Travel Monkeys

Southeast National Parks Road Trip 2024 – Day 4

Shenandoah National Park to Charlotte – Saturday, July 26, 2024 (Author: J)

Because of the bizarre aerobics of our nocturnal upstairs neighbors, we woke up on Saturday happy to check out of Skylands and start our journey to our next national park. Congaree National Park is about an 8-hour drive from Shenandoah, so we spread the journey out over two days. But we still had a 6-hour drive ahead of us, so we wasted no time packing and hitting the road.

We turned in our keys, bought some overpriced lattes (and our traditional souvenirs – an ornament and magnet) at the Skylands Visitor Center, and continued driving south along Skyline Drive. Even though it was now the official weekend, there weren’t many cars on the road. That meant we could stop off at a few more viewpoints as we made our way through the park. We exited at the Swift Run Gap entrance. This put us on the most direct route to the Carolinas but meant that we did not explore the southern 3^rd of Skyline Drive.

It took a little over four hours to reach our first planned stop of the day – the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. We learned about the zoo via the recommendation of a poster on the Tripadvisor road trip forums. (Their advice was along the lines of, “If you insist on going through with your silly plan to skip the Blue Ridge Parkway, then you can stop at the North Carolina Zoo.”) The zoo advertises itself as the largest natural habitat zoo in the US. Its exhibits on North American and African wildlife are spread across 500 acres, with animal habitats set in the natural landscape. The whole concept sounded like it was right up our alley. Once we learned that the zoo was part of the reciprocal admission program with our local science museum, stopping was an easy choice.

As we approached the zoo, we debated whether to start in North America or Africa. That turned out to be a moot question. If you arrive at the zoo in the afternoon, the North America lots will be full, and you will park near Africa. After some initial confusion when we presented our out-of-state museum card, we received our admission tickets and entered the zoo. (If you are doing a US road trip, it’s worth checking whether your local museums and zoos offer reciprocal admission. The free and discounted admissions we got with our museum pass on this trip were enough to cover the cost of the annual membership).

The Africa section of the North Carolina Zoo

A summer afternoon is not the ideal time to visit the North Carolina Zoo. A visit entails a lot of walking – something that poses a challenge in the summer heat and humidity, even on the zoo’s well-shaded paths. We explored most of Africa and then decided to take a tram to North America to cut down on walking. Unfortunately, everyone else who had entered the zoo that afternoon had the same brilliant idea. The line was long. The trams were slow to arrive. We soon regretted our decision. When 20 minutes of waiting hadn’t put us much closer to the front of the line, we gave up and started walking.

P’s energy flagged before we reached the first exhibit, a glass-domed building full of desert plants and animals. We agreed that we would peek inside and then head back to our car to finish our drive. The desert exhibit turned out to be a highlight for us. It had free-flying birds, interesting reptiles, and adorable sand cats. After seeing how well-done the desert was, I was a little disappointed to miss the exhibits on local Carolina wildlife. I consoled myself with the knowledge that we would have the opportunity to see some of the same animals in their natural habitat at our next national park.

From the zoo, it was only about a 90-minute drive to the Ballantyne, our hotel in Charlotte. (Although Asheboro was the halfway point in our drive to Columbia, I decided we would push on to Charlotte because it had a broader range of accommodations and restaurants).

The Ballantyne was our favorite hotel of the trip. However, it was also the most expensive hotel of the trip. So, although we got what we paid for, we also paid for what we got. The hotel sits in a neighborhood of the same name on the outskirts of Charlotte. It sits next to “The Bowl,” a redevelopment project that converted a corporate park into a mixed-use project with a lovely park, restaurants, shops, and apartments. It was a great place for a one-night stopover because everything we needed was a short walk from our hotel.

As we were approaching Charlotte, I put our name on the online waiting list for Postino, one of the restaurants in the Bowl. Postino, a chain with locations in the South and on the West Coast, specializes in bruschetta and cheeseboards. It was quite popular on a Saturday night, so we had plenty of time to check in, get cleaned up, and relax in our room before we made it to the top of the waitlist. Once we were in the top 5, we made the short walk to the restaurant so that we wouldn’t miss our table. D and I shared an assortment of bruschetta, a cheese board, some crispy cauliflower, and some sweet potato wedges. P got the kids grilled cheese board. It was too much food, but we did our best to eat it. After dinner we returned to the hotel, where we had a swim in the beautiful indoor pool before turning in for the night.

Overall, we really enjoyed our little peek at Charlotte. It certainly beat my trip to Charlotte earlier in the month, when I was stranded at the airport during the global IT outage. We would consider revisiting to see more of the city.

Southeast National Parks Road Trip 2024 – Day 3

Shenandoah National Park – Friday, July 25, 2024 (Author: J)

After a fitful night of sleep in our vibrating room at Skylands, I woke up to a beautiful morning in Shenandoah. The park recommends keeping food locked in your car to discourage late night bear raids of your room, so my first order of business was heading to the car for breakfast. Our breakfast provisions were an assortment of individually wrapped muffins and donuts, instant oatmeal and cream of wheat in disposable cups, juice, and fruit. I carried a selection of items back to the room, used the hotel coffee pot to make coffee and some hot water for my oatmeal, and went out on our balcony to enjoy my breakfast.

The private balconies overlooking the valley are, without a doubt, the best feature of the hotel style rooms at Skylands. I had a peaceful breakfast with my dining companion, a cute little bird who was apparently accustomed to receiving handouts from tourists. Unfortunately for him, I don’t share food with birds – or anyone else for that matter. By the time I was done with breakfast, P and D were up and about. We decided that we would make our way to the Big Meadows area to see the Visitor Center there and maybe join a guided hike.

For anyone who is not familiar with Shenandoah, the park is long and narrow. Skyline Drive runs the length of the park. If you enter the park from the North, as we did, then Skylands is the first lodging area you will pass. But the second major lodging area, Big Meadows, is only about 10 miles further down Skyline Drive. Even driving slowly and stopping at outlooks along the way, it didn’t take us long to reach the Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadows.

The exhibits at the Byrd Visitor Center focus on the history and development of the park. D was quite taken with the display on Herbert Hoover, who has a retreat in the park during his presidency. Hoover is, of course, remembered as one of our worst presidents, but “if he’s good enough for Lindy, he’s good enough for me.” At least, that’s what the campaign jingle they play in the visitor center told me.

We finished with the exhibits well before the start time of the ranger guided hike of Big Meadows. Rather than wait, we decided to ask a ranger for his advice on a good day hike. He gave us suggestions for hiking to summits or waterfalls. We made what, in hindsight, turned out to be an unfortunate decision to head for the water.

Given the amount of time that has passed since our trip, I no longer remember the name of the hiking trail that we selected. I do know that it was between Skylands and Big Meadow, so we backtracked to reach it. I also know that – after parking – we crossed the road to the trailhead.

Our hike started out pleasantly enough. It was an easy downhill hike on a shady trail. Because it was early in the day, there were relatively few people on the trail with us. Things took a turn when we reached a stream. D went down by the water to sit on a rock – something that he does as a matter of course whenever he sees water on a hike. P and I stopped for a moment to examine a hitchhiking bumble bee that had climbed into P’s pocket and was steadfastly refusing to leave. One minute we were laughing, the next P was screaming like he was being murdered.

“What’s wrong!” I screamed.

“He bit me! He bit me!” P shrieked in reply.

“I don’t think bumble bees bite.”

“Not! The! Bee!” P shrieked again as a second black fly bit his hand.

It took some time to calm P down, a feat made more challenging by my own panic (spurred not out of concern, but rather fear over what other hikers would think of my hysterical child screaming “No, don’t hurt me!” on the trail). In the ensuing panic, D was also attacked by black flies. We did eventually convince P that he would have to hike back to the car on his own power. And once he got going, he really went. We made it to the road in no time.

At the top of the trail were two barrier poles with a metal chain between them, presumably designed to prevent cars from driving onto the trail. P and I walked around the poles. D decided he would go over the chain. His first foot made it over without incident. The second foot caught on the chain and D pitched forward. D has a real talent for falling; his head has been in contact with the ground on multiple continents! This time, though, he caught himself with his hands.

“Why didn’t you go AROUND the poles!”

“Mom, why are you sympathetic when I fall, but mad when Dad falls?”

“I, uh, let’s just cross the street. Please no one get hit by a car.”

Back at the car, as I used our first aid kit to bandage P’s bitten finger and D’s bloody hands, I realized that we hadn’t even managed to find a waterfall.

It was now lunchtime, so we drove back to Big Meadows for a picnic of peanut butter sandwiches and potato chips. Then, we returned to our room to recover from our morning’s misadventures. It wasn’t until late afternoon that P agreed to another hike on the condition that we go somewhere with no water in a several mile radius. We drove to the Stony Man Trail (which is walking distance from Skylands).

The Stony Man Trail is a 1.6-mile hike to a scenic overlook. It’s a popular trail, but we had no trouble finding parking because those who had started their hikes just after lunch were leaving as we arrived. The trail was crowded, but not enough to detract from the hiking experience. More importantly, no injuries were sustained on this hike. Indeed, it was not until we returned to Skylands for dinner that D took his next tumble. How he managed to fall on the smooth paved trail between our room and the restaurant is beyond me. However, because his hands were already bandaged, his new injuries from the second fall were minor.

After dinner in the dining room, we went to a ranger talk in the Skylands amphitheater. It was a slideshow about nocturnal wildlife. In keeping with the theme, an owl and a group of bats fluttered around the amphitheater as the talk started. After learning about the sounds of Shenandoah’s nocturnal creatures, we went back to our room to turn in for the night.

“I hope the elephants upstairs have checked out,” I said as I turned out the lights. As if on cue, the shaking started.

Southeast National Parks Road Trip 2024 – Day 2

Gettysburg, PA & Shenandoah National Park – Thursday, July 25, 2024 (Author: J)

Thanks to a great night’s sleep at Hotel Gettysburg (which has very comfortable beds), we woke up on Thursday refreshed and ready for more exploration. The first order of business was deciding whether to eat some of our road trip provisions or splurge on a hot breakfast. Once we realized that we were only half a block from the Lincoln Diner, our decision was made.

The Lincoln Diner is, well, a diner. And it’s a diner in the old school sense of that word: basic menu options at affordable prices. The bill for our three breakfasts – pancakes, an omelette, and an egg and cheese sandwich with juice and coffee – just barely exceeded $20. Our meal was quick and tasty, and we were soon back at the Hotel Gettysburg to complete the always tedious task of packing up. The upside of a short stay is that there isn’t much time to make a mess, so our bags were soon repacked. Then, we replenished the ice in our cooler and checked out.

The plan for the day was to explore more of the National Military Park and then continue on to Shenandoah. We decided to start at the visitor center so that our explorations would have more context. The visitor center has all the basics (maps and information, a gift shop, a cafeteria, restrooms) along with three paid attractions: a film, museum, and cyclorama. We sprang for the combo ticket that included all 3 paid attractions. It was well worth the $20.75 for adults and $15.75 for children.

We were lucky to arrive just a few minutes before the next movie screening, so we headed directly to the theater after purchasing our tickets. The movie, A New Birth of Freedom, provides a 22-minute overview of the Battle of Gettysburg and its place within the larger war. It is narrated by America’s most prolific source of fatherly-sounding voiceover work: Morgan Freeman.

After the movie, you proceed directly to the cyclorama. A cyclorama is a 360° painting. Apparently, cycloramas were popular entertainment before movies were invented. Lighting and sound effects, music, and narration were used to convert the paintings into a multi-sensory experience. The cyclorama at the visitor center is Paul Philippoteaux’s 1883 painting of Pickett’s charge on the 3^rd day of the Battle of Gettysburg. I was expecting to just look at a painting, but the cyclorama is presented with light and sound effects just as it would have been in the 1800s. You are on a platform in the middle of the painting during the show, with freedom to walk around and take in the details of the painting. I haven’t had an experience quite like it anywhere else. Together, the movie and the cyclorama provide great context for exploring the battlefield; we were glad that we decided to see them.

A soldier’s haversack, in which he wrote the names of battles in which he fought.

From the cyclorama, we proceeded into the museum. The museum covers the events leading up to the Civil War, the War (with lots of detail on the Battle of Gettysburg), and its aftermath. There are relics from the war, interpretive displays, and lots of interactive touch screens that allow you to explore things like maps and primary source documents (such as the Declarations of Causes for the Seceding States, all of which more or less say, “cause we want to keep owning other people”). I most enjoyed learning about the civilian experience during the Battle of Gettysburg. That’s where I learned about my new hero, Elizabeth Thorn, who – 6 months pregnant with 3 young children to care for – helped the Union generals scout their position for the battle by walking next to the general’s horses and pointing out places of interest.

After exploring the museum, we made an obligatory stop in the gift shop and then used the NPS App to start a driving tour of the battlefield. The app is really well done; it provides GPS directions between stops on the tour and narration at each of the stops. We made it as far as the Virginia Memorial (coincidentally the location of Pickett’s charge, shown in the cyclorama) before we decided that it was time to head towards Shenandoah. We had a quick picnic in the car, fueled up, and then continued our journey south. To my surprise, P and D had really enjoyed their time in Gettysburg. We all agreed that a day was not enough time to spend there. Hopefully, we will be able to return and give the town and Military Park the time they deserve.

Scenes from our driving tour of the battlefield.

It takes about 3 hours to drive from Gettysburg to Skylands Resort, our next homebase. In the interest of time, we made the tough call to skip a planned stop in Harper’s Ferry, but we did notice how picturesque it looked as we sped by. After about 2 hours of driving, we entered Shenandoah National Park at the top of Skyline Drive. (There are entrance booths here where you either buy a park ticket or show your pre-purchased park ticket, available via the park website about a week before your trip.)

I was in for a couple of surprises once we entered the park. First, P wanted to stop at every scenic viewpoint we passed in the park. And he got out of the car and took pictures at each one. Second, Skyline Drive was nearly empty. I had been expecting crowds, so having the park to ourselves was a treat. We were able to stop at each viewpoint and then easily merge back onto Skyline Drive. Along the way, we also saw our first wildlife of the trip, a groundhog waddling along the side of the road. We all love chonky animals, so this was a real treat.

Around 5 pm, we arrived at Skylands and checked in. It was at this point that I realized that my research on park accommodations had not been thorough enough. I booked a hotel-style room instead of the cabin that P requested because I expected the hotel rooms to be near the restaurant. However, Skylands’ rooms are located in multiple motel-like buildings, many of which are some distance from the dining room. Needless to say, P was disappointed by the clear lack of cabin at this stop, especially when we later walked past some of the cabins on our way to dinner at the restaurant.

After settling into our room and relaxing for a bit, we headed up to the restaurant to eat. Skyland has two choices for a sit-down meal: the Taproom and the Pollack Dining room. The dining room has big windows overlooking the park, but we chose to eat in the Taproom because it features live music every evening. We enjoyed veggie burgers and local beers/root beers while we listened to the evening’s music act. The food quality and ambiance made the relatively high price of our meals worthwhile.

After dinner, we walked back to our room to turn in for the night. It was at this point that our room began to shake. The people staying above us were on the move, stomping back and forth across the room. We made jokes about staying underneath elephants, but those jokes were unfair to pachyderms, who apparently walk quite quietly. It is unlikely, then, that our upstairs neighbors were elephants. Whatever they were, they walked back and forth in their room for hours, quite literally nonstop. It was hard to sleep with the noise and vibration, but I eventually succumbed to a fitful sleep. That brings us to the most important tip of the day: listen to my son and book a cabin at Skylands. Don’t risk sleeping below a herd of elephants in the hotel-style rooms.

Southeast National Parks Road Trip 2024 – Day 1

Massachusetts to Gettysburg, PA – Wednesday, July 24, 2024 (Author: J)

We woke up early on July 24, packed the car, hugged our dog and cat goodbye, and hit the road by 6:30 am. (Pro tip: Have just 1 kid. It leaves extra room in the backseat for road trip snacks). The early start was essential because we had a 7.5-hour drive ahead of us. I confess that I selected Gettysburg as our first destination because it was somewhere that I had wanted to visit ever since my US history nerd elementary school days. I figured that P and D would not have much interest in a Civil War battlefield. But I also figured that they would not have much cause to complain since no one wanted to drive the 11 hours to Shenandoah without stopping somewhere. And Gettysburg is certainly somewhere.

The first 3 hours of our drive passed uneventfully. Then, we missed an exit somewhere in New York. At that point, D realized that turning on the sound on the navigation was a good idea. That way he could ignore both the image on the screen and the verbal instructions telling him where to go. (Sample dialogue: “It’s not my fault I missed the exit. The instructions were confusing.” “How is ‘take the next exit confusing!’”) This added about 30 minutes of driving and several minutes of carping to our drive. (Sample dialogue: “I don’t understand why the GPS sent us this way.” “Maybe because you left it no choice when you missed the exit, and then the next exit, and then ….”).

At this point, P expressed disappointment in his decision to join us for the trip. This was our signal that it was time for lunch. We decided to picnic at one of the lovely rest stops on the Garden State Parkway. I say this without any hint of irony. I am a Jersey native and fierce advocate of Jersey style rest stops with free bathrooms and copious food options. (This one even had *oh joy* a cake slice vending machine).

After lunch, we finished our drive without incident. As we reached Pennsylvania, I queued up an episode of the Addressing Gettysburg podcast that promised a high-level overview of battle for noobs. What it delivered was an in-the-weeds look at the battle for Civil War fanatics. Not quite what I hoped for, but I still learned some interesting factoids about the foreign policy implications of the Emancipation Proclamation. Happy times. We switched back to D’s road trip playlist without finishing the podcast.

We arrived in Gettysburg around 3 pm and quickly located our hotel, the Hotel Gettysburg. It’s located in Lincoln Square right in the heart of town. We found parking in the municipal lot near the hotel; paid using Pay by Phone, the same parking app our hometown uses; and headed inside to check in.

The Hotel Gettysburg is in a historic building from the 1700s, but it was recently renovated. While the lobby and common areas preserve some period touches, the rooms look quite modern (in a non-descript hotel renovated in the 2020’s type of way). We had a suite on the 3^rd floor, which was ready when we arrived.

After dumping our bags and moving our perishables from the cooler to our in-room fridge, we decided it was time for that most pleasant of road trip activities: snack time. Thus, we set out on foot in search of junk. After rejecting a chocolatier’s wares as too melty, we wandered into Sweeet!, a retro candy and soda shop. Sweeet! has an extensive selection of everything from penny candies to the hair of once and future presidents. We selected some taffy, an assortment of moon pies, and some local sodas, then settled on the bench outside for some people watching while we ate.

Apparently Trump Hair tastes like fruit punch, and not — as I initially anticipated — spray tan and fried chicken.

Then we headed back to our room to stash our candy and rest before dinner. P is usually a fan of long rest breaks, so I was surprised when he suggested that we head out for further exploration just 20 minutes later. I guess 8 hours in a car was rest enough. We decided we would visit Cemetery Ridge and then continue on to the Dobbin House when we were ready for dinner.

Cemetery Ridge, a ridge located just south of town, was one of the Union’s primary defensive positions during the battle. It is an easy 20-minute walk from the Hotel Gettysburg. We took a bit longer to get there because we stopped and read just about every historic placard we passed along the way – and there were plenty of placards.

I decided to lighten my load during our walk by carrying only my camera and leaving my cell phone in the hotel. (Yes, I have a camera that does not send text messages). This was a mistake. I had downloaded the National Parks app on my phone before we left home, and I quickly realized that the app would have been great to have as we wandered around on the ridge. Even without the benefit of narration, though, Cemetery Ridge is an evocative place. After reflecting on Cemetery Ridge, we popped into Soldiers National Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for veterans of multiple wars, not just the Civil War; we poked around a bit reading the grave markers of those who served. When the heat began to get to us, we knew it was time for dinner.

This prayer from the American Legion seems as timely now as it was in 1955.

We had dinner at the Spring House Tavern at Dobbin House, which is inside the oldest standing structure in Gettysburg. The Dobbin House also has a fine dining option, the Alexander Dobbin dining room; we selected the tavern based upon its menu. We enjoyed our meal, the historic rum punch (for education purposes, of course), and the tavern ambiance. After P and D shared a slice of cheesecake, we hoofed it back to the Hotel Gettysburg for relaxation and bedtime. The trip was off to a great start.

Trip Report – Southeast National Parks Road Trip 2024

July/August 2024 (Author: J)

This is the beginning of a long overdue trip report for our 2024 summer vacation: a 3-week Southeast US road trip. I initially delayed writing the report because it felt odd to write about the trip right after Hurricane Helene impacted some of the places we visited. From there, inertia set in. But with a new year and new destinations ahead, I finally feel ready to look back on last year’s adventures.

Cemetary Ridge, Gettysburg National Military Park

Trip Backstory

I know that our family vacation time is limited (18 years, or maybe less if P boycotts family vacations as a teen). So, I would gladly let P pick our vacation destinations from now until he moves out. D does not feel the same way. After our 2022 trip to Singapore and Malaysia, D declared that he was “done with jungles.” P, a lifelong monkey fanatic, was by no means ready to be done with jungles – and has very little interest in the European history that D would gladly make the focus of 100% of our vacations.

So, I dictated a compromise. We now rotate selecting vacation destinations, meaning that we each pick the trips every 3^rd year. D had the first pick in 2023, and selected Italy and Colombia. P surprised us with his pick for 2024 by requesting a road trip to Alabama (to see where our cat, Tarzan, was born), stopping at as many national parks as possible on the way.

With that mandate and help from the Tripadvisor road trip forums, I put together a couple of possible routes that included 5 national parks: Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Congaree, New River Gorge, and Mammoth Cave. Once I had finished my research, we had a family meeting to select our final route. We agreed that our priority was to loop the destinations together in a way that minimized driving time. This meant skipping the Blue Ridge Parkway – a decision that I am sure some will question. But the reality is that P – like most kids – is unimpressed by scenic drives. And since this was his trip, cutting something that didn’t really appeal to him was an easy choice.

Cave formations – Mammoth Cave National Park

Here is what we wound up with.

Itinerary

Day 1: Drive from our house just north of Boston to Gettysburg, PA

Day 2: Drive from Gettysburg, PA to Shenandoah National Park

Day 3: Explore Shenandoah

Day 4: Begin driving from Shenandoah to Columbia, SC; stop in Charlotte for the night

Day 5: Continue on to Columbia, SC (and Congaree National Park)

Day 6: Explore Columbia area

Day 7: Begin driving from Columbia to Huntsville, AL; stop in Atlanta for the night

Day 8: Continue on to Huntsville

Day 9: Explore Huntsville

Day 10: Drive from Huntsville to Mammoth Cave National Park

Day 11: Explore Mammoth Cave

Day 12: Drive from Mammoth Cave to Gatlinburg, TN

Days 13-15: Explore Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Day 16: Drive from Gatlinburg to New River Gorge National Park

Days 17-18: Explore New River Gorge

Day 19: Begin driving from New River Gorge to Massachusetts; stop in NJ (to visit family) for the night

Day 20: Finish drive home

Views from an overlook in Shenandoah National Park

Highlights

Overall, we were very happy with the itinerary. We loved all the national parks, and we were pleasantly surprised with the bonus stops we added to break the drive up into manageable chunks. It was sheer luck that the way we structured our itinerary also ensured good weather. We very often arrived in a location just before or just after rain. Most notably, when Tropical Storm Debby hit Charlotte and Columbia during the 3^rd week of our trip, we were west of most of the rain.

Our favorite destinations were:

D: Gettysburg

P: Rafting in New River Gorge

J: Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A black bear in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney Day 7

July 10, 2023 (Author: J)

The best feature of the Hilton Molino Stucky is undoubtedly its air conditioning. Even when it is 95 degrees outside, the Hilton’s rooms are cool and comfortable for sleeping. Thus, I woke up well-rested on the final day of our tour. I immediately opened the window, inviting the stifling heat into our room. Our window overlooked the Giudecca Canal, and I was curious to hear the sounds of Venice in the morning.

The sun sparkled on the water, boats whizzed by, and from below me drifted the sweet sounds of … a group of American tourists waiting for the hotel shuttle boat to take them across the canal. Apparently, our room was right above the shuttle boat queue. I quickly shut the window and the blinds so that we could dress without an audience.

D got ready first and headed downstairs to sign us up for pool time later in the day. Once P and I were ready, we also went downstairs. We passed the pool signup line on the way and joined D as he inched closer to the signup sheet. After securing an afternoon swim time, we set off in search of breakfast, stopping only to say hello to Gabby and Massi. Like the other hotels on this trip, the Hilton had a buffet breakfast that was included in the tour price. But, unlike the other hotels, the Hilton is a large hotel with hundreds of rooms. That increase in hotel size translated directly to an increase in buffet size. The Hilton had the most elaborate buffet breakfast of the trip, with easily triple the selection of the other two hotels.

After our meal, we gathered in the lounge area of the hotel to meet Gabby and Massi. Once our group was assembled, we boarded a private shuttle and made the short journey across the canal. Although it was early, Venice was already thronged with tourists. Fortunately, we had priority access to our first sight of the day: the Doge’s Palace.

The Doge’s Palace was the residence of the doges, Venice’s elected rulers (no relation to the Shiba Inu who appears on certain cryptocurrency). The palace was just a short walk from where the shuttle boat dropped us. But even a 5-minute walk in the heat was long enough for P to enquire hopefully about air conditioning. “Well, we are going inside a building,” I said without confidence.

Our guide explaining how to rat out law breakers at the Doge’s Palace.

Once inside the Doge’s Palace, which is not air-conditioned, we were divided into groups. Adults and teens went on a tour of the palace with our step-on guides, while the youngest of the junior adventurers – including P — did a scavenger hunt activity with Massi and Gabby. After an interesting tour, we found P (and the other two scavenger hunt participants) happily eating snacks on benches near the café with Massi and Gabby. The kids reported that they were the best behaved and cleverest group to ever participate in the scavenger hunt activity, which checks out as far as I’m concerned. I was grateful to join the kids on the bench for a rest. Although it was another scorching day, I had started to shiver and shake by the end of the palace tour.

Once everyone in our group had the opportunity for a break, we set out on foot for our next activity: mask making at Tragicomica. The walk took us on what seemed like a meandering route through Venice’s streets and allies. (Every walk in Venice feels like wandering through a maze). The longer we walked, the worse I felt. By the time we arrived at the mask shop, about 25 minutes after we had set out, I was feeling weak, nauseous, and unsteady. I would love to tell you that – had I known how long the walk was – I would have skipped mask making. But the truth is that I probably would have stubbornly powered through either way. I had been looking forward to my arts and crafts time.

At the shop, there was a quick opportunity to look at the masks on display and select a blank mask to paint. Then, we were herded upstairs to an area that had been set up for mask painting. D, P, and I found 3 seats together and sat down. By now, D realized that I wasn’t doing well, and he was making his best effort to help. Our whispered conversation drew the attention of one of the girls who worked at the shop, and she came over to chastise us for failing to pay attention to the instructions. I was momentarily filled with a middle-aged person’s indignation at being lectured by some young whipper snapper – about a vacation art project, no less. But heat exhaustion won out and I simply said, “Cut me some slack. I’m sick,” and put my head down on the table. Incidentally, if you miss the instructions at the mask painting activity, they are: use a brush to apply paint to your mask.

By this point, Gabby had noticed that I wasn’t doing well, and she came over to check on me. I told her I just needed some water and rest. This was a mistake on my part. There were apparently snacks set up downstairs. I’m willing to bet that Gabby would have let me know about them if I hadn’t been so sure about not needing help. And I’m also willing to bet that a sugar infusion would have been a good thing.

I spent most of the mask making activity with my head on the table trying to recover from my heat exhaustion. In the last few minutes of painting time, I requested some paint and applied it to my mask. Then I requested a second color, applied that, and immediately hated the results. Meanwhile, D and P completed their own masks. (P’s mask is now displayed on my shelf at work. Mine is in a landfill somewhere in Italy. D’s is in our basement). When everyone was done painting, we left the masks at the shop for final touches and ventured back out into the heat.

Our first order of business was to find a place to eat lunch. We stopped at the first pizza shop we saw and requested an indoor table. This was easily the worst meal of the trip, but the restaurant’s air-conditioning did allow me to successfully stave off full blown heat stroke.

After lunch, we continued walking. Our goal now was to get back to the hotel shuttle, which meant that we were following arrows pointing us towards St. Mark’s Square. As we were making our way through a particularly narrow alley, I heard a loud noise behind me and then a scream. The first sound was D falling. (Don’t worry. He caught himself when his head hit the cobblestone.) The second was the sound of P watching his father fall.

“I’m okay,” D said as he picked himself up off the ground.

“I think I’m going to cry,” said P.

“Me too,” came a voice from behind us.

Another family in our group had caught up to us. And while none of them was bloodied, they looked like they were doing about as well in the heat as we were. We all continued in the direction of St. Mark’s Square. When we finally arrived at the hotel shuttle, we were dismayed to find that the shuttle runs hourly – except at midday when there is a 2-hour gap in the shuttle schedule. (Relatedly, I don’t recommend the Hilton Molino Stucky to those on their first visit to Venice). We briefly entertained the idea of finding a café and having a drink, but that seemed like a lot of effort. So, we found a shady alley and sat for a while, staring forlornly at our hotel just across the canal.

Gabby had warned us that the shuttle often fills us, so with 45 minutes to go, we decided to head down the pier to the shuttle waiting dock. Inside, we found Gabby drinking frozen slush. As soon as I saw the slush, I knew I absolutely had to have one. So, D ran top speed up the ramp to procure one. While we waited for D to return, several more families on our tour arrived to board the shuttle.

“I hope your dad gets back in time,” I said to P.

“Don’t worry. He knows what time the boat’s leaving,” one of the new arrivals assured me.

Apparently, D had shouted the shuttle schedule information at them as he ran by in pursuit of frozen beverages. And D did, indeed, make it back in time to catch our boat. The frozen slush was everything I dreamed it would be.

We spent the early part of the afternoon at the Hilton’s rooftop pool. After our swim, we decided on gelato. My attempts to find a gelateria on Giudecca bore no fruit (or dairy), so we dined at the gelato cart in the hotel’s lobby. The gelato was not much by Italian standards, which meant it was still much better than anything we can get back home in the US.

While eating our snack, we all agreed that we were feeling well enough for the final activity of the trip: a farewell cruise. So, after eating, we went upstairs to change and then came back downstairs to board our pirate ship. Then, we set sail with drinks in hand to see the sun set over the islands of Venice.

This was another trip highlight. We had absolutely perfect weather for a sail and everyone in the group was in high spirits eating, drinking, and admiring the views. As the evening progressed (and more prosecco was consumed), the adults in the group turned the main level of the ship into a dance floor. “Cringe,” P pronounced. D and I knew what we had to do. We busted out our most embarrassing parent dance moves and then pointed at P. P responded with his own dance move. Dance off challenge accepted!

Our delight was short-lived. After giving us his best shimmy, P doubled over in pain. He had somehow scraped himself against something sharp and his stomach was now bleeding. If you are keeping track, this completed our family’s punch card. We are now entitled to one free injury on our next ABD! I found the guides, obtained a Band-Aid, and dressed P’s wound. Once P had been assured that Italian pirate ships don’t cause tetanus, we all went back to enjoying the cruise (with a moratorium on dance offs). In a day that had had many lows, we were so glad that we were able to end our time in Venice on a high note.

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney ABD Day 6

July 9, 2023 (Author: J)

ABD day 6: time for our final transfer of the trip. The logistics for this transfer were a little more complicated than the last one because we were saying goodbye to the coach and heading to Venice by train. That meant that anything we carried on the train would need to be toted around Venice until our afternoon hotel check-in. Along with my wallet, the passports, my camera, and my water bottle, I reluctantly agreed to carry P’s book so that he could read on the train. (Spoiler: he did not read on the train). Then, we put our suitcases in the hallway for pickup and brought our day packs downstairs with us while we ate our final meal in Tuscany.

After breakfast, the guides air dropped or emailed the train ticket information to each family. Then, we boarded the coach, which took us to Florence to catch our train. In Florence, we bid farewell to our driver, Massi, and our guides, Massi and Gabby, led us into the train station to wait for our train. This entails waiting until the track for your train is posted a few minutes before departure time and then scurrying to board before the train leaves. Tip: there was no restroom access after security at the train station and ABD enters via an entrance that takes you directly past security. There was, however, a restaurant, so I purchased a soda for P to carry on the train and added it to my already heavy pack.

When our track was announced, we boarded the train en masse and found our seats. They were already occupied. “Are you sure these are the right seats?” I asked D.

The American couple in our seats responded, “We’re in the wrong seats. Ours are too close to the bathroom. It smells over there, so we decided to sit here.” The couple looked at us expectantly. When it became clear that we weren’t going to give up our reserved seats, they gathered their things and moved to their own seats.

When we sat down, the first thing I noticed was that the seats were filthy, with pastry crumbs on the chairs and garbage stuffed in the seat back pocket. My first thought was, “Service on first class trains in Italy is not what I expected.” In hindsight, though, I’m willing to bet that the seats were clean before they were commandeered by our entitled friends.

The train trip from Florence to Venice is about 2 hours long. It’s not a very scenic ride. But we had boxed lunches provided by ABD and a snack service to pass the time. And P had my phone, which he played with instead of reading his book. Gabby and Massi also came by to suggest restaurants for dinner that evening and assist with reservations as needed.

The drive to Venice from Tuscany is not much longer than the drive/train combo we employed. I suspect that we took the train because it creates a more dramatic arrival in Venice. As you exit the train station, you are greeted by the Grand Canal. It looks just like you’ve always imagined. But you’re really there.

We posed for photos and then took a short walk to the boarding spot for our gondola ride. As others in our group were boarding their boats, Gabby asked if we would be okay with some extra people in our gondola. Having read other reports about this trip, I had a strong suspicion about who the extra people would be and offered an enthusiastic yes. Shortly after we stepped into our gondola, my hunch was confirmed. We were joined by two Italian men, one of whom was carrying an accordion.

As we paddled through the canals, D sang along with the musicians. He was apparently unbothered by the fact that he didn’t know the words to any of the songs and undeterred by the repeated smacks and invitations to shut up that P offered. (One common question that people ask about family travel is whether to wait until the kids are old enough to remember the trip. I suppose that’s a valid concern, but there is something to be said for travelling with kids before they are old enough to consider their parents a horrible embarrassment). D and I had a wonderful time on the gondola. And P was also there.

We disembarked our gondolas somewhere in the winding maze of streets that is Venice. There, we were met by our local guide, who led us on a walking tour through the city. Venice receives about 4 million visitors a year, but no more than a handful venture to the area in Venice where our tour began. In fact, one of the few people we encountered was Marco Polo himself. He regaled us with stories from his travels, then sent us on our way. (Once again, D and I were delighted and P was too cool to participate, even when assigned the plum role of an elephant in Polo’s story. “You’ve seen wild elephants. You know what sound they make,” I coaxed, doing my own feeble impression. Only daggers from P. No elephant noises). As our tour progressed, the size of the crowds on the streets and in the squares gradually increased. This was our sign that we were approaching St. Mark’s Square.

During the time we were in Venice, there were concerts scheduled in St. Mark’s Square. This meant that the square was full of scaffolding, sound equipment, and other things that were little more than eyesores to those of us without tickets. We headed right into St. Mark’s Basilica, which was not only decidedly not an eyesore, but also mercifully cool after our walk. Writing this now, more than 6 months after our trip, what I most remember about the Basilica is how excited D was to be somewhere so old. The building was first constructed in the 800s after two Venetian merchants stole St. Mark’s body from Egypt and brought it back to Venice to give the city a big attraction. Churches housing the body parts of dead saints were the Disney World of the Dark Ages. And people are still lining up to see St. Mark (or whomever the merchants stole) today.

After our tour of St. Mark’s, we took a short boat ride across the grand canal to our hotel, the Hilton Molino Stucky. The Hilton sits on Giudeca, just across from the main island that everyone thinks of when they think of Venice. We were hot and sweaty and excited to go for a swim in the hotel pool. Unfortunately, we quickly learned that the pool requires reservations that must be made at 8 am the morning of your swim. I was a bit angry about this. Anyone who travels with kids knows that no matter where you take them in the world, they are most interested in the hotel swimming pool. If a hotel limits access to its pool, the website should be clear about that so parents can brace their children for the disappointment.

Instead of a swim, we had some sodas at the welcome reception and then went upstairs to enjoy the air conditioning in our room. The room did have a beautiful view of the Grand Canal. But you can’t swim in the Grand Canal, so it didn’t quite make up for the lack of pool.

Later that evening, we had an early bird dinner (by Italy standards) at the hotel restaurant and then went back upstairs for an early bedtime. If we hadn’t been so worn down by the heat, we probably would have ventured back across the canal for more exploring. Worn down as we were, we all agreed we had made the right choice. (My only regret is that I ordered the tiramisu for dessert instead of the sweet wine and cookies).

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney ABD Day 5

July 8, 2023 (Author: J)

Our final day in Tuscany was spent visiting Florence. For me, this was the weakest day in the itinerary. Florence is a city full of must-see attractions and deserves several days at least. Squeezing our time there into a day trip felt a little “check-the-box” to me; I would have preferred to skip Florence in favor of more time in the countryside or visiting another hill town. But we did go to Florence, so let’s talk about it.

Our day started according to a now familiar pattern: wake up, get ready, eat breakfast (more pistachio croissants for me, thanks), and board the coach. During our drive to Florence, the guides entertained us with a surprisingly competitive round of Disney trivia.

As we arrived in Florence and watched the other travelers put on their headphones, I realized we had left our whisper devices back at the hotel. I had a moment of guilt, then reminded myself that I was traveling with two other people who also hadn’t remembered the devices. It was only 33% my fault. We decided that we would just stick close to the guide and make do. That plan lasted about a block before Gabby noticed that we didn’t have our whispers and gave us sets to use for the day.

Our first official activity for the day was a visit to the Accademia to see the David. First, though, I had a very important task to attend to.

Social media humor out of the way, we divided into two smaller groups and entered the Accademia via the entrance for those with reservations. Although it was still quite early, it was already stiflingly hot; not for the first time, I was thankful that someone else was there to point me to the correct entrances at crowded sights.

Inside the Accademia, we made the obligatory pit stop. Then, our guide told us a bit about Michelangelo and the David before sending us off for free time in the museum. Although the David is certainly the showstopper here, there were plenty of other sculptures and paintings to explore. So, after I took a photo of the backside of the David (no one else in my family was even curious enough to peek at the David’s behind!) we had a wander around the galleries.

After visiting the David, we started our whirlwind walking tour of Florence. Due to the heat and the speed of the tour, I retained very little of what we saw. I do know that we saw the Duomo from the outside, visited the Ponte Vecchio, and had some gelato. The tour finished around lunchtime. At that point, there was the option to learn about Florentine leather or the option to begin the on your own time in Florence. Anyone who knows me knows that at lunchtime I eat lunch. So, the leather presentation was summarily rejected in favor of eating at a restaurant that our local guide recommended.

After a tasty meal (I had a stuffed eggplant) and some aperol spritzes that were probably ill advised given the heat, we set out on foot to check off some must dos for P and D. First, we visited the local football fan shop to buy a Firenze soccer jersey for P.

Then, we headed across the Arno River to purchase wine from a wine window. There are nearly 200 buildings in Florence with wine windows: small openings that were used to sell wine without opening the shop. They were apparently quite useful during times of plague. Nowadays, there are still a few businesses that use the wine windows for their original purpose. We learned about the wine windows on social media and D was intrigued. If you enjoy chugging a glass of wine on the sidewalk while getting the stink eye from the restaurant’s security guard, then visiting a wine window is a must do for your Florence trip.

After D downed his wine, we hoofed it back across the river with the idea of stopping for an afternoon snack and rest. We decided to stop at Caffe Gilli, the oldest café in Florence. It’s quite popular with tourists, so we had a bit of a wait to be seated. While we were waiting, I decided to peek inside the café. It was a short walk, but I nonetheless managed to fall and bruise my arm. I saved face by acting like I had tripped on something; the truth is that I had just collapsed, likely due to the heat. Fortunately, by the time I limped back to my family, there was a table ready for us. We ate our fairly lackluster snack and then decided to head back to the meeting point to catch the early coach back to our hotel.

Back at the meeting point, P had the brilliant idea of visiting the leather shop where ABD had done the leather talk. Our goal was not to find the perfect purse, but rather to soak up some free air conditioning. (The shop also has restrooms if you need them). As soon as we entered the shop, one of the clerks noticed P’s Florence jersey and struck up a conversation. We spent a good twenty minutes chatting with him – just what we needed to recuperate from the heat.

Soon enough, it was time to meet Gabby and Massi for the early bus back to our hotel. We had the choice of returning at either 4 or 8 pm. Because of the heat, though, everyone on the tour elected the early option. We made a final stop at a viewpoint for a last look at the city, and then made the drive back to Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda.

At the hotel, we had another dip in the pool and relaxed in our room for a bit. Then, we walked into town for dinner at a local pizzeria. The town of Tavarnelle Val Di Pesa looks much like any suburb anywhere, with rows of tract houses and small pockets of parks. The town almost seems out of place given the splendor of the Tuscan setting. We had a cheap and tasty meal at one of the local pizzerias (sadly, I have not retained the name). By the time we were done eating, it had cooled off a bit, which made for a more pleasant walk back to the hotel. Then, it was sadly time to pack because we would be leaving Tuscany the next day.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report ABD Day 4

July 7, 2023 (Author: J)

The fourth day of our ABD tour was probably my favorite of the trip. I woke up to a beautiful Tuscan morning – clear sunny skies, rolling green hills, and peaceful quiet. Because we had a later start, I decided to begin my day by visiting the hotel gym.

Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda’s gym is a small, windowless room in the basement that contains a few pieces of ancient cardio equipment. I was the only person there. I stepped onto the elliptical and started to pedal; nothing happened. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive the dead machine, I switched to the treadmill. I stepped up on the machine, started the treadmill, and … nothing. Then, as I was standing on the treadmill fruitlessly adjusting the speed and incline, the belt suddenly lurched to life. I pitched forward but thankfully managed to catch myself. (If I hadn’t, I imagine it would have been weeks – if not months — before anyone discovered my mangled body).

After the excitement of my workout, I went back upstairs to get ready for the day and wake up my family. While D and P were getting dressed, I got a jump start on breakfast. The highlight of the breakfast buffet at Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda is the pistachio croissants, which receive a coveted 10/10, must eat rating. I would have been happy with just the croissants, but I did round out my meal with fruit, yogurt, and coffee. In case you were wondering, D and P did eventually join me. Neither of them tried the croissants.

From breakfast, we headed directly to the lobby to meet our group for the day’s activities. We boarded the coach to find it adorned with streamers, banners, and balloons. One of our fellow travelers was celebrating her 50th birthday and Gabby and Massi had gone all out with decorations. It made for a festive atmosphere on the bus as we made the short trip to Fattoria Poggio Alloro, a family farm in the rolling hills near the town of San Gimignano.

At the farm, we were greeted by Sarah, one of the farm’s proprietors. Then we were given aprons and Sarah showed us how she makes homemade pasta, effortlessly turning out everything from long, skinny fettucine to cute little bowtie farfalle. After the demonstration, it was our turn to make our own pasta dough. Each of us received the flour, water, and eggs needed to make Sarah’s recipe. As we laboriously turned out hunk after hunk of overworked, dry noodle, we began to worry that we would actually have to eat the fruits of our labor. Fortunately, it turned out that our pasta was for display purposes only. (And it does look almost edible in the photos that Gabby took).

This man does not know how to make pasta.

After pasta making, we had a short tour of the farm, led by Sarah and her dog, Cappuccino. We learned a bit about wine making, met some heifers, and saw the various crops the farm produces. Then, it was time for wine tasting. (If you are counting, this was our 3^rd wine tasting in 2 days). The wine tasting was held on a patio with glorious views of the countryside with the towers of San Gimignano in the distance. While the adults tasted wine, the guides took the junior adventurers for an olive oil flavoring activity. P was light on details about what the activity entailed, but he did present us with a small bottle of sage and basil flavored olive oil upon his return.

While P was laboring, D and I did the hard work of drinking several glasses of wine before lunch. Then it was time for lunch – and more wine. Our meal included a classic Tuscan bruschetta, which is just grilled bread with olive oil; two types of homemade pasta, fettucine with a red sauce and a saffron vegetable sauce; salad; and a choice of chocolate mousse or panna cotta.

After our meal, there was time to visit the farm’s gift shop before returning to the bus. I purchased a copy of Sarah’s cookbook and suggested that we ship some wine home. D refused, claiming that he “did not drink wine.” (As you may recall, this same man had just participated in 3 wine tastings over a 24-hour period). As I sit typing this without any Tuscan wine, I regret my decision to go along with D’s wine purchase veto.

We spent the afternoon relaxing at the hotel and visiting the hotel pool. Dinner that evening was at Castello di Oliveto, a 15^th-century manor home. The castello sits at the top of a dirt road that our big coach could not navigate, so we were divided into two smaller vans. As we set out for our destination, we quickly noticed that the van’s air conditioning was blowing hot air. The twisting roads combined with the roasting temperatures were a recipe for motion sickness. Fortunately, however, once made aware of the situation, our driver was able to fix the air conditioning by administering a gentle beating to the van’s dashboard. After the temperature in the van improved, I was able to enjoy the rest of the ride to the castello.

the castello’s slightly spooky wine cellar

Castello di Oliveto was once a vacation home of the Dei Pucci family, nobility from nearby Florence. Today, it is an event venue. On this evening, our group had the castle and grounds to ourselves for a private tour and meal. We ate in a large banquet hall surrounded by portraits of the castello’s more illustrious visitors, they included popes and kings, but no tour group participants. The food was excellent. And there was more wine, of course. Our meal began with Pappa al Pomodoro, a Tuscan dish made of tomato sauce and old bread. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but it was delicious. The vegetarian entrée was a tagliatelle with a meatless ragu; again, it was delicious.

the men in our group all had amazing hair

After dessert, we were serenaded by a group of comedic folk singers. The highlight for me (and low point for P) was when D was selected to play the part of a guy in a long wig during one of the songs. I have no idea what the song was about, but D really sold the hair. Our evening at the castello ended with a sunset walk back to our coaches, which returned us to the hotel for another good night’s sleep.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report ABD Day 3

July 6, 2023 (Author: J)

When we left off, we had returned to the Gran Melia after a wonderful final night in Rome. The following morning, we were up and out of our room by 7:30 – the luggage pickup time. (Whenever there is a hotel transfer, ABD picks up luggage from the hallway outside your room and delivers it to the next room). After our final breakfast in Rome, we still had quite a while until the 8:30 meetup time. Fortunately, it was another sunny day in Rome, so we relaxed in the courtyard and chatted with some of the other folks in our tour group while we waited.

At 8:30, we piled into the coach for the short drive back to the Vatican to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. This was a change from original itinerary for our trip, which had the basilica visit scheduled right after our breakfast at the Vatican. I did not ask the guides the reason for the change, but I suspect that the goal was to avoid the long security lines to enter the basilica that develop by mid-morning. By the time we arrived, there was already a decent line to clear security and enter St. Peter’s. We were told that the line usually moves quickly. Unfortunately, there was only one security lane open that morning, so we had a 20-to-30-minute wait.

Once our whole group cleared security, we divided into two smaller groups for our tour of St. Peter’s Them we headed straight for . . . the bathroom. After our potty break, it was finally time to enter the basilica. Our visit began with a short, guided tour with Christina. We then had time to explore on our own.

St. Peter’s; it’s hard to convey the scale of this place in words or pictures

I have never found God in a church, and I did not find Him in St. Peter’s. However, standing in the immenseness of the basilica and looking up, I felt very, very small. In that way, it is the manmade place that – for me — has come closest to recreating the experience of being in nature. All that, and there are mummified popes.

After exploring for a bit, we reassembled with our group to visit Michelangelo’s famous Pieta sculpture. The Pieta is easy to identify because it is ringed with throngs of tourists. “Fortunately, you had time to see the sculpture up close before it got too crowded,” Christina told us, in an example of a situation where late and never were about equally useful. Even with the crowds, I was able to weasel my way close to the sculpture. Then, I looked into Mary’s face and fought back tears. There’s plenty written about why this particular Pieta is a masterpiece; all I can say is that if you see it, you will understand.

We then exited St. Peter’s for some photos in St. Peter’s Square and an opportunity to visit one of the Vatican gift shops. We always buy a Christmas ornament from each of our trips, and I can see the nativity scene that we purchased in the Vatican hanging on my tree as a type this. (As an FYI, there is a charge to use the restrooms in the Vatican gift shop, but those who make a purchase get a coupon for a free potty break. So, shop first, dear reader).

By the time we were done shopping, it was late morning, and I was starting to get hungry. But I decided to tough it out because I felt confident that there would be snacks on the bus. This meant that I spent my last minutes in the Vatican hangry; I channeled the hanger into angry looks at the many people puffing cigarette smoke into my face. My faith in our guides was rewarded when we climbed aboard the bus, though. As we left Rome, they passed a bucket of candy and a basket of other snacks. I had my final look at the Tiber as I munched on pistachio cookies and listened to Dean Martin sing Arrivederci Roma. I thought the music was cute touch; D thought it was a good incentive to dig out his noise cancelling headphones.

Our next destination was the Umbrian town of Orvieto, about 90 minutes outside Rome. Orvieto is a hill town, so called because it is on top of a hill. The bus parked at the base of the hill, and we took an elevator up into the town. Then, after some family photos in front of the duomo, we headed to a local restaurant for lunch and wine tasting. Now, as you probably don’t recall because it has been months since my last post, I was still struggling with dizziness from allergies. But the wine was included in our tour price, so I had to drink it. (They had non-alcoholic options, of course. But they also had wine. So, really, I had no choice).

This was a leisurely and enjoyable meal. We sampled different cheeses and vinegars, some appetizers, a main, dessert, and – of course – wine. After lunch, we had time to explore the town. As you might expect, our first order of business was to find some gelato. Although I am not sure how I managed to eat it, I thought my ricotta and marmalade cone was the best of the trip. After gelato, we spent some time in the duomo. The duomo was built in medieval times and updated over the intervening centuries. Its most important feature remains the flying cows on its façade.

I’m making most of this up, other than the flying cows. The duomo clearly has some stories to tell. The scorch marks on the stone and the melted stained glass were of particular interest to us, but there wasn’t much in the way of interpretative material inside the building. So, we were left to wonder.

After visiting the duomo, we walked around town a bit more and poked into some of the shops. Unfortunately, before too long, it was time to head back to the bus to finish our journey to Tuscany. (I suspect that our morning visit to St. Peter’s had cut short our time in Orvieto. But I don’t know that there is a better solution to the puzzle of how to fit St. Peter’s in the schedule).

After another two-hour bus journey, we pulled up to Hotel Borgo Di Cortefreda in the Tuscan town of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. We were welcomed to the hotel with an outdoor reception. As we mostly didn’t eat prosecco, fruit, and caprese salad (everyone was pretty set on food by this point), our guides passed out our room keys and the hotel cat made the rounds. One of our fellow guests later told us that the same cat had presented them with a mouse later in the day, so the human staff weren’t the only ones providing a warm welcome.

Once we had our keys, we headed to our room. It was straight out of central casting for a Tuscan hotel room, from the views of rolling hills to the colorful vespas parked below our window. P was excited to find that he had his own private loft and immediately made himself at home by decoratively scattering his socks around. Before too long, our luggage arrived, and we changed into our swimming gear for a visit to the pool. Like our room, the pool was ideally situated with views of the Tuscan countryside on 3 sides. (The pool is quite small given the size of the hotel, though, so actually swimming is something of an issue).

Soon, it was time to get cleaned up for dinner. This evening’s meal was one I had been looking forward to: a soda tasting and kids’ dinner for P and an adult dinner and wine tasting for D and me. ABD does an adult meal with separate activities for the kids on most of its trips and it had been a highlight of the Scotland trip for me. The dinner in Italy did not quite live up to the high standards set by the Scotland trip. Food-wise, it was my least favorite meal of the trip. (We had pasta and a rather bland stuffed artichoke; the main dish for meat eaters was platters of meat with a side of more meat). After dinner, D and I took a short walk around the hotel grounds, then headed downstairs to pick P up. P reported that the “lawn games” listed on the itinerary did not happen. However, he did have a soda tasting, dinner, and a movie night. Although the lobby bar was still open, we elected to head to our room to relax. I don’t know if it was the heat or the 3^rd wine-tasting of the day, but I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.