Climbing to Austria (Days 26 – 29, 19 – 22 June 2015)
Elizabeth Friday 19 June In Meran I seem to have left behind the last of the immigrants – everyone has been white and mostly German-speaking since I left that city for…
italy
Visiting the Missing – The Merano Jewish Museum & Synagogue (Day 25 – 18 June 2015)
Thursday 18 June My tourist map shows a Jewish Museum. One of my goals for this trip is to explore my Jewishness and look our European history more squarely in…
On the Divide: The Cities of Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol (Bolzano/Bozen & Merano/Meran)
Days 22 – 24 (15 – 17 June 2015) Monday 15 June – From Rovereto to Bolzano I wake to the sound of the nearby church bells striking seven and…
Bicycling Italy: Along the Adige River (Days 20 & 21 – Firenze to Rovereto)
One aim of my midlife gap year of travel was to visit old friends. I’ve spent the past few days doing just that in Firenze, and feeling sort of emotionally…
The Warm Embrace of Friendship Renewed – Firenze (Days 17 – 19; 10 – 12 June)
10 June 2015 – Wednesday It rains while I am on the train to Florence. A pelting rain slanting into the Tuscan landscape of green hills, fields of crops and…
Into the Mass Tourism Beast I Go – Cinque Terre and Pisa (Days 15 & 16 – 8 & 9 June)
Travelling solo, and not being inclined to wear obviously branded clothing, I think people are a little confused by me. It’s a thing I notice on the train to Cinque…
The Ligurian Coast – Hot, Hilly, Beautiful (Day 14 – 7 June)
Wednesday 10 June: I catch up, then I fall behind, I catch up, then I fall behind. I’m struggling to find the right balance of riding, seeing the places I’m…
Genoa: No expectations, thoroughly delighted (5th – 6th June, Days 11 – 12)
“The Most Serene Republic of Genoa ruled the Mediterranean waves during the 12th to the 13th centuries, before deferring to the superior power of Piedmont. Its crusading noblemen once established…
On Italian Roads: from Pavia to Tortona to Genova (4/5 June – Days 11 & 12)
4 June – Pavia to Tortona I didn’t pedal away until 11:00 – so much for an early start. It was easily 40* on the road today making the 51…
Working Days and Holidays in Pavia (2/3 June – Days 9 & 10)
Later in the trip it will probably seem strange I spent so much time in Pavia. During my week in Milan I recovered from my journey, dealt with my delayed…