to take, and much to your chagrin, you realize you’ve left the print-outs with the address in your room.  You panic.  You remember what neighborhood you’re staying in, but not the street.  What are you going to do?  You could (A) Google your hotel address on your smart phone if you have data or via a found WiFi signal. (B) Run around searching for a knowledgeable local who’s willing to help you and speaks English. (C) Try to find your way on your own by meandering back in the direction you came from in the dark. (D) Sleep on a park bench and deal with it in the morning. (E) Ask Google Maps (in offline mode if necessary) to navigate you to your hotel because you remembered to store the address as Home when you left on your travels.  I think by now you know which I’m choosing.

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Believe it or not, this scenario happens more than you think.  I’ll never forget the lovely lunch I shared in Lecce with one of my great friends, Janet from New York.  An American woman sat alone at the table next to us, and spent much of our lunch talking to us and asking questions.  She left a bit before us, and as we were walking back to our Airbnb, we ran into her.  She was lost.  She asked us if we could help her get back to her hotel.  I reached for my iPhone, and at the same time realized I had remembered her checking her email on her iPhone during lunch.  I asked her, “You have an iPhone with data, don’t you?”  She looked at me, confused, and answered, “Yes.”  I responded, “Have you tried inputting the address of your hotel in your phone’s map for directions?”  And she said, “You can do that?”  Well, now you know, ha!

IMG_59543. Google Maps tells me where the basics like ATMs and grocery stores are, wherever I am, which saves me a lot of time and hassle.

I hate paying fees to exchange money in advance of entering a country with a different currency.  Instead, I arrive and plan to withdraw money in the local currency from an ATM (cash machine) asap.  This plan has always worked out for me, especially since it is so easy to find ATMs in Google Maps.


While the ATMS are easy to find at airports and train stations, often these ATMs have the highest fees.  Instead, I wait until I get into the city, open Google Maps, make sure it knows my current location, and just type “ATM” into the search function.  It then displays a map with red dots all around me, each red dot representing an ATM location.  I select one, ask Google Maps to give me walking directions, and head over and withdraw a small amount, knowing I can easily withdraw more when I need to.

Sure beats going to the bank in your hometown in advance of your trip and asking them to exchange $1,000 from your account into Euro, and then spending your travels worrying about getting robbed.

IMG_59514. I navigate public transport like a local, wherever I am, with Google Maps Transit Directions.

While Google Maps Transit Directions are not available in every city, they are widely available, especially in cities that are major tourist destinations.
If transit directions are available where you are (and you can always check in advance of your trip by doing a quick test search), Google can tell you how to get where you want to be via public transportation.

It will give you several different options of different lines and types of public transportation (bus, metro, train), and you can even edit the time you want to leave.  For example, if I’ve made a breakfast date with a friend, I’ll check the transit directions on Google Maps the night before to see how long it will take me by changing the departure time to the following morning.

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The transit directions even include walking directions to where you need to catch the bus, train, or metro.  So there’s no excuse for spending the money on a taxi, Lyft, or Uber, especially since I’ve found that Google Maps has sometimes been more accurate with transit times than transit information posted locally.  If only it went so far as to tell you how to open the door on the Paris metros.  Then it would truly be a perfect travel companion.

Please note that Transit Directions are not available in Offline Maps, and are not accurate in the event of a transit strike or sometimes due to local holiday transit schedules.

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IMG_59565. Google Maps “Saved Places” feature helped me bar-crawl my way through the best-rated historic pubs of London.

Even though I could ride the London Tube like a pro if I had wanted to, thanks to Google Transit Directions, I had a lot of time on my hands during my trip to London, and I was determined to save every penny and not waste a single cent on Tube rides (although I found out at the end of my trip that the Tube graciously caps your daily ride cost to £6.50, no matter how much you ride in the city between certain hours, as long as you use your Oyster card).
Since I didn’t want to spend my money on the Tube, that meant a lot of walking.  And London gets pretty chilly, even during the summer.  If I was walking from, let’s say, The Photographer’s Gallery to, let’s say, East London to check out the amazing street art, I would want to stop to warm up every mile or so.  Luckily, beer is quite economical in London, and half-pints even more so, running from £1.50 to £2.50.  And, I happen to be a fan of beer, so what a great way to spend my money that I save from not using the Tube!

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How did I manage to bar-crawl my way through London’s best pubs when I knew nothing about the city and even less about the pubs? I referenced my “Saved Places” on my Google Maps app, which, after I’ve saved a place, appears as a star on my map.  Whenever I wanted a break from my walking, I just looked for the nearest star on the map and navigated myself there, or had Google maps give me walking directions.  I would research the places I wanted to go with WiFi at my Airbnb at night, like articles about the best pubs in London, and when I found a pub that sounded promising, I punched it into my Google Maps app.  When the app located the pub I was looking for, I pulled up on the screen for more options and clicked the star to save the location.  And voila!  Look what my map looked like after all that research (see below).

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6. There’s no need to wait until I’m on vacation to do my research: I put Saved Places on my Google Maps whenever I get a tip about a good place to go, anywhere in the world, all year round.

I often find myself shuffling through my Instagram feed and drooling over friends’ delicious meals at fantastic places in Asia or Europe and deciding I’m going to go there one day.  But I have the memory of a goldfish, so you and I both know I will never make it there.  Unless, of course, I take advantage of the services of Google Maps.  Now when I see an amazing meal a friend is eating on Instagram, or read a fantastic article about a city in the New York Times travel section, I immediately find and add the recommendations as Saved Places on my Google Map.  Not only will that information be there whenever I make it to these cities, it gives me all the more inspiration for actually going in the first place because my research is already half-done!

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IMG_59577. Google Maps lets me save ANY location anywhere on my map, leaving me with no excuse for not finding my way to “unofficial places,” like the meeting point for a walking tour or the start of a hike a friend recommends to me.

I was on Facebook a few weeks ago, and saw a New York-based friend’s plea for Los Angeles-based friends to take a photo of a billboard her friend had designed that had just gone up in Hollywood.  No one had replied to her plea, and I knew I would be in LA eventually, so I opened Google Maps and added a pin at the intersection the billboard was located.  I labeled it “Billboard I need to photograph” so I can reference it the next time I’m in Los Angeles and it saved as another star on my map. Pretty easy.


I also used this feature when I was in London to save the meeting points for the many London Walks tours I went on.  The walks were very educational (sometimes too educational, ha!) and economical, and we often met in front of metro stops or at well-known intersections.  I would just drop a pin at the tour’s meeting point on my Google Map and label it with the name of the walking tour and the time we were supposed to meet.

Obviously, I am quite passionate about my love of Google Maps.  I could go on and on and on…but I won’t.  Keep in mind that technology changes quickly, and Google Maps is always changing/improving – the latest update makes it possible for Google Maps to pay attention to the travel and restaurant reservation info you make through your Gmail account.  I will try to keep you up to date, but if all else fails, just play around with it and see what you come up with, or leave a comment here on my blog!

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Illustrious Instants: An Afternoon Stroll in Bologna

This photo is perhaps the most “illustrious” of my “instants” so far. The photo isn’t meant to demonstrate fabulous composition, color, movement, etc. The photo taking is normal, but the subjects are wonderful. 
  
I took this photo because this relationship – daughter and mother taking a simple afternoon stroll -represents Italy for me in a special way. The unconditional love and family ties that still run deep in this country are a joy to witness. 
I am always grateful for the perspective that witnessing moments like these in countries other than my own have given me, and I hope for the same opportunities for you as well!

The reality of budget airlines and why I took the bus to Prague

For a lover of travel, the best thing Europe has to offer is having a completely different culture nearly at your fingertips…traveling from country to country in Europe requires less financial investment and often less time than traveling from state to state in the United States.

More affordable European travel is mostly due to a fairly robust train system, and incredibly low-cost airlines (low-cost as in, flying to Paris from Milan for $20). Airfares from low-cost airlines such as EasyJet, RyanAir, and WizzAir are, at face value, a traveler’s dream, made possible by the groundbreaking  “Open-Skies Treaty” in 1992, removing government restrictions on airspace.

The chance to fly throughout Europe at discount prices offers a lot of opportunity for the seasoned traveler with energy, patience, and time to spare. But the reality for the rest of us is that there’s a lot of expense, time, and effort that is in excess to the advertised discount airfares, which can be especially aggravating to the inexperienced traveler.

RyanAir, the king of low-cost airlines, topped Zagat’s list as the #1 worst airline in the world, receiving a measly score of 4.16 out of 30 possible points in customer feedback surveys. On the bright side, at least you’ve been forewarned. As a British expat said to me recently, “Well, at least RyanAir is number one in something.”

IMG_7507All that being said, on a recent opportunity to meet a friend in Prague and faced with the choice of a 125 euro round-trip RyanAir flight to Prague from a small airport 3 hours by train or car from where I live in Bologna, or a 15 hour bus ride, I chose the bus.

Here’s why:

1. Hidden airline fees
While baggage, beverage, and snack fees have become an industry wide standard, discount airlines take these fees to another level. 

  • BAGGAGE FEES
    Easyjet, for example, allows one carry-on and only one, so ladies, that means you either save room in your carry-on for your purse, or you’re going to be charged a baggage fee.  While RyanAir seems to be “generous” with their carry-on policy permitting a small bag as well as a regular carry-on, they instead search for other, more unexpected ways to extract money out of you.  For instance, if you don’t pay for your baggage online in advance of getting to the airport, they charge you a much higher baggage fee (I paid 100 euro for my bag when flying on RyanAir from Milan to Stockholm).
  • “PRINT YOUR TICKET AT HOME” POLICY
    RyanAir’s infamous “print your ticket at home” requirement has bitten me in the butt twice. Once on my way back home to Bologna from a trip to Paris, I lost my return ticket I had printed before leaving on the trip and had to pay the 10 euro fee to print my ticket at the printing kiosk at Beauvais. I was lucky they had a printing kiosk, as many airports don’t and the fee is even higher if you have to print it at the check-in desk.
  • SMART PHONES DON’T HELP
    With the advent of airline smart phone applications, I thought I had finally overcome this most annoying aspect of flying via RyanAir by being able to use my smartphone e-boarding pass, only to find out at the airport that RyanAir doesn’t permit non-EU citizens to use e-boarding passes, another predatory procedure aimed at tricking you out of your money, as the procedure is not clear via the app, and is not related to government policy (EasyJet, for instance, permits the use of e-boarding passes by non-EU citizens) and is instead taking advantage of travelers who are never originating from their home city and therefore with fewer resources for printing their tickets.

2. Extra ground transport time and fees
When you are visiting larger European cities, the low-cost carrier airports are often located further away from the cities, and require more time, creativity, and money to get to and from the airports, which ultimately cuts into your vacation time.

  • DISTANT AIRPORTS, SPARSE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
    Luckily in smaller cities like Bologna, the low-cost airlines share the same airport with the major carriers. But in most major cities this isn’t the case.
    For example, Beauvais is the low-cost carrier airport serving Paris. It takes about an hour to travel by bus to Paris from the airport. But the real challenge is getting back – the buses don’t run often and the bus company knows the airport schedule. If you arrive at the bus station – which is outside the center of Paris and requires a bit of time on the metro to reach – less than three and a half hours before your flight, the bus will have already departed for the airport and you’ll get stuck sharing the 125 euro cab fare with a few strangers in order to make it to the airport in time. Don’t worry though, the cabs wait by the bus station for unfortunate souls like us, so you’ll have no problem finding a cab (yes, unfortunately, I’m speaking from experience).
  • GROUND TRANSPORT CAN RUN INFREQUENTLY WITH DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND SCHEDULES
    Take it from me – make a mental note to learn the bus schedule of (often) the only method of transport to and from the airport serving your low-cost flight as in advance as possible, as sometimes this is no easy task when traveling in a non-English speaking country.
    Yes, along with my eventful experience in Paris, I’m also referencing my nail-biting wait in line with my nearly indecipherable general admittance bus ticket behind several hundred other anxious budget travelers at Stockholm’s bus station in the wee hours of New Year’s Day, as (luckily) the bus company called a sleepy bus driver to come in on short notice to accommodate the especially numerous tourists that morning. If I had been able to read the schedule better and had done my research in advance, I would have arrived at the bus station earlier. Which brings me to the next important point:
  • BUY YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE / WIKITRAVEL IS (always) YOUR BEST FRIEND
    Always check (the life-saving) Wikitravel before you leave on your trip and see if you can buy your bus ticket online.  This will save you the inevitable wait in line behind everyone else on your plane to buy your bus ticket.
    In airports like Brussels South Charleroi Airport, your ticket bought in advance online could save you hours, as the electronic kiosks to buy your bus ticket at this airport are iffy at best,* and the majority of travelers whose ATM/credit cards are not accepted by the kiosk must wait in line to buy their ticket from the one in-person attendant available, who tends to take lunch during peak arrival times. I eventually wizened up and payed a local returning home in cash to put my ticket on his card at the kiosk and was able to get on a bus to Brussels without an really significant delay.
    I’ll never forget pulling away from the curb and seeing the hundred people (including many from my plane) camped out in line for their bus ticket in front of the “gone for lunch” sign at the attendant’s empty window. Take it from me (and all the people waiting in that line), read Wikitravel for the city you’re visiting before you get there! The Brussels entry had explicitly warned travelers about this problem, but unfortunately I didn’t read the entry until I was on my to the airport, so it was too late to buy my bus ticket in advance online.

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My happy friend Chris who met me at the Brussels bus station after I narrowly escaped the drama of the airport.

3. Additional accommodation fees, taxi fees, and/or major loss of sleep
Budget flights do not run as regularly between the destinations they serve as regular carriers do, and the flights often take place at less desirable times of day, like very early or very late. 
This could mean that you’ll arrive at your destination late at night, or that you’ll take off very early in the morning. And remember, most major cities do not run their public transportation 24 hours per day.

  • TOO LATE/TOO EARLY FLIGHTS
    It is easy not to consider enough just how much your flight time affects the way your organize your trip. For instance, if you wanted to head out on your vacation on a Saturday morning, but there are no morning flights offered and you are left with the choice of leaving a day earlier and paying an extra night of hotel stay, or leaving twelve hours later and losing most of a day of vacation, what do you do? An extra night of hotel is not a budget option. If you added the hotel stay to what you paid for the flight, you could probably afford a non-budget flight leaving at a more comfortable time of day.
  • MISSING YOUR FLIGHT BECAUSE THE METRO WASN’T OPEN YET
    Early morning flights can infamously depart sooner than it is possible to arrive at the airport via ground transport, or sooner than the metro that brings you to the ground transport starts to run.
    My friend Lauren missed her EasyJet flight out of London for just this reason – she had afforded enough to time to get to the airport, not considering that she might have to wait for the metro to start running in the morning. Wikitravel’s London page actually has a section describing how to sleep at London Stansted airport, as so many people riding EasyJet and RyanAir have encountered this problem over the years.
    With no public transport options early in the morning, your choice is to sleep for free on a bench at the airport, pay to sleep at an airport hotel, or pay for expensive door-to-door ground transport. Honestly, I don’t know about you but none of these options sound so great to me.

4. Lots of time and attention needed to meet stricter baggage and liquid requirements
If you’re flying low-cost, that probably means you don’t want to spend the money to check your bags. But take it from me – check them, and do it as in advance as possible. 
Check your bags when you originally book your ticket, as that’s when you’ll be offered the biggest discount for the checked bags. You can also check them when you check-in online for less of a discount. Do not check your bags spontaneously at the airport, as they will charge you a crazy fee.
Checking your bags saves you the stress of packing. And stressing/wasting time on packing is never worth it – that and the lack of stuff you’ll have access to for your trip (because checked baggage allotments are so minimal) can quickly negate any of the positive benefits you’re deriving from your trip.

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Arriving in Bologna on my first RyanAir flight.

  • STRICTER LIQUID POLICIES
    Discount airlines are often stricter about their baggage and liquid policies in airports only serving low-cost carriers. There is no customer service mandate that prevents them from caring about making you feel like a criminal because you forgot you had Chapstick buried in the bottom of your purse, so security lines at low-cost airports are often longer and more stressful than security lines at other airports. Save yourself this stress and worry by tossing all your liquids in your checked baggage. Then you can stand in the security line worry-free (as long as you arrive early enough for your flight!).
  • DON’T FORGET ABOUT WINTER AND SOUVENIRS
    Getting to your destination is one thing, but weathering long days being a tourist outside in winter without enough warm, heavy clothes to keep you warm because you weren’t able to fit enough in your carry-on is absolutely no fun. Also, layering is only fashionable to a point. I spent a freezing May in London pretty much wearing everything I had fit in my carry-on every day. I think the last time I was so perpetually unfashionable was in 1993.  Fortunately I’m not a souvenir gal, but I know many of you are. I can assure you there won’t be space in your bag for it, and forget bringing back a bottle of wine or heaven forbid some olive oil. But if you are flying low-cost there is still a way around it.  If you go crazy souvenir shopping, add a souvenir tote bag to your shopping list which will afford you more space to dump all your (non-liquid) souvenirs in the tote to carry-on, and then check your luggage in when you check-in online.

5. When you count out all the hours that go into all of the effort to take a budget airline, sometimes a bus or a train is actually a faster way to go. 
If I had flown to Prague instead of taking the 14 hour bus, I would have had to take a bus to the train, to another bus, to a plane, and then to another bus.

Including all connections, airport time, and flight, it would have cost 200 euro (train and bus tickets add up quickly) and would have taken about 11 hours. Instead, for 100 euro round-trip, I got to relax on a comfortable – albeit non-luxurious – bus with phone service the whole way, frequent pit stops, super friendly drivers who gave us free water and cookies, and as much luggage and liquid as I wanted to bring. All this without a stress or worry. No delayed flights, no standing in line, great view.  Loved it.

I’m making a habit out of this actually. In January I took a train from Milan to Paris, and tomorrow I’m taking the train to Munich. Another great alternative to discount airlines. You can find timetables for train travel across Europe on the German website, Bahn.

But if you really still want to fly, I understand. Just please, all I ask is remember these tips so you don’t have to suffer quite as much as me and my friends have…;)

* Kiosks may now be working better, as this occurred in 2012.

My first Italian wedding in Lecce: It was no perfect fairytale, but there was a happy ending

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It was 11pm and I was standing alone outside the Lecce train station with two luggages, two bags, no ride, no money, and Lecce’s Wikitravel entry loaded on my iphone, warning me about Lecce’s rip-off taxis. Well, thank heavens. I had phone service.
I had just endured three days and two nights of continuos travel to get to Lecce, Italy (in the region of Puglia) from San Diego, CA, for the wedding of two of my best friends: an Italian bride from Lecce, and an American groom from Buffalo. They met on Valentine’s Day at a party at my apartment in Bologna, years ago. I couldn’t wait for the nuptials, and the celebration, but mostly to be reunited with some of my best friends.
So despite obvious fatigue and ambiguity about the next few hours of my life, and the lack of fairytale charm that was driving my current travel story, being back in Italy after five long months away and the promise of what was to come was enough to keep my spirits up.
I was the first out-of-town guest to arrive in Lecce. I made it to the B&B in an overpriced cab (Wikitravel is always right) and slept in a damp cave-like hallway of a room in a bottom bunk. Still unfazed, I woke up the next morning and tried my best to play host to the string of foreigners arriving by bus and train, depending on whether they flew in on a budget flight to nearby Brindisi, or endured a long train ride from a major airport. We were stuck like sardines, eleven of us, in the small B&B with two bathrooms with no central access. But we were happy nonetheless to be reunited once again. Many of us had studied arts management together, while others were students or teachers in other capacities. But we all had at least three things in common: the bride, the groom, and we weren’t from Lecce.
That evening, in the absence of the tradition of a bachelor/bachelorette party, the bride had organized a pre-party to celebrate with friends. I’d been tasked with preparing a “Bologna style gag” for the occasion. Meaning that, because Bologna is a university town, it is famous for graduation traditions involving a significant level of public humiliation, such as printing out bad quality, embarrassing pictures of the graduate, writing funny captions on them, and posting them on the streets for the public to enjoy. When the groom did this for my Bologna graduation, my landlord sent me a congratulations. “How did you know I graduated?” I asked him. “Well, I saw your pictures on the street of course,” he responded. Eeeek.

So this was my natural choice for the gag for the “quasi bachelor/ette” party. Three of us from the “foreigner” cohort spent nearly an hour plastering Lecce with embarrassing photos of the couple on this busy Friday night in town.

We died of laughter as the pedestrians accepted our “art” with gusto, tourists and locals stopping to enjoy the photos as they headed out for the evening. The public humiliation continued as I managed to get the bride and groom to cross-dress during a “soon to be newlywed” game (photos not included for the sake of the long-term reputation of the couple, sorry guys ;)).

We made it to bed at a fairly decent hour in anticipation of the big event. Venturing out the next morning – the Saturday of the wedding – in the heart of wedding season in gorgeous, baroque Lecce, we seemed to run into a wedding around every corner.

Due to this competitive wedding season, our bride had “settled” on her third choice for the wedding ceremony: Lecce’s duomo.

Let’s just say Lecce’s duomo is not your average duomo, and not your average place to get married, especially by American standards. It is, for lack of a more sophisticated word, immense, and usually packed with tourists. I was dumbfounded that it was even an option to get married in a place of such beauty and history.
We arrived early for the ceremony, dwarfed by the scale of the duomo, and feeling as though we had finally stepped into the pages of the fairytale. Except, are grooms actually nervous in fairytales? We tried our best to console him. The bride was on time, but the organist was late.
Other than the late organist, they managed to get hitched without a hitch. The American “assistant priest” even offered comic relief for all as he embraced his big moment on the duomo altar by taking pictures during the ceremony.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom greeted their adoring family and friends on the steps of the duomo,

tossing the bouquet into our crowd on the edge of the immense piazza,

which ended in a surprising steal by one of the guys, who was teased endlessly after by the bride’s brothers.  More priest photo-taking,

and a long string of well-wishing and congratulations, during which the bride’s nana (grandma) took a breather in the coveted limousine (not such a common car in Italy).

We got our pic with the beautiful bride, and then we finally set out for the reception.

The party took place in a castle called Castello Monaci on a piece of country land outside of Lecce. As we pulled up at dusk, it felt like we were arriving at Cinderella’s castle set on the backdrop of the beautiful Pugliese landscape.

First wine tasting in the museum foyer (another building on the estate),

followed by an antipasto buffet in the castle,

complete with all of the bride and groom’s favorite things,

and a few of our own too. 😉

We foolishly thought the antipasto buffet was dinner, but our plates were soon pulled away and a several course wine paired dinner began.

We were all feeling well taken care of.

As we savored the last tasty morsels of dinner, we were beckoned outside for the cake cutting happening in tandem with traditional Pugliese Pizzica and Tarantella music and dance, complete with a traditional band.

Tambourines were ringing as women threw off their heels and ran for the improvised dance floor in the damp grass, everyone trading partners and teaching the little guests and foreigners how to join in.

And just as we all imagined that life couldn’t get much better, we were ushered into another wing in the castle, and greeted by a dessert buffet that could only be matched in my wildest imagination by a scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Off the dessert bar was an enclosed glass patio where the DJ, the official dance floor, and an open bar awaited.

The grappa was amazing.
And then, just as the clock chiming midnight snuck up on Cinderella, before we knew it 4am had rudely arrived and ended our magical night. The bride and groom retreated to their castle chambers, and we headed off in the Volkswagen of one of the waitresses, as the last taxi in the region had already called it a night. Not exactly a magical carriage ride, and returning to our damp and dark B&B wasn’t so magical either. Reality had arrived, but that was ok. We can’t be too greedy about our special experiences…we got enough of them tonight to even stow some away in reserves for awhile.
And that, my friends, is the end of this fairytale, at least for now…