To some people, Sicily conjures up images of endless citrus groves and fields of olive trees, blood oranges and golden olive oil galore.  To others, it may be all about the wines (especially dessert wines and fortified ones like Marsala) and the abundance of fresh fish.  To me, as you know, it’s all about the sweets.  I already plan on returning one day to experience those other delicacies too – notably the wines and the island’s king of fish, swordfish… when I’m not 6 months pregnant ! (How’s that for a surprise – and total disclosure ?!)  Thankfully though, gelati, granite and marzipan are not on any lists of foods to avoid.

And Sicily is truly a heavenly place for us sweet lovers.  Let’s put it this way, ice cream sandwiches (literally, ice cream in a sandwich) are a way of life; and brioche dipped in sweet, icy granita is common for breakfast.

And so, without further ado, the highlights of my sweet discoveries in Sicily… Read the rest of this story >>

I went to Rome.  And I visited the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Forum, Campidoglio and Campo dei Fiori.  But I know what you’ve all been asking.  What and where did I eat ?!

Even though my lists only had addresses for gelato, chocolate, torrone, pastries and breads, remember, I wasn’t alone on this trip.  So I did sort of have to eat some savory.  And hey, it’s Italy… land of pasta, pizza, prosciutto, mozzarella and more.  I was okay with that.

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Many of you readers agreed it was great advice in my last post about visiting Venice: Forget the map and get lost in those winding, labyrinthine streets, go up and down the foot bridges and endless stairs, and find yourself navigating passageways that will inevitably lead to… a gelateria!

I can’t even guess the number of gelaterias there are in Venice. You’re not likely to see a street without one. And boy do I love those streets with half a dozen!

But… how to choose?

I arrived in Venice ready to do a throw down of the best gelato shops in the city. I had my list of addresses starred on my map (yes the same map that would end up staying in my pocket all day long). I headed straight for La Boutique del Gelato near Campo Santa Maria Formosa (the tiramisu was subtle, not too strong and the stracciatella was like chocolate chips floating in clouds). I then made my way to Il Doge by the Campo Santa Margherita (where the mint was bright green and refreshing). I made sure I had the address for Alaska in Sante Croce, to try the less traditional flavors like avocado, artichoke and fig. And I had the addresses for Clausin, Nico and Paolin too. But you really don’t need to. And I quickly realized I was going to simply go where my feet took me, and try the gelato there!  I even stumbled upon Grom doing that, which has shops all over Italy and is now quite popular in New York City and Paris too.

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Life does not always run in a nice, straight line. There are also bends, curves and the occasional obstacle to negotiate.

Or so they say at the Rhätische Bahn, the network of trains that includes the Bernina Express, the only way to cross the Alps from north to south by railway. Traveling on some of the world’s most beautiful railway routes, its panorama train cars have tall vertical windows, so that looking in any direction assures you of a spectacular view. It’s simply a photographer’s heaven (aside from the reflections of fellow passengers off the glass). The trains are unique, not only with their observation coaches, but also in that they can reach elevations and inclines that normal trains can not.

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