NEW AND IMPROVED - THOUGHTS FROM A LONG TIME BACK - SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW - 5000 DAYS & STILL COUNTING

WHAT DOES TRAVEL REALLY MEAN TO A WANDERING NOMAD?

That was my first thought when I wrote the first post on this travel blog - March 5, 2011 - Stop the World, I do NOT want to get off! I decided to go where I had never gone before - the blogosphere. The real idea behind this blog is still actually twofold: 1) We have enjoyed a fair amount of travel and shared those experiences as Wandering Vagabonds and 2) Here's what makes this blog different - Some people think where they stay when they travel isn't important as long as it's clean, has a good bed, good water pressure and a decent price. If you subscribe to that philosophy, then this blog is probably not for you. I believe that where you stay, the uniqueness of a place and the quality of the environment can actually change your mindset, even your reality of a country, its people and its culture. And I am not just talking about 300 count Egyptian cotton bedsheets! I am talking about places that have a unique architectural and even artistic quality that makes traveling transcend the idea of a vacation.

So - here I am still writing 

about experiences to help all Nomads plan their travel to interesting places without breaking the bank. I must stress the importance of travel with people that you really like and love. I have always travelled with my wife and best friend, Susie, who loves experiencing interesting things and interacting with people. She also accepts the sometimes weirdness of travel with an architect. She just smiles quietly, understands me and accepts my obsession with things most people couldn't care less about. BTW - Castello di Tornano pictured above in the romantic wine country of Tuscany is under $200 a night in early spring or Fall.

Our first trip to Italy was in 2005. I was completely smitten at the tender young age of 56! LOL! I fell in love with its people, its food, its architecture, old and new, its art and its culture. When I saw the 17-foot-high Statue of David by Michaelangelo in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence / Firenze, I realized the world can teach us plenty about the beauty of life.

From the five villages of Cinque Terre in the North to the romance of Central Tuscany to the hills and history of Umbria to the ancient architecture of Italy's largest city Rome, this ancient yet modern country is a place for all Vagabonds to see and feel. 

Next week, we'll discuss some more specific places and "To Do Things" in the country that invented the Calendar as well as many other things we use and enjoy today.

Travel Quote of the Day:

To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries - Aldous Huxley

Arrivederci!!

D.L.Stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

From the daughter of the great sitar player Ravi Shakar and winner of multiple Grammies and other awards is a song perfect for thinking about and enjoying wandering with the one you love - Norah Jones performs Come Away With Me.

Ciao    DLS