As we research the web for added information about Tuscany, on occasion we encounter an entry that brings a smile to our faces. Such is the case when Tom found this video while he was conducting research for yesterday’s post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8qEI5ehTzg
It was taken five years ago by a kindly gentlemen, Tage, a motorcycle enthusiast, whom we “met” online, when asking him if we could use his video for today’s post.
He was great, enthusiastic to share! His father was born in Boveglio and when he and his wife visited on their motorcycle in 2008, they took this video of the lengthy, hilly walk in the neighborhood in Boveglio, starting from the “square” near Bar Ferrari, ending near the parking lot where we park our rental car.
Had we made a video of this walk, it surely would have been too lengthy on foot. Using his, taken while riding his motorcycle, was perfect.
When any of us post videos on YouTube.com we provide permission for others to re post our videos. It doesn’t require permission from the originator. However, we’ve found that “asking permission” to re post photos and videos is an excellent opportunity to make a new online friend and to provide them the satisfaction of knowing that others are enjoying their project.
So was the case with Tage. He couldn’t have been more delighted, as were we. Living in Italy, he extended an offer for he and his wife to meet us somewhere for coffee, should we be near each other at any time in our travels. Perhaps we will.
The power of the web to connect people with similar interests is astounding. How did we ever manage travel without it? How did we ever search for services, hotels, entertainment and transportation? Over the phone, most likely. Using travel agents when possible. Do travel agencies even exist anymore?
This morning, as we planned a road trip for next Tuesday, how would we have booked a hotel without the Internet? And, before the advent of phones and travel agents, would we have had to send a telegram or a letter, many months in advance?
I often remind myself how grateful I am that we’ve lived in this period of time as opposed to hundreds or thousands of years ago. How easy life is comparatively. Undoubtedly, we’d never have wanted this life as nomads, traveling the world with the difficulty of “making arrangements.”
Now, as we share our travels via the Internet, we find that the world is very small in many ways. How ironic to find a video, five years old, of where we’re spending the summer in this tiny community with few tourists?
As we continue on, we’re convinced that we’ll have access to the travels of others to incorporate into our own experiences, meeting fine people along the way, online and in person with the commonality of interest in expanding our knowledge of the amazing world around us.
Of course, when we leave next Tuesday, July 23, we’ll be bringing our digital equipment to ensure that wherever we may go, you’ll have the option of “traveling with us” as we share our experiences and photos.
The video was really neat. I think the motorcycle is a good way to travel in that area if you are brave enough.
Thanks for letting us travel with you. I love seeing all your photos.
The Bell towers and the ringing of the bells every day and all day is interesting and amazing that they do not keep you awake at night. We are so glad that you are enjoying this traveling experience and we can benefit from it also.
Pat M. not sure if you know who I am. We met on the Epic cruise to Barcelona.
Pat, of course, we remember who you are! We remember that we met the day the ship was detoured to Bermuda to drop off the sick passenger before the stormy weather as we sat in a booth in the buffet restaurant.
We met so many amazing people on our cruises and made an effort to remember every single one. What a joy it was to meet so many people, many of whom we communicate here on the blog and others by email.
Yes,it's funny how our brains adjust to certain nighttime sounds that don't seem to bother us. I guess it's the sounds that we don't have to respond to, that bother us the least. Whereas, if it a crying baby or knocking door, we bolt out of bed.
The human ability to adapt continues to astound us. We surprise ourselves almost every day as we take on one more change in our routines after another, freely including them into our daily lives.
Thanks again for writing. We love hearing from you and others right here in our comments section so others can read also.
Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom
Here I am again. Jess you are amazing to have remembered the exact time we met with all the people who are following your blog. And I can now also remember sitting at your booth at the buffet restaurant and watching the ship with the sick passenger being dropped off in Bermuda.
Your comments on the food is so interesting to me. I would love to cook as healthy as you. But I don't have all the ideas on how to put things together like you do. I have tried the mashed cauliflower at a restaurant and it was good. I have not tried to make it myself though. I must try it in place of rice sometime. You make cooking sound like an adventure.
I guess we get in a habit, as you stated, and tend to cook the safe reliable meals.
My husband, Dan, has now signed up with your blog to get it on his email. I was forwarding it to him and he was so interested that he signed up for himself. He likes how you are able to put your thoughts into words so well and make it interesting. And we love all the pictures.
Say hi to Tom for us, not sure how much I should write on here. After all, it is your blog.
Pat M.
Pat, when we posted this blog, knowing anyone on the Internet could see it, we did so for with the hope that readers such as yourself would comment and share the journey with us. Writing to us here means so much, adding to the joy of our travels. Thanks so much for doing so. Keep it comin'!
My ideas about food only come from a passion to eat! We ask ourselves as we plan each night's menu, "Are we going to be excited to see this food on our plates?" If yes, go for it!
As for the healthy part, if is driven by a desire to feel well, it is easy. So the question becomes for us, not so much "what" we make as how we'll "feel" about it when the plate is in front of us. Does it meet our objectives? Is it healthy? Does it look good? Does it smell good? Does it taste great? If the answer is "yes" we're right on.
Tell Dan we're happy to hear that he's signed up to get the daily email and we're delighted to have him travel along with us.
Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom