Happy Memories of Italy

Today we woke up in Idaho!  It's hard to believe that our trip has come and gone and that we are home again... only with the sweet memories of our time.

 Andreas and the kids in front of the Basilica in Ferrara

The Castle in Ferrara

 An interesting oval building in Ferrara

Our last day we spent in Ferrara, Andreas' home town.  He is a German expatriate working and living in Italy... He is also one of our dear friends and we consider him a part of the family.

We had a fabulous trip mostly because of his effort to drive us around and show us the real Italy. We were able to escape the tourist areas and get a real feel for the culture of Italy... we also had an interpreter who guided us through conversations and most imortantly, the Menu :)

 The famous Mille Miglia car race was in progress and 

Andy was thrilled it came right through Ferrara

 Our last meal together...at Andreas' favorite restaurant in Ferrara

 Walking the streets of Ferrara near Andreas home...

 Our roof top terrace in our Hotel in Bologna, our final night in Italy

We leave Italy with warm memories we have made as a family... Blessed we are.

Thank you Uncle Andreas!

Venice

Wednesday we made our way to the romantic city of Venice and spent a couple of days wandering the delightful streets of the island. 

The Grand Canal of Venice

There are no cars allowed in the central city of Venice.   It is an island you can slowly walk and explore ... with many canals that wind throughout... little bridges connect the streets and passage ways.  

 Chocolate Shopping

 A Venetian Gondolier 

 

One mode of transportation that is abundant are water vessels... all sorts!  It is a boating town.  Everything from the supplies for the grocery stores and restaurants to Police, Fire and Ambulance all come by boat!

 A delivery boat unloading...

 Sarah and Thomas atop the Rialto Bridge

  Notice the leaning tower... every tower seems to be leaning here.

It is one of those places that you can actually feel the history oozing from the buildings and side streets... echoing the past while living vibrantly in the present... for centuries. 

 The Bridge of Sighs

 The Campanile di San Marco

Walking the tourist filled Piazza San Marco

Basilica di San Marco

One of the few murals I found that celebrated Jesus' victory over death...

 Another view of the Basilica in the Piazza di San Marco

  Thomas and the Venice Police

The Basilica of St Maria of Salute on Punta della Dogana

The children enjoyed walking the city but especially liked the water transportation...  As a special treat, we arranged to have a traditional ride in a Gondola... our gondolier paddled us gently humming and whistling as we floated in the canals of Venice for a short time... 

Venice was a lovely time... we have one more day in Italy... and then it is home sweet home... Idaho.

A Change of Scenery

Saturday, we left the medival hill towns of Tuscany and drove north to the alpine mountains of Italy known as the Dolomites. 

We broke out in song... many times... "The Hills are alive"  

I cannot even begin to capture the beauty around us...

The Dolomites are an interesting area where Italy meets Austria.  Imagine a place where you are geographically in Italy, but everything around looks and feels like you are in Germany.   Even the language is a hodgepodge of Italian, German, and Ladin (ancient dialects that have remained in the area for centuries).

 Just after a fresh dusting of snow...

We have been staying in a valley known as the Val di Fassa (the Fassa Valley), in a small town called Pozza di  Fassa.

The view from our farm...

The bed and breakfast we are staying in is actually a small farm where they produce fresh milk and cheese on site.  Every morning we have enjoyed a sampling of fresh homemade butter, yogurts, cheeses, breads, jams and much more!  Simply wonderful...

 Our Bed and Breakfast in Pozza di Fassa

 Fresh European breakfast waiting for us every morning...

The table we sat at every night... having wonderful dinners and playing a new 

German card game called "Two Heads" for hours at night...

Typical hams and cheeses of the area... a wonderful light meal after a long day.

Every day we have spent driving the area, visiting neighboring towns and valleys connected by winding roads and high mountain passes...returning home late in the afternoon to enjoy a nap, the warm pool and Spa, and wonderful dinner at our little Agruturismo...

We noticed unique wood stacking throughout the different areas...

Hiking in an alpine meadow above the village of Vols am Schlern/Fie allo Sciliar

Lunch with a view of the Schlern

The village of  Ortisei  in Val Gardena

Local woodwork...

 Pordoi Pass

 A willage in the wally... :)

 

  In the valley of Pozza di Fassa

Tomorrow we will bid "arrivaderci" to Dolomiti and head for our next stop, Venice...