My 2005 trip to Paris & Italy

So I thought I would go back in time and post some photos of my 2005 trip to Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome. We had a great time - we celebrated my birthday with the Eiffel Tower in view, experienced the overnight train from Paris, learned a little bit of Italian, hiked Cinque Terre, got friendly with a gladiator and may have tasted some Chianti in the process.

celebrating my birthday in Paris

the view from our apartment in florence

Vernazza, Italy

Cinque Terre was a new destination for me on this visit to Italy. Cinque Terre literally means Five Towns. This is a great destination for hikers as you can walk / hike between the 5 towns along the Ligurian coast. The 5 towns are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manorola and Riomaggiore. There is also a railway connecting the three towns in case you don't want to hike or simply can't finish it all. This area is also known for great seafood and pesto.

My first blog entry!

Welcome to my first blog! For those of you who do not know me I am a travel agent with Villa Journeys. We specialize in vacation villas and condos. It’s a fun job and an even better excuse to travel. Travel is a great way to understand the world, other cultures and customs as well as learn more about yourself and have a little fun in the process. My travels have taken my to 5 continents (still have to get to Australia and Antarctica). I have backpacked through Europe, taken a ship around the world (courtesy of a great college program called Semester at Sea), driven across the US and soaked up the sun on many Caribbean islands. Through this blog I will share my journeys.