Did you know that Vesuvius is still considered an active volcano, and a dangerous one? It could blow at any moment, theoretically. That thought gave Caleb the added impetus he needed for the hike to the top of the caldera, a task that sounds more impressive than it was: you drive (or are driven) to the base of the trail and then walk the 800 or so meters to the …
Tag:
Italy
in which I try to avoid cliches about Italy
Memory works in peculiar ways, doesn’t it? I mean, I know that when we were traveling in Italy a few weeks ago, I was tempted to leave my bickering children at the top of Vesuvius as an offering for the gods but now, weeks later, what remains in my mind is a blur of ancient beauty, tiny streets, motor scooters, and meals comprised exclusively of variations on cheese, tomatoes, and …
Pompeii
I wrote about our trip to Pompeii in The National the other day. Wandering those ancient sites makes a gal wonder about what will be left behind when our civilization disappears–and I have to say, the answers that come to mind aren’t exactly awe-inspiring. Click here for the piece … and here is some visual accompaniment. (Because really, what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t bore …
what goes around, comes around: in which i suffer karmic retribution
Way back in the dim mists of time (which is to say, 1985), my family took a trip to France. I’d been studying in London and my mother, an eternal Francophile, had planned a two-week family driving tour through France at the end of my semester. A two-week trip that she planned before the internet. There was no tripadvisor, people; there was no google map. It was like an artisanal …