Meandering the Country

December 27-29, 2022 Our train ride to Bologna was our second experience using the Italian trains. We had heard the trains were easy to use before we arrived; however, we were a bit skeptical! We needn’t have worried! Most people speak English, and everyone is very friendly! Once we reached Bologna, we began the hike to our hotel. Art Hotel Comerciante was home for our stay. Just outside the hotel entrance was a small glass-covered area in the street, allowing you a glance into the past.  The excavated area under the glass dates back to Roman times! The morning of our second day in Bologna, we headed to the Santo Stefano Basilica which was built in the eighth century.  As we entered Santo Stefano Basilica , we could hear a voice off in the distance. Following the voice, we discovered that, in one of the naves in the lower level crypt, Mass was being said! What a treat to be able to start our day with Mass! The crucifix that hung behind the main altar was created by artist Si...

  Christmas Day 2022 Streets of Parma at night! What a day! We woke up in Orlando, Florida and went to bed in Parma, Italy! Sandwiched in between was a flight to Amsterdam (with a very brief layover) and another flight to Milan.  Amsterdam Airport! A bus shuttled us from Milan-Linate Airport to Milano Centrale where we boarded a train to Parma. Milano Centrale Train Station By the time we arrived in Parma, December 26th’s sun had set! Although it was only a mile to our hotel, we took a taxi due to not knowing the area, along with being completely exhausted! We spent the night at Palazzo Della Rosso Prati . This building was built in the 1400s as the bishop’s palace! After checking in and getting settled, we headed out for dinner at the nearby Gallo D’Oro . Many restaurants were closed, as it was Saint Stephen’s feast day, a national holiday. Our antipasti! Having heard recommendations from several people, we ordered torta fritta, which is fried cake and prosciutto di Parma ...

 December 23 - 25, 2022 Our stay in Orlando, FL was divided into Part 1 and Part 2.  Part 1 was short and sweet!  Our first day there was spent on all kinds of complicated logistics!  First, we needed to drive from Jacksonville to Orlando, which turned into a four-hour drive, as traffic was dense with all of the holiday travelers on the road.  Once we arrived, we needed to park the camper in Winter Garden RV Resort’s long term camper storage area.  This sounds simple, but it involved filling out a ton of paperwork, emptying out the refrigerator and freezer, packing everything we need for the next three weeks and then squeezing the camper into the most difficult parking spot you can imagine! We even had to unload the bikes from the back end of the camper to fit into the spot.   Successfully completing that mission, we moved on to meeting Frankie’s doggy-sitter.  We used Rover (an app much like VRBO, but instead of homes to rent, you find boar...

December 11 – 23, 2022 Plaza de la Constitución Kathryn Abby Hanna Park Campground was home during this stay.  This is a gem of a city park!  The campground itself offers full hook-ups, level sites (at least ours was!) and lots of shade.  We really didn’t need the shade while we were there, as temperatures usually ranged from 50°–65°, but it still made for an interesting environment!  While the Midwest was being hit with winter blizzards, below zero temperatures, snow and wind, we were surrounded by a rather jungle-like environment!  A dense forest of palm trees, palmetto trees, and live oak trees filled with Spanish moss separated each of the campsites, giving us a sense of privacy.   It was a quarter mile walk from our campsite to reach the Atlantic Ocean!  We’ve fallen a bit in love with the roar of the surf and the occasional clap of the waves crashing onto the sandy shoreline!  Strolling the shoreline, we enjoyed watching the surfers c...