2 weeks Ago
This was the opening of a column I wrote for The Times in late September. You never read it because it wasn’t published. I was advised that it may not be a good idea to advertise that you are going to be out of the country, and hence, not at home for two weeks.
I had never thought of that, but there was no pre-vacation column. But there is one now. I like to travel, though, I never did as a kid.
Family vacations of my childhood were to sundry places in Chicago on public transportation or in a borrowed car, as my family never owned a car until I was out of high school. In my full-time teaching days, I would have kids in my social studies class color in an outline map of the US with the states they had been to. One year I did it too.
And I caught the bug. Due largely to an over 5,000-mile camping trip I made with two fellow teachers in the early '70s, I realized that I had been to quite a few states. Soon it became my quest to visit all 50.
And in 2022 my wife and I ventured to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and although it’s first in alphabetical order, it was my last state to visit. A most worthwhile quest about which I wrote a column in October of 2022. We have a grand and beautiful country with good people throughout.
I’ve visited eight of the 10 provinces of our giant neighbor to the north (New Brunswick or Newfoundland anyone?) And I’ve visited the largest city in our hemisphere, if not the world, Mexico City. There’s been a grand trip to our parent country, Great Britain, and a cruise down the Danube. But nothing as long as the Italian adventure of last month.
Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts My wife has been to Italy and her mother is Italian. She has wanted me to go to Italy for a long time and away we went. I have a degree in and love of history.
Italy, the heart of the Roman Empire, is fully loaded with it. I am no expert, but I appreciate fine art, and Italy is loaded with just that. I am a cradle Catholic and Italy, Vatican City, is the home base of the Roman Catholic Church.
And Rome and Naples, and Florence, and Venice, and Milan, and Pompeii, and Padua, and Pisa, and Lake Como, and Lugano Switzerland ...
all of my expectations for a great trip were met. It is unmistakable that the Catholic Church was the main driver of Italian history and culture. Most of the magnificent edifices, the huge ornate cathedrals, were built by the church.
And much of the grand art and many of the public places were commissioned by the church. It is hard to escape the historical wealth and power of the Catholic Church. One wonders maybe too much wealth and power, considering the life and mission of the originator of the church, Jesus Christ.
But some thoughts for a column at a later date, perhaps. In a very unscientific observation, it seems to me that the Europeans are a bit quieter and a bit more dressed in public. A little more aware of space (accompanying photo) and resources.
Smaller cars, way more scooters, tighter spaces in restaurants and in some hotels. Europe is more densely populated than we in the U.S.
The big exception to that is eating. And drinking wine. Food kept coming.
Not so much in volume, but course after course. And wine, fine wine I was told ..
. not that I would know being a child of Thunderbird and Ripple. Quite an experience.
And walking, there was a lot of walking on this trip. Often on cobblestone streets. I established a new personal best of 16,000+ steps one day.
My wife, Marie, topped that with 17,000+ steps (which I attribute to her shorter stride). I am not going to do a travelog recap of everything we saw and did, but do understand that a tour of Italy and its churches and other historical places should be on one’s bucket list. I was leery of a 16-day trip so far away from home .
.. how much underwear does one bring .
.. and packing and unpacking numerous times got a bit tedious, but all that pales in comparison to a most grand tour and adventure.
Thanks to my wife for putting it all together. Thanks for reading..
