The Grand Tour!

Click the above interactive map of the Grand Tour!

Hi Everyone!

Eric here... Great-Great Aunt Ramona, in her efforts to keep Jake safe, sure did search high and low for the right spot to hide out. If you click the map to the right you can see the various locations she inspected from Paris to Capri before settling on the seaside resort town of Taormina. And even though they didn't end up staying in one place for very long, over the course of several weeks they visited some pretty AMAZING places. After you're done looking at the Google interactive map, check out the Grand Tour in pictures, below.  Mmm, France! Ahh, Italy... Get ready for some armchair travel, which at least spares you from waiting in airport security lines...

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Daniella Catherine O'Dell had briefly considered becoming a nun after visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photo credit Daniel Vorndran via wikipedia commons.

In Paris, they rolled out the red carpet for Teddy at the cafes, where dogs are always welcome! Photo credit Camille Pissarro via wikipedia commons.

Next it was off toTuscany, Italy, where Archie was speechless (for the first time in his life!) while visiting the birthplace of his hero, Leonardo da Vinci. Photo credit Lucarelli - Own work via wikipedia commons.

The kids felt right at home in Florence Italy, the "cradle of the Renaissance." Humanism, philosophy, literature, art, high culture, architecture, science... But alas, it was not meant to be. Although gorgeous and a wellspring of educational opportunities, Aunt Ramona ultimately deemed it unacceptable and they moved on. Photo credit Sergey Ashmarin via wikipedia commons.

On a rather beautiful spring day, the gang visited The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Jake tried to use his telekinesis to straighten out the crooked building. His still fairly new powers weren't up to the task. We're all probably better off for that one. Photo credit Saffron Blaze - Own work via wikipedia commons.

Arrivederci, bella Roma! Far too many ghosts in your fine city for Jake's tastes! (Pictured: Trevi Fontain). Photo credit Livioandronico2013 - Own work via wikipedia commons.

Naples Italy, where Jake met the greatest love of his life: PIZZA! Pizza had not yet really become known outside of Italy yet. Hard to imagine! (Pictured: The Castel Nuovo - seat of the medieval kings of Naples). Photo credit Richard Nevell from London, United Kingdom - Castel Nuovo via wikipedia commons.

Capri, where Caesar once had a huge holiday villa, proved to be spectacular, but had too many cliffs and not enough beaches. Where would Archie leave the Mighty Turtle? Photo credit Berthold Werner via wikipedia commons.

The final stop! -- the fashionable seaside resort town of Taormina, Sicily Italy. Oooh, aaah. It's beautiful! Sign me up! Photo credit pjt56 - Own work via wikipedia commons.

Taormina, on the Ionian Riviera, has been a Grand Tour stop since the 1700s. Rich culture, spectacular beaches, delicate sea breezes, fine views of Mount Etna... The perfect little hide-out. Photo credit By pjt56 - Own work via wikipedia commons.

Taormina, the town where Jake has...let's just say...an interesting encounter! (You'll see when you get to Chapter 21. No spoilers, please!) Photo credit Berthold Werner - Own work via wikipedia commons.

The Teatro Greco in Taormina is an ancient Greek amphitheater built in the 3rd century BC. But what's amazing is that they still hold concerts and operas there today. Photo credit fotovideomike from Italia via wikipedia commons.

Red was so ashamed after dumping Jake off his back that he went and hid among the trees in the garden... Photo credit Wknight94 - Own work via wikipedia commons.

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Gael and I went to London, the Lake District of England (book nerd girl's homage to the Lake Poets) and then on to Paris and the Loire Valley for our honeymoon. Magnifique! And years ago, when I was about Jake's age, I went with my family to Rome. We had tons of fun and even got robbed. Very memorable! Have you been to any of these places? What are the top destinations on your travel wish list? We'd love to hear about it. Wishing you all the best!

​Eric