The New trips for 2010 are ready to go!  We have some exciting things in store for those interested in traveling the world and sharing their experiences through Photography.  Please download the newest flyer (posted above) and if you have any questions about the trips please fill free to contact us.  Remember, both trips have limited space so you need to reserve your spot today!  All prices are conveyed through conversation only and not given through emails.  

Day 20-23

August 8-11

Roma, Italia

Rome is like Paris to me; there are a few very old and extremely interesting things that must be seen by any and all travelers but then you should just get out.  The traffic is horrible.  The heat is almost unbearable.  The mass of people at every typical tourist destination seems so large that one only wants to just run away and hide.  But the beauty that the Colosseum or the Pantheon and of course the Vatican reveals takes your breath away and you tend to be so captivated by them that you just feel so alone.  You no longer hear the complaining tourists talk about the heat or the long lines or the prices that they paid to see these ruins.  You no longer care about anything but how wonderful it is to finally see what you have for so long desired to experience.  

We walked these streets and visited these sights, as we should, and learned a few things along the way.

On the last day, after we visited the Piazza Navonna and watched street performers, purchased sketches of the city"s most famous sights, we just walked.  We found and entered a small market.  It was one of those typical Italian markets that only has certain things.  It seems that yo have to visit numerous markets to complete any particular meal but this market seemed to have everything that I would need to have an Italian meal.  I saw pasta, oil, wine, bread, and meats.  The butcher behind the counter was ready to cut us up some meat faster than we could say "no thank you". the smell of salami and cheese was so thick in the air, it felt like a suffocating blanket.  We grabbed a small bag of Cerignola olives and left.  We continued to walk. We talked about opening the olives but didn't.  We didn't open them until we were just about hungry for dinner.  I tore the bag open and poured some of the juice out so we could reach in and pick the ones we wanted.  My mom reminded me of uncle Ralph and how he used to make his own olives.  I remembered.  I thought of it my self and how we kids would run around that huge backyard to sneak into the pots and grab olives with out dirty hands.  We thought that we were being sneaky.  We found a great little cafe in another narrow street and sat to finish our olives, talk about the great trip and perhaps eat when we became hungry.  

Yes we did see the sights, followed the crowds to the next destination, hurried through the Vatican museum to only see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but the best time, for me, was the time spent walking and talking and resting at all of the little street cafes and just realizing that we were there.  We were there with each other. 

Day 18-19

August 6-7

Firenze, Italia

Our last few days in Firenze.  What to do when your leaving a wonderful and dynamic place like Firenze.  To start with we had to eat, everyday mind you, at Wolfie's favorite little cafe.  He says that they have the best pizza.  Well, they certainly have the best Spritz!  that very cafe sits just a stones throw from the leather market and you get to watch those silly tourists act like they know what they are doing by negotiating just 10% off the sticker.  Everybody knows that you should get at least 40%.  Firenze has so many things for the busy traveler to do and we just continued to do them before we left.

A week before we opted out of seeing the house of Michelangelo so we headed over there and saw both his house and pieces he did at the age fifteen and sixteen.  At the very age that so many American boys are so concerned of getting their driver license so they can finally ask Peggy Sue out on a date, and take her to the sock hop, and drive up to Inspirational hill to watch the submarine races, or stay out late just to get into mischief; Michelangelo was busy studying man, and how to carve that image from the hard stone of marble only to become the most accomplished at such an art. 

Walking the narrow streets of Firenze and having to jump out of the street and onto the very small granite curbs when a moped or bicycle races by; you find yourself becoming mesmerized by the patterns that the square stones in the road make. Occasionally, you find cigarette butts, or bottle caps stuck between the gaps and when little boys see the lost change of those who weren't paying attention when puling out their mobile phones from their front pant pockets and the single Euro drops to the ground, they pick it up.  

The heat is unbelievable during the last days of July.  The native Californian has trouble because the humidity is much more than they are used to. The dry heat of the San Joaquin is nothing in comparison to the wet air drifting over from the Arno River that mixes with the heat of the day that bounces around all of the piazzas.  It's so hot that everyone waits until late in the evening to exit their homes and be social.  When the sun has completely hidden from the moon, they all come to the piazza and watch the children run and chase each other.  They shyly watch those who haven't finished their meals at the restaurants at the perimeter of the piazzas, and try to avoid those pesky street vendors pedalling toys and paintings. 

We purchased a few more of our favorite little cookies from a cafe, watched those busy artist chalk their reproductions right on the street and just did what the local does every night; we walked around and enjoyed life, life in Firenze.

Day 14-17

August 2-5

Amsterdam, Holland

      I think that the worst trait that we kept after sneaking out of England and starting our own world is that one that makes us think that the world is ours and just for us.  The one that keeps us from understanding that things, all things, in different countries are not better or worse but different.  The sooner the rookie traveler understands this, the better off they will be and they will simply enjoy themselves more.

            We had to go to the train station to get the overnight train tickets from Amsterdam back down south to Milano.  The typical setting; it was filled with traveling high school and college students on holiday trying to go somewhere last minute but not wanting to pay the bill.  They will stay in line for hours to have an attendant tell them that one of their options is to pay a couple hundred Euros to take the fast train to where ever it may be they are going but they opt out for their second choice, a very slow eight hour train ride with seven train changes.  In the end they are still at the train station trying to decide as to what they should do, only missing what this current city has to offer them.  You can’t blame them; they are just trying to stretch their money for as long as they can.  They will do anything to stay away from home and any responsibilities. They keep telling Mom and Dad that the debit card they gave them is still full.  Truth be told, they have been eating bread and water for days now, sleeping where ever they partied the night before, showering once a week if they can, and saving every penny they have to make it to the next location in a long line of cities meant for a summer long independence.  I, most of all, can’t say anything.  I did the same thing.  It made me the traveler I am today. 

            Today, with more experience and, most importantly, more money; I travel a little better.  We are taking the Hispeed train out of town with our very own sleeping room and room service.  What a Euro buys today.  But you have to do those other things in life to appreciate what other options there are out there.  I’ve slept upright in a chair during an overnight train, been kicked off as a stow-away and hidden in sleeping cars before so, it’s nice to have a little luxury once in awhile. 

            After watching the kids talk and fight about what city they should move to next, smelling days, if not weeks, of a lack of showered bodies, having them ask me questions after inhaling what seemed to be an entire carton of cigarettes, watching a local try to sell them bogus train tickets to “where ever they want to go” for practically nothing, and just getting hungry; we  purchased our “adult” tickets and went to Menneken Pis on the Damrak for some of the world’s best French Fries.

            We walked around town, and I mean around town, finally resting for drinks and Bitter Bollen on the Singel Centrum. This is one of my favorite spots in Amsterdam.  We tried to enter the house of Anna Frank but being that it is Late July-early August; there are tons of travelers and the typical tourist attractions are like Space Mountain at Disneyland with long lines zigged zagged in front of them all.  That’s the very reason why you do not visit any city just over night and expect to see everything.  We will try again in the morning. 

            We went to the Van Gogh museum again.  I go at least twice every time I’m in Amsterdam.  I get the Museum card, which allows me to enter dozens of attractions for free for a year.  When I time it right, I can use if for two vacation trips.

            For the most part, today was a time to remind those travelers with me that life is short and we need, no must, appreciate it.  We must not race through life expecting to be here tomorrow.  We must take time out to reflect about what it is we want and how to get it.  While in Europe I am capable of doing this by simply sitting in a square (local spot outside a café) having a drink and just thinking about life and all that it has given me. For me, for this trip, it’s appreciating the fact that a couple of my travelers happen to be my own mother and son.  To share with them what I love about this life style is an amazing gift. But most of all, sharing with them the philosophy that we need to appreciate that what we like or expect to find just wont be there; things are different all over.

Day 11-12

 

July 30-August 1

 

Piacenza, Italia

 

            The Romans built, among just about everything, a long road stretching across Italy from the Eastern coast clear across to the western side, building a town about every 20 kilometers because that's how far the army could march in a day.  They last town on the road, which is still used as a road today, is Piacenza.  This beautiful little town is the quintessential Italian town, with its narrow curved, cobble stone streets and its vibrant colored houses.  It is my favorite city in Italy and I am able to visit every year because I have a friend who happens to be a native of this lovely little town.

            I first met Giulio about 15 years ago and have been able to see him on a regular basis.  I always learn more about both Piacenza and Italy when we spend time together because he always takes me somewhere new and the drive there reveals something I haven't seen or heard about. Whenever I am near I make sure to travel through Piacenza to at least have dinner with him.  I walk the streets, shop, eat and just have the best-relaxed time while I am there.

            We only had a couple of days in Piacenza and we met Giulio the first night for dinner.  He picked us up at the hotel and we walked the several blocks to a great little restaurant in the middle of the steps of a hill.  We had the typical proshutto and many different dishes kept coming as he continued to order as we ate.  After a great three hour meal, as all meals with Giulio are long, we walked around town and stopped here and there for drinks and grappa.  One of Giulio's brother-in-laws was with us and walked along with us with his bike.  Everyone rides a bike and we felt like natives with someone in our group pushing his bike.  

            The couple of days in Piacenza were literally nothing but relaxation, shopping, and food and drinks. We just walked with cameras in hand and shot everything in sight, stopping off occasionally at the nearest cafe for a drink, some snacks, and a few pictures of the locals doing the same.

            On our last morning there we went to Giulio's dentistry to say goodbye and have a coffee with him.  We stayed at the studio for a while talking with the office staff that I see every year and a few new students.  We took pictures with Giulio and he showed us the renovations that are currently taking place in his twelfth century home and let him get back to work.  That night there was a city wide shopping event for the summer and we attended to see what deals we could find.  We had to buy a new suitcase because my mom purchased too much along the way.  

            All good things have to come to an end and our time in Piacenza was no exception. We gathered our things, packed up the new suitcase and taxied our way to the train station north to Milano.  I love Piacenza and when you see the photographs you will know why.

Day 11

July 30

Bologna

Leaving Murano, I called for a boat taxi the night before and had him pick us up right near the hotel in Murano.  We took that last boat ride from the island of Murano to Venezia with the sun coming up behind the boat as if it were pushing us forward on our journey.  The waters were calm in Venezia with very little activity. There were a few cargo boats bringing in supplies.  We were at the train station early enough to get some coffee and breads and waited for our train to dock.  We had a regular train to Bologna and it took just a couple of hours to put up with the constant change of pasengers.  We were headed for Bologna for one reason and one reason only, the Ducati factory.  My son and I are huge motorcycle fans and this would be like Mecca for Motorcycle enthusiasts.  

There would be only one problem, what to do with our luggage.  My first thought was to leave the luggage in lockers at the train station but I wasn't sure what accomadations they would have, if any. Once we arrived in Bologna I found that the train station did have acomodations but not lockers.  I wasn't comfortable leaving them in an open room being watched by whomever so we took them and rented a car to both, keep the luggage and use to drive to the motorcycle factory.  

The directions were clear and easy and we made our way to the factory in about twenty minutes.  We parked and found our way to the front gate to wait in a very small, select group of few people.  We quickly got into groups of Italian and English speakers and headed into the plant.  I still can't get over that their lounge is an actual cafe.  Employees can take a break and get an espresso and a snack, then get back to work.  Coffee is an intricate part of their lives so I'm really not that surprised.  

The inside was broken up into sections. Different bikes were being built in different sections and that determined what we could see.  We could only really see the Monster being built.  It's their least expensive bike.  I did however see something very strange.  So strange that the tour guide didn't even know what it was.  A bike with a front end that looked as if it were the infamous Desmosidici but the rest of the bike was completely different.  Is there another one the horizon?  We shall see.  The factory tour was great but we had to get the car back and get of of Bologna to get to a little town in northern Italia that I love so very much, Piacenza. So after the two hour tour, we asked a few questions, took a few more photos and crawled out to the hot asphalt street like toddlers relunctantly leaving the park. The parking lot was full of Ducatis and a Ferrari.  We are in Italia you know.