is it spring yet?

I don't know about you, but I could use a vacation. This is my least favorite time of the year.  Winter seems like it will never end, no fun holidays, no exciting sporting events.  Everyday is the same.  What we need now is a good, old-fashioned adventure.  There's no better cure for the mid-winter blues than a romp around Italy.  

We could go to Milan, where they let you climb on the exterior of the cathedral (You may have noticed that I took a lot of pictures of churches.  This one is among my favorites.  How often do you get to play around on the roof of a gothic cathedral?  It was so much fun.)

Milan Cathedral

 We could get lost in the wandering streets of medieval town of Urbino:

Urbino, Italy

Take in the view of the Adriatic Sea:

The Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea near Pesaro

Shop and stroll and sip espresso in Bologna:

Bologna

Or be completely overwhelmed by Naples (the layout of this town makes Venice look sane):

Naples, with Mt. Vesuvius in the background

Maybe we can go back because I really want to go to Pompeii.

the art of structure

World War 1 fortification near Passchendale

Penn Avenue in the Strip District, Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese, Mellon Arena, & Consol Energy Center

The Colosseum

through the looking glass

green

the Mattress Factory

almost to New Hampshire

outside the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Paper Politics

the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon

herb garden in Rodemarck, France

little girl at Renaissance fair in Rodemarck, France

who's with me?

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/travel/20frugal-paris.html?hpw

three days

What is a journey but a collection of days?  One spent in Luxembourg City:

Another took me back to Brugge:

and another to Strasbourg:

homesick

These are the kinds of pictures you take when you're homesick in a foreign country and taking a long walk:

Leuven, Belgium, Fall 2002

northward

Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi:

St. Mark's Basilica (seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice and a gorgeous example of Byzantine architecture):

Piazza San Marco:

Rialto Bridge (someday I'll be able to afford a meal at that restaurant):

One canal of many:

Famed and pricey gondolas (seriously, a ride will set you back $400):

Trying to make sense of Venice is like trying to figure out how spaghetti lies in a bowl.  For a good time check it out in Google Earth:

Addio, Italia.  See you again in 2003.

Stairway to Seven: A Love Story

Steelers love, Pittsburgh Glass Center-style:

tailgating and grilling on molten glass

The Lombardi Trophy takes shape. Also, how scary is Brett Keisel's face?

The Lombardi Trophy and a glass Steeler's logo presented to the theme from Football Night in America.
It was epic.

One of the Mansions on Fifth can't resist: 

Dippy (Diplodocus carnegiei) shows his Steelers love:

The Strip District:

Mancini's Bread 

Mecca

Meet me at the corner of 18th and Penn.  I'll be wearing black and gold

 Pittsburgh Public Market:

Yum

Beer-flavored marshmallows from the Pittsburgh Marshmallow Factory.
Not as terrible as you might think.

No Steelers Super Bowl is complete with pierogies.

The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center:

Franco Harris welcomes you.

Of course, no sports museum is complete without an exhibit on tailgating

2010 AFC Champions!