Good question! I haven’t written a blog post in months! And someone pointed out to me that I never wrote about the trip of a lifetime that I got to take back in September of 2022. I experienced the thrill and privilege of traveling to Italy. Potete crederci? (Can you believe it?)
I joined my friend Stephanie Chance, owner of the European decor store Decorate Ornate in Gladewater, Texas. She takes two tour groups a year to Italy and I was fortunate enough to get to join her. She is also the author of two books about her tour adventures: Mamma Mia! Americans Invade Italy! and Mamma Mia! Sinners, Saints, and Escapades.
To describe the tour as magical would be an understatement. We flew from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport with a layover in Philadelphia to Venice, Italy and traveled by private motorcoach to Florence, Montecatini, Lake Como, Orvieto, Assisi, and Rome. We even popped over to Lugano, Switzerland for one afternoon.
Every one of the twelve days we were in Europe was better than the day before. I cannot describe the feeling of seeing things I have only read about and seen on television, such as Michelangelo’s statue of David in Florence, the gondolas on the watery canals of Venice, glassblowing in Murano, the Roman Colosseum, the Tiber River, and the Trevi Fountain. To see where chariot races had been held at the time of Christ was unbelievable.
I could go on, and I probably will, in future posts, but visiting this amazing country was definitely a highlight of my life. I would go back tomorrow if I could. I would work and live there if I could, at least for a short time.
Not only were the sitess steeped in ancient history and stunning beauty, the new friends I made on the tour made such an impression on me in their kindness, warmth, caring, and fun-loving, adventurous spirits. I hope we get travel together again someday. Arrivederci, Italia! Until I see you again. . .
XOXO
April Coker, Author 