Feb 22
A Fun, Family-Friendly Bicycle Ride from Vicenza, Italy
A fantastic and easy bike ride from Vicenza, Italy to the village of Lumignano. Great for couples and families.
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Oct 8
How Artisanal Gelato Is Made: Inside Vicenza’s Gelateria Palladiana
Step inside Vicenza’s Gelateria Artigiano Palladiano (dal 1994) to see how real artisanal gelato is made daily—from crates of Italian fruit and local milk to silky scoops. Meet makers Chanti and Michela, explore signature flavors like gorgonzola-honey-walnut and hand-made ghiaccioli, and learn why 60% fruit, small batches, and no additives set this historic shop apart.
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Aug 6
Discovering the Bottega Storica Dal Toso: Vicenza’s Historic Copper Shop and Artisanal Legacy
Step inside Bottega Storica Dal Toso, a family-run artisanal copper shop in Vicenza, Italy. Explore its 129-year-old legacy of handmade copperware, local history, and Italian craftsmanship.
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Jul 8
Tre Cime Hike: A Dolomites Loop Trail with Easy Access and Epic Inspiration
Hike the Tre Cime loop in Italy’s Dolomites—a 10km trail of surreal views, storybook landscapes, and inspiration for the soul (and your next novel).
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Jun 26
Climbing Cala’ del Sasso, the Stairway That Built Italy’s Most Romantic City … Venice!
Cala’ del Sasso, known as Italy’s longest stairway, is about two hour’s drive from Venice. It is not located within an ancient palace. It isn’t even located inside of a building. Its parking lot is a small outdoor plot-meets-road affair next to a dried-up stream, marked by modest signage. Finding the Cala del Sasso Trailhead…
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Jun 14
Why Everyone Should See Kyoto by Bicycle
(Originally published in The Wayward Post several years ago. I’m not sure what happened with the publication, but to preserve the article, I’ve reposted it below and added more photos taken during this fantastic trip.) Upon arriving in Kyoto, my husband and I immediately noticed the unique vibe of this city. As soon as we…
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Sep 13
Hiatus
TongaTime is taking a hiatus while this author focuses on her books … and eating pasta. You can find me at my author site, JLMcCreedy.com. In the meantime, enjoy the book trailer for the new, rhyming children’s picture book: Theodore, The Sloth Who Wants to Race, written by Dr. Sam and yours truly. Available on…
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Jun 10
WWI Hike at Monte Cengio near Asiago, Italy
Hiking along the Grenadier’s Path at Monte Cengio, Italy.
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May 20
A Note to Tonga
Seven months ago, Sam and I left the White Mountains of New Hampshire for a job assignment overseas. I have not written anything about that for several reasons. But this site is called Tonga Time, and now that I am ready to write, I don’t feel that I can write about anything until I pen…
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Dec 14
A Favorite Hike Called Mount Crag …
In the spirit of favorite things and all subjects Christmas-cheer related, I thought I’d share one of our favorite hikes in the Gorham area. Now, what makes a hike a favorite is obviously a subjective standard, but here are some of my criteria: (1) Not too long–as in, five miles or less. I am, alas,…
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