Real Life Stories

As I turned South onto Rt. 399 from the A4, the trip through Germany with my traveling partner got almost involuntarily quieter. It was the road leading us to Hurtgenwald, a small village that was the epicenter of the 1944 battle in which my Uncle Eddie was killed.

Next stop on our Tuscan tour: Siena.

Without the baby, I would have opted for a self-guided tour or even a group tour organized by the local tourist office, but today we went with a private guide. Knowing we needed to go at an unpredictable pace, Jana and I decided planning our own itinerary was the way to go.

There's a global movement that originated in Italy called Cittaslow devoted to the idea that people ought to be more focused on "the improving of life quality" through food, art, and unspoiled landscapes, among other things. The idea is slowing down to appreciate authenticity and diversity rather than getting caught up in homogenized, fast-paced pop culture. It's a concept perfectly suited to traveling with a baby.

Our journey to Panzano began months ago when Jana and I decided that we we'd try to initiate Max to travel at an early age. We both agreed that Italy would be the ideal destination.

The bar has been set high. I've nothing to compare it to, but my first Father's Day was a surreal and perfect immersion into the sites, smells, and tastes of rural Tuscany – with Max by my side the whole way.