We're home!! We made it. We were sad to leave our wonderful vacation and our great Italian family. They were so hospitibale and took such good care of us. We felt so spoiled. We left early Tuesday morning and flew and flew! The flights all went very well and the kids loved them. We arrived at 9pm which was actually 5 in the morning for our bodies! We had a great reunion with Bob, Canada , Bushy and Ricky. It is so nice to be a complete family again.
Well, laundry is done, I got groceries and we are ready to jump back into school and activities tomorrow....welcome back to reality!!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Last day
Today is our last day in Italy! We leave at 7am Tuesday morning. It has been a great visit. We learned so much and saw so many new and interesting things and we had such a great time with Raffaella and her family. They are so kind and hospitable!! We will miss them. But we finally get to go home and be reunited with Daddy and Canada, Bushy and Ricky too. And of course all our other friends and family. We also get to be reunited with the reality of life. Like school and chores and a schedule...hmmm, I'm not so excited about all that.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A day in the country
This was Shane's worst memory of the day. This was the cellar room where they store the wine barrels for about three years. You can just imagine the fermented smell we endured !!!
But, he survived and is now a stronger young man!
We peaked in the old church just to see what it looked like, and, to our surprise, got to watch an Italian wedding!
But, he survived and is now a stronger young man!
We peaked in the old church just to see what it looked like, and, to our surprise, got to watch an Italian wedding!
We went with Marco to a huge, old, fancy opera theater in Milan, had lunch (pizza), then we all took the subway and the train to Marco's house in Nevara. It was fun to see a different style Italian home and meet hi Brother and Sister. we hung out there for a while then he took us to the train station. We took the train back to Milan, then to Verona and arrived home at about 10pm.
Saying goodbye to Marco at the train station
Today we took a drive with Raffaellas parents out to the country in the mountains. We went on a guided tour of and old villa that currently has vineyards and produces much wine for Italy. It was very interesting. We would have even learned more if it had been in English!!
I don't think they have the parallel parking otion on the Italian drivers test!
These are the trays they use to store the grapes for four months while they 'do their thing'
Saying goodbye to Marco at the train station
Today we took a drive with Raffaellas parents out to the country in the mountains. We went on a guided tour of and old villa that currently has vineyards and produces much wine for Italy. It was very interesting. We would have even learned more if it had been in English!!
I don't think they have the parallel parking otion on the Italian drivers test!
These are the trays they use to store the grapes for four months while they 'do their thing'
Beautiful Florence
On the way home from Florence (hannah's camera has more to this story, I'll try to get it)
This was on our rest day back in Verona
yeah!!! we met Marco in Milan. Marco was an exchange student in sac with Raffaella.
Marcos house in Nevara (outside Milano) and his little brother Alessandro
On the way home from Florence (hannah's camera has more to this story, I'll try to get it)
This was on our rest day back in Verona
yeah!!! we met Marco in Milan. Marco was an exchange student in sac with Raffaella.
Marcos house in Nevara (outside Milano) and his little brother Alessandro
Friday, September 19, 2008
Today is a day of rest! Yesterday we got up and went to the train at 6 30am. It took about 3.5 hours to get to Florence but it was a great day. We even enjoy the train rides, with all the interesting people and countryside to view. We're considering stating a sing-along or musical chairs on the next trip.
Well, Florence, as you may or may not know is in the region of Tuscany, it is also the birthplace of the Author of Pinocchio and home to oh so many statues! It is also a city with SO many tourists, it's crazy. We enjoyed more 1000 year old buildings, bridges, churches and statues. It's so interesting to see history come alive. Like all the statues of the Greek gods. It's kind of freaky to read the signs that explain about them, they are so morbid and violent.
I think Hannah's favorite part of these cities are the shops and Shane's is the pigeons. He fed them some Museli in the plaza but then got in trouble by the police. They don't want to encourage the pigeons to come because the acid in their poop ruins the monuments-isn't that great to know!
Just before that happened we asked a nice policeman for directions to a water fountaina nd a public toilet (WC) those two are very hard to come by in Italy. The WC we found about eight allies away and you had to pay for it and the fountain was a tiny trickle coming out of an acient lions mouth dripping into a basin of algea- hows that for a picture of Tuscany?
After our sip of water we went to an old bridge. It was built by the romans aroung the year 1000, then over the centuries was added onto bit by bit and about 500 years ago they built shops on it and that is how it is today, all jewelry shops.
We ended our day with the train ride home, entertained by Shane singing. We usually have dinner at about 8. We got home close to 10 and found bread, cheese, fruits and veggies waiting on our table... Raffaella's parents are so sweet. If you remember we are staying in the house next door where her granfather used to live.
I will update pictures soon and tomorrow we are off to Milan to visit Marco, who was also an exchange student in Sac with Raffaella.
Well, Florence, as you may or may not know is in the region of Tuscany, it is also the birthplace of the Author of Pinocchio and home to oh so many statues! It is also a city with SO many tourists, it's crazy. We enjoyed more 1000 year old buildings, bridges, churches and statues. It's so interesting to see history come alive. Like all the statues of the Greek gods. It's kind of freaky to read the signs that explain about them, they are so morbid and violent.
I think Hannah's favorite part of these cities are the shops and Shane's is the pigeons. He fed them some Museli in the plaza but then got in trouble by the police. They don't want to encourage the pigeons to come because the acid in their poop ruins the monuments-isn't that great to know!
Just before that happened we asked a nice policeman for directions to a water fountaina nd a public toilet (WC) those two are very hard to come by in Italy. The WC we found about eight allies away and you had to pay for it and the fountain was a tiny trickle coming out of an acient lions mouth dripping into a basin of algea- hows that for a picture of Tuscany?
After our sip of water we went to an old bridge. It was built by the romans aroung the year 1000, then over the centuries was added onto bit by bit and about 500 years ago they built shops on it and that is how it is today, all jewelry shops.
We ended our day with the train ride home, entertained by Shane singing. We usually have dinner at about 8. We got home close to 10 and found bread, cheese, fruits and veggies waiting on our table... Raffaella's parents are so sweet. If you remember we are staying in the house next door where her granfather used to live.
I will update pictures soon and tomorrow we are off to Milan to visit Marco, who was also an exchange student in Sac with Raffaella.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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