Tuscany Wine Tour

Getting lost in Tuscany.......but having fun doing so hahahhaha

As i make my way into the true birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and the home of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Vespucci and others....its no wonder i got lost many times as the beauty of Toscana is intoxicating, but finally found my to Siena  ( World Heritage Site in 1995) and my goal to have some of its famous Chianti Superiore wine served from a fiasco (squat bottle in a straw basket). So i find a local producer who also gave me a tour of their facility and of course some samples, then i set up my version of a one man picnic lol and pulled out a loaf of crusty bread

Yes trying some samples lol

 olive oil plus some local Pecorino Toscano cheese. As i watch the sun go down over one of those "must see" places of our amazing planet, i say out loud  "La Vita e Bella'.....life indeed is beautiful!

Many small wineries to be tasted

Bermuda

The famous pink sand of Bermuda 

The most famous grotto is the Crystal Cave discovered in 1907 by two 12 year old boys looking for their lost cricket ball

The houses all have white roofs with sloped surfaces and gutter ridges to funnel the water to an underground tank. The white cement wash compound  ( paint and powder mixture ) sanitizes the rainwater as it goes to the basement

Having a few at the Swizzle Inn

Fort Catherine

When visting my favorite vacation island of Bermuda ( rumored to be named after Spanish Sea Captain Juan de Bermudez) i wanted to pass on some KeyTips for all to enjoy what is now the oldest remaining overseas British Territory. First because there is no car rentals, i would suggest a bus/ferry pass which is really convenient and cheap (3 days for $28 unlimited use) and much safer then renting a scooter for a few reasons...your driving on the right side of the road (remember British rules) narrow streets and roundabouts (rotaries) plus tourists are given a 15min lesson and the way they go, so you do not worry about the locals but your fellow guests. Once this is out of the way sit back and enjoy the stunning views of the pink sand and turquoise water, also visit some of the forts (Martello Tower, Fort Hamilton or St Catherine etc) that are dotted around the island as Bermuda was once a strategic naval center

(once called the Gibraltar of the West) for the British due to its proximity to the USA. The most popular is
Royal Navy Yard which i took the bus there and then a ferry to the other end of the island of St Georges to

visit/explore some Grotto's (small caves near water and they often flood during high tides, so be careful) and the amazing stalactites. Finally hotels can be very expensive here, so i go on-line to search for Guest Homes and you can get self contained apartments for approx $100.00 per night or opt for a Cruise Ship that pulls up on Front Street in the capital of Hamilton or again at the Royal Navy Dockyard , either way you will enjoy this tiny stripe of paradise (20+ miles long) off the coast of North Carolina!

A 2 hour flight from my City of Halifax

Hamilton Parish  is the location of Bermuda's subterranean caverns and a must see

Right hand drive and narrow streets.......need i say anymore lol

Because of the expensive hotel prices ......a great option is to take a cruise ship and stay 'off shore'  for many days 

The famous White Horse Tavern in Bermuda