If you ever worry that the delicate balance of my relationship with Ron is out of whack – since I research everything, plan everything, book everything and shepherd us around – you should be aware that Ron is the only actual needle-pointer in our relationship, which, as you can imagine, comes in handy in all sorts of European travel situations. Above is a picture of Ron – just this month – proudly sharing his first needlepoint entry at the Washington State Fair. He was awarded a ribbon but was cheated out of the first prize $10 bounty, which we will be aiming to pocket next fall with another entry.
We’re headed to Italy next week. I’ve put together a combination of 10 days on our own and a 17 day Road Scholar tour of Southern Italy: Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria. We’re starting up in Venice, then headed to Rome for a few days before we meet up with our tour in Lecce.
Highlights of this trip are:
- A return to Venice, one of our favorite cities. A highlight of our last visit to Venice was watching Ron and Grace Superglue her sandals to the floor of our apartment so the bar is set pretty high.
- A day trip to Vicenza, a city full of Palladian architecture
- A ride in the new Executive Class of an Italian train
- Domus Aurea in Rome, Nero’s Golden House – the hottest ticket in Rome, necessitating hours of planning just to score the tickets. Ron was treated to a daily Domus Aurea strategy update as I waited for the online ticket window to open.
- The Sassi cave architecture of Matera
- The Trulli architecture of Alberobello
- And, as always, we’ve managed to find a way to meet up with a few friends. Kris and Jim, undaunted by my fast food eating habits in Spain, are going to be in Rome with us! A Rick Steves’ forum poster who we had dinner with in Paris last year will be dining with us one night in Rome! I love these meet-ups – they’re a real highlight for us.
Here’s a little map of our route. I’ll talk with you all in about ten days.
Travels with Valerie 
Stan and I look forward to your adventures. And the inside story on the Let’s Go level on a Road Scholar trip.
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Thank you! I’ll be sure to assess the activity level of the RS tour:)
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Yay, she’s back \o/
Out of office, sent from my phone.
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Unbelievably excited to be packing up!!!!!
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Congratulations to Ron. That is an amazing piece of art!!
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The best part was hanging out near the exhibit and getting to talk to the visitors, who had a ton of questions about Ron’s art, how long it took, number of stitches etc. 🙂
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Ron, always a good sport for Valerie’s ribbing and I think your needlework is awesome. Can’t wait to follow along and met you guys in Germany next year.
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Thank you and see in in Stuttgart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I always get so excited for your blog posts when I know you’re getting ready to travel again! You are going to have a terrific time. I have been to Matera and Alberobello and can confidently say you’ll see such amazing sites/sights. I found both places fascinating. Who knew Italy held such treasures outside of the large and most visited areas? I loved sleeping in a cave room in Matera, Looking forward to your on the road reports and you know of course, Ron will be as happy as you are! Or at least pretend to be.He is quite needlepointedly (??) talented and I know that will come in handy one day. Congratulations to him for his needlepoint coup. Have a wonderful journey!
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Thanks, Andi! We’re seeing so many little villages in the south of Italy – I love wandering through them and seeing the different architectural styles. I’ve been wanting to go to the far south forever!!!!! And as to Ron and his needlepoint – the Mona Lisa is just one of about 12 massive needlepoints that hang on our walls – our house if totally full of them and they’re pretty amazing. I would never ever have the patience to do them – each one takes him about 2 years!!!!!!!!!!!
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I am so glad you appreciate him, his talent and his efforts! I think he’s quite amazing. I know he appreciates your talents and efforts as well and what a perfect match you are together! U can’t wait to see what he brings home from here. You’re going to love all those small town. I personally loved Naples. I am drawn to the “gritty” I guess. while you’re there (looked like you’ll be visiting from your map?), don’t miss the amazing sculptures in Capella Sansevero. There are not very many but I spent a inordinate amount of time just savoring their beautiful intricacies. “The Veiled Christ” and “Deliverance from Deceit”. Breathtaking for me.
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I might try to send you a picture of my favorite needlepoint he’s done – it’s really something. I just looked up that Capella Sansevero. I’ll see if we can get in there. You’re right that we’re getting to Naples – but only for one night and we’re coming in from touring part of Pompeii so we might be arriving late.
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I’d LOVE that! I am fascinated by the fact that he has the patience and dexterity to even try needlepoint. He will probably never have arthritis in his hands and fingers! Both my Grandmas did needlepoint and had have some of their beautiful handiwork. Well, if you don’t see the chapel this trip, I always say “save something to come back for”. And if you do that, Napoli Sotterranea (Underground Naples) is an unusual and very interesting tour we took during some of our free time. Look that up, too! Again, if you run out of time, save it for another time when you return!
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Valerie:
How marvelous! Sounds like a great trip. I love being in Italy! Maybe someday I will get back there. Maybe not Southern Italy but hang out in Florence or Tuscany, anywhere.
I look forward to your blog. Safe travels. Keep me posted on possible future travels.
Love, Aunt Nancy, celebrating my 85th birthday on Sept. 30, 2022.
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Hello and thank you! We’re seeing a ton of little villages – more than I can list or I’d bore you all to pieces – but you’ll see them all in my pictures:) Also – I sent you an email yesterday – hopefully it went through. Happy birthday to you!!!!!!!!
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For some reason your emails go into my junk mail. I always move them to my in box. I didn’t get an email yesterday from you. I’ll check everything again. Nancy
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My brother and I just cycled Lucca-Rome then Rome-Brindisi (700 miles total) staying in Matera (we loved Corte San Pietro) and Alberlobello (in a gorgeous restored Trulli operated by Corte dell’astore a hotel outside town). LMK if u want details.Neil (Ann’s husband)
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Hi Neil! Our hotels are booked by Road Scholar for that portion so we can’t do any fun Trulli lodging, which I would love to be able to try. But send over any travel details you have for the area – I’d love to look them over.
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Hi Valerie,
I am looking forward to your travel articles…they are always so interesting.
Can you believe that my wife and I went to Italy (Venice, Rome, Pisa….) in 1973…and then I drove us to Paris (and got caught in the traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe — a driving experience of a lifetime).
When in Rome we visited the Vatican store (now so commercialized! at that time had some valuable hand-made mosaics) and put a down payment on a beautiful Rafael-painting inspired mosaic (likely about $5,000. or way above our “budget”). We eventually cancelled the order as it was far too expensive for us. Probably be worth hundreds of thousands today but who cares if one has his health and family.
I worked with a woman (lived two blocks away and we carpooled during the 1973 oil crisis) who was born on the outskirts of Rome, married a GI, and came to the U.S. She retired in 1978 is is now 99 and living in a facility in Davis. I visited her 3-4 years ago — when the Santa Rosa area had their devastating fire: visited my daughter that weekend when the fire started and whose house was just spared by that fire – they lived downtown in her husband’s office — with two dogs and son.
May you not only have fun but some memorable experiences!
Love,
Larry
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Thank you! I sent you an email back:)
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