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    Spring in Tuscany: Fresh Fava Beans & Pecorino Cheese
    • Apr 18

    Spring in Tuscany: Fresh Fava Beans & Pecorino Cheese

    Spring in Tuscany means fresh fava beans! Many people think immediately of Hannibal Lecter's famous line from Silence of the Lambs, but I...
    Florence: what's blooming in February?
    • Feb 27

    Florence: what's blooming in February?

    It's still cold outside with nighttime temps around freezing, but the days are getting warmer and the sun is bringing out the first...
    Good-bye 2021: my Favorite Photos of the Year
    • Dec 31, 2021

    Good-bye 2021: my Favorite Photos of the Year

    Happy New Year from the Outer Banks of North Carolina! It's lovely here in the off-season and I'm grateful that I was able to travel this...
    November in Florence: Fewer Tourists, Cheaper Prices, and a Gentle Sun
    • Nov 27, 2021

    November in Florence: Fewer Tourists, Cheaper Prices, and a Gentle Sun

    Sure, the weather may be risky in November, but it's also a great time to visit the Tuscany. Most of the tourists have gone home, the...
    Autumn in Tuscany: Crisp days, Stormy nights
    • Oct 6, 2021

    Autumn in Tuscany: Crisp days, Stormy nights

    Buongiorno! I can't believe it's been a month since my last post! I've been traveling a lot and actually had one TOUR (Greek Islands...
    Hiking near Florence: the Monastery and Nature Reserve of Vallombrosa
    • Jul 6, 2021

    Hiking near Florence: the Monastery and Nature Reserve of Vallombrosa

    The summer sun can be brutal in Florence, and it's often one of the hottest cities in Italy since it's landlocked and in a wide valley,...
    The Uffizi Gallery (Florence): Medieval & Renaissance Masterpieces
    • May 10, 2021

    The Uffizi Gallery (Florence): Medieval & Renaissance Masterpieces

    Italy is opening up again and the museums are finally welcoming visitors after almost 6 months of closed doors. The famed Uffizi Gallery...
    Notes from Lockdown: Spring 2020
    • Apr 19, 2021

    Notes from Lockdown: Spring 2020

    The lockdown in Italy in the spring of 2020 was one of the strictest in the world; not only did we have to socially-distance and wear...
    A Tour of Florence's "Wine Windows"
    • Apr 12, 2021

    A Tour of Florence's "Wine Windows"

    Everybody's been talking about Florence's "wine windows" (buchette del vino), the little arched windows around the city that were built...
    The Dying Gaul & the Naked Warriors who Terrorized Rome
    • Mar 29, 2021

    The Dying Gaul & the Naked Warriors who Terrorized Rome

    One of my favorite works of art is this powerful statue called "The Dying Gaul." It's in the Capitoline Museum in Rome and has a...
    Welcome, Primavera! Early spring hiking in the hills around Florence
    • Mar 22, 2021

    Welcome, Primavera! Early spring hiking in the hills around Florence

    This weekend marked the start of spring but it's been springing for a while here in Tuscany. Sunday was also "International Day of...
    Italy goes Red again: Status report from Florence
    • Mar 15, 2021

    Italy goes Red again: Status report from Florence

    Hello everyone! I’ve just finished recording my first podcast (!!!!) so now you have two ways to get news from my adventures. I won’t...
    Pitti Palace: the Modern Art Collection
    • Mar 1, 2021

    Pitti Palace: the Modern Art Collection

    Hey, it's museum day! I managed a quick visit to the imposing Pitti Palace a few weeks ago, right before they shut the museums down again...
    Florence: Street Art & Oddities
    • Feb 23, 2021

    Florence: Street Art & Oddities

    Wandering the streets of Florence you see all sorts of interesting things, from the ancient to the modern... In a city known for...
    Backstory, pt. 3: Head for the Hills
    • Feb 22, 2021

    Backstory, pt. 3: Head for the Hills

    Everybody comes to Florence for the art, the culture, the history, or let's not forget the food, the wine, the shopping! But one of the...
    Backstory, pt. 2: Emerging from Lockdown, Spring 2020
    • Feb 19, 2021

    Backstory, pt. 2: Emerging from Lockdown, Spring 2020

    The first lockdown here in Italy was among the strictest in the world, with a ban against leaving your house for any reason except food,...
    Backstory, pt.1: A Free Spirit, Temporarily Caged
    • Feb 17, 2021

    Backstory, pt.1: A Free Spirit, Temporarily Caged

    I don't fit neatly into many categories but "Free Spirit" sure hits the mark. I have few possessions and traveling is my life's passion....
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        About Me

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        Ciao! 
        My name is Claire and I've been living in Florence, Italy, for over  20 years. In non-viral times I work as a tour guide, taking people on walking and cycling tours to some of Europe's most fascinating destinations. Since most people are home-bound right now I decided to do some "virtual guiding" for my friends around the world. Happy trails, and let me know what you think! You can write me at clduiker@gmail.com

         

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