Jean Nguyen

  • Italy

    Venice

    June 6, 2016 - By 

    Venice is like a famous art gallery.  With every turn you make, you are welcomed with a gorgeous sight, and you can’t help but take a picture of everything.  It’s just so damn beautiful.  And because it is so famous, you are obligated to share it with the rest of the world.  Such is this tiny island city of Venice. Naturally, any form of hospitality on Venice comes with a hefty price, so we stayed on the mainland at Venezia Village Camping, only €22/night for 2 people during the low season when paid in cash.  There was a bus stop…

  • Switzerland

    Montreux, Gruyeres, and Bern

    June 5, 2016 - By 

    It amazed me that even rest stops in Switzerland could be so beautiful. After two consecutive days of relatively challenging hikes, we needed a chill out day, and little did we know we’d spend most of it at the massive rest/trucker’s stop in Martigny.  Equipped with a gas station, motorhome servicing station, free bathrooms, a restaurant/market with electricity and free water inside, and a gorgeous lake and trails, it wasn’t difficult to squander an entire afternoon there. I repeat, this was a REST STOP. Once we were well rested we attempted to drive up Sanetch Pass for more epic hiking, but…

  • Switzerland

    The Matterhorn

    June 1, 2016 - By 

    Immediately upon crossing the border from Italy into Switzerland, the landscape changed drastically to fit the stereotypical Switzerland picture: charming villages spread out on rolling green hills with a backdrop of the snow-capped Alps.  Our goal for the evening was to drive up Simplon Pass (free motorhome parking with water!) where we would spend the night before moving on to Zermatt the next morning.  After purchasing and slapping the mandatory 40 CHF vignette on our motorhome’s front window, we began our long journey up the pass. Our motorhome sloooowly made it up, with a couple of stops to prevent overheating.…

  • Italy

    Lake Como

    May 31, 2016 - By 

    There isn’t a whole lot to do in Lake Como, which is ideal because all everyone wants to do is sit, relax, gaze at the remarkable scenery, and think about how they are so lucky to be in such a beautiful place. Lake Como glistens in northern Italy, so far north that neighboring Switzerland can easily be seen from one of many peaks in the area.  As Lake Como has been a luxurious retreat since Roman times, the place isn’t a secret.  Fortunately tourists who visit the area don’t swarm it like they do in other areas of Italy, keeping Lake Como a true gem.  I…

  • Italy

    Bologna

    May 30, 2016 - By 

    Overlooked by Florence and Venice, Bologna is a beautiful medieval city that sees only a fraction of the visitors that travel to Italy. As home to tortellini, tagliatelli with ragu sauce, and Europe’s oldest university (1088), the city offers delicious food and a young, lively atmosphere. We made a point to spend a day in Bologna en route from Abruzzo to Lake Como. Immediately upon arrival into the medieval center, we noticed the endless archways and columns that lined the streets. When the university expanded to accommodate more students, they built student housing in front of existing buildings, with tall archways beneath…

  • Italy

    Abruzzo

    May 29, 2016 - By 

    Despite being only ~100 miles east of Rome, Abruzzo remains one of Italy’s most unspoiled regions. Marvelously unspoiled. With three national parks and the Apennine mountains in its interior and coastal sandy beaches along the exterior, the diversity of activities and gastronomy are incredible and endless. Dozens and dozens of medieval towns and castles line the lush woods of the parks, making “village hopping” quick and convenient. Food is not only some of the best in Italy, but also the cheapest—it is agriturismo at its purest. Beautiful hikes, medieval villages, the best Italian food, and a peaceful atmosphere are the expectations in Abruzzo.…

  • Italy

    Pompeii and Around

    May 25, 2016 - By 

    I’m not going to blab too much history here. I’m going to keep it plain and simple: In 79 A.D. Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying and destroying the Roman city of Pompeii.  And now everyone wants to see it. Thanks to the preservative qualities of volcanic ash, soot, and mud, and the excavations from the 18th century until now, the ancient ruins of Pompeii are known and public to the world. Even with the overwhelming number of tour groups, the massive span of ruins are fascinating and humbling enough to mesmerize any new visitor. Additional attractive sites near the Pompeii ruins include the…

  • Italy

    Gaeta

    May 24, 2016 - By 

    Gaeta was one of those hidden treasures nestled along the Italian coast that Americans would unlikely know about.  Had it not been our preference to drive the non-toll route from Rome to Pompeii, I would never have discovered the tiny gem.  We drove past a handful of pretty sandy beaches before finally arriving to the tiny peninsular stretch of land of what is Gaeta. Every Wednesday from morning until 2pm, Gaeta hosts a market in their town center. Outside market hours, the massive lot is open to free parking.  We parked in this lot and walked along the bay into the historic…

  • Italy

    Rome and Vatican City

    May 22, 2016 - By 

    The whole world knows about Rome, which means getting even the most minuscule glimpse of a statue or building is comparable to high-level combat with amateurs. Despite all this, Rome still was and always will be remarkable. Her ruins, architecture, and art were glorified in photos throughout our childhood years, and as a result, images of Rome’s famous ancient ruins have been plastered to our minds. To see them in life was imagination solidifying into reality. Most people spend several days taking in what Rome has to offer, but we only spent one day in Rome and one day in…

  • Italy

    Orvieto

    May 19, 2016 - By 

    Orvieto is one of many (too many!) medieval towns snuggled within the Chianti wine region between Florence and Rome.  It is not uncommon for visitors to hire a car for a day of wine tasting, but we skipped the wine and simply enjoyed the twisty drive through wine country instead. Unlike other medieval towns I’ve seen such as Saint Emilion or Dinan (both in France), I found Orvieto to be quite livable.  By that, I mean I didn’t feel as if I was strolling through a fabricated village catered to tourists.  There were plenty of children in the streets, busy and active churches, parks,…