As I am just an hour away from Thanksgiving Day, I guess I can devote an extra 30 minutes to give thanks on just an ordinary day of the year. After all, you only can give thanks on Thanksgiving (sarcasm).
The picture I have included with this post was taken at the beginning of 2009 in Taormina, Sicily. I was studying in Sicily for the month of January, improving my Italian language skills and my ability to know good gelato from bad gelato just by looking at the glass case.
After climbing down to the Isola Bella beach in the dead of winter, the scene is quiet. No one is sun tanning as they would in the heat of July. There is however, a man on a grotto tour boat circling my roommate and I, enticing us to pay for a boat tour of the area while blasting Rihanna’s Umbrella. Needless to say his tactics did not work, but I was able to take the typical cheesy photo set to the backdrop of the Sicilian coast.
Looking back on my travels throughout the year, I have countless photos and memories. I have visited new places like Belgium, Luxembourg, and Hawaii. I spent time in Austria, Germany, Italy, Massachusetts, and Arkansas. In other words, I am truly thankful for these places and the people that make travel so intriguing. Without them, I would be speechless, an adjective that never describes me. Of course these travels would not be possible without the support of family, friends, and readers. Thank you all. Keep on reading and I will keep my steno pad and pen busy.