Best of Both Ski Holidays don’t come much better than this. Escape the pre Christmas hubbub for a 5 day 4 night retreat and ski your socks off in Aspen /Snowmass by day followed by après ski and gourmet dinners in the evening. Ski with world-class skier Garret Bartelt and get your season off to an exciting start. The emphasis will be on skiing as much of the vast Colorado area as possible and honing your skills in the powder or the epic groomers of the area. Come and see why this will be a once in a life time holiday you won’t be disappointed! Be ahead of the crowds and enjoy relatively empty slopes with no lift lines. We use our local knowledge of both slope and weather conditions to optimize your trip for every client every time.

With our experience, knowledge and excellent facilities we insure that when you ski with us, you know you’re in the hands of experts. Best of Both Ski Holiday’s philosophy is time on the slopes with minimum hassle- we can legitimately claim to know precisely what we’re doing. The smallest details make a huge difference on a short break and we have been getting it right for years.

Aspen/Snowmass

Famous for its history, diverse terrain, amazing restaurants and legendary nightlife, Aspen/Snowmass is one of the most well known resort destinations in the world. You have four mountains to choose from: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk – rising up from the Roaring Fork Valley, offering a combined 5,285 acres which include eight terrain parks, four half pipes and 336 marked trails via 46 lifts. Aspen/Snowmass is located 220 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado, and is easily accessible by two of the most convenient mountain airports – Aspen/Pitkin County (three miles from Aspen/Snowmass) and Eagle County (70 miles from Aspen/Snowmass).

While Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado is known as a travel destination frequented by the rich and famous, many of Aspen’s visitors know this beautiful Colorado mountain town for it’s extensive mix of arts programs, cultural events, and cosmopolitan nightlife. What’s more, Aspen/Snowmass has a variety of restaurants, shopping, lodging and nightlife that caters to a range of budgets and experiences. Aspen/Snowmass is a small town with a big reputation. Tucked away in Colorado’s Elk Mountain range, Aspen/Snowmass is defined by its majestic mountains, a variety of outdoor activities, robust history and artistic culture. It is Colorado’s most picturesque and vibrant year-round resort.

You can do it!

While not pushing you beyond your abilities, we will encourage you to ski the best you can in the best terrain available. From moving across the mountain on the perfect corduroy to finding the mind blowing powder lines, we will make sure you come out of each day with a smile on your face!

Short Ski Week team in Aspen/Snowmass

Based in Aspen/Snowmass is our team of hosts who are chosen for their friendliness and professionalism as well as depth of knowledge of the area and their ability to get things right every time. You’ll first meet your host at the airport. He or she will then travel with you to your hotel. En route you’ll be given a ski orientation program and we will take you straight to your lodging. Depending on your time of arrival we will have organized either a late dinner or a light dinner in your room.

Your host will deliver your ski passes early the next morning and arrange for ski and boot hire if needed. In addition to the expert staff at Gene Taylor Sports, we will double check all your gear and make sure you are on the right set up. We’ll also give you the latest news on snow conditions for your day of skiing. Our aim is to make your ski vacation as hassle free and relaxing as possible.

Highlights of the Tour:

• Ski with world class skier Garret Bartelt on the slopes of Aspen/Snowmass! Enjoy your private tour of the mountain from epic carving on the groomers to off the beaten path powder runs. He will spend time with each client to insure skier compatibility so weather your a beginner or expert you will get to ski the best terrain for your ability. Garret is a past World Extreme Skiing competitor as well as Rocky Mountain Masters Downhill Champion and knows the valley inside and out. After 13 years of skiing of 100 plus days a year in the Aspen/Snowmass area, Garret is returning to ski with a lucky few Best of Both Adventures clients. Space is limited so don’t miss this opportunity and sign up today!
• Enjoy a secluded lunch in the backcountry of the Roaring Fork Valley in the one of a kind Best of Both Expedition Vehicle. Gourmet chef Dez Bartelt will prepare a special lunch out of the 8×8 remote access vehicles just for this special retreat. Come check out the rig and talk to Garret about its epic journeys both present and past. You won’t believe this truck and you get to be a part of its historic adventures!
• What else’s included? Everything you need. Plus everything you’d want. Plus a few things you never knew you wanted ’til you get them. Want us to be a little more specific?
• All Ski in Ski out Accommodations
• 4 nights you spend with us is included in the price of your trip. Best of all: you never have to make the bed!
• Signature Best of Both Guides: Guide(s), who are adept at wearing many hats. They’ll show you the way, handle the behind-the-scenes logistics and look after your every need. Want your return flight reconfirmed or curious about where to find the region’s best shop? Just ask.
• Great Meals We include all meals where it makes sense, yet we understand that going off on your own to make a great discovery is rewarding, too. So sometimes we leave room for exploring on your own.
• On every Best of Both trip, wine (delicious and well-chosen) can be included with meals with the wine option package.
• From One Leg to the Next All transfers are included as well as baggage handling.
• Some may not have the ski equipment. Not to worry your guide will insure you have the best demo equipment all included in the package price.
• On mountain 3 day ski pass with a option of a 4th day(not included).
• 1 complimentary message
• 1 complimentary · Saunas · Health club with steam room
• Wireless Internet

We look after everyone who helps us along the way, including tips. We grease the wheels wherever it’s necessary—so all you have to worry about is having fun.

Everything you need to know before a trip will be sent to travelers. Our Trip Planner is filled with local information and a dry run of each trip the week before it departs. This way, the only surprises on your trip are good ones.

Daily briefs Each morning, our guides brief you on the day’s options. We like to do this quietly, one-on-one, so you never get the feeling you’re in a meeting. There’s enough of that at the office.

Luuxery resort for Dec 10 to the 14th best of both ski getaway trip

Website: http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/snowmass

Space is limited so call or email today! 787 823 0610

5 days, 4 nights $2500 based on double occupancy

Please contact info@dezbartelt.com for full details

…provides a retreat that encourage and inspires you to expand your yoga into every aspect of your day to day life. Best of Both mind and body retreat is twice-daily yoga classes held in our yoga dojo right on the beach next to our retreat resort. You will explore different types of yoga practices through movement, breath, relaxation and meditation . Best of Both mind and body yoga retreat about compassion, support, laughter and fun that will help guide you towards a more healthy and lively lifestyle. You will leave best of Both with a more balanced feeling, refreshed, happier and renewed.

• Shared Accommodation – Now $1595 was $1795 Save $200
• Private Accommodation with private bath – Now $2195 Was $2495 Save $300

Additional Surf Instruction Packages:
Just add these prices to your yoga retreat package and you’ll be ready to surf.

• One-day Class: $60
• Two-Day $120
• Three-day Classes: $240
• Four day Classes: $330

Must book 24 hours in advance

Our 6-day/5-night yoga retreats include:

• Beachfront Accommodations
• Daily morning yoga instruction -2 hour Breathe, Bhakti and Balance before Breakfast!
• Daily afternoon yoga instruction -1.5 hour Hatha is a marvelous means of exercising, stretching, and freeing the body so it can be a healthy, long-lived, and vital instrument of the mind and soul.
• All ground transportation, including airport transfers from Aquadilla Airport
• One personal holistic health & nutrition
• Three healthy, delicious meals each day at our beachfront restaurant and other select local restaurants
• Herbal teas and fresh tropical juices
• Meditative nature hike to one of Puerto Rico amazing water falls
• One 1-hour private massage
• One evening of a guest speaker
• One evening of Caribbean dance night
• Unlimited snorkeling (equipment provided)
• Daily housekeeping services
• Journals
• Gift Bag

The following activities may be offered:

• Hikes to nature reserve
• Unlimited snorkeling (equipment provided)
• Other activities available but not included in the tour: horseback riding, sailing, scuba diving.

Your yoga week is a combination of activities designed to rejuvenate and relax your body, mind. Various activities are scheduled throughout the week, but keep in mind, this is your time!!! We’ve created a inspiring week to get you into the perfect mind and body frame of mind : yoga sessions to transform you into your true self; a nutritional & health counseling session to bring awareness to your being; a one-hour private massage to relax body and soul; three delicious meals per day to keep the energy flowing; and daily outings that will introduce you to the local beauty and culture.

Morning

• 2 hour yoga session
• Breakfast
• Nature hike/ 1 Snorkeling or Kayaking excursion
• Lunch

Afternoon

• Free time: explore the beaches, nutritional counseling session, relaxation (scheduled massages, poolside, hammock, and/or siesta)
• 1 ½ hour yoga session

Evening

• Dinner (occasional outings to other restaurants)Guest speaker

Her love for travel, food and education
also led Gina to India, where she completed the one-month Yoga Instructor
Certification program at S-VYASA Prashanti Kutirum Yoga
University in Bangalore, India

Her Massages
Swedish – manipulates the superficial layers of the muscles to:

• Reduce muscle soreness and stiffness
• Increase blood circulation and oxygen flow
• Stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons
• Help restore muscle tone
• Increase joint flexibility
• Relax the body and mind
• Deep Tissue – focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles, connective tissue and fascia through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted and restricted areas
• Sports Massage – for maintenance/training, pre- and post-event and injury rehabilitation, Sports Massage incorporates stretching, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point Therapy and Lymphatic Drainage for every level of athlete.
  Reiki – Reiki is a gentle yet powerful system of energy-based healing and spiritual growth practices, created in the early 1900′s by Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist.

Hatha is a marvelous means of exercising, stretching, and freeing the body so it can be a healthy, long-lived, and vital instrument of the mind and soul.

In addition, hatha yogis can become extremely clear-minded and can concentrate well. However, a few yogis do practice hatha yoga as their main method for spiritual realization. Their clear minds and pure, healthy bodies enable them to meditate easily.

Our primary focus is on creating an environment where people have the opportunity to join with others to deepen their yoga practices, create space and stillness in their minds and in their lives, and participate authentically in their own self-discovery.

We also hope to share with our guests a sample of the sights, sounds, tastes and sensations that make the tropical island of Puerto Rico a unique place – one with many facets worth exploring.

Best of Both mind and body yoga is an ideal place to relax and refresh, to try new things and experience old favorites, share with friends and take time for yourself, soak up the natural beauty and radiate it back. In short, it’s a place to explore both inner and outer landscapes and see how seamlessly they stitch together.

The natural warmth of the tropics provides the perfect space to deepen stretches and help the body to detoxify and come alive through the ancient series of poses that are enjoyed in yoga classes around the world.

Yoga is a practice. It’s an undertaking that continues to evolve and unfold as we explore it more deeply.

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned practitioner is of little import. All levels are suported here, and everyone is encouraged to participate and explore to the degree that they are comfortable.

Ultimately, it is your movement, breathing, awareness, and intention that combine to open within you a more transparent connection to your own nature. With regular practice, you’ll experience more freedom of movement, a lessening of chronic pain, and a greater opening to the world around you. This is what we’ve found — and what we look forward to sharing with you.

A few times a year I get to personally spend time with a small group of women to my own favorite get-away –The tropical Island of Puerto Rico. Like shedding a thick skin, I let it all go-cell phone, board meetings, problem solving, family challenges. Now it’s time for you.
A retreat can bring us any kind of nurturing, pampering or adventure we need to return home renewed.

A retreat is an opportunity for women to go for what they want – some want to push the enveope, some want to lay back and do nthing. The tropical island of Puerto Rico brings something fresh out of us. Your surrounded with so much oveliness that it seeps into your soul because what you lay your eyes on takes your breath away. Surrounded by so much outer beauty I love creating more inner beauty, getting the soul tuned up and taking care of one self.

Retreats are an opportunity to open our hearts and minds to new possibilities – any dream we can imagine. On your island retreat we learn what it takes to enjoy our lives, to live _la vida_ – the sweet life. In a retreat that includes workshop we’re learning to break free from old mindsets, unravel tight places, and create a life we love, while all around us the air smells like the sea and tropical flowers.

I especially enjoy the women-only space of a retreat. There’s a deep connection in spending time with a group of like-minded women – eating and sharing a glass of local wine. The sampling of international and Caribbean cuisine draw us into the cafes. The beach winds us like ribbons down it’s sandy path laughing and talking as we go. It’s been said that when women connect with each ther, they create more sertonin – a neurtransmitter that give us a feeling of well-being.

After a soul-satisfying adventure, you return from my little island paradise soaked with love. In the tropics your breath slows down, body relaxes, heart expands. You remember who you are. You return recharged, the stresses of the year washed away. The daily chores, standing at your kitchen sink or writing at your desk, are not so mundane now. A satisfying personal retreat leaves you appreciating your life here and now. Your seeing through fresh eyes and smelling through fresh nostrils.

Inspiration, strategies and support from a pioneering Life and Executive Coach (me!), DEZ BARTELT._

I devote myself to providing women with powerful and trans-formative events like Best of Both Mind and Body. I love the opportunity to share my years of coaching, strategies and support with you, in person, for five amazing retreat days. Because, I know you are busy, dedicated to your commitments and torn in many directions, we have tailored this event to be packed with powerful content, at a very reasonable price.

So that you will have a very clear picture of what you’ll experience and receive as part of Women’s Best of Both Mind and Body, here’s a detailed overview of the day:

You’ll have time to connect with other women and gain new ideas, support and encouragement so you can make the leap forward into the life you know is inside you.

You will have interactive experiences to celebrate where you’ve been and to explore the next steps toward what you really want in your life. (Rest assured, you will never be called on or forced to speak if you don’t want to.)

• Attending would stress your family finances to the breaking point.
• YOU HAVE A HARD TIME BEING PRESENT FOR OTHER WOMEN, LISTENING, SHARING, OR CHEERING ON OTHERS’ SUCCESSES.
• You don’t believe you deserve a retreat like this.
• YOU DON’T SEE THE VALUE OF INVESTING IN YOUR OWN GROWTH OR WELL-BEING.
• You don’t believe that joy, excitement, connection and friendship can go hand-in-hand with learning and growth.
• YOU DON’T PARTICULARLY ENJOY CONNECTING WITH NEW WOMEN, MAKING NEW FRIENDS AND CONTACTS.

…excited and even a little tingly about what to expect, this could be just the BIG ticket for you to take the next leap forward in your life!

…if only you could get the inspiration, strategies and support to bring our the passion within you and fully live of your dreams?

Dear amazing women:

In all my years coaching women, I have never met a woman who didn’t, somewhere in her deepest depths, have the spark of a great idea or a longing within herself that she wanted to share with her family, her community, the world.

That’s why several years ago I started to introduce and connect the fabulous women I knew and worked with so they could meet each other and learn how “isolation is the dream-killer.”

In these gatherings they could find and share what they were about and receive the support and inspiration they needed to go after their dreams.

This season, we are kicking off our Best of Both Mind and Body for Women Retreats in Puerto Rico, an exotic hideaway with miles of white sandy beaches and you are invited!

I’d personally love to meet you and hope you’ll CONSIDER JOINING US STARTING ON OCTOBER 7TH FOR A 5 NIGHT 6 DAYS MIND AND BODY RETREAT to learn how you too can live the life of your dreams!

Dez Bartelt
Travel writer, Life coach guest speaker/Life
Adventures.Founder Best of Both Adventures for women
www.bestofbothadventures.com

If you are in the above situation, then you really cannot afford not to travel.
If you are not in that situation: travel anyway, it will benefit you more than you can imagine; you might even achieve success because you did!

In this modern and busy life of ours, planning a getaway is not always an easy job. Most people have budgets to keep, schedules to follow, children to take care of… But the time when travel is most necessary is the time when you think you don’t have enough time / money to do it.

Getting away, even if for a short period and to a nearby destination, can do wonders for your well-being. As the opening quote beautifully puts it, it will “Travel brings change

I’ll share a little secret with you now (shh, don’t tell anyone): the inspiration to start this Program, the motivation and enthusiasm to keep working on it, the strong desire to help others, the power to start thinking and to seeing life in perspective would not have been possible without travel.

However, an important note must be made: by travel I’m referring to wandering (go someplace see everything) and not to tourism (go there see that).

The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes “sight-seeing.” Don’t be a tourist be a traveler Let’s see how travel will change your life

Traveling alone, or solo travel is the quickest and easiest way foryou to grow your independence and confidence. Most of the traveling that I’ve done has been solo travel, and one of the main things I’ve noticed upon returning from each getaway is the fact that I felt like I have accomplished a certain something. It’s an indescribable feeling that makes you feel like you’re on top of the world and everything is possible. That feeling is triggered by the fact that traveling alone allows you to do a lot of things about which you previously thought that you can’t do without name_someone_close_here.

Independence and confidence help you in both your professional and personal life.

Being alone and away from it all gives you time to think. It regroups your thoughts and allows you see life from a whole different perspective. It is always during long train rides that I find myself having the deepest thoughts about my life, and that is the time when the opportunity windows get clearer. After all, only from the outside can we look back in.

Also, traveling alone has certainly made me more organized – in both thinking and living.
Travel reduces stress and decreases burnout. Even if traveling can sometimes be stressful, travel stress is a good type of stress, because it is not the kind of anxiety caused by work or tension related to home life. Stress reduction, however you accomplish it, is always healthy.

Being stuck in one place for too long can make your mind stagnate and turn everything there is in your daily routine into a suffocating chore. Any kind of trip provides you with a break from the norm and that alone can fill you up with a vibrating energy.

Another thing which traveling does is it teaches you one really big thing that was never learned in school: expect the unknown. Dealing with unknown people in unknown places makes traveling an unforgettable and fascinating experience. And as new connections are created inside the brain, all your mental abilities are improved – so you’ll return home both relaxed and smarter.

Mark Twain said that he had found out that “there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them”. And that is as true as it can be. However, the best part about it is that it also brings out the real person in you. Your likes and dislikes, qualities and weaknesses, it all becomes evident. Knowing more about yourself while having a fresh perspective on your life can only have good results.

Seeing other people in their own surroundings also makes you more tolerant to their beliefs and ways of life. That enables you, after returning home, to better understand all the different cultures surrounding you in your daily life.

Traveling makes it easier to be grateful. It gives you a chance to look with new eyes on familiar things. You will begin to appreciate all that you have in your life at its true value. Lin Yutang, a Chinese writer and inventor, said that “no one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” I now realize that what I treasure most about travel is not that it gives me a chance to see novel things, but the fact that it gives me new eyes to see the old ones. In this aspect, traveling boosts your creativity like nothing else. Peter Gabriel, an English musician, writer and video maker, believes that “traveling is good for lyrics. Sitting in a room with a blank sheet of paper is tough.”
You can see that traveling has tons of exceptionally positive benefits. It cleanses the mind, touches the spirit, lightens the heart and reconnects you with that old one, yourself.

So, go out, meet some fascinating people, see your country, visit the world. I can almost guarantee you that by traveling more your universe will infinitely improve, without any effort!

Dez Bartelt
Travel writer/ Life coach guest speaker/Life Adventures.
Founder Best of Both Adventures for women
www.bestofbothadventures.com
787-823-0610

You watch from your window as the city disappears behind you until it is nothing more than a tiny speck on the window. You turn and take a deep sigh as you travel closer to sleepy Rincón. Twenty minutes from the airport, the once crowded convenience stores are nothing more than quiet reflections off the hot, glistening sun as thick, rugged hills full of tropical foliage replace the manmade structures. You turn your head to find a different world surrounding you – a tropical jungle surrounds the highway and you feel as if you are no longer in a world you recognize. The trees begin to lean further over the highway as their branches form a natural canopy over the passing cars to welcome the passengers into this new world.

Suddenly, your ears pick up a whooshing of waves, alerting you that you have arrived. You have arrived at the retreat professionally prepared by the Rincón-based company, “Best of Both Surf and Yoga,” which was founded by world-renowned extreme climber, Dez Bartelt.

“Our guests love this place,” says Dez, who has hosted copious retreats in Rincón since Best of Both Surf and Yoga opened in 2008. “Rincón is a lively town with magnificent restaurants. Even though there are more tourists now than times past, Rincón has continued to carry on its small-town charm.”

Each retreat houses up to 10 women with ages ranging from about 28 to 50 years old. The women who attend these retreats come from all over the world. Surf and yoga anchors each of your daily activities. The yoga class is an energizing early morning class full of flowing asanas and challenging poses followed by an evening of long, nourishing stretches and deep, meditative silences.

The stunning villas overlook the ocean and the comforting sounds from the waves fill your ears as you bend your sore, stressed creaky limbs from one posture to another.

Respect your body and obey its limits.

Once you finish the morning yoga class, the beach becomes the center of your daily action. The beach, which is one long arc of white sand gradually descends down to the ocean where you find surfing enthusiasts playing outside the sparkling shoreline. Advanced surfers ride the tubes in a spectacular display of balance and skill while beginners begin their morning of surfing fun as instructors stand at the sidelines to cheer them on.

The Best of Both instructors are a compilation of amazing staff from the Rincón Surf School. The school, founded by Dez Bartelt over 11 years ago, is the first Puerto Rican surf school. Collin Gibbs, Best of Both’s head surf instructor, gently guides you on the sand through basic surfing moves while before letting you pierce the water. For the first hour, you ride small ripples with trepidation, balanced preciously on the boards for only seconds at a time. Day 2 marks some improvement on your skills as you find yourself gradually mastering riding the waves.

Rincón is a delightfully accessible town where nearly everything is within walking distance. An eclectic selection of young restaurants, galleries, boutiques and gift shops fill the side streets of Rincón. Today, tourism is the bread and butter seasoning most towns, bringing a sense that the essential fabric of Rincón has remained unchanged even as visitors come and go. As darkness falls, locals gather in the town plaza to discuss the details of their day. Children dart around pillars in a game of tag and elders rest in lawn chairs as they exchange stories of yesteryear. The Shipwreck, one of Rincón’s largest, most popular restaurants, people fill the tables with plates full of mouth-watering food as a feeling of energy and liveliness saturates the night air.

Five days of relaxation flash by in a blur of surfing classes, group meals, massages and hours of replenishing stretches. The backdrop is nothing short of exquisite: a superb villa on the cusp of the ocean next to a town full of unique character and charm. You have forgotten about your aching back and hips as you enjoy the right combination of laughter, food and intensity. You feel nothing less than invigorated and replenished by yoga. The feel of the ocean mists falls upon your suntanned skin. Though you realize it is inevitable, you are in no mood to return home.

Should you choose to attend a retreat, www.bestofbothadventures.com offers accommodations for 4 nights and 5 days of surf and yoga retreats to Rincón, Puerto Rico. Meals, daily yoga, surf classes, spa treatments, excursions and much more are included. Prices begin at $2,395 per person with discounts provided for groups of eight or more. For more information, please call (787) 823-0610 or email info@bestofbothadventures.com.

I think back on the 6 days I spent with best of both in PR often.   My retreat could not have been more perfect.  I was surrounded by smart fun interesting well traveled and well read women all week long.  Waking up to yoga session on the veranda with of the lovely yoga instructor Shannon at the villa was spectacular.  We did our yoga practically to the cadence of the waves crashing 20 feet in front of us.  Next I was served a delicious beautiful health breakfast by Lisa, which I devoured each morning knowing I had several hours of surfing ahead of me. Then I was picked up at the villa and taken out for a day of surfing and instruction.  My instructors were knowledgeable enthusiastic and eager for me to get better with each wave.  Each night I had a different dining experience and the company was exquisite with theses amazing women and even a night of sushi that included the surf instructors!  I had such a fun and relaxing time and was taken such good care of and spoiled every moment.  This was one of the best vacations ever! Thanks so much Dez for creating this retreat just for me! Warmest Regards, Lisa Yost Washington  DC

Dez’s Hidden Florence Italy Adventure

If the stones of Florence could talk, they would speak of love affairs and murderous plots, jealousy and treacherous consequences. The narrow, bricked streets would still echo with the footsteps of the famous artists who once called Florence home, for it was here that creative masters like Michelangelo, Donatello and Brunelleschi gave birth to the Renaissance.

Thousands of visitors crowd into the medieval center of Florence each year, hoping to glimpse the work of these artisans. Yet there is much more to see in Italy’s former capital. Just across the river Arno, on the city’s left bank, lies the other side of Florence—the Oltrarno. The hidden Florence.

 With its winding streets lined with bakeries, barbershops and apartments, the Oltrarno offers a glimpse at the Florence of the past. Some streets, such as Via Toscanella, have not changed much in the last 500 years.

“The Oltrarno is off the beaten track of mass tourism and it’s my favorite.”

“The area presents Florence at it’s best: a classless society where artisans and patricians still live and work side by side.”

In order to go beyond the city’s touristy surface, it helps to step into the past. The Oltrarno first came into fashion in the 12th and 13th centuries, when noble families and wealthy merchants built family palazzi (palaces) in the area. For all that trendiness, though, it took a 15th-century murder to get the Medici, the ruling family at the time, to move into the neighborhood.

Duke Alessandro de Medici, who ruled Florence and made his home at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in West Florence, had a known weakness for women. His jealous rivals put that to use in 1537. While the duke waited in bed for one of his secret trysts, an assassin arrived instead of a lover. The amorous duke was stabbed to death, and his 18-year-old cousin Cosimo de Medici was named leader of the city.

Unlike Alessandro, the young Cosimo was faithful to the woman he loved. His wife, Eleanor of Toledo, was beautiful, but in constant frail health. Hoping that more sun and fresh air would heal her, she convinced her husband to move into the Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno. The couple and their 11 children eventually made the palace their home, expanding and improving the grounds.

Today, Palazzo Pitti, with its sweeping approach and awesome size, is undoubtedly Florence’s most “palatial” palace. The residence, with its eight museums, is the largest museum complex in the city, and one could easily spend days there. The most unique Pitti museum is the Galleria Palatina. With its intimate feel, it houses works by Raphael and Titian as well as interesting exhibits such as the Sala di Bani, the lavish bathroom designed by Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister.

Although the move to Palazzo Pitti did improve Eleanor’s health, it meant that the duke had to commute to his offices at the Uffizi (originally built as government offices, but now home to works of Rembrandt, Raphael and others). Like his dead cousin, Duke Cosimo had enemies and he was always looking over his shoulder. Someone had already placed barbed spears in the water near his favorite diving spot, so the duke wasn’t taking any chances. He asked his court architect, Giorgio Vasari, to come up with a covert passageway into town.

Vasari designed a covered walk and a series of secret tunnels on top of the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous bridge. At the time, Ponte Vecchio was home to several hog butchers, and the smell offended the duke’s fine nose. The solution? The hog vendors were tossed out, and jewelers invited in their place. Today, the bridge remains filled with jewelry vendors and only the stones remember the hogs.

During WWII, fleeing Germans blocked access to Ponte Vecchio by bombing nearby buildings, but the bridge itself survived. With its picturesque location across the River Arno, Ponte Vecchio is the perfect place for a dreamy afternoon stroll and attracts many romantic couples.

Romance is as much a part of Florence’s Oltrarno as the stones that line its streets. Nineteenth-century English poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were no exception. Although Barrett’s father disapproved, the secret lovers spirited off to Florence, where they settled in the Oltrarno at the Casa Guidi. Their home, which is now a museum at Via Maggio n 9, contains original furnishings, love letters and an extensive collection of their books and writings.

One of the most romantic spots in Oltrarno is the scenic Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti. With its fountains, lush greenery and lovely flower gardens, the Boboli was—and still is—an island of tranquility. The gardens’ beauty is a direct result of Duke Cosimo and his frail wife, Eleanor. The couple spent hours with the famous architect Tribolo selecting fountains, gardens and statues; they did such a good job, that the Boboli design eventually became the basis for royal gardens all over Europe.

The multitude of statues in the Boboli and the rest of Florence is no coincidence. The Florentines of the Middle Ages and Renaissance carried statuary into battle, and until the last century, many believed that spirits were imprisoned in uncarved stone. The only way to free the spirits was to sculpt the stone into statues.

Michelangelo was taught Neo-platonism—a philosophy that regards the body as a trap for souls longing to return to God. Many believe his works demonstrate this idea, with human figures longing to break free from the stone that imprisons them.

Although known for his sculpture, Michelangelo was also a poet, painter and architect whose legacy can still be seen in Oltrarno. As a teen, he spent hours in Oltrarno’s Santa Maria del Carmine’s Brancacci Chapel drawing the frescoes of Masaccio, a master of Renaissance painting. In nearby Santo Spirito (Holy Spirit) Church, a mysterious crucifix—a wooden sculpture featuring a nude Christ—was discovered in 1963. Experts debated its origins for 38 years, until July 2001 when they determined it was the work of the then 18-year-old Michelangelo. The muscular detail (the artist was allowed to study anatomy on corpses exhumed from the church cemetery) was a signature of the artist’s work.

Such treasures are not surprising in a city like Florence, where the world’s top artists once lived. The streets of the city ring with the constant footsteps of visitors from all over the world hoping to experience the work of these masters.

Remember, though, not to be afraid to leave the crowds behind to see the Florence that is off the beaten path. After viewing the artistic treasures of the central city, we will make our way to the sultry Arno River. Follow the footsteps of Duke Cosimo as he stole over the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltarno, never once imagining how the Florence of his lifetime would forever change history.

A piece of that extraordinary era can still be found in the Oltrarno, for it is here-in this quiet neighborhood of window boxes, cobblestone streets, tower houses and medieval churches—that the stones of the past are still waiting to reveal their hidden stories.

This is just a taste of what Best of Both offers on the next journey to Italy. Join Dez on her off the beaten track and her amazing hidden Florence!

• If you have ever lost your glasses or needed emergency or even routine medical attention while you were away from home, you know how helpful it is to have your health records (your doctor’s notes and test results), immunizations, allergies, medications and dosage, even familiy medical history, and personal medical history. Family Health Library can put all of that information online so that it is available from anywhere and anytime you might need it.

Tip 2: ‘Friendly Bacteria’ for the Lactose Intolerant Vacationer

• Eating yogurt before you travel is a great way to help cope with bacterial infestations. However, if you are lactose-intolerant, yogurt is not an option.
• Try ‘probiotics’ capsules instead. They are available in most stores that sell vitamins, as well as your health food store. Look for ‘acidophilus’ on the label. Good preparations will contain various *active* strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium longum.
• These probiotics help your system to fortify its own natural defence against the bacteria found in the water supplies, fresh fruits, uncooked vegetables, etc. of foreign countries.

Tip 3: Departure Taxes

• Find out before you depart whether there is a departure tax, and how much it is. Some countries do charge a small fee, and will not let you board your flight without first paying it. It is best to reserve that amount of cash, as credit cards and other forms of payment are not accepted.

Tip 4: Another Use for UPS Envelopes

• On most trips I collect business cards, receipts, and other small pieces of paper. I take a UPS International Manifest envelope which is really a ZIP LOCK bag with adhesive on the back and glue it inside a file folder (You could always use a one gallon Zip Lock bag and attached it to the folder). This way all of the papers remain secure, in one place, that I can easily find upon return. In addition, the folder holds larger items such as maps, menus, larger photos, etc. that we may collect. Once home, the receipts are removed, and all other materials remain in the folder, labeled and filed for future reference. This also helps me assist others going to the same area. I merely retrieve the folder with all of our maps, menus, hotels, etc.

Tip 5: Antibacterial Handwipes a Necessity

• ALWAYS bring antibacterial handwipes. They are good for refreshing yourself on a dry airplane and you can wipe your tray table before eating off of it. I also like to put one over my hand when in airport bathrooms!

Tip 6: Are Your Personal Papers in Order?

• Make sure your will and personal papers are all in order. If something were to happen to you while traveling, it’s good for your family and heirs to know where your will is, where your insurance papers are kept, where the safe deposit box keys are, etc.

Tip 7: Duplicate Important Documents and Cards

• Go to a copy machine, take everything out of your wallet, put it on the copy machine, and copy it (front and back) 3 times. Leave one set home and store the outher 2 in a secret place in your suitcase and carry one. If your wallet is ever stolen, you will know exactly what you have lost and will have all the telephone numbers to call to cancel credit cards and the credit card numbers, etc. at your fingertips. Make 3 sets of your passport if not more.

Tip 8: Aromatherapy Recall

• Ever wish you could make your memories of a holiday more vivid? Consider this: Most of us have had the remarkable experience of being presented with a simple odour and finding ourselves mentally transported to a time in our lives when we were exposed to that same smell. Next time you are planning a trip, drop by a chemist and test the various essential oils to find one you like (consider what aromatherapy qualities they have too – apparently some are of particular benefit to travellers, ie., helping to prevent travel illness or jet lag). Remember to choose one you haven’t had a great deal of exposure to already and use it often during the fun times on your holiday. Then later, years down the track, you can pull out the old bottle and take a wiff while looking at your snaps and you might feel like you are there once again!

Tip 9: Buying Your Airline Tickets Online and print out luggage rules, extra charges rules, change fees, etc

• Buy your airline tickets online! But, beware! Sometimes it’s a hassle but it can be worth the trouble! I had an airline in a tizzy due to a published fare I had seen online the night before. There was a fare to the Caribbean for under $550 U.S. I tried to book online and their system was down. I called the airline directly, and of course the rate was higher. I then went back online and tried again and same thing, system failure. Should I have waited until morning to try again? NOOOOO! I did and guess what?!?! I called the airline and of course was sent to several operators until one was savvy enough to put me through to tech support. The airline stated that there was never a fare for that rate to my destination from the night before. I should have PRINTED OUT that page and it would have been honored by the airline the next day due to the fact that there really were tech problems on the site. Use that wacky printer of yours if you can’t book online, and then with your proof … demand that the rate be honored! Print, Print, Print. It will keep them on the ball.

Tip 10: Does Your Home Look Lived In?

• If you are worried about your house not looking lived in while you go, it is very simple and inexpensive to change that. Firstly, redirect your mail to a friend or family member’s home (make sure you check with them first!) and secondly, you can purchase – quite cheaply from any major department store – lamps and radios that have timers on them. You can set them to turn on at times in the evening so from the outside it looks like there is someone home. (Don’t forget to set the radio to a talk back show so it’s more talk than music – makes it more real). This is definitely a cheaper way to take care of things than installing new wiring for expensive timers on the household lights.

Do you have any travel tips?
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