Ann Silverthorn

Yes, I am Ann Silverthorn, and I am afraid of heights. I don’t need any desensitizing therapy for this. I just avoid situations that challenge this fear. But they can’t all be avoided, can they? More about that in a moment. Getting out of Radda in Chianti was nothing compared to trying to get out…

Yesterday, we were scheduled to leave Florence and head to a small inn, Relais Vignale, located at Radda in Chianti, a small, walled town about 90 minutes south of Florence. Our 12-hour tour guide, Gabriel, had suggested that we take the scenic route rather than the Autostrade, which is just a big toll highway. It…

Yesterday, Gabriel from City Tours (www.caftours.com) picked us up at our hotel at 8:30 a.m. for our luxury minivan tour of Siena, Monteriggioni, San Gimignana, and Pisa. Already on the van was a family from Rochester, MN; a couple with three young-adult offspring. Their son is in college and the next oldest is a girl…

Here we are in Florence. Yesterday, when we were driving here, I mentioned that it would be nice if there were road signs for Florence, and that’s when Jim informed me that the signs I was seeing for Firenze were actually for Florence. So confusing. The only things those two words have in common is…

Well, we were supposed to pick up our rental car this morning at a location about an eight-minute walk from our hotel. Now, first, Jim had to map out the walking route to the rental car place. We actually made it there, but guess what? The car was missing. We had made a change to…

This post contains descriptions of gladiators, so you may wish to read through before sharing it with the kids. “Are you afraid of lions?” That’s what our tour guide, Marti, asked the children in our group more than once. We spent Monday afternoon at the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Roman Senate, and the Arch…

The Vatican is an extraordinary site to see and experience, but it is probably best left to adults who can appreciate its history, beauty, and culture. Only the most gifted and sensitive child would beg to go back after weaving through the stuffy halls and standing amidst the crowds in the religious spaces. There really…

So, our errant little sherpas have made it to Italy. I think I’ve pieced together why they didn’t make it here along with us. Judging by the condition of the contents, they must have undergone some heavy-duty screening, and since our layover was rather short in Philadelphia, a gloved hand was probably still grasping my…

So if you want to be comfy and cozy, then it makes sense to stay home. Traveling definitely takes you out of your comfort zone. For months, we planned this Italy trip. We invested in Rosetta Stone to learn the language, researched what to wear and what to bring on the trip, arranged for a…

For the next two weeks, Jim and I will be on an adventure to Italy. It should be quite an interesting trip, since we won’t be on a tour, and we’ll be driving a rental car in a country known for its crazy driving conditions–narrow streets, mountainous terrain, speed limits like we never see in…