Top 25 Italy Moments – #12-17

July 17, 2012 by

As I am gearing up to release My Italy Top 25 Moments 1-11 I am offering a quick view into 12-17 for those that are new to the site and as a refresher. My Top 10 has shifted a bit since this last trip to Italy as 2 new moments made their way up the ladder. In the next 2 weeks I will at long last reveal mt full Top 25 Italy Moments.

Top 25 Italy Moments - 17-12

# 17 The Sunglass Hustle - Find out how I turned a nasty habit into a cool pair of shades

#16 Singing in Rome - The day the University of Dallas met the real Garth Brooks

#15 The Legend of Soy Jack - I have never met anyone quite like him

#14 Siena Language Barrier - Why knowing a little of a language can be a serious liability

#13 Why I Was a Lousy Tour Guide - There was a very good reason even though I still wish I had been better

#12 The Wrong Train - My first and not my last train misfortune in Italy

#11 – The Siena Church Drive - new material coming tomorrow :-)

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Top 25 Italy Moments – #12 The Wrong Train

March 17, 2012 by

A symbol of both freedom and frutsration

My first experience in Florence was a solo Christmas shopping excursion in 1992. I took a train from Rome in the early morning on a Saturday in December while the rest of my classmates went to visit Tivoli Gardens near Rome (I have still never been to Tivoli).

I was wide-eyed and thrilled by the carnival atmosphere of the leather market in Florence. I knew nothing else about the city other than the David Statue (11 trips to Italy and I still have never seen it in person). So, my Florence was leather belts, wallets, silk ties, and a few other personal and family Christmas gifts. I do not think I even had my camera so I could carry all my bags of goodies home. [Read more...]

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Top 25 Italy Moments – #13 Why I Was a Lousy Tour Guide

March 14, 2012 by

Me as a guide in 2006 "Photo by BJ Stanbery"

In 2006 I became a cycling guide in Italy. I wasn’t much of a cyclist and at the same time I was certain my passion for Italy and knowledge would be more than enough to lead clients through the region and give them a great experience.

After all, I basically served in this role in 1995 on my University campus and again in 2002 leading two friends on two occasions through Rome and Tuscany. I passed the Italian language test in order to work in Italy and so I assumed my language was at least “good enough”. [Read more...]

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Top 25 Italy Moments – #14 Siena Language Barrier

March 7, 2012 by

Just Around the Corner from Here

In 2002 my good friend and talented chef Keith was studying cooking in Siena. I happened to be on vacation in Tuscany and made my way back to Siena a 2nd time (the first time is in the Top 5) on this journey to meet Keith.

I returned to Siena on a foggy evening in September. Keith had given me his address and we had arranged to meet that day; however, the time had not been pre-selected and I roughly knew Keith’s class schedule so I figured I would find him.

This is pretty much how things work for me in Italy and especially before cell phones became an affordable option. I would tell someone or someone would tell me where to meet them and then the dance would begin. [Read more...]

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