In Fair Verona…

Today I went to Verona. I got an early start and was there by 930. I intended to pick up a tourist map at the train station, but the tourist information center was closed. There were no signs and I had no idea where the station was relative to town (it wasn’t in the guidebooks […]

Into Every Vacation A Little Rain Must Fall

My history with day trips is spotty at best. There was Parma, on a Monday, when everything was closed. There was Lucca, which I visited in the midst of a comic con. There was Modena yesterday: ok but a bit disappointing. When you are on a day trip, you have no escape from the elements […]

Timing is Everything

Time for a day trip. In settling down in Bologna I made a decision that rather than haul luggage continuously I would rather stay in one place and take day trips to surrounding towns. From Bologna I can easily reach Modena, Verona, and Ravenna. Scheduling is an issue: tomorrow is Monday and I previously have […]

I Must Have Joined the Junior Campers!

Still without any rumor of luggage, I got up and dressed in my new clothes and had a revelation. Although Steve Jobs was famous for his reality distortion field, designers and clothing vendors have a similarly effective field. Basically, you look through the store and reorient your expectations. You step into the dressing room, try […]

The 80s Called. They Want Their Benetton Back

Today I was awake early and off to the conference. Another good day of talks and discussion on diabetes in pregnancy. Good until late afternoon when the jet lag caught up with me and I basically slept through a talk. At this point the talks were winding down so I decided to head out. I […]

Eating Without Regrets

I just love waking up in Florence. There is just something unreal about this place. You can be wandering down a small cramped street and suddenly it will open onto an expansive piazza grounded by a ponderous medieval palace. That is the experience we had tonight. I can’t help but wonder what this square felt […]