Featured RealTravelers

Often called Il Divino (“the divine one”), Michelangelo di Lodivico Buonorrati Simoni—more commonly known simply as Michelangelo—is one of the most heralded figures of the Renaissance. Receiving commissions for his work at the young age of fourteen, Michelangelo’s artistic career spanned more than half-a-century, creating masterful works in several mediums. Today, Michelangelo’s iconic sculptures, paintings and frescoes are what make Italy an important stop for any art lover.

This fall, Realtraveler DareToDream, traveling from Chicago with her niece, stopped in Florence, Venice, Rome and Vatican City during her tour of Italy and the United Kingdom. She writes about the immense feeling of wonder that filled her while making her way through the splendid hallways of the Sistine Chapel; about being staggered by the beauty of Michelangelo’s Pieta in Rome; and of the intricate details of the Medici Chapel in Florence. Michelangelo is widely known for his incredible depictions of awe-inspiring grandeur and DareToDream perhaps captures it best in this passage from her journal:

“We fast paced through halls after halls of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts dated thousands of years back, until we reached the unparalleled sublimity of Sistine Chapel. The ceiling that is filled with Michelangelo’s paintings drawn by his angelic hands. I don’t know why. Right there, the time seemed to have stood still. A sense of sacredness and also sadness overwhelmed me. I didn’t have enough time to study/enjoy it. Nothing can bring me back to Rome, but this one. Even so, the sight of these biblical/religious paintings/frescoes on the ceiling has [quenched] my thirst for art. I can live peacefully even if I don’t visit another art museum for the rest of my life now that I have seen it.” (more…)

DareToDream spent eight days in Italy seeing almost all of Michelangelo’s work from the hallowed inner sanctums of the Vatican to his various sculptures in the Medici Chapel. Surprisingly, she opted not to see Michelangelo’s most famous work, the sculpture of David, satisfied only to see a replica of the statue in the courtyard of Uffizi. After nearly an entire week of traveling around Florence to visit

almost every museum in the city, DareToDream was afflicted with a strange, self-diagnosed illness that should serve as a warning to other museum-going Realtravelers not to over-do it: “I had what they called-ART HANGOVER. My niece must have been thrilled to hear that. :-)”

Michelangelo’s art can be found in almost every major city throughout Italy, making for a great road trip for any art lover. Those that are interested in making the trek should definitely check out DareToDream’s blog for tips and advice about where to stay and what to do.

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Summertime in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a fabulous time to go, because at no other time of year will you be as grateful for the water, or enjoy all that the ocean offers quite as much. The climate is not oppressive in the summer, but being out and about requires a few daily dips to cool off, which really isn’t a downside. Furthermore, accommodation rates drop drastically. St. John is the smallest, and I must say, most dashing of the U.S. territory that I visited.

Most of the 28 square miles are National Park; a debilitating move for tourist development that happens to, fortunately, maintain the blue-green paradisiacal elements of the region. Development paradoxically supports turning the tourist profit while its byproducts (deforestation, pollution, and erosion, to name some environmental concerns) guarantee the expiration date of the natural draw. Tropical paradises are distinctly vulnerable, given that the tourism taking advantage of the shores, seas, slopes, and wildlife isn’t exactly sustainable. So the coral reefs, the interesting culture, the privacy, all the flora and fauna—the draw—are not ideally supported by the numbers of people visiting to experience them. Thankfully, sustainable development and eco-tourism have arrived at these precious islands and produced wonderful little resorts for guilt-free travel.

The history of the Islands includes the migration of the Arawak people from South America, and the first tours of Christopher Columbus. The Arawak people experienced the peak of cruel and sadistic rule from Europe. For the next centuries, the fruits of slave labor supported Dutch rule. By the end of the Second World War, Water Island had been purchased for ten big-ones to become the fourth of these islands in U.S. territory. U.S. Virgin Islanders enjoy a smattering of citizenship perks, but not all. And finally, pirate history abounds. Since pirates are so hot right now, it is a great time to take the kids.

Annaberg Plantation and Cartherineburg Sugar Mill are historical sites east of Trunk Bay with great walking trails that display learnings describing the historical significance of the ruins as well as vegetation and local animal life. Annaberg was the site of heavy deforestation, which fueled the production of sugar. Walking the paths from the shady ruins of the hacienda to the exposed factory on a bare hill, the contrast is stifling. It is no wonder that this awful labor of cooking cane, forced in some of the most inhospitable weather, resulted in one of the first successful, albeit temporarily so, slave rebellions. The shift in power lasted six months on St. John.

There, Cruz Bay is the port city, where the ferry comes in. The restaurants are small, the food is fantastic, and I assume that the shopping around them is a mix of kitschy frog and lizard paperweights, expensive local jewelry, and flowing sarong-style raiment. Perks of the little town are Woody’s Seafood Saloon, home to a tiny bar and great sandwiches; Rumbalaya Grill with open air seating and an interesting menu; and for some reason, a number of Italian restaurants. Obviously, the thing to do here is find a beach. Every day, go out in search of the perfect beach. St. John is a wonderland of blue-green waves lapping at alabaster sand beaches, which crawl into thick green vegetation that rolls over the rippling hills.

Trunk Bay, along the North Shore, is incomparable for photographs, but heavily trafficked. Hire a boat for a day of snorkeling far away from the resorts, and they’ll take you to beaches without names. There is no excuse for not going snorkeling or scuba diving. Inside the National Park (which, I was so pleased to find, is one of the few parks that serves alcohol: the lady who rents your snorkel gear also offers delightfully strong piña coladas) there are beaches and trails, and more beaches. The guided snorkel trail off Trunk Bay ironically displays how this many visitors choke the coral and reef life.

Eco-tourism is especially exciting on Saint John because so much of the island is already protected, and there are responsible accommodations to recommend. Maho Bay and Concordia Tents (some, handicap accessible) recycle extensively, use gravity-powered plumbing, and rarely heat water. Also recommended are campsites and cottages on Cinnamon Bay. For a homier feel, Maho Bay offers luxury private eco-villas, and surrounding the towns, the typical villas-for-rent abound. Cinnamon Bay camping is a jaunt away from the ever-popular Trunk Bay, and nestled into National Park land with lots of trails to explore. It also offers quite the budget alternative for lodging. All these options ensure better local immersion than the lure of air conditioning at a chain hotel.

So to those who might not support my August vacation to Saint John, I guffaw. I’ve gotten all nostalgic for the time I spent there sweating and swimming and smiling.

Sara Haxby once entertained dreams of becoming a trucker, and seeing the entire country from the windshield of her big-rig. Today, she works a regular nine-to-five but still finds time to travel the globe and to share her stories with Realtravel.

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