So we came across this very unusual exhibit while we were in Venice, Italy called the Authentic Human at the Palazzo Zaguri. We decided to check it out and were both amazed and a little freaked out. The exhibit actually takes real human bodies that I assume have been donated to science, and they were dehydrated and manipulated to follow the anatomical drawings that Leonardo did, including the Vitruvian Man. Many of the illustrations came from the royal family of England. The exhibit can be a little disturbing but it’s amazing to see the detail revealed underneath the skin in the human body and I highly recommend it for older kids who are taking human anatomy or art students who need to understand the underworkings of the human body. Click here to learn more about Authentic Humans.
It’s definitely something I don’t think we’d ever see in the states but maybe I’m wrong. Either way, it’s definitely something to see. Make sure you have a chat with your kids first because these are real human beings who are now part of the exhibits so they should be respectful of that.
From the museum’s website, “For the first time in the world an exhibition with real anatomical findings inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and anatomical studies. An extraordinary and unprecedented journey to discover the human body through the eyes of universal genius.”
According to the museum exhibit, “From the most famous drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci, some anatomical works have been reproduced: “Figure in orgasm”, “Vitruvian”, “Embryological study” and many others.”
https://www.palazzozaguri.it/en/leonardo/
The Venice show has closed but for information on more Authentic Human Body Exhibits go to:
So before I my daughter I had been scuba diving for years. I couldn’t wait to get her certified one day as I envisioned being under the sea with exploring fish and seeing turtles and finding big Caribbean lobsters together. It took me awhile to get around to it, but after Covid I said that’s it. Let’s go live!
Getting Started in Scuba
We had done one recreational walk in dive at Cokie Beack with Cokie Beach divers, which was so much fun. They gave us a dog biscuit in the water and we watched the little fish go nuts. Got some great shots. That got Morgan comfortable with the idea and ready to go for more.
Getting an Open Water Certification
We made an appt with the local dive shop up on 90th street. Met a really nice man who walked us through the paperwork, and then fit my daughter for gear. He found her a great mask that fit her eyesight. He walked her through the program and gave her her new PADI book.
When I took scuba you had to do all the lessons in a classroom and then do the other half in the pool. Now you’re able to do it online. So she went through all the online lessons with PADI and once she had passed everything she was ready to go to the pool. They had two nights of pool training and she loved it. As I sat up in the bleachers I was so proud watching her work with her group. Since it’s NYC, we walk everywhere, so we walked home smelling like chlorine and hungry. We had some great conversations talking about everything she learned.
Certification Dives in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
So while the dive shop offered local cert dives out in Dutch Springs, PA, we decided to do something a little more exotic. So I booked a trip to St Thomas and her cert dive with the Red Hook Dive shop.
I could not have been happier with the owners and the instructors. They really made us feel like home. We still had to wear masks inside the store and on the boat (unless we were eating or drinking) so we did so that we’d not get anyone in trouble. I went on three dives with another group while Morgan went off with the cutest scuba instructor and he put her through her paces.
Last Certification Dive
Her instructor invited me along for the last dive and we had a great time. He gave her his dive watch so that she could do orienteering. She led the dive and I got to watch her take us around the coral reef. She was a little fast and we had to keep up and very excited. I learned that it’s different to dive with an excited teenager. Twice she bumped me with her fins and banged in me and she almost lost her mask. So I learned I have to give a new diver a bit more leeway and also keep a close eye.
After that we had a great rest of the trip, sitting back in our room and looking through the GoPro videos. It was something I’ll never forget. Our hotel was up on a hill that had a million steps, but it was fun because there were iguanas all over the place.
Here’s our favorite Dive shops. Highly recommend. And Adventure Scuba does all their training at Asphalt Green in NYC, which has a beautiful, huge pool.
Here Are Our Dive Centers that We Highly Recommend
You can do what everyone else does and just follow the herd to your local, overpriced university or you can try something new. Not only will your child get a college level education, they will learn about the world around them and meet people from other cultures. This one could argue is even more valuable than the classroom work they do.
It’s Cost Effective
The cost of a college education has risen outrageously over the last four years. It’s an absolute tragedy how many kids come out of school with huge debts that make them risk adverse. They can’t afford to start a business because they have to start paying off those debts in six months, so they have to find a job and be on someone else’s payroll. They can’t even goof around and travel for a year if they want, because these education debts are weighing them down.
The US should be ashamed at what they are doing to our young adults, at the most vulnerable periods in their lives. It’s a form of indentured servitude if you ask me. It’s the only loan that can’t be thrown into bankruptcy, so there really is no way out. You either pay it off or have it haunt you for years. Europe and other countries do not do this to their students. In Germany, it’s even free to non-residents after a year.
There are also so many programs now in English taught in Europe that with a little extra work, and a little nerve, your child can walk away with a solid education, great connections and little to no debt.
Your Child Can Learn a New Language
Didn’t do as well as you’d hope they would in those couple of language classes they taught your kids in school? Not surprised. It’s really tough to learn a language and stick with it, in the US. Unless you go out of your way to find those that speak the same language–some are easier than others depending on the language–it’s tough to maintain it.
I have always regretted not speaking at least one other language and am always so impressed when I hear someone switch back and forth. It will open up a world of doors and give your child a competitive advantage in this global economy. By going to college abroad, even if your child’s program is taught in English, they will still be exposed to another language outside the classroom. And, since it’s going to be used for practical purposes, the language your child picks up with be more functional and stay in their heads longer, than if they learned it in a classroom.
It Builds Confidence
As adventurous parent types, we know getting out there into the unknown and trying new things and meeting new people, and seeing that you can succeed, is the biggest confidence booster you can have. When I was an exchange student I remember being terrified at first, but then realizing, this isn’t so bad. I think I can be dropped anywhere and be able to figure it out. That lesson stayed with me from my 20s all through my life. Finding out that the world is not as big and scary as you thought, and people are not as different as you thought, gives you the confidence to know you can make it anywhere, even if it’s only for a few days. It changes your mindset to think globally, and understand that you are part of this big world, and not on the outside looking in from just your little corner.
You have an Excuse to Travel
Selfishly, I’d love my daughter to go to Italy. We joked that if she goes to Florence, I’ll just show up with empty suitcases. When you go to look at colleges or visit your child at school or on break, you have a good excuse to do amazing travel you might not have otherwise done. If your child goes to college in Europe, maybe you can crash at their place for the week and head out for some sightseeing fun either on your own or with them as your tour guide of wherever they have landed. Since they are already there, that’s one less ticket for you to buy. You can catch them at the end of the school year and do a little touring before heading home. I know cost can be a factor, but think about all the money being saved by having them go to school in another country to begin with.
Where to Find Out More
There’s a site I love, and when my daughter goes away to college the year after next, she’ll be leaning heavily into this site. It has everything you need to know about going to college overseas. Check it out. It’s called BeyondtheStates.com.
When my fourteen-year-old daughter Morgan told me she wanted to be an art major, I said well if that’s the case we’re going to do it right. So I started hunting for cheap tickets to Italy.
She’s only fourteen but she got into an art and design high school in New York City, so I knew she was serious. So if you have a little artist in your family I highly recommend a trip to Italy to tour the museums, see the Sistine Chapel, check out the architecture and eat great food. By the way, my daughter is now completely spoiled when it comes to spaghetti and wants to go to art school in Florence. I’m all for that. We went back to school shopping in Florence, how is that for serious Mom points?
My daughter Morgan and I started our trip in Rome. While I knew it was going to be hot there, because we were going in August, we dealt with it. It wasn’t too bad if you embraced it and packed for it. The hot weather also meant smaller lines and less crowds.
Landing in Rome
While I have a dual EU passport (Thank you Grandpa), when I’m traveling with my daughter I usually keep my EU passport handy but use my US passport. We already have different last names so I don’t need any hiccups. But when we got to Rome we discovered there is an agreement in place between the US and Italy to allow US passport holders that are fourteen years of age or older, to fast track through immigration the way they Europeans can. We were brought to a different line, put our passports in a scanner, had our pictures taken and were sent through. We never even had to speak to a human. This was a great thing to discover because there was no need to pull out the permission to travel from my daughter’s father because it was just my daughter and I. We’re divorced and sometimes it’s a hassle to ask him to go out of his way to provide a document with permission and get it notarized. But I think it’s still best to get it signed and have it with you. I know the one time I don’t bring it will be the time I need it. I did bring the letter, and even though we flew into Italy, Switzerland and Germany we were never asked. Still, why risk it if you don’t have to?
So anyway, first night in Rome. We stayed near Trevi fountain and Spanish steps in this cute hotel called the White Hotel. It was in a perfect location. A friend of mine had recommended a few hotels near the Pantheon, but I liked this area way better. The little streets and shops were perfect for finding a good spot to eat or shop and wander.
I saw a number of cute hotels in the area, so my recommendation unless you really want to focus on the Vatican or Coliseum, consider staying near Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.
Rome is not very big in actuality, so we walked to the Coliseum from our hotel and back. There are also those hop on and off buses. By the way, I used my Chase Sapphire points not just for my hotel but also, since it’s really a white-labeled version of Expedia, I was able to use my points to buy our hop on bus tickets as well as the tour of the Vatican. That came in really handy.
We spent three days in Rome and did all the usual activities. We didn’t tour the Coliseum weirdly enough but we did walk around it. My teen was in a mood and didn’t want to go in, so we walked around the outside. Fine, there was plenty to do. And she was far more interested in the gelatto at times than the sites.
Italian Breakfast and We’re Off
On our second day there my daughter discovered what an Italian breakfast was. Coffee and a pastry. We had tea because the two of us with our Irish roots never managed to get used to the taste of coffee. So we had our tea and pastries and off we went. Morgan got used to saying Grazie for everything. I laughed when she said it on our layover in Dusseldorf. 🙂
In Rome we saw the Trevi Fountain and then walked to the Spanish Steps. New thing to know about the steps, don’t sit down on them or you will be fined. They are really serious about that now. Afterwards we went to the Vatican and signed up for an English speaking tour. Of course, there was a family there from Iran and so the Italian guide had to say, “we have Americans here, you don’t have a nuclear bomb do you?” Har Har. It’s always fun to be the easy target for cracks when traveling. There’s something about being American that just makes people have to make cracks whenever they get the chance. What are you going to do?
Hitting the Vatican
So the Vatican was phenomenal and we got to see the Sistine Chapel. Watching her face as we walked through the door and the room just opened up to her, was priceless. I looked at Morgan and thought, “yes, mission accomplished.” We stared at the ceiling for awhile and listened to people get yelled at for taking pictures of the ceiling. The people that paid for the restoration hold the rights to the ceiling, or the Vatican does and they hold it for them. Either way, no photos. Morgan was very disappointed there that the Raphael rooms were closed so she could not see the school of Athens painting that she was dying to see. But what can you do. That will give us an excuse for another visit.
The Castle
Another great spot I admit I missed on my other trips to Rome, was the Castel St. Angelo also known as the mausoleum of Hadrian. It was well worth the entry fee and the views are spectacular. Morgan loved the little cafe at the top and sat there enjoying her tea as she looked out through the thick portico windows out at the Vatican, complete with pigeons peeping in at us from the outside. There’s a museum inside with some pretty cool armour and frescos, and just a good all around stop before heading to the Vatican. Make sure you get some good pictures on the beautiful bridge right before the castle.
After we had our fill of restaurants, gelato and walking, we took a taxi to the train station to head out to Florence. So I’ll write about that in my next article.
Travel Scams
One thing I want to tell you about though is the scams they try to pull on tourists. Several times during our trip an African man would approach me and ask me where I was from and tell me I look like I’m from East Africa. And he kept trying to talk to me. As a female traveler with a child in tow I don’t need to stop for conversation in a fairly remote section of the tourist area, so I voiced a firm, “No Grazie,” and he went on his way. I wasn’t sure what was going on but found out later, the scam is the men will walk up to you chatting with you and when they get close enough will slip a cheap “friendship” bracelet on your wrist that you can’t untie and then demand ten Euros. So just stay clear.
Taxis
And for the taxis, check that the meter is on. If the driver tells you the meter isn’t working, get out and get in another one. The meter will tell you exactly what your fare is and sometimes they turn it off and tell you it’s broken and then overcharge you. And they sometimes round up without asking you first. If they have to move luggage for you, a tip is fine, otherwise it’s not necessary, so ask for your change back please. Better yet, use your credit card.
Also, make sure to bring an debit card if you are coming from the states. In many of the ticket machines, it will ask you for a pin number. If you are using a credit card and don’t know the pin, or it doesn’t have one, you’ll get stuck. So bring a debit card that requires a pin with you as backup. Or make sure you know the cash pin on your credit card.
It’s always a bit sad to have to say goodbye to summer but the upside to it is that Fall is on it’s way, in all its colorful glory. And one of the fun things about the fall is of course apple picking. Just about every state has some form of pick your own apple farms.
There’s nothing like getting out in the country with your family and friends and spending the day in the apple orchards. Of course with that often comes sampling homemade doughnuts and apple cider.
Don’t forget there’s also a range of other things to do while you are out there. Puppet shows, baby animal petting zoos, games, hay rides, mini-villages and towns for kids to play in. There’s always something to do at the orchard besides just picking apples.
Here are some tips to make your trip the best it can be.
1) Check the hours of the orchard. Also it’s a good idea to check their websites for updates on when the apples will be ready.
2) Leave the pets at home. There are usually a lot of people and not every facility is pet friendly. It’s best to leave the pup at home.
3) Don’t eat the apples in the fields. The orchards make their money once a year on apple picking and they work hard to make it a great experience for you. Don’t cheat them. Make sure to bring your apples back for weighing, then wash them and chow down.
4) Line up the recipes. You will never be able to eat all the apples that you pick whole. You will of course, pick far more apples than you need, if there are any kids involved in the process. Plan to do some apple pie baking. Apple sauce is a great idea.
5) Make it a tradition. Kids look forward to annual expeditions with you. It’s an adventure your family will always remember.
For the best places to go apple picking, check out this list.
