{"id":12006,"date":"2026-08-09T05:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T01:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=12006"},"modified":"2026-07-31T10:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:58:16","slug":"family-reunion-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=12006","title":{"rendered":"Family Reunion in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the things we miss most about our full-time travels is having family join us on the road. We love the freedom of our lifestyle and all the incredible places it has taken us, but there is something especially meaningful about sharing those places with the people we love. Traveling allows us to create unforgettable memories as a family of four, but when grandparents, siblings, cousins, and nieces are part of the adventure, those memories become even richer. So when my dad Richard and his wife Kay, my little brother Brian and his sons Leon and Isaac, and my older brother Sam, his wife AC, their daughter Vivian, and her boyfriend Sten all made the trip to Italy, we knew it was going to be a reunion we would never forget.<\/p>\n

Our family reunion actually began in two parts. Sam and AC arrived in Milan first and were only passing through for one night before continuing to the Netherlands for Vivian\u2019s highschool graduation. Even though the visit was brief, we were excited to catch up, share a meal, and spend a little time together. Henry was itching to play chess. Of course, no visit to Milan would be complete without a stop at the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to joined the crowds in the long-standing Milan tradition of spinning on the mosaic bull\u2019s testicles for good luck. It seemed a little strange, but if it brings us luck… We knew we’d see Sam and AC again later at Lake Garda, but it was a wonderful way to kick off the reunion and made Italy feel even more like home.<\/p>\n