For Art Lovers

September 6, 2015

I couldn’t resist sharing some photos of the beautiful paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and frescoes that we saw during our Roman holiday.  These are poor copies of the originals and a mere taste of what we tried to absorb. I know that not all people enjoy museums or have an appreciation of art, but we have tried to instill a curiosity and interest in art history in our children.  Do not shy away from museums with young ones.  Stella and Gabriel were fascinated by what we saw, and had fun with the labyrinth-like set-up of many of the rooms.  We set them on missions to locate repetitive images (like lions), and some museums, like the Vatican, even offer an audio tour/scavenger hunt set up specifically for families with young children. Most museums also offer a welcome respite from the sun’s heat, and are an easy place for bathroom pitstops!

Please enjoy the beauty and skill!

Amo Roma

September 5, 2015

Dear Roma,

It has been over 20 years since I first visited you, and came to a slow appreciation of your wrinkled beauty.  Now I am a grown woman, with the fine lines of age tip-toeing across my own face, and I am completely enamored and charmed by your grace and class.  It seems that the beautiful Italian women who skillfully stroll your cobblestoned streets in designer heels always understood your secrets.

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Saying Goodbye To California – Part 2

September 2, 2015

It is the eve of our departure (August 28th).  My hands are clammy and swollen, not from fear, but from the insane heat that continues to plague us in the Foothills of L.A. county.  We keep tracking the weather of Rome and Greece, hoping that we are not in for even higher temps.  Who knew I was such a heat wuss? Dan has been glued to our computer trying to back up info on various hard-drives, insure that our bills are paid, insurance is terminated, and that all of our various gadgets – kindle, iPads, Fitbit, iPhones, music databases are in working order.  I am a packing, laundry fiend, in charge of organizing emails and contacts (forgive me if my replies are tardy!).  My sister has become baby-sitter extraordinaire, whisking our kids off to her air-conditioned home and treating them with popcorn and brownies.

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Shots & Immunizations

August 28, 2015

As parents of young children, our goal is to keep our children safe and healthy. We recognize that we will be traveling to “exotic” lands, ripe with new germs and far from our familiar healthcare. We are pro-vaccinations, and thus aren’t questioning the validity of immunizations. However, we do have to make decisions about those shots and prophylactics that are relevant to our destinations. The biggest concern is to be protected from life-threatening diseases that pose a real potential threat.

As seasoned travelers, Daniel and I have had our share of inoculations and immunizations, but we learned that many of our previous inoculations had expired, and we were due a fresh round.  Specifically, we had to update our typhoid vaccination, and had to do a 3-part series of Hepatitis B shots (just finished this week!). We have confirmed that our children are caught up on all of the recommended/required shots for their school district, but also had them take the Typhoid vaccination orally, and will have to get them yellow fever shots before heading to South America.

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Visas

August 25, 2015

Definition of Visa:
An official authorization appended to a passport, permitting entry into and travel within a particular country or region.

Before traveling internationally, you must determine if the country that you are visiting requires a visa. Some visas are obtained upon arrival, while others must be secured in advance. Some visas not only have to be arranged in advance, but have to be applied for in your country of origin! Some visas are freeeeee(!) and others have a fee 🙁 .
All basic visas will have a maximum stay, with some options to extend your duration. Some countries will require that you provide proof of onward travel. If this is the case, and you do not have a ticket showing departure from that destination, you may be denied boarding on your flight. Some countries require proof of certain immunizations, and detailed accommodation reservations at your point of arrival. Others now require that you carry your birth certificate and social security card, in addition to your passport which has to have a 6 month validity beyond your departure date (South Africa Consulate).

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Saying Goodbye to California – Part 1

August 18, 2015

We are currently at my parent’s home in Los Angeles, where we are in a rush to ready ourselves for our big departure.  I’m having a difficult time sleeping, and being in the joy of the moment.  Instead, stress takes over parts of my psyche as we add to our to-do lists (barely crossing off tasks!), shop for last minute necessities, spend too much and struggle with our budget.  I’ll blame some of my ill temper on the outrageous heat wave we are suffering, but know that much of my anxiety is driven by my own private demons. What am I so worried about that I can’t ease up?  Could it be our over-stuffed backpacks on the verge of exploding, our crazy home, car and health insurance issues, the rat’s nest of electronic cords and tech organization, the higher than anticipated travel costs, or the fact that we are stepping into the future unknown, trying to postpone thoughts of our return what-ifs for at least another 6 months.

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