If the earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital. – Napoleon Bonaparte Many visitors schedule a few days to bag the Big Four in Istanbul. A tour of Topkapi Palace, visits to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia followed by a quick shopping spree at the Grand Bazaar is all they really … More What to see in Istanbul after the Big Four
I bought a rug from you two days ago. What makes you think I need more rugs? – Roll playing tactic in the Turkish Rug Funnel Rounding a corner, I felt the tall buildings of Istanbul fade and the busy traffic melt into the background as I peered down Byzantium’s historic heart. At the tip … More The Turkish Rug Funnel
The beautiful game is the one that makes you feel something. – Pelé One of the best things about a roving retirement is discovering strange new holidays in foreign places and joining the faithful to watch fútbol (a.k.a. soccer). Holidays National Day in Granada, Spain (October 12) The day after we arrived in Southern Spain, … More Holidays, festivals & fútbol
Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June. – Al Bernstein The weather is heating up, and the crowds are everywhere. Welcome to summertime in Europe. Travel and sightseeing In June we took a trip to Cappadocia and spent 4 nights living like troglodytes. Each morning we rose before the sun to watch … More What we’ve been up to lately – the June 2026 edition
The problem many people have with Italian food is they over complicate it. Italian food is extremely simple. – Gino D’Acampo After six weeks in Syracuse, Robie and I moved across the island to continue our Sicilian food tour in Palermo. Once again, our hunt for the city’s best dishes started with cannoli. Cannoli After … More Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Palermo
There is a history to Italian food that goes back thousands of years. – Lidia Bastianich When Robie and I decided to spend spring in Sicily, we were excited to experience the fresh food and multicultural cuisine of the island. Sicilian food is humble, packed with flavor and made using fresh, seasonal ingredients to create … More Savoring Sicilian Flavors: A Culinary Journey of Syracuse
Naples is curiously chaotic. It’s alive, vibrant, a little dirty and busy, and I loved it. I felt like this was how Rome would probably have been 2,000 years ago. – Paul Hollywood When we weren’t seeking out Caravaggios in Southern Italy, Robie and I took advantage of the beautiful spring weather to sit at … More Exploring Naples & Rome
What begins in the work of Caravaggio is, quite simply, modern painting. – Art Historian André Berne-Joffroy Painting from live models made Caravaggio’s art feel real. Combined with his signature use of light, he infused his pieces with an emotional intensity never seen before. Yet while his works resonated with many in Rome, after murdering … More Following in the footsteps of Caravaggio (Part 2)
Caravaggio’s art is made from darkness and light. His pictures present spotlit moments of extreme and often agonized human experience. – Andrew Graham-Dixon, Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane The most important artist of the 17th century, Caravaggio was a revolutionary who forever changed art. Abandoning the highly idealized figures and heavenly settings dominant at … More Following in the footsteps of Caravaggio (Part 1)
People were right when they say there is no other place on Earth as beautiful looking as Istanbul. – François-René de Chateaubriand When I told Robie I wanted to start a monthly update post, he groaned. After all, he has to listen to me agonize over a phrase for days or ask whether the hours … More May 2026 recap
