The time had come to visit our third destination in Italy. Our summer vacation had started in Toscana (Florence) and now we were in our second region, Campania. We had first visited Naples and now we were in Sorrento. The kids were extremely happy to leave the hustle and bustle of Naples for picture perfect Sorrento, which runs at a much slower pace than our previous destination.
Exiting the ferry onto the dock we mapped ourselves to the hotel, which was located on the cliff above us. We searched for “the lift” (they use British English here) to bring us to town and eventually found the entrance. After paying 1 Euro each to enter we made our way to the historic center of Sorrento, where we were staying for two evenings. Our hotel, Magi House Antica Dimora, is housed in a former 16th century palace in a great location with restaurants and stores surrounding the property. Luckily our room was ready early, so we were able to leave our suitcases before heading back out to lunch.
At the Sorrento dock. The kids were happy to be vising a town by the sea.
Inside our hotel. What an amazing accommodation.
Prior to arriving to Italy I had found an arancini (“Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coasted with breadcrumbs and deep fried”) restaurant called Genny Street Food that I wanted to visit. Using our phones once again, we mapped our way there. We had to walk one mile up a nearby hill and eventually found it on one of the main streets. The food was spectacular, cheap and the staff at the restaurant were super friendly!
Amazing arancini at Genny Street Food
On our way home we stopped at the market for some Italian treats and a pharmacy for bug bite ointment. My daughter had many itchy bug bites and I had a few bites too. We had brought bug spray to Italy from home, but unfortunately she was not wearing it when the bugs decided to make her their latest victim.
After lunch we headed to Leonelli’s Beach, located just below the historical district near the dock along the street Via Marina Piccolo. We rented deckchairs with umbrellas and enjoyed the sun (it is pretty hot here). I went swimming in the super calm waters. It was refreshing and the view of the town above was amazing. After beach time we walked the path up the cliff back to the hotel instead of taking the lift.
The beach in Sorrento
Walking the path to the historic center of Sorrento
In the evening we had an early dinner at the Fauno Bar. I had seen the restaurant earlier, which is located in a busy square. Speaking in Italian helped us get a great spot outside facing the square, which was great for people watching. After eating an excellent meal we stopped for gelato and did some light shopping before heading back to the hotel. It was a long travel day, we were all tired and I quickly fell asleep. I went to bed knowing that we all had a great day first day in Sorrento!
The Fauno Bar
**I researched on Facebook travel groups last summer (2022) prior to traveling to Europe with my kids. While away I wrote in a journal and posted about our trip to these groups. My next few blog posts will be edited excerpts from those postings that I shared with my travel groups.**
Posting IV- Edited Excerpt from my Facebook Travel Group, June 2022
Tonight marks our sixth night in Florence. We leave tomorrow for Naples. I am so grateful for the time that we have spent here with our family and my kids have had so much fun that they do not want to leave!
Yesterday we began our day staying close to home visiting a market at a nearby mall with my mother-in-law. I enjoyed the grocery store because everything was so different than back home. In the mall I also bought stamps at a post office, which was quite the experience since I had to practice speaking in Italian with strangers, but I was successful!
In the afternoon we took the Tramvia (tram) to downtown Florence for part II of our visit to the city center with my mother-in-law and Zia (aunt) walking from the Roman gate into town. We saw Bobili Gardens, Piazza Pitti, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Della Signoria, walked outside of the Uffizi Museum and the Piazza del Mercato Nuovo before we headed back to Ponte Vecchio to meet up with our cousin’s family. Highlights included: visiting the Pinocchio store (for me), buying a gold chain (for my son), and a visit to the Brandy Melville store (for my daughter).
Next we visited a “secret destination” with our cousins. Inside of the Torre Guelfa Hotelguests and members have access to the tower, which has amazing views of the city that you can take in while having a drink on the rooftop. Our family alone occupied one of the two rooftop areas. After stopping at the hotel we walked to Il Guscio for dinner. We ate lamb, Florentine steak and a pasta dish with zucchini flowers and shrimp.
Today my daughter had her hair done at a local salon compliments of her Nonna and in the afternoon we went to our cousin’s house, where he proceeded to make fifteen pizzas in his wood fire oven for eight children and six adults. We ended the evening with a walk over to the Green Day concert being held in Parco delle Cascine and listened to the show from the outskirts of the park while the kids played and the adults talked.
This was my fifth or sixth time to Florence, but my most memorable visit to date. My kids fell in love with the city and were old enough to remember and fall in love with our Italian family (most of whom they had not seen in a very long time). This leg of our Italy trip reminded me of what it is I enjoy so much about Italy: slowing down, having long conversations over meals and spending quality time with family.
**I researched on Facebook travel groups last summer (2022) prior to traveling to Europe with my kids. While away I wrote in a journal and posted about our trip to these groups. My next few blog posts will be edited excerpts from those postings that I shared with my travel groups.**
Posting III- Edited Excerpt from my Facebook Travel Group, June 2022
We began our vacation by boarding a plane in Los Angeles flying to Florence via one stop in Paris. It was easy checking in at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and surprisingly we arrived to the gate in under 30 minutes! Yes our carry-on luggage weighed too much when combined with our one personal item, but our Air France agent was nice enough to check our suitcases to Florence at no charge.
Time toLeave Los Angeles!
Our visit to Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris consisted of having to change from one terminal to another in less than an hour for our connecting flight. Luckily we had a twenty minute delay on our second flight. It was helpful to have our liquids separated at this airport and of note we used our collapsible water container at our first airport. At CDG we also went through customs when changing terminals too. I could see someone missing their flight if you had too many people in the lines and minimal luck. In our case it all worked out with great signage to switch terminals, but keep in mind that it takes a good 20+ minutes just to switch terminals, without any waiting time.
Touching Italian Soil
We had family in Florence meeting us when we walked out of baggage claim. There was Nonna (Grandma), one Zia (Aunt), one Zio (uncle), and five cugini (cousins) there to pick us up. Two other family members met us at a local pizzeria. The pizza was fantastic, as was an octopus in red sauce dish. We drank flat water in a carafe, Prosecco (sparkling white wine) and finished the meal off with little pastries and Grappa (a pomace brandy made from leftover grapes during winemaking). We spent around 2.5 hours at dinner and headed to Nonna’s house for our first night’s sleep abroad.
Dinner and Drinks
Our main focus in Florence is to spend time with family. We will spend a day in the city center and do a day trip to Pisa. We have a big birthday to celebrate for one of the younger cousins and another cousin informed us that Green Day is performing down the street from his house on our last evening here.. so we’ll check that out too.
Our Italian Family
I’m looking forward to family time, seeing a few sights and practicing my Italian for our first six days in Italy. We only have three people in our Italian family here who speak English, so I will be practicing my Italian quite a lot before we head south and interact with other Italians.
**I researched on Facebook travel groups this past summer prior to traveling to Europe with my kids. While away I wrote in a journal and posted about our trip to these groups. My next few blog posts will be edited excerpts from those postings that I shared with my travel groups.**
Posting I- Edited Excerpt from my Facebook Travel Group; June 2022
We have finished our third full day in Florence with family and are having so much fun. Nonna has bought many of our favorite Italian breakfast treats to eat in the morning. For dinner she also has made her famous lasagna and lemon caper chicken. If only I could cook like her!!
Italian Breakfast Treats
One evening we attended a big birthday bash for our 10 year old cousin. There were around 40 people in attendance. I loved seeing all the kids play, including mine who do not speak any Italian. Dinner was yummy appetizers and delicious food on the barbecue. I was obliged to try some spritz, limoncello, champagne and an orange-flavored grappa that night. Drinking is definitely part of the Italian culture.
Our Cousin’s Birthday Celebration and A Yummy Appetizer
One day we took the Tramvia (tram) from the suburbs to the center of town for our first tour of Florence. My Zia (Aunt) is an artist and has been giving us lots of information on the historical sights in and around town with translation help from Nonna! That day we went to four libraries (bookstores) so I could buy two copies of the Jannik Sinner book (Italian tennis player).
Waiting at the Tramvia Stop (left); Downtown Florence (center); At the Library (right)
Our last few days have been great. Other highlights from our time in Florence so far have included eating gelato and taking a day trip, by car, to Pisa and Livorno. Today was extremely hot in Pisa and Livorno, especially for the kids. We used our collapsible water bottle and tried to stay in the shade as much as possible to stay cool. Tonight we finished our evening at Piazzale Michelangelotaking in the beautiful view of the city below.
Pisa (left); Visiting the Sea in Livorno (center); Gelato Time (right)
Piazzale Michelangelo
There are more adventures to follow in this beautiful city, in the beautiful region of Toscana. I can not wait to continue exploring everyday life and tourist sights with the kids and our Italian relatives.
**Prior to vacationing in Europe last summer I joined two Facebook travel groups to research our activities. While away I posted about our trip in these two groups. My next few blog posts will be edited excerpts from those postings that I shared with these travel groups.**
Posting II- Edited Excerpt from my Facebook Travel Group; June 2022
It seems crazy that I consider Switzerland to be one of a few places that I call home. Or does it? Having lived there twenty-five years ago, as an au pair, I left a piece of my heart here when I moved away. Since that time, I have been back to visit my Swiss family twice. This past summer I brought my two children to Switzerland for their first visit.
Downtown St. Maurice
Arriving to the small train station in St. Maurice we were greeted by Jean Pierre, my dad, and Marie Chantal, my big sisterand former boss. They walked with us to one of only two hotels in town. La Dent-Du-Midi hotel was a short distance from the train station. The kids trailed behind us as we enjoyed the moment catching up in French (my family speaks no English). Although it had been many years since my last visit, I felt like I had never left.
Ma Famille
Things that I did not appreciate as a twenty-five year old I now appreciated this visit. I loved being in a small town of 4,013 people, walking on the hillside looking for goats and walking one of the few streets in the center of town. The pouring rain was a treat, as was hiking up to the mountain to the Grotte aux Fées (Fairy Cave) above town. I even enjoyed walking through the fairy’s cave looking for the hidden fairies and who does not love gazing at a waterfall inside a cave.
Les Grottes Aux Fees
Taking the twenty-minute train to Montreux we enjoyed walking besides Lake Geneva, posing with the Freddie Mercury statue and visiting the Queen Studio Experience in Casino Barrière de Montreux.
Around Lake Geneva (Lac Leman)
The Queen Experience
My favorite part of being in Switzerland was seeing my family. Romain, the small boy I once took care of as a child, is now a grown man with his own precious son. During my time in St. Maurice I also visited with my bosses ex-husband, Frederic, who made a special trip to town just to see me! I also met their eighteen year old son for the first time, which was crazy, as I recalled seeing Marie Chantal pregnant in the States visiting me many years ago.
It was hard to leave not knowing when I will be able to visit again, but it was great bringing my kids to a place that holds such a special place in heart. I believe that I will be back in the next five years, as the opportunity to recharge in a small town, in the region of Valais with the snowy mountains towering above me, is the type of experience that I prefer instead of rushing around home never being able to finish my to do list.
We arrived late morning to Naples (Napoli) by train. As we exited the station I noticed people were everywhere! There was a buzz around us and I was looking in all directions. I had booked a hotel near the train station, so it was a short walk to our destination. Did I mention there were cars and motorcycles everywhere? People were selling things on the streets and sidewalks and it was loud. We had definitely arrived to orderly chaos after spending a week in mellow Tuscany.
Were my kids out of their comfort zone? COMPLETELY. Was I on alert? TOTALLY. I enjoyed the dicey neighborhood where we stayed, unlike my kids who did not! If I could do it over I would have stayed in a different location for them, but I sure loved our hotel. Our beautiful room was on the top floor of the building and had an amazingly huge balcony that boasted views of the city below and a castle in the distance!
Our amazing balconyhad a great view of sunset
My kids did not want to leave the hotel for their “supposed” safety, so instead of taking the subway to search for fried pizza I scheduled an Uber that quickly brought us to the Spanish quarter (Quartietri Spagnoli). I could not find the pizza spot I had researched, so we ate at another restaurant that had outdoor dining. The kids had Neapolitan style pizza while I tried fried pizza. It was sooo yummy!!!! After dinner we wondered the Spanish quarter and headed back to the hotel with another Uber.
The pizza is amazing in Naples! The restaurant we ate at is pictured above.
I Quartietri Spagnoli
After enjoying some time on the balcony, I told the kids that I was going to Ercolano (Herculaneum) with or without them by Circumvesuviana (local train). They did hesitate about going out, but ultimately agreed to go with me. Having visited Pompeii previously, I welcomed the opportunity to visit a different Museo Archeologico site to see this preserved town that did not survive the lava flow of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The children enjoyed the visit and I liked that Herculaneum was small and easy to navigate without a guide.
Ercolano, also known as Herculaneum (ancient town destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius)
On our walk back to the train station it began pouring rain. We stopped for dinner to fill our bellies and to dry off. Our meal was great. After dinner we walked back to the train station and returned to Naples with the round trip tickets that we had purchased before we began our day trip.
Dinner in Ercolano..delicious
Waking up the next morning we headed to the port for the ferry to Sorrento. We were late, but our taxi driver sped to the waterfront where we were welcomed to complete chaos with lines and people everywhere. We were not late after all!!! I grabbed a hand-held fan and a bottle of water from my backpack and waited to board the ferry.
We left shortly after and I must say that this short visit to such a lively city only made me want to return for more! It was my second trip to Naples, and I once again was only able to scratch the surface of this city that has so much to offer.
During the winter of 2019 I was in a tough spot. I wrote a post about planning a visit to Europe during the summer of 2020, but then Covid arrived and everywhere I had hopes of visiting was put on hold.
Fast forward to June 2022 and after a lot of planning and reservations I was off to Europe with my kids! It was good to have Covid numbers down so we could leave the United States.
Touching Italian Soil
Italy
My sixth trip to Italy was an experience different then all the prior ones. I was fortunate enough to visit four new towns, travel abroad alone with my kids (now fifteen and thirteen) and celebrate being a single woman on the verge of turning 50! I was so happy to see my Italian family (who I remain extremely close to, even though I dropped my Italian husband).
In Italy we were fortunate enough to visit Florence (staying with my mother-in-law) and take multiple trips to the center of the city, as well as explore the suburbs. In addition, we took a day trip to Pisa and Livorno with my mother-in-law and her sister, who is one of my favorite zia’s (aunt’s). After spending time in Northern Italy, we traveled to Naples, Heracleum, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Rome. I loved every single spot for a different reason!!
Switzerland
Having lived in Switzerland as an au pair in my mid-twenties I had not been back in twenty-one years. On my third trip to the Canton Valais of Switzerland (the particular state of Switzerland that we traveled to, which is French speaking) seeing my Swiss family after being away for such a long time was amazing. It was even more exciting to see my Swiss family with my kids. Meeting the newest generation of my Swiss family was great too. I vow that I will never let such a long period of time pass without returning “home” again.
One other thing I really liked about crossing the border to Switzerland is that I could speak French and communicate easier with everyone! In Italy they speak Italian. I speak some Italian, but I speak way more French. In Italy, I am proud to say that in our last hotel I checked-in our room only in Italian, but I will admit speaking mostly in Italian for almost two weeks was a challenge. I had many times where it took me minutes to explain myself, when it should only take thirty seconds. With that being said, I enjoyed practicing my Italian and appreciated everyone’s patience letting me speak in their language when I tried.
Fast forward a few days and we visited my favorite place on this earth, Paris. I cannot say enough good things about Paris. I feel so at home here, and to be honest I am not sure how many times I have been lucky enough to travel here. We did not have a particular schedule to follow in Paris, except visiting a few museums, visiting the Tour Eiffel and catching up with friends who live there. My goal was to go to teenager friendly locations around the city, as well as see some of my favorite spots. For me nothing is more pleasurable then relaxing at the Jardin du Luxembourg. It did not disappointment, it never will. I feel like that place is the key to my existence, linking my youth with my present and my future.
Le Jardin du LuxembourgLe Jardin du Luxembourg
Spain
Our vacation ended in Barcelona; it was my third time visiting this fun and vibrant city! Originally planning this trip, I had thoughts of leaving my daughter in Spain to study Spanish. Well, I made it happen!
In Barcelona I enjoyed showing the kids around popular tourist spots ending our first night with paella and amazing sangrias. Meeting my daughter’s host family and leaving her to explore such a fun city with new friends was my way of passing on the travel torch to my child in Europe. By the way, she ended up having an amazing time.
Parc Guell
I love to travel; I am glad that I left the United States with my children and showed them another way of living and another way of thinking. I am glad that I could relate to the locals in their native tongue and that the kids could see the importance of speaking more than one language. So here I am, two months later with amazing memories about to start another conversational French class and finally open a book in Italian and continue my journey with languages in anticipation of my next trip to Europe.
Le Jardin du Luxembourg
I look forward to sharing more details about our trip abroad this past summer soon.
Spending four nights in San Francisco this past August I experienced great joy and happiness doing some of the things I love most in this amazing city with my children. Prior to our trip I had found a great deal online staying at the Handlery Union SquareHotelwith free parking included. It was my third time visiting this property and it did not disappoint. We stayed in the older tower of the hotel and our room was incredibly spacious!
Prior to arriving to San Francisco I made a few reservations for restaurants and events creating an itinerary that included seeing friends, eating out and seeing sights that I thought we would enjoy. Having worked in San Francisco in my 20’s I know how to navigate around the City and feel very comfortable planning itineraries or going with the flow. The goal of this particular trip was to show my kids what I love about San Francisco with the hope that they too would find it a special spot to visit.
Union Square Shopping
The Palace Hotel- Garden Court Leaded Glass Ceiling- How beautiful !!
After settling in at the hotel we walked to Union Square, which was one block away. Next we started shopping! The kids and I visited Macy’s Department Store, strolled the streets and walked down Maiden Lane. We also made a quick stop in the Palace Hotelto see the beautiful leaded glass ceiling.
Hanging Out and Dining in Haight Ashbury
Craving some good paella, we made our way to ChaChaCha Restaurant in Haight Ashbury for dinner. There are two locations for this restaurant in San Francisco and I opted to go to the one that would have easier parking. I had originally planned to Uber there, but the rates were so high that I drove my car the short distance instead to dinner. What I did not realize until after we arrived is that my daughter really enjoyed visiting the land of hippies and grooved on Haight Ashbury’s psychedelic feel.
Cable Car Ride to Pier 39 and Walking Around
The next morning we hopped on the cable car that runs up and down Powell Street and headed towards Pier 39 and the waterfront. We lucked out with a free fare, as we learned that during the month of August the cable car lines were not charging for rides! Instead of paying $8.00 each for a one-way trip to the waterfront and other spots we took advantage of the this offer taking the cable car around town whenever possible. Arriving to Pier 39 I discovered that it was pleasantly empty due to our early arrival and lack of tourists’ traveling due to the pandemic.
Boudin Bakery – Summer Grill Dining
We ate lunch that day at the Boudin Bakery complex; I am a big fan of Boudin Bakery sourdough bread. Back in 2005 they built a factory with a demonstration bakery, market, café, bistro and museum & bakery tour near Pier 39 on Jefferson Street. On this particular trip I was excited to experience the newly installed “Boudin Summer Grill” for outdoor dining for lunch. I enjoyed my roasted crab while the kids ate a sourdough chili bowl and a Margherita wood fired pizza on sourdough crust.
Dessert Time inGhirardelli Square
No visit to Pier 39 is complete without taking a short walk to Ghirardelli Square for some chocolate. There was a long line to eat in the ice cream and chocolate shop so we went to the retail store, bought chocolate and ordered our desserts to go! There was seating here too and we took a break to enjoy our sweet treats!
Our Hotel Pool
Having big plans to attend the San Francisco Giants baseball game that evening we headed home to relax. I visited the hotel’s pool with my free time. I did not swim, but Iwas actually surprised that it was warm enough to swim in a city that is usually cold in August with its warmest temperatures in September.
Fun Times at the San Francisco Giants Game
I enjoyed the walk to the Oralce Park with the kids and many other Giants’ fans. The San Francisco Giants are my favorite baseball team. On that note I must admit that it is hard to be a Giants fan living in Los Angeles, where so many people are passionate about the Dodgers. That evening I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere, fans and the stadium that the children were finally able to visit. I have made a point of going to a Giants game my last three trips to the city, but this third trip was the first time I could share the fun experience with my kids! They loved it. Unfortunately, the Coca Cola Slide in the fan lot was closed due to the Covid pandemic, so I guess that means that we will have to return next summer and see if it is open! The Giants lost to the Colorado Rockies, but it was still a great game!! Go Giants!!!
Coit Tower – Filbert & Greenwich Steps!
Waking up early the next morning I was a year older! To start the new year on a positive note I rode a bus over to the Coit Tower. I had not taken the stairs to the top of this monument in at least 20 years and welcomed the challenge. After exiting the bus I made my way down the streets of the modern day Barbary Coast that was pretty empty less one club that still had a line to enter. Walking towards Levi’s Plaza I did not encounter another person until I made it to the top where the tower is located. I had a peaceful walk up the Filbert Street stairs. At the entrance to Pioneer Park I spoke to a man walking his dog and continued on in the fog to the front of the landmark. I felt a sense of accomplishment having made this journey early in the morning and I was glad that I had taken this impromptu trip here. I took the Greenwich Street stairs back enjoying the beautiful gardens as I descended below taking in great views of the Bay Bridge, which was becoming visible in front of me with the fog lifting.
Vermont Streetis Definitely Crooked!
Most tourists know that Lombard Street is coined as the most crooked street in the world. It is located near Pier 39 and is a popular tourist attraction. Over the years I had read about another crooked street in San Francisco and this trip I found the time to make my way to Vermont Street. There was a nice park at the top of the street in this quiet part of town. Although this street is not maintained to the same degree as Lombard Street it did not disappoint. I enjoyed navigating my way down and was happy to check off another spot on my “things do to in San Francisco list”!
Park Chalet Restaurant
Golden Gate Park’s Koret Children’s Quarter
Lunch that day was spent with friends at Park Chalet Restaurant, which is located across the street from the Pacific Ocean on the edge of Golden Gate Park. That particular Sunday there was a triathlon going on from Alcatraz Island and this area was particularly busy. I always enjoy eating at Park Chalet since it is family oriented with Golden Gate Park as its backyard, who could ask for a better park to play in. We experienced the coldest temperatures of our trip on this side of town, but after having a drink and chatting away with friends I quickly warmed up. After brunch we continued on to Koret Children’s Quarter and played in Golden Gate Park.
Alamo Square and Mrs. Doubtfire’s House
On the way home we picked up dinner at a grocery, visited Alamo Square, home of the famous painted ladies, and drove past Mrs. Doubtfire’s house which was made famous in the comedy film with Robin Williams. Not going out that evening was welcomed by all after having run around continuously since the moment we had left Los Angeles a few days prior! We ended the night eating dinner and dessert by the pool.
North Beach Fun Day!
I had made reservations via SF Parks & Recreation to play tennis in North Beach, which is the Italian section of San Francisco, the next morning. We took a bus over to Joe DiMaggio Playground and had time to play on the structures before our reservation began. Many years ago they updated the park and library in this neighborhood and the upgraded facilities are a welcome change. The park is well maintained with great views of the city surrounding it. Tennis was fun! After tennis we ate an amazing lunch at Il Casaro Pizzeria. Our meal was delicious and included spiendini di calamari, Margherita pizza and lasagna. For dessert we had authentic Italian gelato at Lush Gelato on Columbus Avenue. Their mint flavored gelato was soooo good!! When I ate it I felt like I was at the tea house by the Jardin-des-Plantes in Paris having Moroccan mint tea, it was that tasty!!
UC Hastings School of Law
San Francisco Shopping Center
Following our time in North Beach my daughter and I took a short walk to the Tenderloin district and visited the University of California, Hasting College of Law School. She wants to go there one day and I had to show it to her. Although the school is located on the edge of the Tenderloin, which is a sketchy area of the city, it is a great law school. We stopped at the San Francisco Shopping Center on the way back to the hotel so I could show her the cool spiral escalator inside the mall.
Spark Social- SF Dining Experience
Twin Peakshas Amazing Views
That evening we dined by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with a colleague of mine who works in San Francisco at the university. We ate at Spark Social SF, which is a food truck park just north of the university. It was a great spot to meet as there were multiple options on what to eat and I enjoyed a tasty meal while catching up with my friend. On our way home I detoured to Twin Peaks and we saw the sun set over the City. It was a little windy and cold, but beyond beautiful. Timing is everything!
Cable Car Ride from the Wharf
University of California Berkeley
The next day we left the City after another trip on the cable car to Pier 39 to eat breakfast and loading up on bread at the Boudin Bakery! We spent that day driving home after visiting where I once lived on the East Bay and a quick trip to University of California, Berkeley!
San Francisco is such a beautiful city with great people, amazing food, beautiful architecture and so much to do. My children thoroughly enjoyed this trip and were able to see why I love San Francisco. Mission accomplished l!
The kids playing in the creek- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
I was fortunate enough to visit Big Sur this past spring. I had not been to this area along California’s Highway 1, lying next to the Pacific Ocean, in more than twenty years. Thinking back the last time I had crossed the Big Sur Coast was in the 1990’s when I was working as a tour guide. During that trip I actually gave notice to my employer in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park calling from a phone booth letting them know I was done working for them. During my most recent trip in April I once again visited Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, but this time I spent time hanging out amongst the redwood trees with my kids. We also look time to stroll to a nearby creek where they played in the water.
A Farmer Billboard
Walking along Highway 1
A Vista Point
The Pacific Ocean
Walking back to our car
Julia Pfiffer Burns State Park
The path to McWay Falls
McWay Falls
That day our morning began with me driving across fields of various crops to Carmel and continuing on to drive thirty-seven miles south of Carmel to McWay Falls, a waterfall that flows into the Pacific Ocean. I thought you could view the waterfall from Highway 1, so we parked along the highway and walked. Thankfully there were not many cars and no animals on our path. There also was no waterfall!! We did see some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean here and it was incredibly peaceful. Using trial by error we eventually realized that we needed to walk a trail in nearby Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to see this beautiful waterfall.
Old Coast Road
Heading north to Carmel we had to stop and take pictures of the famous Bixby Creek Bridge. From there we continued on Old Coast Roadexploring off-roading at its finest. I did not have two hours to drive the complete loop of this dirt road, but we did drive on it for ten minutes before turning around and heading back to Highway 1.
Visiting Big Sur that day was a real treat. I enjoyed escaping the hustle and bustle of Southern California and spending time in nature, it always recharges me! I truly had a great day spending time with my kids visiting an area that I had not seen in so long.
This morning while browsing Facebook I came across a post from a friend who lives in Switzerland promoting their country. It was a video with Roger Federer, a famous tennis player, talking about becoming a tourism ambassador for their country. I have been thinking about international travel frequently due to the fact that I do not feel safe traveling outside of California since the Coronavirus Pandemic begin in March 2020.
When I am finally able to travel again safely I plan to visit Italy and France. I have been debating if I should visit Switzerland too, as I once lived there and I have not been back in 20 years. Being that Switzerland is a short train ride from Northern Italy, where I will be beginning my trip, I often think “just do it”. My children have never been to Switzerland and I would like to show them where I once lived introducing them to my Swiss family.
At 25 years old, when I lived in Switzerland, I was a very different person. Right now the thought of spending time “in the slow lane” is very appealing to me. I have decided that I will definitely find time out to go back and visit this beautiful country.
While I continue to think about returning to Switzerland I wanted to share a previous post I made about my time living there. I hope you enjoy. As for me, I am waiting for the right time to return to a place that is very special in my heart.
Living and Dreaming in the South Bay 