Italy 2000
July 11, 2000
We left home at 8:30AM for our drive to Charlotte, NC.
Our plane was leaving at 1:30 and we made it in plenty
of time. The first plane was a very small jet and a
very bumpy ride but when we changed planes in Atlanta
to a bigger jet things were much more comfortable
then.
WE ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wed, 12 Jul 2000
We are here safely and having a wonderful time even
if we are a little tired still. (John is still sleeping
as he didn't sleep on the plane as we all did) ;)) The
first part of the trip was not too pleasant for me as
the small plane that took us from Charlotte to Atlanta
seemed very small and cramped-Also I felt like I was
back on the Hurricane in Myrtle Beach!!!!!!! But after
we got on that big jet, the 676 everything was so much
more comfortable but a real ordeal none the less. Our
flight was smooth after we finally took off but we were
delayed for 40 minutes on the ground by a thunderstorm
there in Atlanta. The dinner onboard the plane was
surprisingly delicious and breakfast was good too!!!!
After we approached italy by air we could acutally
see the island of
Elba, Tuscany, and seeing Rome from the air was a real thrill!!!!
Massimo and Marco were there at the airport
to pick us up and seeing the landscape around rome
reminded me Savanna or Myrtle Beach...the temperature
was pleasant too 73 degrees..and today has been very
comfortable Marco
drove us to Sacrofano and I must say it was like
being on the first jet again.
Massmio's home is so big and so lovely. The rooms
are huge and it is decorated very lovely and everything
is soooooooooooooo lovely!! Rossana prepared us a really
delicious real italian lunch..and it was so interesting
seeing the different but some simular foods! We have been
just here today resting up. Marco took John Jr to Rome
to scope the girls.....and tonight we are going to Rome
to see some Bridges lit with lights that is a very special
event...ON THE TIBER!!!
That night after a delicious dinner (Rossana is a
wonderful cook and the food is so different but very
tasty)! Massimo took us to Rome for a “wild Ride”! LOL
And people go to Disney
World to ride what here is free.... Talking of course
about Italian traffic! It was wild! These little cars
seem to speed around town like race car drivers and the
lanes are not
clearly marked. so they make there own lanes really!
Even if what appears to be only two lanes the traffic
will make three. Or even not be in a lane! Then once
when we were stopped at a traffic light some guy got out
of his car and cleaned the headlights of the guy behind
and the driver tipped him! That was so cute and funny!
Then when we were crossing the traffic on foot..that was
wild too. Like that video game “Pacific Highway” where
the frog tries to cross eight lanes of traffic and if
he misses…Splat! :)) But the beauty of this city is
unsurpassed! I was so amazed at the size of all those
wonderful monuments and places...Grandeur is the only
word that enters my mind!
Really wonderful! Beautiful! And Magnificent!
Oh and before I forget yesterday was a record cool!
It was 60 degrees last night! BRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Unbelievable- John is so happy! Today it is starting
another cool day but Massimo thinks it will be warmer.
We are going to Rome today to see all that
beauty in the daylight. (But it really was magic by
night!) Rossana is fixing lunch now(That rice Salad
Toni raved about) and tonight they invited Peppino
and Family here for dinner.
I am excited to meet with them! ... So there you have
a day by day journal as I can!
July 13
First Massimo took us to town hall and we met all the
people he works with. The mayor gave us a beautiful coat
of Arms of the town of Sacrofano. Then, Massimo took us
for a tour of the medieval section of his town. Next,we
drove to Calcata , a typical medieval town in Latium
built on a volcanic rock, Monte Gelato waterfalls,
Trevignano Romano a wonderful village on the shore
of lake Bracciano, and the ancient ruins of the
amphitheater of Sutri. This old ruin is older than
the Coliseum in Rome. All so wonderful and very
exciting to see.
Tonight was a magic night with Peppino and family. I
will write you more tomorrow to tell you all about
it. We took a lot of video film of tonight and I am
anxious to view it! Dinner was sooooooo good as well!
I will send you the photos of tonight as
soon as we download them probably tomorrow to Massimo’s
computer! LOL we were all singing...Massimiliano was
playing the guitar! He is the concert pianist but must
have a talent for a lot of different kinds of
instruments. John JR even rapped several songs for
everyone and they all loved him! Soooooo it
really was a wonderful night!
July 14
WOW what can I say today was another wonderful day.
First we went to Saint Peter’s Church and it was
soooooo impressive! We bought Maxine a special gift
in the Vatican gift shop. (Blessed of course). Next
stop was lunch at Gina’s (Rossana’s mothers) apartment
in Rome.
WOW ..Can you imagine what a feast we had there?
After that. LOL everyone fell asleep! No joke! I
never nap during the day...
soooooo maybe Italy is getting to me? LOL!!!! Next
we went to
a large Mall in Rome where you can buy everything...
I hope to
return there too before we come home. Marco drove us
next and again we experienced Roma traffic...oh my!
Later we went to Piazza di Spagna where we saw all the
famous Italian designer’s shops tomorrow we hope to
return there when it is open to shop Journal Domenica
July 16, 2000! We had a very pleasant day today!
Massimo had invited his friends here for lunch to
meet us. Ida, Prisco, and their son, Raffaele who
is 12 years old. Lunch (again 10-course meal) was
soooo delicious. Gina and Mara drove out from Rome
and will be staying with
us again tonight. Rossana’s lasagna was the best I
have ever eaten. She buys fresh noodles from the local
bakery here in Sacrofano. Then, she fixed roast beef
(ahhhh yes.... Americana! ;)) and some delicious baked
potatoes made an Italian
way but tasting so much like our fried potatoes. I
attempted to make pepperoni rolls but the gas oven
just didn’t bake
them the way they needed to be. But they tasted fine
anyway... I made some filled with delicious provolone
cheese and some sweet ones with apricot jam! Back to
lunch, salad, eggplant, and so many things I just can’t
remember! Fruit of course for
dessert! But we insisted Raffaele try some American
Oreo cookies we brought with us and he loved them!
While everyone
was resting, Massimo, Ida, and I went for a walk into
the woods behind his house. It was incredible to see
such a wonderful natural setting so close to town.
The view from the top where we could see Rome was
breathtaking!
Ida was very nervous about that hike because she
was frightened a cow or horse was going to attack her.
I tried to calm her and
told her I would walk behind protecting her from behind
and Massimo would walk first. Then, again to calm I
told her she didn’t have to fear cows or horses but
snakes were a much bigger threat! LOL Then.. yes..you ...
guessed.....it...I almost stepped on a
snake because going back I was leading! She was
soooooooo
scared she grabbed Massimo and me. (Scratching him
a little) and really had a grip on me.
I calmed her by helping her to take deep breaths
and soon she
was better even if still a little rattled!
(no pun intended:-)
DARN, I didn’t have my video camera on at the
time and she really didn’t want to go back to
try to get the snake on tape. (I can’t imagine
why)! So after that little excitement we then
went for the best trip of our stay here...Ronciglione
the birthplace of Massimo.
That town is another medieval town but it was the most
charming we have visited.Soooooo beautiful. We enjoyed
it so much. John bought Massimo a bottle of wine at a
bar close to the house where he was born. The bar had
once belonged to his family and we also met the guy who
used to baby-sit Massimo. (Yes he is still living!)
LOL Next stop was Lago di Vico...a volcanic lake ...so
peaceful, so tranquil...so beautiful and even better we
then took the road and view it from the top where we
could also see Rome and the sea! WOW such a wonderful day...
Italian people are really special...
Everyone we have met has been so marvelous. They are
all so friendly and sweet. When Ida, Prisco, and Raffaele
left, Prisco kissed both my cheeks and also my hand.
As we said goodbye. . Massimo had told me some Italian
men do that but it was a surprise anyway but very nice.
:-)) Tomorrow we are going to the
Sistine Chapel and Vatican museum.... Before taking off
to the Italian Alps. WOW! Italy is not crowded, as I had
expected. Rome is not more crowded than Disney World.
really! You have got to come here and experience the
magic this place truly is. A full moon tonight....
Clear skies...twinkling stars...magic, marvelous, beautiful...
yes this trip is the best vacation
I have ever had. (Massimo, Rossana, Mara, Marco, and
Gina are the reason for this!)
July 17
Massimo’s birthday! Today Rossana stayed home to prepare
special meal for the birthday boy and John, Regina,
and I went to Rome with Massimo. He took us to the
Sistine chapel.It was so grand. Everything the photos
show and so much more to imagine such a labor to
paint all that on a ceiling. At McDonalds I noticed
they had a rice salad on the menu.
I am sure not at good as Rossana’s but that must be
a popular dish in Italy to be on the menu! Then,
we went to a sea side area so we could see the
Mediterranean Sea. The sand there
was black because of the volcanic activity and the
air cool and refreshing. Dinner that night was
another magic night. We ate
outdoors in Massimo’s garden. Tortelloni pasta,
Yankee pot roast, eggplant Parmesan and an Ice Cream
Cake for dessert. We sang Massimo, happy birthday
in English and then Italian as he popped the cork
on some Italian Champagne they call “spumante”.
July 18
Out trip to the Alps. We passed these Italian regions
on the way: Latium, Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia, Lombardy,
Veneto and Trentino and we felt like we were leaving
South Carolina and
entering Eastern Tennessee, Kansas LOL All Eastern USA
in just a few hours. The Alps look so much like our
Rocky Mountains I felt like we were in Montana. That
night we visited some friends of
Rossana who lived in Sacrofano and move to this area.
Cristina, Enrico, Martina, Edoardo and Erica. Rossana
had taught Martina when they lived in Sacrofano.
Their house was much more like American homes as the
floors were wooden and the ceilings. They had a German
ceramic stove in their sitting room and it was the first
one I had ever seen. Enrico is a CPA and Cristina stays
home to raise the three
children. We gave Martina a little Chinese braceletI was
wearing and a set of American coins to her and her brother.
You would have thought it was a million dollars the way
their faces lit up. Enrico took Johnnino ( a new name for
John Jr..Italian meaning little John) and Marco to buy
ice cream for us all in his Mercedes. It was delicious
and very typical of all the Ice cream all over Italy.
A choice of several different kinds that you can choose
the flavors you want to try.
July 19
Switzerland and a tour of St. Moritz we saw several
houses in this area with rock roofs. A special kind
of rock Massimo called ardesia but I think we know it
as slate. The road leading to St. Moritz was winding
and narrow and the mountain passes were still snow
covered. I was very cool and St. Moritz is known as
the top of the world. The scenery was beautiful and
cows were grazing in the high meadows.We had a picnic
lunch by a glacier. I noticed
that the women wear shoes here so I felt very comfortable
in my Nikes!! St. Moritz is very beautiful but everything
here is
so expensive. We saw a $30,000 Rolex watch in a shop window..
ahhhh “putting on the Ritz”
July 20,
Thursday on Lake Garda was a beautiful morning,sunny
fresh air. This place has it all, mountains,lake, shops,
restaurants, and yes..bathrooms!!! Even if it was on
bathroom we had to pay money to use. Garda Lake the
largest natural lake in Italy,Massimo rented a very large
car with seven seats to take us all around the north of
Italy! Today we reached Riva del Garda; the North end of
the lake, from Marilleva at 11 we met another one of my
Italian friends, Carlo and his wife Antonia. Marco and
John jr.
didn’t come and remained in Marilleva. They went around
all day checking out the place and finding only very
old people or very young (5 years and younger) LOL
It was not the best place for disco.LOL only 5 people
in disco! WOW! The weather was lovely so we had a very
good time, Riva del Garda is a very nice place with and
ancient center and many
little interesting shops. We took a boat to Limone del
Garda to have a ride on the lake and reach a quieter
place to have dinner. As we arrived we found a nice
restaurant (and pizzeria too) on the lake and sat down
there. I had my first Italian pizza and it was so
delicious. John ordered a dish with three kind of
pasta, Regina took “spaghetti all’amatriciana” .
Carlo had a pizza with salami, his wife a pizza with
vegetables; Massimo had fish and Rossana had pizza.
Then we shared to taste this very good food! A very
wonderful and very reasonable priced meal and this
place is heaven on earth!!! :-) At Carlo’s suggestion
I tasted the Limoncello, a liqueur made with lemon
very popular here in Italy ~yum yum!WOW
after dinner we caught another boat and went to
Malcesine, another nice place, another “heaven on
the earth”!!! We did
some shopping I bought a box with six beautiful glasses
made in the Venice area (Venice and Murano are well
known for the
glass handicraft)...the six glasses are very beautiful!!!
Then we went back to Riva with another ride on a boat
and we had a beer waiting for Massimo to get the car
for us. Tomorrow Austria !!!! On the way back, we
stopped to buy some fresh fruit and I had my first
taste of fresh apricots. wow …they were so good!
July 21 Friday,
Today was a very peaceful relaxing day. We had a
small problem with the rental car's front bumper and
we had to wait while Massimo and Marco went to get it
fixed. Rossana and I went for a lovely powerwalk down
near the river. I saw so many plants
that are exactly like what we have in West Virginia.
(giving her a powerwalk and plant tour) :-)
In the afternoon Marco had to return the car to get
the part fixed. I was able to catch some mountain
sunrays! Later, Massimo called an old college friend,
Marcello Graiff who lives in a near by town of Cles,
the main town in Non Valley.
Before meeting him Massimo dropped off some film to
have delevoped and we found an internet cafe!!!! WOW..
so I was able to do a quick check of my email along with
Regina. Can I say what a great emotion that was??
Massimo and Marcello had not seen each other in 43
years so they were most anxious to meet and catch up
on old times. Marcello was a wonderful man and we met
his wife, son and daughter. Also, another friend
joined us Antonio Bonini and his wife Anna . They all
took us to Tovel Alpine lake, famous in the world since
once its water turned into red on sunset.There we took
photos and listend to a bear story. Next, we drove by a
real castle where lived a friend of Marcello. That family
has lived in the same place for over 800 years and owns
all the
land around where they grow apple trees. We took some
photos and video footage. Marcello next took us to see
a dam, Santa Giustina dam and an Austrian bridge. Here
was another story about a man who jumped over the side.
Last, we were Marcello's guests to a delicious meal of
fresh hot rye bread, pickled vegetables, wine, cheese,
and a variety of Italian meats such as ham, speck,
salami ect. Our waiter was so nice to us and spoke
English in a really good way. John even took some
video footage of him as he was so friendly. Then,
after this wonderful meal we were given a private
tour of the castle upstairs. This was just a hobbie
castle as they don't charge for the tour but only
special friends of the owner get to view it. Can you
imagine our
surprise when we learned our waiter was the owner of the
marvelous place!!!!!! So ended another magical mystic
night in the Italian alps as we hugged our new friends
and exchanged addresses.
July 22
On the Autobahn going to Austria! We checked the oil
and fuel before leaving and I was so surprise to see
only women attendants at that service station. In Italy
they still pump for
you!!! As we left Italy we stopped at a little restaurant
for some sandwiches and there I had apple pie! The first
dessert I had besides ice cream in Italy! It was sooooo
good! In Innsbruck, the Austrian architecture was very
different
than Italian design. I was so happy to get a chance to
see Austria but we were all happy to get back to Italy
as we love it so much. Innsbruck was so much more modern
even if it also had some old town sections.
The Autobahn I have always heard so much about..
But it was soooo tame compared to Rome traffic.
July 23
Sunday, we are going to Venice today. It is so funny
as Johnnino and Marco didn’t enjoy the peace and
quite of the alpine village, Marilleva. As they
found the solitude too slow after all the excitement
of Rome!! LOL But..Last night the disco had 100 people
and Johnnino found a new girl to win his heart. So,
before leaving for Venice, Massimo took us up another
mountain
road 40 minutes out of the way to drop off a photo to
her and Johnnino’s address!! There I had another
delicious dessert, Bavarian cream..yum topped with
blueberries and strawberries.
In Venice our hotel was very elegant and we met with
Carlo and Antonia one more time. This town is so
beautiful and unique in the entire world and it
was very exciting to tour around it. We
went up in the bell tower and the view was breathtaking!
But when the bells started to ring..Oh my.. that was
such a loud and vibrating sound to be right under this
huge bell. Venice is mainly a‘day town’ as the hotels
are so expensive most people stay nearby and they all
leave around 8 PM. There were still many people but
the main crowds were gone. We walked the charming
streets and found another lovely restaurant for dinner.
I had tortelloni, salad, baked chicken, and ice cream.
All those courses are so different then we have in
America. In American if we have pasta that is our main
meal and bread and salad makes it complete. It seemed
strange to have pasta always
first .followed by some type of meat and the salad not
coming to the table until much later.
July 25
Our last day in Italy we spent shopping in Rome and
They have spoiled us so much with all this wonderful
food. We have felt so comfortable and really welcome
here.
July 26
Sad day going home….At the airport to catch our plane
at 11AM. Massimo and Marco took us as far as we could
go. The trip home was not the ordeal that going seem
to be and we were home by 10:30 that same night. As sad
as it was leaving our friends we were all so happy to
be home. Sam, Daisy and even Puff all greeted us like
we had been gone forever….Italy is a wonderful place and
I think everyone should visit there once in their
lives…but home is always wonderful too and we were
all happy to be back to the USA!
© 1997 llarkin@hotmail.com
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