Category Archives: Uncategorized

I would wake each morning in Venice to the “laughing” sound of seagulls.  Today I heard geese and I knew I was home!  Page and I were thrilled with the gift of breakfast foods at our home Sunday night from two couples!  Such a relaxing breakfast on Monday morning!  But we needed to go outContinue reading “First Day Home”

As of this writing (Sunday March 1) Linda and I are now back in the United States. Our final few days in Venezia were truly surreal. Coronavirus started appearing in Italy about a month ago, with 2 cases reported in Rome. Then about 3 weeks ago a couple cases were reported in the Lombardy region,Continue reading “Surreality”

Is this Lent?  Sheesh!  Normally you give something up or do something extra. Well…. we have! We have decided to shelter-in-place here in Casa Artom.  Other than going out to buy groceries, we are staying in and having the five Italian professors teach online or Skype in the classroom instead of showing up.  Page continuesContinue reading “Is this Lent?”

Yes! It’s not just us! Look who also is laying low while working here in Venice! Tom Cruise has been forced to hole up in a luxury hotel in Venice when the filming of Mission: Impossible 7 was halted after an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy.  He is staying across the Grand Canal from usContinue reading “Holed Up in Venice”

The tradition of Carnival in Venice began in the 11th century and declined by the 19th century.  It was revived in 1979.  This year it started on Feb. 8th and ends on Feb. 25th (Fat Tuesday).  However, we just got word today that it is being cancelled early due to the Coronavirus. Much like MardiContinue reading “Venice Carnival”

In 1516 all Jews in Venice were confined to an area in Cannaregio. This is the world’s oldest ghetto. Christian guards manned two water gates to this islet.  The name “ghetto” was used after a foundry that formerly occupied the site.  Eventually, all Jewish neighborhoods throughout the world were called ghettos. The Jews were allowedContinue reading “Jewish Ghetto”

It’s pretty tough finding your way around Greece, if you do not encounter anyone who actually speaks English. I belonged to a Greek society in college, but knowing the call letters for my frat, chi psi, in no way prepared me to get about Athens. I did manage to learn how to say thank you,Continue reading “In 2020, Still Greek To Me”

It was early spring when we were in Greece. Crocus were popping up! Athens was full of pale yellow taxi cabs, motorcycles, Smart cars, and all of them parking anyplace along the streets. Sadly, graffiti was everywhere! However, orange trees lining the streets were a lovely contrast. Out in the country it felt like theContinue reading “Impressions of Greece”

Athens has a height restriction, so none of its buildings interfere with the view of The Acropolis. This and Mt. Lycabettus are the two natural landmarks in the city. And you can see them from everywhere. As with most ancient city states The Acropolis was the location of the first settlement in the area, someContinue reading “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”

Our fourth day of site-seeing in Greece was supposed to be a free day, but we were on a roll.  Page arranged for George, our driver to and from the airport, to take us south to see the Temple of Poseidon that he remembered fondly 52 years ago.  This drive through wealthy beach towns andContinue reading “Temple of Poseidon: Almost “Sunset at Sounion””

This one’s for our friends John and Ken (who don’t know each other). John collects beer mugs and glasses from around the world. Following an earlier post that pictured one of the three local Greek brews Mythos, John commented immediately that he has a Mythos glass in his collection (probably now stored in some boxContinue reading “More Local Brew & Wine”

Over a thousand years passed between the ancient Mycenaeans and the Greeks who competed at Olympia or went to the Oracle of Delphi to have the truth divined. In that same span of time Greek art moved from the archaic to the classical. Archaic sculptures were more stylized figures. They usually exhibited straight hair andContinue reading “Archaic to Classical”

With awe-inspiring and spectacular views high on the southern slopes of Mt. Parnassus, this is home to the prophetess known as the oracle (a.k.a. the Pythia or sibyl), the mouthpiece of Apollo on earth.  So glad we spent the night here before our visit to the ruins.  The night sky followed by misty morning mountainContinue reading “Divining Delphi”

Wherever we went in Greece, our hotel had a drain on the floor. OK, maybe that’s not so unusual. When you leave the shower curtain on the outside of the tub and the water runs out onto the floor, it has someplace to go. But this was different. When you unplug the drain in theContinue reading “Grecian Plumbing”

If it’s Tuesday, it must be Olympia! There came to be a place in Greece where young men trained mentally and physically and a competition ensued.  This was the site of the original Olympic Games located in the valley of the Alphios River in western Peloponnese. This river is all but dried up as youContinue reading “Ancient Olympia”

Venice was in its prime from about 1100 – 1500 AD. We departed Venice this week, during a one week semester travel break, to head back in time. We’re talking 4000 years before Venice peaked out, and 4500 years before our lives as we know them today. On Sunday we flew into Athens and holedContinue reading “Time Travel”

We departed Venice yesterday morning at 7 am with the moon setting over the Grand Canal. We arrived our hotel in Athens later in the day with the moon rising over the ridge to the east of the Acropolis.

Just over the Ponte dell’Accademia, across the small campianello San Vidal on the San Marco side, is the Chiesa San Vidal (Church of St. Vitale). The church was founded in 1084 by Doge Vitale Faller, dedicated to his patron saint. More recent restorations in the 15th and 17th centuries make the church seem positively “modern.”Continue reading “Concerti”

The Royal Gardens (Giardini Reali) are located near Piazza San Marco. The entrance is however hidden between the stalls in front of the back side of San Marco. The garden had been created by Napoleon (Here we go again!) and the young Viceroy Eugenio di Beauharnais. They wanted to use the Procuratie Nuove building asContinue reading “Royal Gardens”