Sunrise over the Dolomites
The first notes of Eddie Wedder's Rise fill the room's darkness, pulling me out of a deep sleep. I reach for the phone and stop the alarm. The clock marks 05:00 AM. I sigh. From under the soft duvet, the ...
Beyond Venice: a day in the Venetian Lagoon
The minibus leaves us at Fusina Terminal. I have no idea of where we are and I can't find any reference point to orient myself - but that's fine. In fact, I'm setting out to explore the Venetian Lagoon in ...
Meet Trentino – South Tyrol (it’s in Italy)
"Where are you from?"
"Italy."
This answer is usually enough to make eyes sparkle, while images of excellent food, stunning architecture and picture-perfect Tuscan countryside flood the mind of the person I'm talking to. It is, however, a short-lived dream, which gets ...
Is Venice still romantic?
Last May, I was setting out to spend a quiet weekend at home, when I received a text message from my good friend Elisabetta, who lives in Dublin.
Hey bella, come va? We are in Venice this weekend. If you ...
A postcard from… Boccadasse
At weekends the small fishing village of Boccadasse in Liguria comes alive. The colourful narrow buildings, which seem to be holding on to each other to avoid sliding into the sea, surely attract a few tourists. Yet, it is mostly ...
A postcard from… Shell Beach
From afar, it looks just like another one of those beaches you've grown to like, here in Western Australia. Wide. Deserted. Just a long stretch of sand fading into aqua blue water under a vault of blue sky. It's only ...
Wandering around Perugia
After only four days in the region, I was already enraptured with Umbria. I had meandered through the quiet alleys in Assisi, explored Isola Maggiore on Lake Trasimeno, strolled in the green and peaceful countryside and - all along - ...
A postcard from… The Red Centre
In the weak light of dawn, many people are waiting. Their eyes still imbued with sleep, their cameras ready. They all look towards the monolith. And wait. The giant rock lies asleep, uncaring. Subtly, the cold blue of the receding ...