Friday Field Trip - all around Italy

Today we're going back to Italy, courtesy of some great photos from my mom. She took up photography after we kids had left the house and moved from black-and-white in a bathroom darkroom (which was made easier since we kids had vacated the premises) to color, and then to digital. Welcome, Mom!

Friday Field Trip - Portugal & Italy

What I'm reading: Requiem for an Assassin, by Barry Eisler.

A number of years back, the hubster had two meetings in rapid succession: one in the Algarve in Portugal, and the second in Genoa, Italy. While he was busy, I roamed around. These pictures were taken back in the days of film, and then scanned. I didn't think about sizing them for enlargement. Hope they're still acceptable. But first, I'm guest blogging at "Once Written, Twice Shy" today. Pop over there. These pictures will be here when you get back.

Friday Feature - Cinque Terre

It's Friday Field Trip time again. This week, thanks to one of my faithful readers, Shawntel, we're going to Cinque Terre in Italy.

Shawntel is a newly married mother of three teenagers, a cat, a step-dog, and a horse. Within days a hedgehog will be joining her family. She didn't travel until she was in her thirties and immediately fell in love with it. Her first trip abroad was to England, Ireland, and Scotland with a large group of friends. Four years later, she loaded up and went to Italy, which was beautiful. Tuscany was exactly as she had pictured it and was lovely. Cinque Terre, however, immediately stole her heart. It was designated a National Park in 1997 and is a chain of five villages linked by hiking trails and a train. Gas-powered motorized vehicles are forbidden and though she's heard that electric busses are allowed, she didn't see one during her stay. She wants to share her love of travel with her kids, so they'll be taking a family trip to Italy in 2011.

Enjoy!

View from a tower in Manarola, the second village in the chain of five.



Looking back toward Manarola from our walk to Riomaggiore