Thursday, December 5, 2013

Dream Destination Blog Hop: Ciao!


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Visit Julie and Lexa to learn more 
and enter to win lots of prizes!

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When I was younger, I wanted to travel everywhere. Now, not so much. I think it's because overall I'm happy where I live and I enjoy my life. But there is one place I would - and will! - return to again and again….

ITALY!


My husband and I went to Florence years ago and just loved it - the food, the history, the art, the people. We ate fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar, saw the leaning tower at Pisa, visited a museum in the town of Vinci where you-know-who was from. Wherever we looked, we saw paintings and sculptures come alive from the slides of those old art history courses we took in school. Every time I turned around, I saw another older couple - stooped, arm-in-arm, she with purse in hand, him wearing a dapper hat, on their way to Mass - that reminded me of my paternal grandparents. 


Some day, my husband and I will go back to Florence. We'll explore small Italian towns, we'll roam the countryside, we'll soak it all in. And who knows? Maybe one day, my husband and I will look just like one of those little old couples, and we'll become a small piece of someone else's memory, a small piece of Italian history….   

68 comments:

  1. I hope you get to go back! And before you look like one of those old couples.

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  2. Oh, I would love to go there to see the art!

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    1. It really was amazing to see the art in person, the art I'd only previously seen in books and on slides.

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  3. I would LOVE to go to Italy! One of my best friends and I were born just a day apart, so we celebrate together every year. We've already decided for our 30th birthdays, in a couple of years, that we will do a big trip. Italy is my frontrunner!

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    1. Do it! :) We spent most of our time in Florence. We wanted to really absorb it, have a favorite piazza, etc instead of running everywhere.

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  4. Florence is a wonderful place, to be sure. Although you have to watch out for the swarms of youngsters on scooters as I recall...

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    1. I don't remember a lot of scooters, but that might be my memory playing tricks. We did travel during an off period so there were definitely fewer tourists and smaller crowds.

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  5. Italy is a great place to visit! I liked the Tuscany area. Great food!

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  6. That sounds wonderful!!! I love your descriptions of the places, and the older couple! I would like to go there someday.

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    1. Seeing those couples made me smile and remember my grandparents. It was a nice, familiar memory to have in a new, strange place.

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  7. I've never heard anyone who has visited Italy say anything negative about it - everyone seems to absolutely love it! I have to make it there someday. One more to add to my list! :)

    Thanks so much for taking part in our hop, Madeline!

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    1. You're welcome, Julie! And definitely add Italy, especially Florence, to your list. :)

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  8. It's one of the places I must see in my lifetime :)

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  9. Oh, yes to Italy! Florence and Venice would be on my list of must see places as well. Beautiful.

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    1. There are so many place in Italy that I still want to see, including Venice. :)

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  10. You make is sound so peaceful and dreamy. I hope you make it back.

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    1. It was, for the most part. Mostly because we didn't go during tourist season, and we made Florence our home base. We really wanted to spend as much time in one place as possible, soak it all in. :)

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  11. One branch of my family tree came from Sacco, Italy, near Mount Vesuvius. Some of my distant relatives still live there. I'd love to someday go to Italy, with all the history, art, architecture, and culture.

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    1. My husband and I have roots In Italy, too. Maybe one day we'll go back and search out some of those branches of the family tree. :)

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  12. Florence is such a wonderful place. And the food? Yum!

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  13. What a lovely post! I especially like the idea of you and your hubby returning to Florence and being part of someone else's memories. Very sweet.

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  14. What a sweet post! You and your hubby would be so cute in a quaint Italian town. I bet anyone could spend years touring Italy, visiting all the incredible museums, ancient buildings, and sampling the great food. The history and romance of Italy is phenomenal. Thanks for joining the hop, and for donating your book! :-)

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    1. Thank you, Lexa, for your nice comment and for co-hosting the blog hop with Julie. It's been a lot of fun visiting all the posts!

      You're welcome for the ebook - I just hope whoever wins it, enjoys it. :)

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  15. I agree. I adore Florence. It was my fave city in Italy. I'd love to go back and eat gelato while roaming the piaza. It's such a great place!

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  16. Florence and Pisa are wonderful! I loved Venice and Rome! I want to go back and see Pompeii, Naples, the Almafi Coast, and Sicily!

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    1. I would definitely like to see Pompeii…and all the rest of the places you named. :)

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  17. Sounds like it was a wonderful trip. I hope you make it back sometime.

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  18. Florence is such a beautiful city! We spent the day in Florence and Pisa when we were on a cruise, and I wish that we were able to spend more time there. Hopefully, you and your husband will return again soon.

    Julie

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    1. I had a feeling my husband and I were going to need more than one day there - and I was right. :)

      Thanks for Following us here at TSR!

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  19. My Dad's ancestors were from a region just outside Florence and I've always told myself I'd go visit one day... Florence sounds amazing.

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    1. I would definitely go! I'm thinking more, too, about researching those Italian ancestors of mine.

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  20. Hi, Madeline,

    Italy does sound like a great place to visit.

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  21. Italy would be perfect. There's so many beautiful places to go though, how do you choose which?

    I think Venice would be my top pick. I've heard it's kinda dirty, but I still think the canal stuff is amazing.

    Recently my parents went on a cruise that traveled up the Adriatic Sea, then down to Greece. That is definitely high on my list.

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    1. I like the idea of a cruise so that I could at least sample lots of different places even if I never got a chance to spend long periods of time in each one.

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  22. I lived in Europe for a few years but never made it to Italy. I sooo regret not getting down there when we could have at such little cost.

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    1. You never know, maybe you'll get another chance! :)

      Thanks for Following us here at TSR!

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  23. Hubby and I would qualify as a little old couple. Can we come, too?

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  24. What gorgeous pictures. Italy would be a lovely place to visit. So much history and beautiful architecture. Good choice.

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    1. Took those myself. Or my husband did. It's been so long, I can't remember for sure!

      Thank you for joining us here at TSR. :)

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  25. Oh, yes! Great choice. I lived in Naples, Italy for a few years and traveled all around the country and Europe, and even got to where I was pretty good at Italian. It was a wondrous time. Hope you get back there again and again!

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    1. That sounds amazing! And I definitely want to have a pretty good handle on the language before we go back.

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  26. I hope you get back to Italy soon! It sounds like an amazing place to visit and it has been on my list for years. The food and atmosphere just sound wonderful. Great post! :)
    ~Jess

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    1. I hope you get to go someday. :)

      Thanks for joining us here at TSR!

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  27. Some day I will go to Italy! But I haven't been there yet. Your description is divine.

    The Warrior Muse

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    1. Oh, my description doesn't even come close...but I'm glad you liked it. :)

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  28. Italy is such a great choice. I have been to Florence twice, and it was just as amazing the second time. I hope it is for you too.

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    1. Good to know it will live up to my memories on the next go round. :)

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  29. Italy would be fantastic! My daughter's been to Italy and absolutely loved it! Nice choice.

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  30. Never been to Florence before, but I heard of other people how much they loved it there. At least, I've been to Jesolo and Venezia once :)

    Great post!

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    1. I've never been to those places so we're even. :)

      Thanks for Following us here at TSR!

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  31. We're planning to go soon! This is such a cool hop!

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    1. I hope you have a wonderful time! Eat some gelato for me. :)

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  32. Florence is a charming city! It has amazing architecture!
    Writer In Transit

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    1. It really is. I was never really into architecture but the buildings really did just blow me away.

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  33. i went backpacking through europe a few years ago, but somehow didn't have time to squeeze italy in :( so its on my to-do list!

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