Eye of the Beholder

We arrived in Rome and after the most efficient customs check, picked up our car, which we'll drive for the next three months. We leased a car instead of renting. If you ever find yourself in Europe for an extended stay, consider leasing; leasing is 1/3 the price of renting and we got a 2023 Renault with 14 km on the odometer. Plus, the lease agreement covers ALL insurance including collision and comprehensive. Check out leasing on Rick Steves website.

From Rome we drove three hours east through the Abruzzo region of Italy. Most of us think of Italy as Rome, Florence, Venice and possibly Milan. But Abruzzo, unlike those places is made up of mountains with ancient villages perched on stony cliffs. John's maternal grandparents were from a very small town in the Abruzzo region.

Finally we drove through a mountain pass and came to the town of Pescara on the Adriatic Coast. Known as the summer retreat of the Romans, its packed in the summer, but sleepy in October.

John and his late wife Sandy visited here in 1978 and visited his family including two great aunts.

Our first Airbnb is called "Splendita." Over a bottle (or two) of local wine at lunch on the first day, we both commented that the house was not exactly as pictured, especially the photos of outside. It's amazing what a good photographer can do. And, it's also amazing that by the second day we loved this place, with its vintage furniture and quirky European touches.

Ah, we Americans, how we expect perfection, when perfection is all in the eye of the beholder.