Welcome!

We’re going to Italy on Sunday October 7th with Karin, Dan, and Dan’s mother Cathy. We’ll be spending a week in Venice and a week making local trips from Radda, which is located in the Chianti wine country of Tuscany. I’ll find a map soon and post it here.

Karin did most of the planning for the trip, sorting through lots of possible localities and accommodations before settling on the arrangements. With a party this large we were able to get an apartment in Venice (on a canal, but aren’t they all?) and a farmhouse (with pool) in Radda for less than the cost of hotel rooms. And much nicer.

Bruce handled many of the technical details like acquiring a cell phone and a GPS system with European maps. Sue Anne’s contribution was finding that a young Italian woman who works at our neighborhood coffee shop in Baltimore offers practical Italian lessons. We spent a couple of hours with her and her husband last Sunday and came away with some of the necessary rudiments. And a nice cup of espresso! Our hosts were impressed that we didn't feel the need to water it down.

This is just a quick intro. We’ll be back.