Czech Out Kutná Hora!

Drawn to this part of the Czech Republic – like a prepubescent girl to a Justin Bieber concert – by the legend of a church filled with decorative bones, we were served up an unexpected treat when we stayed in the nearby town of Kutná Hora.

In a bygone era, Kutná Hora rivaled Prague as the main city of Bohemia, the traditional name for the western half of Czech, and several kings… CONTINUE READING >>

Drawn to this part of the Czech Republic – like a prepubescent girl to a Justin Bieber concert – by the legend of a church filled with decorative bones, we were served up an unexpected treat when we stayed in the nearby town of Kutná Hora.

In a bygone era, Kutná Hora rivaled Prague as the main city of Bohemia, the traditional name for the western half of Czech, and several kings… CONTINUE READING >>

Follow Your Nose to Casale Monferrato, Italy

In many ways Casale is your typical medium-sized town of Italy. About thirty thousand souls reside around an ancient center with a wonderfully preserved medieval castle, several spectacular towers dot the skyline and at least one unique food item calls Casale home. Perhaps the biggest difference between Casale and other Italian towns is that the item is not a wine, olive oil or cheese, but a cookie.

A cookie that has remained unchanged for nearly a century and a… CONTINUE READING >>

In many ways Casale is your typical medium-sized town of Italy. About thirty thousand souls reside around an ancient center with a wonderfully preserved medieval castle, several spectacular towers dot the skyline and at least one unique food item calls Casale home. Perhaps the biggest difference between Casale and other Italian towns is that the item is not a wine, olive oil or cheese, but a cookie.

A cookie that has remained unchanged for nearly a century and a… CONTINUE READING >>

Video – Lunch with Claudia – A Real Italian Kitchen


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With ingredients from her mother’s organic garden, Claudia invites us into her Italian home and shares her secrets to her light and easy Pesto Rosso with Ricotta and for dessert, delicious Bunet! Want more deliciousness? https://www.gypsynester.com/cmi.htm


enlarge video

With ingredients from her mother’s organic garden, Claudia invites us into her Italian home and shares her secrets to her light and easy Pesto Rosso with Ricotta and for dessert, delicious Bunet! Want more deliciousness? https://www.gypsynester.com/cmi.htm

Traveling in Italy: A GypsyNester Guide

Traveling as GypsyNesters — often and low to the ground — has given us a some insight into the most efficient (and the lightest) ways to smooth out the bumps in the road. We know that things tend to go awry from time to time, so we are more than willing to share some of our more stupid mistakes for the benefit of the greater good (and perhaps a laugh). Here’s what we’ve learned about Italy:

Electronics in Italy:

The electrical system in Italy — and throughout… CONTINUE READING >>

Traveling as GypsyNesters — often and low to the ground — has given us a some insight into the most efficient (and the lightest) ways to smooth out the bumps in the road. We know that things tend to go awry from time to time, so we are more than willing to share some of our more stupid mistakes for the benefit of the greater good (and perhaps a laugh). Here’s what we’ve learned about Italy:

Electronics in Italy:

The electrical system in Italy — and throughout… CONTINUE READING >>

Tricking the Eye in Ovada, Italy

Trompe l’oeil, or “trick the eye,” is an art form that is ultra realistic, creating a three dimensional illusion from a two dimensional painting. Think of Wiley Coyote painting a tunnel on a rock for the Roadrunner to smack into. Then imagine a whole little village with that kind of fake stuff everywhere. That’s Ovada. It’s really cool.

We began our walk along the streets of Ovada, a quaint little town between Genoa and Alessandria, with our beautiful friend, Claudia, hostess extraordinaire. She has introduced us to so many of the most wonderful, out of the way Italian treasures and… CONTINUE READING >>

Trompe l’oeil, or “trick the eye,” is an art form that is ultra realistic, creating a three dimensional illusion from a two dimensional painting. Think of Wiley Coyote painting a tunnel on a rock for the Roadrunner to smack into. Then imagine a whole little village with that kind of fake stuff everywhere. That’s Ovada. It’s really cool.

We began our walk along the streets of Ovada, a quaint little town between Genoa and Alessandria, with our beautiful friend, Claudia, hostess extraordinaire. She has introduced us to so many of the most wonderful, out of the way Italian treasures and… CONTINUE READING >>