Tuscany has served as the inspiration for many an artist for a reason. The pristine rolling hills dotted with dark green Roman pines and varying shades of classic villas seem as though they cannot be really that perfect – but they truly are magnificent. I opted to ride the train to Florence from Rome to glory in the spectacular views, although I must say when traveling with a significant amount of luggage, riding the train can be a bit of a pain. When going first class, it was a definite challenge to locate my exact reserved seat in the correct part of the train. There aren’t any employees standing on the track to check your ticket and direct you (I guess they assume you should know where you are going) and it was a little confusing (at least for me)as to which part of the train I was supposed to board. Once you haul all of your luggage onto the train – which is no small feat - if you are in the wrong section, you then have to haul each piece of your luggage at a time down the extremely narrow walkways to the correct section which earns you several bruises and much disdain from your fellow travelers. Once underway however, the trip was delightful although admittedly I was already agonizing over the thought of hauling my bags off of the train on arrival. Another note, I don’t recommend traveling first class – not only was it difficult finding my exact seat, the prices were sky high and with no luggage assistance or food service (offerings were extremely meager at best) it simply was not worth it. Buy some food at a grocery store before you board and enjoy an equally comfy seat in the regular section.

At first Rome seems an overwhelming city to tackle as it is busy and bustling and boasts a tremendous amount of historical sights which can cause one to wonder how it’s possible to get to all of them.  Best dispose of that worry right from the start because Italy is best when it is savored.  Rome has managed to be there for a very long time and we certainly hope and expect it will remain so. Depending on the amount of time you have, choose your spots to visit and allow time to leisurely enjoy the city’s magnificent offerings.   Many of the popular sights such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona and the Pantheon are all in fairly close proximity and excellent signage clearly points the way to each one.

On this visit to the Eternal City, I decided to stay outside of the inner city bustle and chose the tranquil sanctuary of the Hotel Santa Maria in the quintessentially Roman neighborhood of Trastevere (pronounced Trast-EH-veray). The Hotel Santa Maria is housed in a 16^th century cloister and was recently renovated in 2000. It has a European three-star rating which I think it is justly rated.  The rooms are good sized with fairly comfortable beds and well-appointed bathrooms. The staff said there were hairdryers in the rooms and while that was true, the hairdryers looked like vacuum cleaner attachments and had about as much horsepower as Barbie’s pink corvette convertible. Needless to say, that poor appliance couldn’t even dream of endeavoring to dry my very long and unruly hair.  Additionally, while the beautiful church at Santa Maria is lovely indeed, its old bells tend to “ding dong” throughout the night which can lead to restless nights even for the most fitful of sleepers.  Your room rate includes a delicious buffet breakfast with sumptuous delectables for any palate served in the bright and sunny dining room where they also have a computer if you wish to check your email.

Trastevere means literally “beyond the Tiber,” the famous river that runs through Rome.  It has an eclectic and quirky vibe that reminded me a bit of Soho in NYC and particularly in the inner neighborhood section, most everyone has a ready smile followed by a friendly “Bonjourno!”

I always make a stop at the Forum in ancient Rome, however I had not previously spent much time on  the Palantine hill – one of the seven hills of Rome. This is where the mythical she-wolf nursed Romulus and Remus before Romulus killed his brother and founded Rome in 753 BC.  The Palantine was the neighborhood of the nobility and strolling along the perfectly manicured, bright green grassy carpet accented with perfectly shaped plush bushes and stately Roman pines, one can see the attraction of this breathtaking landscape for the Roman leaders.  It always strikes me how throughout Italy the vegetation seems to grow pre-manicured which would be a dream for many American homeowners.  When visiting the Palantine, there are many fabulous sights including the ruins of the Domus Augustana, the emperor's private residence and the House of Augustus which still features frescoes on the walls enjoyed by its former owner and his family.

A fascinating sight which I missed on my previous trip was a stop at the Basilica San Clemente which provides an impressive look at the running water that the ancient’s enjoyed as well as the excavations still underway. My excellent guide Francesca (Francesca Caruso: francescainroma@gmail.com) explained that Rome has developed like a birthday cake with layer built on top of layer and so on.  The Basilica San Clemente is a perfect example as the current Basilica sits on top of a fourth-century basilica which sits on top of a first-century building. One can only wonder how many priceless treasures lie undiscovered beneath the cobblestones on which you are walking. 

Some Roman friends recommended viewing the monuments at night, which I would certainly think twice before doing back in LA, but even walking alone I felt quite safe and I saw instantly what they meant. The city takes on a different character when the skies overhead are cloaked in darkness and one’s perception focuses on the immediate surrounding activity.  Walking along the narrow winding streets, the ancient mystique of the city felt even more palpable.  Even before I reached the Panethon, I heard the soulful sounds of classical cello echoing across the stones accompanied by the water gushing in the fountain and the low hum of voices.  While obviously impressive by day, the Pantheon looked otherworldly lit from strategic angles at night and coupled with the beautiful music (that was not played during the day), it provided an entirely different experience.  The vibrancy of the city and impact of the sights are significantly heightened at night and I highly recommend adding the “night” trek to your Roman adventure.

While the Vatican is a frequent stop for most on their trip to Rome, not many are aware that you can request a general audience with the Pope if you are so inclined. Although not a Roman Catholic, I requested said audience and it proved to be a most interesting experience.  You must make your request as far in advance as you possibly can (visit www.vatican.va/various/prefettura/index_en.html for details).  I received my official letter from the Vatican on absolutely gorgeous stationery saying that I had a spot and detailed the time and place as well as where I was to retrieve my tickets. While you aren’t close enough to get a really good look at the Pope’s famous red Prada shoes, you do seem him in his snazzy popemobile and gain a little peek into the doings of the Holy See.  I also recommend a guided tour of the Vatican – last time I walked through by myself which was fabulous, but for the inside information and details on exactly what you are seeing, the resident seminarians are unparalleled.  My seminarian happened to be from Ann Arbor and provided a fun and highly insightful tour. 

Before leaving Rome, I will insert something here that I will no doubt refer to many times to come, and that is the relatively few tourists traveling in the winter.  The last time I visited the Sistine Chapel in the summer, I felt like I was being squeezed into sausage casing it was so tightly packed with people and I hardly had sufficient time to see anything properly.  This time, there were essentially no other visitors, and I had the luxury of taking as long as I pleased.   Mark my words, unless I win an insane amount in the lottery and can afford private showings and the sky-high summer prices or marry a Duke with an insane inheritance and private access to everything (hoping for the latter), I will be hard pressed to return to Europe in the summer again! 

I must also insert the first of many entries on the famous “coat” of Italy. My first sighting of said coat took place in Rome - it is best described as a very poofy coat sewn in tire-like horizontal stitching providing an exceedingly less than flattering silhouette.  It usually comes in a high-gloss black, although they can shake it up with in a copper shade, purple or even white which unfortunately ends up looking much like the Michelin man.  They may have fur around the collar and vary in length either at the waist, thigh or to the knee.  I comment on this coat because if I didn’t know better, I would think it was a federal mandate that all Italians must wear it.  Honestly - EVERYONE – man, woman, child and dog owns at least one of these coats and since fashion often comes from Italy…………look for moon boot coats coming soon to a store near you.

I last visited Italy in the summer and of course thoroughly enjoyed it but heard from several Italian friends that it is not to be missed in the winter months during the holidays. They suggested that I would discover a very different perspective with a more intimate look at fair Italia when they wind down from the summer tourist mayhem and settle back to enjoy the Christmas, New Year and Epiphany celebrations.  My friends were spot on in their assessment and in sharp contrast to my previous visit, I found relatively few other tourists, no lines whatsoever (even at the Uffizi!), significantly lower prices and the opportunity to really mix with the locals which was priceless. I traveled from Rome to Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast from December through January and found it even more breathtaking with warm red candles glowing in windows, twinkling lights canopying cobblestone streets and the relaxed and joyous spirit of the Italians who truly know how to celebrate food, family and festivities of the holidays.  In my subsequent notes, you will find my take on the places I visited, customs I witnessed, sights I explored, fashions I saw, music I heard, food I tasted and people I met.  I will make recommendations based on these experiences which I hope will inspire you to visit this amazing country and also provide some assistance in planning your future Italian itinerary.

I couldn't think of a more appropriate title for this little blog as I look out over the Pacific to the glorious and wet Tongass National (Rain) Forest from my family home in Ketchikan.  Although it is summer, it continues to rain frequently contributing to the 200 inches of rain Ketchikan receives annually. To put that in perspective – we often think of Seattle as a rainy city and yet they enjoy only 32 inches of rain per year.  It is late in the afternoon – in Scotland they call this time of day “in the gloaming” and it is my favorite. Although it will not set until after 10 p.m. tonight, the sun is resting in that late afternoon haze and all feels peaceful and calm.

A long straight drop below my window, I see four huge brightly-colored cruise ships docked at Ketchikan’s new state of the art docking facility filled with bustling tourists donning their parkas to brave our brutal 60 degree weather.  Since the logging industry was brought to a screeching halt, Ketchikan had to look for other means to survive and tourism was the savior. While grateful for the folks who visit the island from places all over the world, I am saddened to see the foreign tourist stores that have popped up, which I feel mar the downtown area of this quaint little fishing town. Local vendors must compete with Columbia Emeralds, Little Switzerland and British, Russian and Armenian-run trades who sell totem poles and other such “Alaskan” products which were made in China. These store owners simply follow the tourist trade anywhere, have no vested interest in the community and hightail it out of Ketchikan as soon as the tourist season ends. Nevertheless, the discriminating traveler will discover the new polar bear seal that is applied to all products that are made in Alaska and are usually sold by local merchants.

Looking past the cruise ships, the channel (ocean protected from the open sea by a string of neighboring islands) is teeming with activity as the float planes drone on their take-off to nearby Southeast Alaska communities, delivering mail, grocery goods and news to the residents. Fishing boats of all shapes and sizes cruise across the sparkling sea capturing the delicacies beneath the waves to distribute to eager seafood lovers around the world.  The killer whales are frolicking - there are 15 babies in this pod, more than we've seen in a very long time. The fishermen aren't terribly thrilled about it however as the increase in babies is directly related to the fewer salmon they are catching this year.  Just to the right of my window I see a bald eagle resting on a branch of the evergreens surrounding our house. Bald eagles are massive up close and she keeps her keen eye on the water ready to pick up any salmon the killer whales may have missed.

As I look north down the channel I see the steeple of the First Lutheran Church that the seafaring Norwegians who settled in these islands built back in the early part of the 20^th century.  The eagles are fond of sitting on the cross on the highest point of the steeple and my grandmother always use to smile when she saw this and called it “religious freedom.”

Just past the church I look across at the island called Gravina which houses the airport servicing all of the local communities. Readers may know Gravina as “nowhere” from the infamous "bridge to nowhere" controversy a few years back. Yes, that is my hometown - Nowhere, Alaska.  I'd say nowhere looks pretty spectacular from where I sit.