Gorgeous buildings with amazing paint jobs. A paint job like this is a gift to the city.This deserves two photos. I’ve seen this house when that bare tree is exploding with bright fall leaves. Stunning.
Let’s start with the architecture. And the way folks paint their buildings. The four or five color paint jobs on the Victorians always take my breath away, this one in particular. So bold. And the fence! This is a tour de force of color and joy. I love this house.
A lovingly kept corner building. That awning. The color scheme.
I haven’t found a better city for just walking around and looking at buildings. It helps that since there is so much money in the City now, more people seem to be spending to spruce up the lovely old buildings. SF has a boom and bust history, a history of rising from the ashes, and the care for these exteriors you see must bear witness to a deep love for this City. With each brightly or carefully painted building the mosaic of the city is enhanced.
Even when clad in more subdued colors these buildings charm. Nighttime glamour. I’m glad I got this photo, that huge Christmas tree in the window was gone the next day.
Great buildings- check. What else makes San Francisco amazing?
Transit! Oh the joy of traveling around while someone else drives and I can look out the window. A bus window. Perfectly situated to enjoy a nice high view.
Great transit. San Francisco has it. I admit that I have always lived quite central and in the northern part of San Francisco where the transit, biking, and walking are all good, and not every corner of the city is as accessible, but I have explored every corner of this city by transit. It’s better than many places we’ve visited in the US. It helps that SF is a small city, 7×7 Sq miles. With the help of MUNI you can explore all the neighborhoods.
The MUNI worm logo. Best transit logo ever? Probably.Mask free MUNI selfie. On the J Church.This view. Top of Dolores Park from the J Church. Rivaled only by the view from the 33 bus line as it crosses Upper Market Street.
And what gives us the great views from MUNI? The hills. Tough by bike and even on foot, but a climb up a hill is well rewarded.
The roller coaster swoop of Dolores Street. You might not think of palm trees and SF together, but Dolores Street has an impressive line of palms.
Yes, I was that tourist standing in the middle of the intersection marveling at the hill. I love it when other pedestrians turn to look at what has me mesmerized. See! I want to say, look at that swoop of trees. So cool.
Not every view of hills is as glamorous, but something about seeing hills makes me happy. And those electrical wires are so SF.
We have been so fortunate to stay with different friends each time we come back to this city we love, and left. Each stay in a different neighborhood lets us experience a new to us neighborhood and see a part of the city with fresh eyes. A wise person wrote that you can’t hate San Francisco unless you love it first. (In response to one of those ‘I’m leaving because of…’ letters.) It’s not tolerated to hate this city if you haven’t first learned to love it.
The Golden Gate Bridge after the first big January storm. The road to Ft. Point took a beating. And that old photo bombing bridge again, with Rich and his flat tire. Photo credit Rich1.
And love it we do. All the reasons I give above are nothing on the main reason why we love this City: so many good friends. We come back to recharge, to swap out stuff from our storage unit, and for Rich to get some bike rides in with his buddies. We come back to see how our city is doing, to find out if the continuing onslaught of wealth has chipped away at more of what makes this quirky city unique and lovable.
Another stunning view. The top of Dolores Park.
After Seattle our little City of hills seems so compact and charming. People are California nice, quick to smile and chat. It does make us wonder if we can settle anywhere else. So, a decision not to make that decision is made. We love SF, and we leave again. Houseless but not homeless.
The Happy Travelers waiting for a BART train to the airport, headed for Taiwan.
Packed up and on our way. Goodbye again San Francisco. See you in about five months. Until then, stay quirky.
Let’s get this part out of the way up front. This road trip does involve a car. I would love to say we figured out a way to do this trip car free, but we didn’t. Do we love road-trips? Well yes, they are a great way to explore the western USA. And who doesn’t love the idea of (safely) cruising up the coast singing along to the radio?
Bye bye California. Oregon and Washington here we come.
In a movie of this road trip you’d now have a montage of us visiting our storage unit to pick up cold weather and water proof gear and excitedly stuffing the rental car with this and that (A cooler! An air filter! Bike helmets! Rain gear!) Upbeat fun music would play. And what would be the music playing when we have to take all of that stuff out of the car each night and into a hotel? Some mournful march. So many bags.
Yes. Rolling luggage cart in use.
Going from one backpack each to this excess of luggage is quite a shock. We’re also toting around groceries from our stay in SF, since we’re house sitting in Seattle and we love the opportunity to cook. And has anyone ever stayed organized during a road trip? Not us.
After a lovely night with friends near Redding our first stop is for spring water.Every available bottle filled with spring water.The travel planner was thinking about the coming storm and the pass we needed to get over. This smile says, get moving please.The happy travelers in front of the spring which is the headwaters of the Sacramento River.
There is something about heading north from San Francisco which always excites us. North. Towards wilderness. Towards mountains and coastline. Remote stretches of road and big views. Not south towards bigger population centers, but north.
North, where The State of Jefferson is proposed. Wikipedia will explain it in full.What heart doesn’t thrill to the blacktop stretching out for miles under a big sky? A stop in Ashland Oregon for coffee and chai.
Still racing that storm which eventually wrecked havoc on much of the US, and coated Seattle in ice, we spent a night in Eugene and got an early start to make it to Seattle and our first house sit, the temperature dropping sharply each hour, and the ice day looming.
Chilly picnic sites of the world. Turkey chili on a cold night, cozy at our house sit.Seattle’s Mayor asked everyone to stay home during the ice event. Barnacle was happy to oblige.
Snow. Freezing temperatures. Sleet. Streets and sidewalks were solid sheets of ice. Thankfully we went grocery shopping right after we got to our two cat house sit, so we were well equipped to stay inside with the kitties and wait for the thaw. We did put on our boots at one point and opened the front door. The ice on the front steps convinced us to just go back inside. We were regretting not grabbing our traction devices for our boots during our storage unit rampage of stuff accumulation.
Barnacle and Lucy snuggled in for the day.But even the cats were getting cabin fever. Kitty on a leash! She was thrilled to be a bit closer to the birds she had stalked through the window. (That is continuing construction of Seattle light rail behind me.)
Once the snow and ice had melted we took one of the cats outside on her leash and harness. Seattle weather wasn’t done with us yet though. During our last morning at the house sit high winds caused a power outage. Now I regretted not having the small solar lantern I always take camping. Rich regretted not grabbing the headlamp he had held up in the storage unit. Thankfully, we had noticed where our host kept candles and matches, so, congratulating ourselves on our adaptability we began to pack up by candlelight.
Overcast morning, candle and iPhone light.
So what was the draw to Seattle in December, you might wonder? Good friends were going to be visiting family in Seattle and generously included us in their Christmas celebrations. We found two different Trustedhousesitters in two different Seattle neighborhoods, and jumped at the opportunity to explore a city we are familiar with, but want to know better.
Christmas morning is even better with musical friends.
As we travel we wonder a lot about when and where me might settle eventually. Back in SF? Somewhere around Seattle? It might be difficult to understand how unstressed we are by our lack of future living plans, but we’re really enjoying our travel life. When we aren’t trying desperately to find something in a pile of luggage. Solution? Less stuff!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the happy travelers.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been back in the US for almost two months, and apologies for the month gap in our blog, a record for sure.
Back in San Francisco and enjoying the amazing new Tunnel Tops Park in the Presidio; love the movable furniture!
We’ve been having too much fun seeing friends and family in Palm Springs, Moorpark, and more recently, visiting our favorite SF haunts and enjoying the beautiful Northern California winter. Not to mention bingeing on all the World Cup. Felicitaciones Argentina!
View across Tunnel Tops. Always something new and wonderful in the Bay AreaA new bike path extension to the Golden GateA short but always inspiring meet up with our fellow nomad DNT.
But as other nomads have related, retuning “home” is sometimes a bit tough, and strangely disorienting, especially when you know that you’re heading back out into the world again as nomads. It now feels more like a refueling stop, with the primary energy being friends (and tacos!) Nomadic life is endlessly stimulating, but without a base of friends and family to pivot off of, it might seem less invigorating. Contrast in life keeps it fresh.
San Francisco welcomed us with a beautiful sunset…you’re not making this easy SF.Back riding with the boys on Twin Peaks…so missed this!Ramen and Udon fix at Marugame in SF.
We’ve also been reunited with some of our “stuff” in a local storage unit. It’s always exciting to roll up the storage unit door and see what is there. Luckily, most clothes to swap out for our visit and onward travels are near the front. It does beg the question of saving so many things, but we know that when we settle down again somewhere, we’ll enjoy seeing so many familiar things again in a permanent setting. Right?
Champion and I excited about a walk!Mission Creek Preserve in Desert Hot SpringsWalking the dogs in the vast landscape of the California mountain desertsHappy hour smiles in Southern CaliforniaCheryl and Boba “the cutest and friendliest kitten in the world!”.Thousand Oaks delivered peaceful scenery, oaks and even water during a late fall hike in Wildwood Park
But after 16 months of travel, we are now a bit awestruck by how streamlined our travel lives are compared to the complexities of typical American life. No home, no car, a few bills…a bag or two and sometimes bicycles. Life is a trade off, and many of our peers could choose to simplify and travel more, but for many, selling it all and going mobile may be just a bit too much.
Christmas and Victorians were made for each other! Hayes Street, SFSelfie during a run up Twin Peaks…and yes, I’m that guy without Bluetooth earbuds…too easy to lose traveling!
It was not an easy decision for us either. And for many, simply renting your place out is an option, so you can return to your previous life with less of the uncertainties that selling creates. Of course, having no dependent kids or pets helps, and we recognize that this window in our lives to travel may be unique and precious.
Catching up over coffee with our friend, and our ace SF real estate agent Lisa from Polaris Garlic noodles at Perilla in the Inner Sunset – Check!San Francisco fire stations have an annual Christmas light competition…it was on in Portola/West Portal.Being home means baking with friends in Oakland
Home is nice, and the longevity of friends and place gives you a unique perspective on the passage of time. So we especially appreciate the generosity of our friends sharing their homes (or dinner) with us as we return for these recharge sessions. Thank you to all for your generosity and please know we will try to repay someday when we again have some roots in the ground. (Especially Rich and Andi -:)
Hiking up Montara Mountain…the drama of the Bay Area landscape is striking after travels.The San Mateo Coast south of San Francisco offers endless beauty and secret beaches.More hiking with good friends in Redwood City
We’ve now just arrived to an usually cold and snowy Seattle after a somewhat leisurely 3 day drive from the Bay Area, catching up with good friends and family along the way. We have two house sits (x2 cats each). Hopefully now away from most of our friends and family I’ll be able to get back to the important tasks of global travel planing for 2023. But the Pacific Northwest is so intriguing….so many places to explore; hmmm?
Cats eye view in North Seattle
But today the streets are still coated in snow and ice, so we’ll wait for the forthcoming thaw and settle into the coziness of our temporary cats, and sip coffee and tea as we look out into the evergreen and snow landscape. More on our Pacific Northwest winter excursion soon, as well as our scenarios for 2023 travel. Still no “plans” -:)
We remind ourselves frequently how fortunate we are. There are bumps along the road of constant travel, but when you get to wake up somewhere new and look around with fresh eyes, with no work thoughts or worries looming in your mind, it’s a revelation. The things you notice, the things you appreciate, take on an extra clarity.
Chicago with our good friends Michelle and Alan.
We’re lucky to have friends in Chicago who also know how to appreciate where you are. Michelle and Alan never tire of exploring and experiencing their own city.
The Berghoff, a Chicago institution. One that well deserves its storied reputation – first to be issued a liquor license post prohibition – everything we ordered for lunch was quite good.What to do on a cold day? The Chicago Art Institute.
After a lovely time in Chicago we flew to Denver, caught the bus to Boulder and spent time with my brother and had dinner with one of our wonderful nieces.
Charlie Kitty helping to keep me warm on a sunny but chilly Colorado day.The snow helped us find even more beauty.The horses might not enjoy the snow as much as we did.With my brother Steve. The snow was melting away as we left to head across the Rockies to Grand Junction. Scratching our itch for Mexican food. A fortifying taco stop in Golden, Colorado.
One thing we miss a lot when traveling is good Mexican food. Once in the rental car for the drive to Grand Junction it was easy enough to stop for an early lunch. Xicamiti La Taquería Bistro for the win. We were headed to help out with my sister’s animals while she traveled for work. Our house and pet sitting skills came in handy.
The view hiking from Pollock Bench trailhead, Fruita Colorado.Snack stop spots of the world.No matter how often we see the red rock canyons of Colorado the formations are stunning. Tasha the big guard dog, and the setting sun lighting up the book cliffs.Barn cats enjoying the sun. And waiting for food.Everyone gets in on the sunset photo shoot.“What? Am I not a cow?”Checking out the newest brew pub in Fruita.Tasha looks calm and cool here, but when she saw a fox and tried to take off after it, I was happy Rich was in control of the leash. Thank you Colorado. We got our Covid booster from a lovely team on this bus.My sister came home and brought back the newest addition to her household. 12 week old Lorelei. The happy travelers looking forward to a family Thanksgiving.
I do think Thanksgiving is a fantastic holiday. Spending time with your family or family of choice, Friendsgiving, and lots of yummy food – that’s my idea of fun. We’ll be off to visit friends in Palm Springs, visiting family in Moorpark, and then back to SF for two weeks. Happy Thanksgiving all.
So after a relatively quick recovery from Covid in Lisbon, we finally made it back to the United States! We rejoined a revised and somewhat compressed itinerary and still arrived JFK via TAP Airways new fuel efficient A330. (Ok for airplanes at least…)
Easy to come back to fall in Prospect Park
When our house sit in Boston fell through due to the owners case of Covid (ironic yes), Cheryl worked her magic and found a last minute house sit in Brooklyn. So after a quick change of plans and one obligatory night in an overpriced chain hotel close to the airport in Queens, we were off to Brooklyn by Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
Happy back on the NYC rails!
The house sit was a bit of a challenge with two old cats, lots of medications, and tight quarters, but certainly a memorable experience and in a part of Brooklyn we have never explored, Park Slope. It also was just a block from 4 subway lines!
The 478 acre Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is so nice that it inspired the development of Prospect and Central Parks
It was a magnificent fall weekend and the weather was perfect for strolling, not to mention all the Halloween decorations and costumes, although admittedly, it’s often hard to pick out costumes from just “Friday” in uber hip Brooklyn.
Battle Hill in GreenWood was part of the under appreciated Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. The British would occupy NYC for 7 years!
The walking in Brooklyn also felt invigorating after Lisbon’s lumpy limestones. We could once again stride briskly, with standard crosswalks, and short light cycles. The fall colors and crisp weather were so magnificent that Cheryl belted out in Prospect park that “New England is so beautiful this time of year”. Wait, we are NOT in New England!! This is New York!
Ferry hopping on the East River
After some of her doubts were quickly settled by Google, we strolled on, but I was reminded that I was married to a true West Coast woman. I would be reminded again when she couldn’t believe we had passed through some states in an hour or less. Wait, seriously just 15 minutes in New Hampshire?! And how do so many Dunkin’ Donuts survive?
Kicking back at the Brooklyn Bridge Park
After three days loaded with good friends, perfect bagels and NY pizza, we were off via subway and Metro North train to New Haven, CT where we could pick up a rental car right at the station. The car was by far the best solution for our ambitious and compressed schedule we had to visit all our friends and family over the next 8 days.
A taste of the rural Berkshires at the lovingly restored Old Mill Inn in Hatfield, MALeaving our spacious room at the Old Mill Inn, complete with weir and waterfall view (and soothing noise!) A treat after our cramped house sit in Brooklyn.
It was nice to be back in the U.S., as things felt familiar and interactions were clear. We sometimes forget that we are even in foreign countries anymore as foreignness is our new normal. And we immediately appreciated small things like ubiquitous ice (just try to find an ice machine in a European hotel.) faster paced restaurant service (tip please), and giant American salads (Yes, Elaine Benes you can have a really big salad)
Lake Champlain sunset from Burlington, Vermont. (New England…). The Adirondacks of NY in the distance.Visiting one of my mysterious cousins in Burlington on Halloween
As for the things we didn’t miss? Crazy political ads on the TV, giant tailgating pickup trucks, ignorance, and shockingly high prices compared to much of Europe. (Not necessarily in that order -;)
All Orange in Burlington
The cost of living surprises people when we mention it, as many generally assume that Europe must be more expensive than the US. First off, the strength of the US dollar is peaking, and second, many people take short trips to the most expensive (A-list) cities only in Europe, and so get a skewed view of costs in general.
Recommended road trip stops included Rein’s New York Deli in Connecticut. Home of delicious Reubens and Rachels.Smiling at my delicious spicy noodles with tripe at Jibei Chuan in Boston’s Chinatown Cycling on Boston’s extensive Blue Bike system was great with the $10 day pass which allows unlimited trips up to 2- hours each.Heading to Boston on the Charles River Greenway. Nice to park the rental car for the day and get back on two wheels.
There also seems to be fewer corporate entities taking profits in the food chain of capitalism in other countries. Groceries, lodging, eating out, and transportation (except gas and parking), are cheaper almost everywhere we have been in the past 15 months. We won’t even bring up health care as costs are incomparable and often an order of magnitude less in Europe. (i.e. podiatrist in Bilbao, Spain $40, US $400+). Whoops, I brought it up again. So perhaps the social safety net and low health costs trickles through businesses to keep costs a bit lower.
Boston is so academic that the books overflow into alleys at the famous Brattle Bookstore
But we had a wonderful time on our big New England driving loop, and still managed to work in some lovely walks, and a day of cycling into Boston. We really enjoyed reconnecting with folks and the mountains, rivers, ponds, streams, and trees that seem to fill 99% of New England.
Trying to catch a leaf for good luck along the Fresh Pond in Cambridge Waking my childhood streets with an old friend from the neighborhood was a joy.
I vow to come back to New England (and maybe even New York) more frequently, as staying in touch with your roots is important, and the feeling I had walking the neighborhoods of my childhood was joy, satisfaction, and peace. They are forever etched in my mind. No matter where else we go in the world, and whatever we experience, these memories of place will not be replaced. Experiences build in layers and hopefully growth and perspective with them.
Old Ship Church in Hingham. The oldest continuously operating church in the U.S.Yikes, a bit shocking to see my childhood house being gutted and expanded.
So today is Election Day and we are now headed to Chicago for more family and friends recharge. We have our fingers crossed that people don’t take for granted the 200+ years of work it took to create the civic institutions and foundations for prosperity that we have.
Reconnecting with old friends all over New England was a trip highlightRevolutionary War Graves in Hingham. America is a wondrous experiment.
Our system is not perfect and always a work in progress. But the institutions of democracy are unique, precious, and tenuous. And despite participating in many conflicts from afar, we have been physically isolated from the worst impacts of them, just as we are again isolated from the Ukraine invasion. We don’t share a border with an invader, and haven’t been occupied. But this could change in a flash. And the enemy could come from within. We can feel the fear in Europe as the free world knows a stable United States is still key to world stability.
Under the pier at Old Orchard Beach with my favorite traveling companion -:)
It had been decades since we’ve visited Las Vegas. How long? Well, casinos were still using coins the last time we visited. And if the fact that the slot machines now print out paper receipts is news to you too – welcome to my shocked world.
The fountains at the Bellagio. Reliable free fun.
We went to Vegas to visit with family who had a trip already planned. That’ll be fun we thought, to be there with people who know Vegas. And was it! I came away with so many insights about this desert vacation mecca. And, a renewed belief that you cannot judge a place you don’t know.
Escalator to heaven?
First realization: It’s a fairly egalitarian vacation destination. You can go high spending, fancy, big gambling budget, top dollar shows, or, as we saw many folks doing, lower budget,weekday, bring food to your room and walk around enjoying the sights. And, according to the gaming reports issued, fewer people are gambling. And more are bringing children with them. As we all know, a child with access to a swimming pool on vacation is a happy child.
Fremont Street Experience. A bit about the “showgirls” in pink feathers and the ones in yellow in the previous photo: you pay them to take a photo with you. Like the cartoon characters and super heros in Times Square, NYC. I am neutral on this – there were quite a few men in cowboy hats or bow ties with bare chests also available for photos – equal opportunity exploitation? If it is exploitation.
Another shock, the walking experience along the strip is actually not bad. Of course it wasn’t hot yet, but the sidewalks are fine, there are pedestrian overpasses with escalators and stairs, and although the urbanist in me screams ‘change the light timing to reflect the real world person through put’ (many more humans on foot crossing the street than people in cars, yet the light is held green for the space hogging cars). There are very few places to stop, sit, and observe life which are not part of a paid experience, but there is quite a bit of outdoor plaza life. And for many, this may be the best walkable, social, planned urban area they get to enjoy.
The spring decorations at the Bellagio. Instagram heaven.Neon Cowgirl Vegas Vickie.
Although I’m a white woman with no experience of what travel is like for people of color, to me, Vegas seemed like a good place to travel for anyone. The diversity of people, and shared sense of fun, of vacation enjoyment, was really very uplifting. Yes, it’s all wrapped around a gambling culture that wants to separate you from your money, but all seemed to be very welcome. The hospitality felt the same no matter who you were. And the people watching is fantastic. Folks are having fun and looking amazing while they do.
Family time! The men in blue.
If you find travel interesting, you can find anyplace interesting. This trip was a good reminder to put aside preconceived notions and simply look around and enjoy. There really is no where like Las Vegas.
Rich with a Chihuly backdrop.The happy travelers.
The best part of Vegas was our time with family, the best part of San Francisco was time with friends. And now we are off to our next adventure, Turkey. We fly to Istanbul tomorrow.
Happy feet in sandals in Venice. Carnival meant confetti everywhere on the large paving stones.
Most folks don’t think much about the asphalt of the streets and concrete of the sidewalks until it’s not asphalt and concrete, but huge blocks or small chunks of stone. When you look down and see the streets and sidewalks paved with stone, large or small pieces, you picture the process of putting the stones down in the streets. In Italy I was fascinated with the choice of paving materials. Who wouldn’t be? My fascination started in Venice and didn’t stop.
Confetti canal side in Venice.
It wasn’t until we left Venice that I read about the use of lighter colored stones on the edge of the canals and bottoms of steps to alert pedestrians that they are about to step into a canal or tumble off stairs. When I went back to look through my photos, sure enough, there they were. Safety stones.
The edge of the lagoon is obvious in broad daylight, but imagine a dark cloudy night before electric lights. You’d be glad for that strip of white stones.The black paving stones of Naples. And some well worn hiking boots.
Dark Vesuvian lava blocks pave the older streets of Naples. I assumed the surface was natural, but apparently on some stretches, especially the stairways, the dings and impressions come from hammers and chisels to create a less slippery surface when wet.
Naples paving stones in the rain. They look slick, but the dangerous surfaces were the metal utility/manhole covers.
How could anyone fail to notice the cobblestoned streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum? However, it would be easy to miss the small white stones placed in the joints as cats eyes, or reflectors.
Small, not so noticeable white stones, but helpful on a dark Herculaneum night.A giant stone jigsaw puzzle leading out of the amphitheater in Pompeii.
After the dark paving stones of Naples the streets of Bari old town were a surprise. Of course people used the local stone, the ‘chianche’ ( the big paving stones) in Bari are mostly white or cream, with black pavers used, apparently, to help merchants unfamiliar with the old town find their way out.
Bari ‘chianche’. And a wet boot. The light color of the stones in Bari makes a wet night time stroll quite atmospheric.The stones are a lovely backdrop for the green plants of a resident gardener in Bari. I always appreciate intrepid urban gardeners.The warm glow of decorative lighting makes Bari magical at night.The town of Conversano pavers were light colored as well, and a bit slippery when wet. This night time photo was taken as I carefully picked my way along on boots that had the tread worn off from miles and miles of use.Luminaria, which we saw being created in town, look beautiful against the creamy stone of Conversano.This kitty knows the stones are very flattering to their coloring, and that Rich is always good for a scritch.
We knew that metal utility covers were slippery, but I hadn’t appreciated how tricky they might be to integrate into paving stones until the town of Alberobello. While most visitors look up at the Trulli, make sure to also look down and admire the paving stones.
The metal utility cover on the left must have taken some time. The stone faced cover, upper right, blends quite well.Another utility cover, this one set cross wise against the flow of pavers. Oh, and some lovely Trulli.
Rome. Rome. Rome. Where the stones you tread were trodden by Julius Caesar, and marched upon by Roman warriors and enslaved people who were the capital of the empire. Our time traveling in the UK, Morocco, and Italy gave us a good look at the extent of the Roman Empire, but I hadn’t visited Rome before.
The road from the forum to the Colosseum. We arrived early to admire the mostly empty paving stones.In the Forum. Rich added for scale. Huge pavers.
Apparently, the small cobblestones of Rome’s roads, “sampietrini”, which means “little St. Peters,” are being replaced with asphalt on the main, busy roads. It will make for a quieter and smoother surface for bikes, scooters and trucks. But, the promise from at least one mayor is to move the paving stones to smaller more pedestrian scale streets. It would be fascinating to see the cost benefit analysis of stone versus asphalt. Wear and tear. Re-paving costs. Environmental considerations. Is my inner bureaucrat showing?
A lovely small street in Trastavere. Cobbles intact. They certainly win the charm competition.The Appian Way. A road built to march armies and supply wagons. Those large stones were the surface, they were laid atop an under layer of gravel, smaller stones and mortar. The surface was smooth, but now it’s a better idea to go around these bits on your bike.
We’re in San Francisco now, catching up with friends and sharing our travel tales. Traveling the world is amazing, but being somewhere familiar, and where we have wonderful friends is rejuvenating.
The Happy Travelers admiring a modern road surface, red bus only lanes on Van Ness Ave in San Francisco.
Less Car, More Life 