Journeys with Johnny

The previous evening (Mother’s Day), we had a wonderful dinner in Sorrento of fresh pasta with seafood and fish in lemon sauce washed down with a nice red from Sicily. After a decent night of sleep, we awoke the next morning to meet our driver to tour the Amalfi Coast with stops in Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.  I had always heard how beautiful and dramatic the Amalfi Coast is, and it did not disappoint.  Highlights of the day included walking from the top of the town of Positano to the beach and back, stopping for breathtaking photos along the coast, enjoying maybe the best pizza we have ever had for…

Wow! A big curve ball on our very first day! On this trip,  Elizabeth and I will join 20 others to follow the footsteps of the apostle Paul. We start in Athens, cruise to Turkey and the Greek Isles, and finish in Rome in time for Pope Leo’s first public reception.   But before meeting the others in Athens on Wednesday, May 14th, Elizabeth and I planned to fly first to Rome, then take a train south to Naples, and then head down to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. On the way to Sorrento, we were to visit Pompeii, which sits in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, which erupted in 79…

Another Trip – Italy, Greece and Turkey – May 10th Elizabeth and I are about to embark on another adventure – this time to Southern Italy, Athens, the Greek Isles and Ephesus in Turkey. But first, we were in Chapel Hill to attend Carter’s graduation. He graduated yesterday with a Master’s Degree from UNC’s School of Information and Library Science. So, another Franklin joins the Tar Heel Community! I want to take a moment to comment on how important it is to stay flexible and “roll with the punches” when traveling. When we headed down to Chapel Hill on Thursday, I got hit by a 36-hour intestinal virus. I felt…

You never know where you will find your New Year's Resolution...