The Lake Como Region of Italy
As Rebecca and I drove across the Swiss border into the Lake Como region of Italy, the clouds darkened and it began to rain. Lake Como, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, is a posh resort area known for its splendid scenery, set against the backdrop of the Alps. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for the extremely wealthy since Roman times. The actor, George Clooney, fell so in love with the area that he purchased a multi-million dollar mansion in the lakeside community of Laglio. Unfortunately for us, we encountered a dreary, wet and windy afternoon when we entered into Lake Como and our visit there was a very brief one. Along with scattered showers, the heavy clouds brought in a dense fog that limited our visibility and made any picture-taking a real challenge.
A fleeting glimpse of Lake Como from the highway. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged Italy, Lake Como by Big John with no comments yet.
The Medieval Charm of Lucerne, Switzerland
On the shores of Lake Lucerne, within sights of mounts Pilatus and Rigi, lies the medieval Charm of Lucerne, Switzerland. Out of all the places that Rebecca and I visited within the Swiss Alps, this German-speaking village was probably one of our favorites.
This quaint farmhouse is another example of the charm of Lucerne. A shout out goes to Pius Hofer for providing us these gracious accommodations through Airbnb.
Our little Alpine adventure began here in the upstairs apartment of this charming farmhouse. Even though we were close to the city, we were far enough removed to enjoy the peace and serenity of the Swiss countryside. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged Lucerne, Switzerland by Big John with 2 comments.
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Straddling the border of Switzerland and Italy, with a summit reaching 14,692 feet high, rests the most easily recognized feature in all of the Alps – the Matterhorn. Our travels to this monumental alpine peak would prove to be a journey Rebecca and I would not soon forget!
Big John braves the cold outside a Swiss train depot.
We set out on our snowy road trip from Lucerne, Switzerland with a distance of 110 miles to cover before reaching our final destination. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged Matterhorn, Switzerland, Zermatt by Big John with no comments yet.
A Flower in the Spanish City of Malaga
Lying on the Costa Del Sol (Coast of the Sun), within the Mediterranean, is the beautiful Spanish city of Malaga. This southernmost large European city is the birthplace of many notable persons to include Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas. Malaga’s history spans back some 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. With my stunning señora by my side, I set out on foot to explore all of the city’s splendor and ageless beauty.
Big John and Rebecca set out to explore the beautiful Spanish city of Malaga. (more…)
Posted in Europe, Adventurous Places and tagged Malaga, Spain by Big John with no comments yet.
Cruising the Mediterranean Aboard the Celebrity Reflection
In June of 2017, I became the luckiest guy alive when I married Rebecca – my best friend and love of my life. To celebrate our joyous occasion, I planned a honeymoon that would be second to none. So, the day following our ceremony we boarded a plane to Rome, Italy and then found our way to the Italian seaport of Civitavecchia. Docked at the port was the Celebrity Reflection, the luxury cruise vessel that would carry us around the Western Mediterranean. The Celebrity Reflection is the largest their Solstice class ship in their entire fleet. The vessel has a 3,046 max occupancy, is 1,047 feet long, and boats an impressive cruising speed of 24 knots. These are just some of the amazing memories we captured while underway.
Big John and Rebecca go cruising the Mediterranean aboard the Celebrity Reflection. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe, Great Dining and tagged Celebrity, Celebrity Reflection, cruise, honeymoon, Mediterranean by Big John with no comments yet.