Felice anniversario a Bellagio!

It is unbelievable to think that one year ago was our wedding weekend! And we never dreamed that such a short time later, we would be celebrating in Italy! We are so blessed.


For the special occasion, we boarded a train Friday morning and journeyed to Lake Como. The train dropped us off in Varenna, and we took a ferry across the lake to the charming city of Bellagio. Steve Wynn may have done his homework, but it cannot compare to the breathtaking beauty of the real thing. The view from our hotel was spectacular, and Friday late-afternoon and even we enjoyed walking around the town, shopping, a romantic, lake-side dinner and dancing in the square to the local pops band (nevermind that their idea of great American music was "Don't cry for me Argentina"). It was the perfect evening to kick off our anniversary weekend.


Saturday morning we took a tour around the lake in a quaint little water taxi. Although there were no George Clooney sightings, we did see several disgruntled villa owners with signs on their fences and docks saying "No George Here." We passed some of the largest and most elaborate estates on Lake Como, mostly belonging to disgustingly wealthy Italians who live in Milan and use their lake house for only 2 weeks during the year. Richard Branson also has a little place... a villa you can rent for $250,000 a week!!


After about half an hour, we made a mid-way stop in Lenno at Villa del Balbianello. Originally built as a monastery, the villa changed owners several times before becoming the property of Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust of Italy). The last owner, Guido Monzino, spent much of his time restoring the villa and preserving it to be used by the FAI. The loft was turned into a small museum to house artifacts from Guido's two major exploratory expeditions- the North Pole and a climb to the base of Mt. Everest (yes that's correct, he never made it to the top because of his smoking habits). Although the furniture and architecture are exquisite, the panoramic views of the lake are what make this villa spectacular. The villa has also been used for various movie shoots, including Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II. After the villa, our little water taxi continued to drive us around the lake and back to Bellagio.


We were so blessed to have our friends, David and Lynn Gertiser, come join us Saturday afternoon. Celebrating four years of marriage on the June 24, it was perfect for them to join us for this special weekend. The four of us went to an excellent wine bar before dinner where the owner picked out fantastic wines from the region for us to sample. After a long walk around the town, we ended the evening with a traditional Como seafood dinner, including lakefish and seabass. Gelato rounded out the evening before we called it a night.


Sunday morning came with wind and rain, and it was time to travel home. Our first anniversary weekend couldn't have been more perfect, and we look forward to another trip to Bellagio!! Here's to one year...and many, many more...

Ciao

La nostra nuova macchina!

Julius Caesar once said, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." We followed that logic in purchasing our new car (la nostra nuova macchina). This past spring, while still in Phoenix, we sold both our cars because our normal-sized American sedans would be behemoth land-yachts in Italy. That decision was one of the best we've made in this move. The towns here are old and storied, which means that the streets are still medieval-sized. A little car allows us to drive where we want to and park where we need to... but I digress. We touched down in the land of hatchbacks and compacts eager to find our new carro


The used car market around the base is thriving, so we had plenty of options. We were blessed because we were able to borrow a friend's car while we were car-hunting. After a week or so of shopping around, we eventually found our car! We decided on a 2001 Fiat Stilo (Italian for style). Our little four-door hatchback, Giorgina, runs on genuine diesel and is a little temperamental during the first 3 to 5 minutes of each drive. However, once she is awake and running, she is fun to drive. We're happy and blessed to have found our car and we are excited with all the places we'll be able to go in it.

Ciao

[Both photos were taken in front of our hotel here in Aviano. Our apartment is the top set of windows in the picture]

Tutti a bordo!!

This past Saturday we took the day see the beautiful Istrian coastline in Croatia. We arrived in Croatia in the port city of Porec (sounds like porridge) around 9 am on Saturday morning, boarded the boat, and enjoyed the beautiful harbor. The water in the Adriatic was crystal clear, and without a cloud in the sky, we knew it would be an incredible day!

We set sail and traveled around the coast to the city of Vrsar. Once a small fishing village, the bay was teeming with European vacationers needing a Croatian get-away. We had an hour to ourselves to explore the city, so we immediately set out the climb to the top of the city. It was a very steep hike through the streets and alleys of the remote city, leading to the church- St. Martin. The views from the top of the city were breathtaking, and the quaint culture of this Croatian town made the hike almost idyllic.


After Vrsar, we sailed up a fjord and enjoyed an extended time on the boat, which included the traditional Croatian lunch...mackerel! It was frightening looking, but delicious nonetheless. Sitting across from us was an adorable couple from Whales who kept us so completely entertained for the afternoon that we hardly recognized how sunburned we had become.


Our last major stop was in the town of Rovinj. Although we had time to roam the city once the boat docked, we were a little exhausted from the day's adventures. Instead, we found a cafe on the harbor and watched some World Cup action. We also walked through the market and purchased some fresh cherries for the ride home.

As the day came to a close, our boat returned home, complete with some "entertainment." Hearing Moon River, Proud Mary, and Banana Boat Song played by a funny Croatian man on an electric keyboard (using the steel drum synthesizer...don't you worry) made the whole experience that much better. It was the perfect way to see Croatia!

Ciao

Benvenuti ad Aviano e l'area

Italy is rich in culture and history, and the best part is we don't have to travel too far to experience it!! We wanted to get a good feel of the region- Friuli Venezia Guila- that we will be living in, so we jam-packed this last weekend with local sightseeing.

We started on Friday with a "Benvenuti" tour offered by the base (and by offered, we mean mandated!). We went from Aviano to Polcenigo, a small, historic town with incredible charm. There we were greeted by geese and trout in the beautiful Gorgazzo spring. It was some of the clearest water we had ever seen...clearest and most inviting!! But no swimming here!!

Next, we headed to our first open-air market in the neighboring town of Porcia. Italian markets host a variety of booths containing anything from produce to purses. Since the market is held each day of the week in a different town, usually the same vendors can be found traveling to multiple towns throughout the week. It was such a fun place to walk through and shop. We already have the regional market schedule posted in our hotel room!! Caleb even scored a free peach by using his exceptional Italian and outstanding knowledge of the local customs...or because he smiled at the lady and she liked what she saw!

After the market, we traveled a little further to the largest city in the region, and the capital, Pordenone. We walked through the city to see the historical center of town, grab a cup of coffee in a local cafe (or water for Jordan!), and stop by a local chocolate shop, Pasticceria Peratoner. They had every kind of chocolate you could imagine...even chocolate sculptures and outfits! We were also scheduled to visit St. Mark's Cathedral, but a funeral was taking place so we were unable to take the tour.

From Pordenone, we hopped on a train and rode down to Sacile, or "little Venice" as it is often called. The bus picked us back up in Sacile and we drove through the city on our way out to Budoia, our lunch stop. The group was treated to an excellent lunch at Ciasa de Gahja, a lovely hotel and restaurant. We were hungry by the time we arrived, but it was well worth the wait!

And finally, we ended our day at the Podere Gelisi Antonio winery in Villotte di San Quirino. At the winery, we were able to take a quick tour of the vineyards and production room, as well as enjoy a wine tasting with the owner, Mr. Sergio Gelisi. Recently, Mr. Gelisi acquired the contract to produce wine for il Papa...the Pope! These grapes have to be grown separately, organically, from the rest of the vineyard, and they have to be harvested manually. According the Mr. Gelisi, the wine won't be ready for il Papa until next spring! He also had a stunning garden of roses to compliment his incredible vineyard. It was a perfect end to a great day!
On Saturday, we ventured by train to the city of Padova. Our afternoon mainly consisted of walking, walking and more walking, and experiencing a truly Italian city lacking much American presence. The city center was bustling with yet another market and everyone was out and about. We were able to visit two churches, Basilica of St. Justina and Basilica of St. Anthony. Both were incredible houses of worship, each very different from the other. It is said that the bones of Luke (or St. Luke) are in a tomb in St. Justina, and the bones of St. Anthony are located in his basilica. We also walked by the University of Padova; founded in 1222, it is the second oldest university in Italy. When these Italians say old, they mean old!! All in all we had a whirlwind visit to Padova, and while we weren't blown away by our trip, it was another valuable learning experience.

It was another fun filled weekend of exploring and adventure, and we are loving Italy more and more with each place we visit. And knowing how rich our region is made us appreciate this blessing even more.

Ciao

Venezia

Our first Italian excursion...Venice! Considering it is only a short train ride away, Caleb and I followed the advice of one of his IP's and took a weekend jaunt to Venice. And what a weekend it was!!

It was amazing to see the canals and the intricate way the city was built, not to mention mind blowing that people can actually live there and make it back to their homes each night! We spent all of Saturday walking around and exploring the city, eating in cafes, and touring the Doge's Palace- Palazzo Ducale. The Venetian history is interesting and rich, and something that neither of us knew much about. We stayed in a quaint bed and breakfast (with the steepest 3 flights of stairs we have EVER climbed...especially in humidity!) on Saturday night, and got up bright and early Sunday to make it to the church, Santa Maria della Salute. An awe inspiring church, the St. Maria was built to celebrate the end of the plague in Venice. It is not the most ornate church in the area, but it was honest and beautiful in it's own right.

Although there was much more to be seen, we decided to save the rest of the city for subsequent visits. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day...

Ciao