From the Mountains to the Po River Valley

Bologna is probably my favorite place in Italy. So when P and I were planning this trip and she stated she would be departing a day before me, I immediately said “I’ll probably go to Bologna for a great meal,” to which she replied “I want to go to Bologna for a great meal!” And […]

Not Perfect, But Just Enough

Time for an admission of sorts: I love to travel, but I’m a bit lazy about it. Although my tickets are often booked well in advance,I tend to wait until the last minute to make plans for my journey. That’s mostly worked great and that’s what I like – I like being able to freewheel […]

Someplace Both Very Wrong and Very Very Right

We arrived at the restaurant sore-footed and sweaty from our morning hike. It wasn’t even 2 pm and we had already hiked 8 miles with over 1500ft of elevation gain. Another traveler at dinner last night had recommended San Brite as a local farm- focused restaurant; a place to grab a great sandwich made with […]

I’m An Excellent Navigator

I hurried out of the hotel in the morning and left P to do the dirty work of checking out. She later said they never asked why we were leaving, but the ultimate answer would have been “we want to be closer to the center of town.” It might not have been all of the […]

In Which P Is Not Ready to Stay at a Hostel

P and I checked into our hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo, about 75 miles of twisted roadway north of the Venice airport, and she said halfheartedly “this is nice!” We looked out the window at the traffic zipping by, appreciating the views, but she didn’t seem in love. It was definitely very nice, with clear Tyrolean […]

A Look Back on Summer, 2023, and a New Beginning

A few weeks ago, my brother said it quite clearly: the sparkling surface of the lake had changed. That’s what happens in Michigan this time of year: as the seasons roll forward and the great orb of the sun begins its annual recession into the southern sky, the sunlight changes color and reflects off of […]