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A Tour of Our Italian Home
The time has come for us to say goodbye to our little home in (Costabissara) Vicenza, Italy after 1.5 years. Although our home will never be featured in a Southern Italian Living Magazine, I found peace and comfort inside these walls and we made some of our best memories here. From reunions and parties to new puppies and newlywed memories, we’ll always remember this place in Italy and our first home together. While the rooms in our home never had a “theme”, they somehow turned into a hodgepodge of souvenirs from our travels mixed with IKEA and government rental furniture. A unique style of decorating! We knew we wouldn’t be…
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Business Guide to Vicenza, Italy
Moving to a new place with unfamiliar faces, and especially to a new country, is overwhelming. Not knowing where to find certain goods and services can cause a lot of anxiety and frustration at first. The language barrier, transportation, opening hours – a lot of things are probably different from your previous location, at least they were for me. Luckily, as an army wife, there are a million and one Facebook groups where people can ask these questions – but for the rest of the American community living in our area, the method to find these products and/or services is basically a translated google search or trial and errors. My…
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House Hunters International – A Home in Vicenza, Italy
Choosing your first home as a married couple is no simple task, but choosing one in another country…that takes a lot of patience and time. But I can say without a doubt, that once we started looking for a home in Vicenza, Italy, this decision was one of the easiest ones we have ever made as a married couple. I knew we had found the ONE when we stepped out of the car in Costabissara with our translator. I looked over at my husband, and he had this stupid grin on his face. I asked him what he was smirking about and he responded: “I can smell fresh grass!” One of…
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Serenity in Sardinia
The latest Adventures of S & S included an exciting honeymoon to the beautiful island of Sardinia. Check out this short clip for a summary of our trip, then keep scrolling down to read all about it!! Overview of Sardinia Country: Italy Recommended Hotel(s): Grand Hotel Poltu Quatu (Poltu Quatu), Hotel Panorama (Olbia) Best Bites: The famous Sardinia tortilla bread, mussels, octopus Activities: Snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, dolphin watching Beaches: Baia Sardinia, Phi Beach (party beach), Porto Cervo Language: Italian, most people spoke English well enough Surprising Parts: $$$, very little sea life due to minimal vegetation underwater, topless beaches Best Assets: differing landscapes – mountains, beaches, deserts; beautiful…
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A Fresh Start
In a little over a week from today, I will board a one-way flight across the ocean. With a new address, a new phone number, and my new last name….all of this feels like a fresh start – a blank slate. While it may not seem that big of a deal to many millennials or some of my fellow readers, keep in mind that I come from a small town where people don’t usually leave. This is a MONUMENTAL event for my family. I asked my dad the other day if he had ever been away from his family, even for a couple months. He simply laughed and said no…
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100 Days Down
I’m going to go ahead and apologize in advance for celebrating basically every milestone that comes our way in the future, but at this point in my world (and this new military wife life), these accomplishments are pretty much everything to me! So what about 100 days?! It has been exactly 100 days since I last saw my husband, when we parted ways after our honeymoon at the airport. I was preparing to come back to America, and he was heading off on a short deployment. My heart was broken and I literally had no idea how I could survive the next couple of months without him. I had fears…
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How To Conquer A Military Move
Three long months I waited for the day that the movers would come to carry all of my belongings away. Three months of hoping I packed everything, inventoried everything, and that I didn’t pack anything on the “not allowed” list. My situation is probably different than yours or the seasoned military spouse. I’m what’s considered to be a deferred spouse. In army terms, this means that I married my husband after he was already assigned a station. Or in other words, he’s been living in Italy for a year or more before I will be arriving. Why does this matter? Well, it means I had to do all the packing, planning, and…
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A Review of Italy’s Recently Opened “Bike Path” on Lake Garda
When an article appeared online about a bike path opening up along Lake Garda (Lago di Garda), I was all for taking the following Sunday to head up there and enjoy a nice day by the lake. The article, which I won’t name specifically for obvious reasons, considers this bike path one of the most spectacular in Europe. It goes on to say that it’s a 2 km stretch (although I wasn’t sure that could be correct), took 2 years and 7 million € to complete. That’s a lot of time and a lot of money. It’s gotta be worth it, right?! Well, let’s find out! On Sunday, we loaded…
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Bikepark Lavarone: Downhill Mountain Biking in Italy
Downhill mountain biking is one of those things that I sit around and daydream about. It gives me such a thrill and adrenaline rush, unlike any other hobby of ours. The adrenaline that flows through my veins each time I accomplish a downhill track at full speed in the woods is unspeakable. I didn’t expect to have a chance to hit any trails before we moved away from Italy, because the season usually starts so late in June. But when I saw that Bikepark Lavarone was having its season opener at the beginning of June, I knew it was the perfect time for us to go! Bikepark Lavarone is awesome…
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Florence, Italy: All the Must See’s from The Duomo to the Statue of David
Florence, Italy is ranked among the world’s most beautiful cities, and is well known for its history, art, culture, fashion, and wealth. Spend just one day strolling the cobblestone streets flanked by the many beautiful churches, synagogues, and temples, and you’ll agree! Between the famous statue of David by Michelangelo and the domed cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, often referred to as The Duomo, these two sights alone in the heart of Firenze are enough to take your breath away. If you’re headed to Italy, Florence is one of those places you’ll want to add to your list! It is conveniently located between Venice and Rome, making it a…
