Where's Wendy?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”Mark Twain

Wonder where we go when we're not at home in Ann Arbor? Here are some of our favorite past destinations.
Want more information about a trip? Leave a comment or send me an email-- at wendy@retiredinannarbor.com.

General cost without airfare:
$ (under $100/day person)
$$ (under $200/day person)
$$$ (under $300/day person)
$$$$ (big bucks! $400-day per person or more)

Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Chianti

In September, we traveled to Italy for our first extended vacation there.  We spent time in Rome and Venice, as well as Tuscany, but one of the highlights of our trip was the walking tour we did in the Chianti area of Tuscany.  We used a UK company, Hooked on Walking for this portion of our vacation, and chose the 7 day self-guided Chianti trek.


We were happy with the standard accommodations, and the company was efficient in moving the bags.  We were surprised at how wild the surroundings were.  This section of Tuscany was much more remote than we had expected.  There were many woods, and the walks had a lot of variety-- of course including vineyards, olive groves and villas that were hundreds of years old.


Greve in Chianti main square after a romantic outdoor dinner


Sangiovese grapes

Tonight's specials!

Radda in Chianti:  an adorable medieval village

Bruscetta and artichoke hearts

Mmmm.  Pizza!




Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Pedaling in the Loire Valley, France-- May



Route of the Rotalis Castles of the Loire Valley tour

Riding down to the chateau




This is one of our favorite bike rides.  Rotalis is a German company that mainly caters to Europeans-- we were the only English-speakers on this trip, but both the guides spoke good English, and everyone was very nice-- so it worked out fine.  Be sure and bring an English guide book of the chateaus you will be visiting!

Fantastic food, scenery, and tiny French hotels.  Check out their website for more information and pricing.




Picnic lunch
Bike parking







Baby grapes-- future sancerre?










Celebrating with a little bubbly!




Loire-- only untamed river in France










Typical picnic lunch
Time to put on the rain gear!

Cloisters



Paris-- from the roof of Printemps