Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Rome
Roaming Around RomA
Jan 14, 2024 - 21st
Roma 1-14 to 1-21
Double Tree hotel and Hotel Aventino
El Drago restaurant
Foulard Bamboo shop- scarf and socks
Colosseum
Teagan’s column
Trevi Fountain
Panthonon
Lake Albano
Castel Gandolfo
Janiculum hill
Vatican- St. Peter’s Basilica
Vatican museum
Circus Maximus
Bottega Monastica (Monastery outside of Rome)
Roaming around Rome Video & Photo Gallery
from our travels.
Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Sicily
The Chapel
Jan 22 - 28
Vallone della Fusa - Segesta ak, Sicily, iT
Palermo
Castillo di San Nicola, Trabia
Termini Imerese- cemetery
Godfathers house museum in Corleone
Hotel by the sea/beach Ficarazzi
Trapani - Segesta aka the chapel
Rangusa
Flew out of Catania to Rome
1-29 to 2-1
Train to Firenze
First Floor hotel
Dinner with Robert and Carey at Accademia
Duomo cathedral
Shopping at Quintessence
Thrifting at Humana
Central Mercato (market)
David (replica)statue in Piazza Michelangelo Firenze
Sicily Video & Photo Gallery
from our travels.
Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Florence
Reunion
Jan 29- Feb 1
Met up with some friends from Oregon.
Train to Firenze
First Floor hotel
Dinner with Robert and Carey at Accademia
Duomo cathedral
Shopping at Quintessence
Thrifting at Humana
Central Mercato (market)
David (replica)statue in Piazza Michelangelo Firenze
Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Maranello & Modena, Italy
Ferrari Town
Feb. 1 - 7
Toured the Ferrari & Ducatti Museums....
Bologna- Ducati Museum
Modena- Enzo Ferrari Museum
Maranello- Ferrari museum
Ferrari hotel
Lei Bed and Breakfast
Bike rental- ?
National park- Pietra di Bismantova
Motorcycle shop-?
2-7 to 2-12
Firenze again
First floor hotel
Piti palace
Duomo stair dome climb, bell tower climb, baptistery, crypt, museum di opera
Train museum
2-10 Chrys went to Siena with Carey by train
Duomo- cathedral , tower
Piazza Salimbeni
Bascilica Cateriniana di San Domenico
Piazza del Campo
Wine bar - Bar il Bargello
Hotel Delle Nazioni last night in Firenze
Train back to Rome
Maranello & Modena Video & Photo Gallery
from our travels.
Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Florence, again
AKA Firenze
Feb. 7 - 12
Beautiful ceilings and art in the Basilica's and Palaces.
Sant' Antonio First-floor Reais - Hotel
Piti Palace
Duomo stair dome climb, bell tower climb, baptistery, crypt, museum di opera
Hzero Train museum
Blooming Paradise Immersive Exhibit
Hotel Delle Nazioni last night in Firenze
Florence Again.. Video & Photos Gallery
from our travels.
Day Trip to Siena with Carey
Take a look and enjoy!
Siena
Chrys went to Siena with Carey by train
Feb 10
Duomo- cathedral , tower
Piazza Salimbeni
Bascilica Cateriniana di San Domenico
Piazza del Campo
Wine bar - Bar il BargelloBits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
Rome..
Round 2
Pizza & GELATO Everyday
Feb 13 -15
The food & Drinks were terrific, homemade, and everywhere.
Cathedral
Sacred steps
Roman forum
Lido di Ostia Levante (aka Ostia) /the beach
Siena Photo Gallery
from our travels.
Bits and pieces of travel memory
Take a look and enjoy!
The Wrap-up
The Flight Views Home
Feb 15
Spectacular!!
Iceland air to Reykjavik, then to Seattle
2-15 fly Iceland air to Reykjavik, then to Seattle
Seattle to Redmond, but back again because of the weather we couldn’t land
Gateway Hotel ( included free shuttle and breakfast)
2-16 flew Delta to Redmond
Flight Home Photo Gallery
from our travels.
Trip Take-A-Ways
Travel, Transportation. Connection. Food.
From Tony
My nMission and Initial take-a-ways
Fact: Did you know that when you migrate from another country to the USA they take the liberty to simplify your name? I am sure you know this but its so mind-boggling. My family last name was Sperandeo and I am on am mission to reconnect with my family in Sicily. This includes redeeming my last name and getting an dual residency. This has been in the works for some time, now its getting closer to be reality.
Food & drink
i have had multiple beers, glasses of wine & countless pizza. In my 56 years on this earth I have never tasted superior quality at a fraction of what we pay in the usa as I have in Italy & Sicily!
The USA food sources are just so different.. I had no clue.
But the thing I am the most impressed with is the people. Recently, Mauro my new friend in Rome who drove us all over & took us out to dinner (best meal ever), Claudio in florence, the owner of the mens clothing shop, everything is made & selected by him and labeled in his name. Chiara from the car rental company, Georgia at the hotel in Sicily who was so into helping me reunite me with my family there & the man at the cemetery that looked up two old log books thAt proved my family name & my connection. These books looked like the original manuscipts of the old testament 😂
So good connecting with my old friend Robert & Carey in Florence, from Bend too.
At the end of the day I am greatful and thankful for all involved especially my loving wife. @Wife Sprando ❤️🍕🍷🇮🇹🤩
From Chrys
Trip highlights.
First interaction and drive from the airport with Mauro
Dinner at el drago with Mauro and Alessia
The Italian language- especially spoken by the kids
The weather - mild and mostly sunny
The food- pizza, gelato, pasta, vino, croissants, cannoli, cheese-fresh mozzarella, fresh orange juice and oranges
Plants and seeing flowers blooming in January-I like the Mediterranean pines
Seeing the old architecture and art all over
Lake day with Mauro
Cheap and tasty Sicilian food-10euro lunches
Buying a plastic bottle of wine out of a huge cask for 1.75euro
The castle Tony got us in for a private tour in Sicily
Seeing Tony experience visiting his family’s grave site in Sicily
Tour of the mafia house and watching Tony become the boss.
Seeing the Sicilian countryside /drive
Taking the train-Firenze to Roma and back
Time with Carey and Robert in Firenze-dinners and walking tour
Going to Siena on the train for the day with Carey
Hearing the boys choir in the cathedral in Siena
The last church in Siena that was empty and Carey tested the amazing acoustics with singing a little
The wonderful wine bar lunch with Carey in Siena
Watching Tony experience the Ducati and Ferrari museums
Staying in Maranello for a few extra days and having some familiar places
Going on the drive to the national park and countryside
Biking day
Watching Tony engage with the locals
Kind people
Plane trip home in premium class and stopping in Iceland
Stair climbs-the Duomo in Firenze
Helping Claudio dress up Tony
Thrifting in Roma and Firenze
Sunset at the beach-Ostia
Byzantine art
Walks
Central market in Firenze
Relationship highlights: lots of time together (meals, bedtime, exploring, art, travel, walks)
Realizing how it feels to follow and be cared /provided for (meals, lodging, navigation, tech)
