Climb Every Step – September 12, 2026 

  • Venice: Day 2
  • Weather:  60-80° / sunny & winds 5 mph

Santa Maria della Salute’s dome dominates the sky.  For more gumption than money I climbed the dome stairs for a spectacular view. The church was commissioned as thanks for preserving Venice from the 17th century plague.

Dome from the across the lagoon.
The blue ribbon on the horizon is the Dolomites, my next port.
Lagoon View

Vogue Neighbors – September 11, 2026

  • Venice: Day 1
  • Weather:  60/80° / sunny & winds 10-15 mph

Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli, Gucci, Chanel, Ferragamo, Prada, Valentino, Cartier, Lou’s Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Dior are all within two blocks on my accommodation.  Yet walk 50 feet between two blind alleys and with luck find my humble digs in a hidden square.  This is truly Venice. 

Dapper
Elegant
Blind ally to my accommodation. Check out the hand statuary holding blue hearts.

Vaporetto – September 11, 2026

  • Venice: Day 1
  • Weather:  60/80° / sunny & winds 10-15 mph

Though Venice is only 2 and 1/2 square miles, it’s a spider web of canals making walking on land a challenge. Water taxis are the best way to go. I sat in the immediate front of the Vaporetto taxi with a grin on my face riding to my accommodation. I’m here. 

Gondolas for authenticity.
Magical
Collisions? Never.

Still April 23rd –  April 23, 2025

  • Location:  New York City – Day 6
  • In Route Home:  New York City
  • Weather:  60-75°/ cloudy skies, winds 10-20 mph

36 hours later and it’s still April 23th. Dear friends from Charlottesville now living in NYC met me in Jamaica Heights for a Napoli dinner. Dinner with chopsticks!  They shared their memories from visiting Tokyo and Kyoto during last year’s Tokyo Marathon. They fed the Nara dear too!  

Jay, Linda, and Mark
I’m almost a pro with chopsticks.
Overhead train that takes Mark and Jay home to Manhattan
NYC is the 13th largest city in the world with a population of 22.7 million people.

Disney Did It –  April 23, 2025 

  • Location:  Tokyo – Day 6
  • Walk:  Tokyo  > Disneyland > Haneda Airport
  • Weather:  60-75°/ rain, winds 10-20 mph

While at Disneyland I realized my favorite red and blue Siamese scarf was missing.  With optimism I filed a report with the Disney’s Lost and Found Department.  Two days later I’m packed to leave for my flight in six hours and receive a Disney email. My scarf had been found! I grabbed my belongs and headed to Disneyland. Joyfully I claimed my scarf and with persistence and with no reservations got a seat on the limousine bus from Disneyland to Haneda Airport. 

Missing scarf.
Scarf compliments Mickey Mouse’s outfit.
Scarf compliments Minnie Mouse’s outfit.
Disney Cast does it!

Family Operation –  April 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Tokyo – Day 5
  • Walk:  Tokyo  Weather:  60-75°/ overcast, winds  10-20 mph 

Rambling through Tokyo’s Asakusa district, I found a Japanese restaurant catering to locals. It’s a two person operation. “Mother” cooks and “daughter” serves.  For my first visit, I had Tuna Sashimi ($8).  On my return visit, I had Japanese brandy ($6), edamame ($3), grilled Mackerel ($5), and grilled squid ($6). Chatting with dinners added to the experience.

Indoor and outdoor seating. This gentleman assured me this was a locals restaurant. “Foreigners don’t eat here.”
Local restaurant is on left behind plastic screening.
Grilled squid.
Personal bags are typically kept in floor baskets beside you so your belongings don’t touch the floor.