Back to School!

I survived my first week of school! I have a fantastic class (only 21 students this year), and the air conditioning is very cool :) I think I've had the 'best ever' start to a school year - yeah! This photo was taken in the beautiful new elementary library - we all look refreshed after a long summer break, don't you think? L-R: Vesna, Rose, Marilynne

Saying Good-bye!

Saying 'Good-bye' to family and friends was very sad this year as we probably won't see everyone again until 2011.

A few days before we left, we spent some quality time with Nando and Chiara at Nando's uncle's villa in Tre Colli which is not far from Calci. We enjoyed chatting with them over long breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and the time spent relaxing around the swimming pool (at another uncle's villa) was wonderful. Baru and the parrot kept us entertained, and the fantasy gypsy thieves provided a few laughs :) Unfortunately, their baby didn't decide to arrive ahead of schedule, so we are now anxiously awaiting news of his arrival into the world.

The day before we left, we had a lovely day with the family. Mary prepared a delicious lunch for us, and Antonio, Simona and Nemo were there to share it with us. We enjoyed playing with Nemo all afternoon - he really likes to have fun! In the evening, we went to Zio Gianfranco and Zia Paola's new house for dinner - pizza followed by gelato - the perfect farewell treats :)

A presto, tanti baci, Ale&Rose xoxoxo

Venice

Ah, what a beautiful city! After a rather harrowing train trip, and then some trouble to find our accommodation, we finally managed to relax and enjoy the magic of this city on water. We stayed very close to Piazza San Marco in a fantastic bed and breakfast called '3C'.

We explored the city each morning, returned to the B&B for a midday rest (so hot!), and then ventured out again in the late afternoon to further explore the winding 'calli' (Venetian for 'streets'). It is very easy to get lost, and in fact although we had a map, we preferred to get lost - it's the best way to discover things! We had fun watching the gondolas glide along the canals, marveled at the many bridges and the beauty of Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale, ate lots of excellent seafood, and enjoyed some shopping, too.

The time of day we enjoyed most was early-late evening, after all the day trippers had left the island - finally peace and quiet. There are so many tourists milling about during the day, but at night, there are only locals and tourists who want to stay and really live the city... if only for a few days :) It is an expensive place to visit, but if you consider the cost and effort involved in doing business in a floating city, you begin to understand why the prices are a little steep. Venice truly is a unique place, and well worth the visit.

Nemo

Nemo is our nephew. Born in December 2008, we finally got to meet him in June 2009. He is a gorgeous little boy, and in the short time we were in Italy, we saw him develop in many ways. The last time we saw him (just before we left), we were excited to discover that he can now crawl! We miss you Nemo, but you are always in our hearts and minds, tanti baci, gli zii a Tokyo xxoo

- There are other photos on the flickr site too - enjoy! -

Marilynne and Carol visit Pisa

My friend from work, Marilynne, and her friend Carol visited us for 2 nights in June. We had a great time exploring Pisa and Lucca together. They enjoyed Ale's spaghetti al pesto Genovese, and we enjoyed the buffalo wings they made for us (with the real sauce direct from Buffalo, New York!). Marilynne and I just had to pose for the Leaning Tower of Pisa tourist shot - lots of laughs!

Ananda's visit to Pisa

Ananda visited us in Pisa for a week or so in July, and we had a great time together. Many lunches and dinners were shared, either at home with a spot of vino, or at a fine dining establishment such as Pizzeria il Montino, Spaghetteria alle Bandierine, Nando and Chiara's place, or Banda.

Due to our lack of motor transportation, the bicycles were put to good use. We enjoyed biking around (though it was a little hot at times!), and we were especially proud of our 25km ride from Lucca to Pisa on Via Vecchia Lucchese.

Our day trip to Florence was enjoyable (once the train decided to leave!). Ananda picked up some wonderful bargains in the San Lorenzo Market, and I indulged myself by purchasing a pair of Prada shoes - they were on sale! We had some fun and games with the local gypsies, too - but we lived to tell the tale! Thank-you Ananda for making the long journey to visit us. We hope you had a good time, and look forward to seeing you soon in Australia.

Paris Summer 2009

We had a fantastic time in Paris for a few days in June. The weather was a little cold and windy, hence we had to buy cardigans and pullovers to explore the city in comfort! Meeting up with Jo and James was lots of fun. The food, the beauty of the architecture, Luxembourg Garden, and finally seeing the Eiffel Tower were highlights for me. Enjoy the photos!