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Historic Florence Duomo Exterior
Overview The Florence Duomo has a long history. Construction began in 1296 atop the existing cathedral, San Reparata. During the construction of the walls, there were no plans for a dome. Except for the dome, work on the Duomo finished in 1418. There was a wall between the nave and the transept, above which the…
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White Sands National Park
Overview White Sands National Park is part of a much larger geological formation also known as White Sands. It is located in the Tularosa Basin between two mountain ranges in south-central New Mexico. Best known for its scenery and sledding on the dunes, in recent years, an archaeological discovery has thrust the park into the…
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Erfoud, Morocco Date Market
I love Overseas Adventure Travel(OAT) tours for a few reasons. One is that they take you to random, non-tourist places. Here is a perfect example: on our way from Erfoud to our desert camp, we stopped at a seasonal wholesale market for dates. We were there during the height of the harvest season, so the…
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Celebrate Tuscan Food at Restaurants in Florence
Overview What better reason to visit Italy, especially Tuscany, than the food? In my ten days in Florence, I had two favorite places to eat. One was Trattoria Sergio Gozzi (my all-time favorite on this trip), across the street from San Lorenzo. The other, Cipolla Rossa, was very good. In fact, the single best thing…
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Visit the real Florence by visiting Florence off the beaten path
Overview Florence street scenes are just below the surface of the tourists scrambling to see the must-see sites. Any city, as historic and important as Florence, can’t be understood by seeing just the Duomo or the Uffizi. You need to experience the streets. Go past the beaten path. Many US tourists are afraid to walk…
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Off the tourist trail: A Village Market near Volubilis
Overview OAT trips have unscripted moments that arise when we travel off the tourist trail. Along the way to our tour of Volubilis, we stopped to experience a weekly market in a small village. The market was part livestock market, part farmers’ market, and part flea market. It was the only place where locals in…
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The Garden Island of Kauai, Hawaii
Known as the Garden Island, Kauai, the westernmost of the large Hawaiian Islands, offers much. Besides the natural beauty. There are three National Botanical Gardens (The Limahuli Garden on the North Shore and, on the South Shore, the Allerton and McBryde Gardens), native archaeological sites, food trucks, chickens, and a whole lot more. It is…
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A people-to-people experience: a visit to a home for dinner
Overview OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) believes strongly in people-to-people interactions. For the most significant experiences, we visited a local home for dinner. Each group attends a dinner at a different family’s home. Each experience is different, as each family is unique. I asked the group if they had any images I could share, and they…
Examining historic locations, experiencing new cultures, and exploring scenic beauty
location: Location
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