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.

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!