One of my less offensive hobbies is doing extensive write-ups of the vacations I get to take with my wife. We're really fortunate and we've been able to take some excellent trips. Honestly, I do this mainly for my own benefit (since my brain gets mushier with each passing year). But if anyone else enjoys the reports or can use the information when planning their own trips, that's great too.

About one year ago we went to Italy and Croatia. I just got around to finishing up Italy. (For now, the Croatia links are broken, but that's next on my list.) Here are the links if you want to take a look:

• Italy Day One: Arrival in Rome, a stroll on the Capitoline Hill, a peek at the Forum, the Colosseum at night.
• Italy Day Two: Forum and Palatine, Circus Maximus, Jewish Ghetto, Great Synagogue, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, On the Tiber
• Italy Day Three: Rome's Capitoline Museums, Pompeii, Trevi Fountain
• Italy Day Four: The Vactican, The Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, Da Tonino