Author Archives: herktrav

France 2023 – Hiccups and Bookings

Posted on March 11, 2023 by herktrav

A few weeks have passed and we are off to a roaring start with reservations. I was able to book all the hotels directly on the hotel websites. Then we decided that we will fly out of Toronto on Air … Continue reading →

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France 2023 – Working out the details

Posted on February 13, 2023 by herktrav

🎶 “Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?” 🎶 I have no idea why that popped into my head, except for the fact that we have decided to return to France in the fall. We’ll be traveling with friends and just … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Reflections on Seven Weeks in Italy

Posted on December 3, 2022 by herktrav

We’ve been home for a month now and have had some time to reflect on our trip. Aside from getting sick, it really was a special time. My initial planning grew from four weeks to seven weeks rather quickly. It … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Heading home from Italy

Posted on October 27, 2022 by herktrav

After forty-six days of meandering our way around Italy, it was time to head home. It wasn’t a direct route to home though. We flew from Rome to Washington DC, but due to the schedules, we decided to stay overnight … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Rome: Pt 2

Posted on October 21, 2022 by herktrav

“Holy Cannoli” – seven weeks have passed and we’re heading home in the morning. When we last left our intrepid travelers on Saturday, they were both feeling better and looking forward to finishing off with a bang. It was more … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Rome: Pt 1

Posted on October 21, 2022 by herktrav

Our final visit is to the eternal city – Rome. We’ll have seven days to explore and enjoy the sites and tastes of the city. We are staying at Albergo del Senato. We truly love our hotel. The rooms are … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Orvieto

Posted on October 17, 2022 by herktrav

Right after breakfast, our driver arrived and we were off to Orvieto. The ride over was a pleasant one – beautiful scenery and sunny skies. It took just a little over an hour and fifteen minutes before we arrived. We … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Tuscany – Montepulciano

Posted on October 17, 2022 by herktrav

Heading a little bit south, our next stop was in Montepulciano. You might be surprised, but among many other things that they are famous for, they are also known for their wines – especially Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Rosso … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Tuscany – Gaiole in Chianti: Part 3

Posted on October 7, 2022 by herktrav

Another beautiful morning in Tuscany. We saved the best for last. Today we visited the vineyards and winery of Felsina. We had the VIP tour and lunch tasting and we loved every minute of it. Our guide for the day … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Tuscany – Gaiole in Chianti: Part 2

Posted on October 7, 2022 by herktrav

A new day and time for some exploring. Our fellow explorer will be our driver/guide Andrea. He was a perfect guide for us – easy going, versatile, knowledgeable and with a good sense of humor. Andrea arrived at the hotel … Continue reading →

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Fall 2022 – Tuscany – Gaiole in Chianti

Posted on October 7, 2022 by herktrav

Our time in Florence was delightful, but it’s moving-on time. The next phase of our journey is a leisurely tour of Tuscany. We’ll be spending ten days touring with the folks from Audley Travel. It’s a private tour, not a … Continue reading →

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Italy 2022 – Florence: Part 4

Posted on October 7, 2022 by herktrav

We got our wish. When we woke up this morning, the sun was shining with just a few puffy white clouds floating across the sky. We took our time with breakfast and getting cleaned up, as our tickets for the … Continue reading →

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Italy 2022 – Florence: Part 3

Posted on October 3, 2022 by herktrav

A new day and the threat of more rain later in the day. No matter though, as we will be inside the Uffizi Gallery today. We had our breakfast: Sue enjoying her yogurt and me finishing up the biscotti. Our … Continue reading →

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Italy 2022 – Florence: Part 2

Posted on October 3, 2022 by herktrav

We woke up to a little more rain. It will likely rain on and off all day, so we’ll definitely be taking our jackets and umbrella with us. We ate breakfast, cleaned up and got ready to go. Today we … Continue reading →

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Italy 2022 – Florence: Part 1

Posted on October 2, 2022 by herktrav

Moving away from the coastline, our next location is the Renaissance city of Florence – Firenze to the Italians. We have five days to enjoy ourselves and explore the city. We rented an apartment in Florence that is located just … Continue reading →

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