Sometimes, when I wake up for the first time in a new place, I don’t completely remember where I am. Then I open the curtains, look outside, and remember. In this case, I opened the curtains to see palm trees, the blue Mediterranean sea sparkling in the morning sun, and the Promenade des Anglais. “Oh yeah – we’re in Nice!” Continue reading “La Promenade des Anglais”
Sacré Bleu! – Le Côte d’Azur
Ah, oui. Le Côte d’Azur. The French Riviera. Land of luxury. Playground of the rich and famous. We’ve just arrived. Perhaps we’ll see how the other half lives, albeit from a distance. Probably a very great distance! Our plan is to get acquainted with Nice, then use it as our home base for day-trips to nearby places like Monaco and Saint Paul de Vence. Allons! (Let’s go!) Continue reading “Sacré Bleu! – Le Côte d’Azur”
Northern Italy Recap
Milan’s Malpensa airport is huge. We touched down here two weeks ago, rented a car, and started a tour of Northern Italy. We’re here now, waiting for the plane to take us home. It’s been a great trip. In case you missed it, here’s a brief Northern Italy recap. Continue reading “Northern Italy Recap”
Ciao, Alba!
We don’t want to say it, but we have to – “Ciao, Alba!” It’s time to move on. Today we’re going to drive northeast to Malpensa Airport – the big airport near Milan. We’ll stay at an airport hotel tonight, then catch a plane home in the morning. Spending the night at a hotel near the airport burns a day of travel-time, but we’ve found that it’s worth it in the long run. Continue reading “Ciao, Alba!”
Baci-di-Dama, Mamma!
It’s our last night in Alba. Alba has turned out to be an ideal home base for exploring the Langhe wine region. Wine wasn’t invented here, but it feels like wine could have been invented in the Langhe. Baci-di-dama weren’t invented here, either, but we’re going to have some tonight! Continue reading “Baci-di-Dama, Mamma!”
“And They’re Off!” – The Donkey Races of Alba
Finally! The Donkey Races of Alba are upon us! It has been a day of festivities, starting with a parade through town. Medieval denizens of every sort marched through Central Alba’s cobblestone streets. With the exception of lowly serfs and convicted criminals chained up in wooden carts, everyone was in a festive mood. Continue reading ““And They’re Off!” – The Donkey Races of Alba”
It’s Donkey Race Day in Alba!
It’s Sunday morning in Alba, Italy – the final day of Alba’s White Truffle Festival. And that can mean only one thing. Yes. It’s Donkey Race day! Continue reading “It’s Donkey Race Day in Alba!”
The Alba White Truffle Fair
The Alba White Truffle Fair has been underway here in Alba all week. It’s a big deal. And today is a market day, so vendors selling everything imaginable line the streets. The town is like a circus, full of food and people like us, just having fun. Continue reading “The Alba White Truffle Fair”
Lunch in La Morra
La Morra is a picturesque hilltop village in Piedmont, in the northwest corner of Italy. We spent the morning here, sampling barolo and other wines at a local wine expo. That was great, but now we need some nourishment, so we’re settling in for a nice, leisurely lunch in La Morra. Continue reading “Lunch in La Morra”
Wine Tasting in La Morra
It’s wine tasting day! We have an appointment later this morning to meet with an independent wine producer in the hilltop village of La Morra. It’s not far from Alba, so after breakfast at the hotel, we’ll get in the car, plug the address into the GPS, and go do some wine tasting in La Morra. Continue reading “Wine Tasting in La Morra”
