"Believe in yourself. I believe in you. Get that ‘get-up-and-go’ spirit back. You have had a good year so far because you took risks and were willing to work hard. Let it continue.” My mom wrote that to me in an email in 1996, when I was living in Bologna, Italy, on a Rotary International …
Continue reading Ten Years Later, Mom’s Words Still Resonate. It’s All About Italy
When my dad died suddenly last December, we couldn’t hold a memorial service for him because of Covid-19 restrictions. So I honored him in my own way. I watched Walt Disney’s “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.” Dad and Disney movies went hand-in-hand. There wasn’t a Disney movie that came out when I was a kid …
Continue reading Remembering Dad, the Funniest Guy in the Room
"It's wonderful to not hear the sound of the ambulance sirens." That’s what my cousin Elena in Milan wrote when I asked her about life in Italy now, as the country continues to re-open after a two-month lockdown. Her building is on a thoroughfare that leads to three different hospitals. People are starting to go …
I’ve been chronicling for the past month how some of my cousins and friends in Italy have been managing their lives during the nationwide lockdown. Last week they were given the news that the quarantine will stay in place for another three weeks, through May 3. “Let’s hope we don’t go crazy at home for …
Two weeks ago, I reached out to my relatives and friends in Italy to find out how they’ve been dealing with the national lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19 from the coronavirus. They seemed to be handling it all with grit and patience, making jokes about how clean their houses are and lamenting not …
Italy has been in a national lockdown for almost two weeks because of the spread of the coronavirus and Covid-19. There are still two weeks to go. As I write this, the death toll in the country is at 2,503 and there are 31,506 positive cases. “We have not hit the peak, we are not …
The final ride of this great week was to the coastal town of Polignano a Mare, 26 miles away. Then we were going to hop in a boat and see the rocky coast from the sea. I loved discovering Puglia and I loved it even more discovering it by bicycle. I challenged myself every day …
Continue reading Cycling in Puglia Day 6: Polignano a Mare and Alberobello Celebrates
The fifth day of the trip took us out of the Salento and into the Itria Valley of Puglia. The most striking thing about this itinerary was that we were headed to an area known for the trulli, the conical-shaped homes and buildings that are unique to this area. The first town was Locorotondo, which […]
Day four was a spectacular day, from start to finish. We had a 40-mile ride ahead of us, plus an optional 14 mile-loop down to the seaside and back, which required going up a big hill. We were going to Ostuni, another one of Italy’s beautiful white-washed towns perched on a hill. This was also …
The third day of the bicycle trip took us out of the Salento region of Puglia, the southern end of Italy’s boot, and to the town of Mesagne, in the province of Brindisi. I looked forward to discovering the town. The itinerary for the day was a 41-mile ride just short of the town, where …
Continue reading Cycling in Puglia Day 3: Mesagne and a winery visit
