Italia!!!

Are you kidding me? I went to Italy!

My friend Annie Oswald invited me to join her in Italy to visit her daughter, son-in-law, and their 4 kids. We've been planning the trip for months. Leisy Miller, one of Annie's twins, and her husband, Kent, live near Aviano Air Base in northern Italy. Kent is a pediatrician in the Air Force. They have 4 kids: Zeb is 11, Ike is 9, Metta is 6, and Mack is 3. We had so much fun. It was the trip of a lifetime!

We flew out of SLC early on Tuesday, July 17. We had a 3 hour layover in Atlanta. We had nice, simple flights. Annie got upgraded to comfort class or something like that. She asked if I would mind if she took it. Heck no! I'd take it. It left me to watch whatever movie I wanted. I watched "Coco" in Spanish. I always wanted to watch that. It was a long flight to Venice, but we made it and even slept some. We got to Venice early Wednesday morning and Leisy and kids were there to pick us up. I was able to put my little sewing kit that I always travel with to work right away. Little Metta handed me her stuffed animal and asked if I could sew up a hole in it. I fixed that in the van. We went straight to Nove, a town where there's a ceramic outlet store. Nice stuff that ends up here at Crate and Barrel. I got Allie a cute pasta bowl and I got Bekki a cute vase.

We then went to Bussano del Grappo, which is just a cute town near the Miller's town. We got some great fancy pizza and bought our first of many bottles of water. The kids weren't too keen on the pizza. It was too fancy. They loved the gelato. The first gelato I got was peach mango. It was so delicious. We walked around and took some great pictures. My first impression of Italy was that it reminds me more of Bolivia than of Sweden. I don't know why, but I thought all of Europe was similar.

First gelato: peach mango

I had a tiny cone left. Metta let me take some of her vanilla to make a little gelato scoop

went to dinner at this restaurant at the top of the hill

The Miller's home is great. It has a large living area and eating area on the main floor, along with a kitchen, bathroom/laundry room, and playroom. Their basement is unfinished, but has a bathroom. Upstairs, there are 4 bedrooms and a bathroom. The room Annie and I shared had a balcony off of it. Kent came home from work. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was surprised that he was in military fatigues. Yes, he wears a uniform to work every day. He can't wear it in public, though. He has to go straight from home to work and back. He can't even fill the car with gas. The Millers are so nice. It was unbelievable that I was actually in Italy! We went to dinner at a really cool restaurant nestled in the mountains up the hill from the Miller's home. We were tired, but kept going. Went to bed at a reasonable hour to get up early for a train to FLORENCE. I knew we wouldn't make it as far south as Rome, so I asked if we could at least go to Florence. I wanted to see the artwork.

We got an EARLY start on Thursday, the 19. We took a 1 hour train ride to Venice, then another 2 hour train ride to Florence. We rode in 1st class car and got awesome olive oil flavored crackers for snacks. I took a picture so I could find them at the store to bring home. We got to Florence and hit the ground running. We dragged our bags for blocks to see Michelangelo's "The David." That's basically all I wanted to see and I saw it FIRST. We got to the museum and found that we couldn't take our bags in. The Evangelical bookstore across the street let us leave our bags there for a donation. It was hot and crazy walking on rock streets with our rolling suitcases. We did it, though and that museum was amazing. The statue takes your breath away. It's huge and the detail is indescribable. It will always be a memory I keep. THE DAVID! After the David, we took our bags to the Bed and Breakfast that Leisy booked for us. It was absolutely LOVELY.

I know I'm doing a lot of all capitals, but I can't help it. Words don't describe everything. The owners/hosts at the B & B were fabulous. We got into our room and they showed us the set up with breakfast, snacks, balcony, etc. They also suggested places to see in the city, including the indoor market where locals buy their food when they heard I teach cooking. They also suggested the leather section of the outdoor market. They told us of local places to eat. We took a nap, which was the best decision of the trip. We talked about that nap for days. It really refreshed us and gave us energy for the rest of the day.

Our Street 

Eating/snack area

When we got up, it was time to go to the Duomo (dome) to overlook the city. We had tickets for 5:45 pm. We walked up lots of stairs. It was hot. There were tiny windows every once in a while with great views. Annie and I also decided we were super grateful for our health. We were grateful to be able to climb the steps and fit in the tight places. Once we got outside on the overlook, we found a place to sit and just sat there for over an hour, soaking in the view. We sat by 2 young American college students. They had good tips for us. One of them had studied in Florence and they both suggested we go to Piazza di Michelangelo for a view of the sunset over the river. That sounded great.

Florence from the top of the Duomo

Stop and enjoy the view along the way up

Did I mention that it's really hot and there are a lot of stairs and tight squeezes to get to the top?

views from tiny windows

We left the Duomo in time to get across the river and to the Piazza to get ready for the sunset. We weren't the only people who got that tip. Lots of people go up there. We were early enough to get a spot on the edge of the railing. Every once in a while, some rude tall American dude leaned over and blocked our view, but it wasn't too bad. I got a lemonade ice thing up there. We had shared a salami and cheese sandwich earlier that day. The food!!!!!!!!

The duomo and the tower as the sun goes down

I couldn't help myself. Don't worry. She didn't notice me taking her picture.

American tourist that blocked our view sometimes with his man bun.

Looking up from our balcony at night

The original wall that surrounded Florence

After seeing the sun set, we walked down the hill toward our B&B. Annie was starving and offered to buy dinner at a restaurant we saw. I didn't think I was hungry. I said I'd eat a little. Well, once we sat and the food came, I realized I was hungry. The food was delicious! We started with cheese and pears with arugula and honey. Then we had penne pasta with pesto and tomatoes. Oh my goodness. It was so great. We talked about that dinner for days, too. We also talked about the fact that I didn't think I was hungry, but I ate a lot when it came. Oooops.

Great sleep in the B&B. Friday morning our hosts let us leave our bags and gave us a key so we could come back later to freshen up and get our stuff before getting on the train. What service. We went to the Uffizi museum where we saw "Birth of Venus", "Self Portrait" by VanGogh, "Medusa" on a shield and other cool art. One funny thing that happened was as we were walking past a statue of a girl and a bird, Annie said "Stupid cranes. They ruin everything." I couldn't figure out why she was upset about the bird in the statue. I also didn't realize the bird was a crane. Well, I walked toward Annie and noticed a crane outside of the window. That's what she meant...stupid crane...stupid scaffolding...stupid construction that ruins our photos. It wasn't about the statue. We went to the leather part of the market where I got Keenan a bracelet. We also went to the indoor market. I LOVED that place. The bottom floor had different vendors where the locals buy their food...pasta, meats, produce, flowers, etc. The 2nd floor is like a food court...different vendors for food. I got a nice slice of bruschetta. It was really good. There is also a cooking school up there. Unfortunately, there were no classes going on. One of the girls we met the day before had gone to the cooking school and told us about it. Our host had also mentioned it. While eating lunch up there, we sat by a really nice family. It was a couple in their 60's and their son who had paid for the trip. He's a PE teacher in China and he had brought his parents on the trip for his mom's upcoming 60th bday. We got talking about the dad's hobby, family history work, and found a family history center near their home. He said he knows exactly where it is...right near his mother in law's flat. They were really fun to talk to. Annie teased the wife and son that they rolled their eyes about dad's hobby, but they seemed interested when he shared stories. We walked 26,000 steps that day.

Map. Ready.

Good breakfast on the patio. Ready.

Our patio.

In the market where locals shop

Lunch at the food court in the local market

 

For Kim Cassetti

Return trains to Venice then Sacile, the station closest to the Miller's house. All the family picked us up and we went to the house. Kent made yummy food - salad, pasta, gnocchi, fruit. He likes to cook and play the keyboard after work to unwind. Saturday morning we got up and went into town to the outdoor market in Pordenone. Ike went with me, Annie, and Kent. The rest of the family stayed home. I got a cute striped linen shirt. We then met the family on base to go shopping. I got some Nike's on clearance. They can buy basically everything they need on base. We got a 12 pack of diet Dr. Pepper and some snacks for our road trip. Then we got home and got ready for a trip to Slovenia and for their ward party. The party was in the middle of the day. It was a BBQ. They attend an American ward. I think most members are military. We had hamburgers and hot dogs and side dishes that everyone brought. It was fun to visit with the missionaries. One of the elders knew Brooke Walker, who is serving there. A sister knew of her and said she had served in the city where Brooke currently serves. She said it's a great area with excellent members. I was never able to connect with Brooke. She was too far away and we didn't go near where she was. It's ok. I found out that she's doing great and is a hard worker and reported that to her mom, Dawn.

We left in the afternoon in the van for the 3 hour drive to Slovenia. I'm gonna do a separate post about the Slovenia/Austria trip. That was fantastic.

Got back from Slovenia late Tuesday night. Wednesday we spent the day close to home. We stayed home with the kids while Leisy taught a fitness class on base. Annie and I cleaned out the van and we did a bunch of laundry. We also helped the kids clean their playroom. They said their dad would be more excited than their mom. I took a picture and sent it to Kent. He was pretty excited. Cleaning the van is no joke. They have to recycle EVERYTHING in piles of paper or plastic/metal or wet waste or not sure. We took everything out of the 8-passenger van and brought it into the house, then sorted through everything. We didn't do it outside because it was so blazing hot. It was a good day. We hung most of the laundry to dry on the clothesline outside. Leisy has a dryer, but it takes 2 hours to dry a load. There's a contraption that captures the condensation and you have to empty that. There is no hose to the outside. Crazy.

The table where we played games and the stairs leading to the bedrooms

A couple of other things that make life in Italy not totally glamorous...any American electric contraption requires a transformer. The Millers have a couple of big, heavy boxes that you can carry from one room to another. You plug it in and you can use your blow drier, curling iron, or their electric keyboard. Even their microwave needs it. LOL. They also have a septic tank. Rather than deal with possible clogging, they throw their toilet paper in a garbage can next to the toilet. That's not totally unusual in Italy. I asked because I didn't want to do it wrong. They said if there's a garbage can by the toilet, don't flush the paper. Use the garbage can. If there's no garbage can, you can flush the paper. There aren't drinking fountains or public restrooms everywhere like her in the US either. I didn't have to buy much water because I filled my water bottle at every chance. I did have to pay once to use the bathroom. That was in Austria and Leisy told me I probably didn't actually have to pay because it was at a restaurant where we ate dinner. All I know is I saw a sign outside of the bathroom, with a box and it said .50 Euro. So I paid it.

One thing I wish I'd done before the trip was to learn a bit more about the countries and languages where we were visiting. I'm such a typical American and just expect everyone to speak English, which they pretty much do. But...it would have been nice to be a bit more educated about where I was going and to learn some simple phrases. Next time...

Thursday was our last full day in Italy. Annie and I took the train to Venice. On Leisy's recommendation we went to Burano from Venice's main station. We took the water bus. That was pretty cool. We met 4 cute Indian girls from London. They were friends from college and this was their 3rd vacation together. They thought the story of how Annie and I met was great. Burano is a dream! It wasn't super crowded and it's so colorful. We were fascinated by the fabric curtains that hang in front of all the doors. We figured it was to distinguish private residences from stores. If there's a curtain, it means "don't bother us." From looking online, it looks like our guess was pretty good. People can open their doors for ventilation, but still have privacy. We loved walking the streets. I bought my first piece of pizza from a street vendor there. It had capers, artichoke hearts, olives, etc. It was sooooo good. Probably my favorite. We took the water bus back to Venice with plans to see the piazza and other things. I got to use my Spanish for the first and only time. We sat across from a couple and their young adult children. At one point I asked a daughter where they were from. When she said Brazil, I told them I spoke Spanish. Dad spoke Spanish. That was fun. Venice was so crowded and hot that after walking over a couple of canals, we decided to just make our way to the train station and get back to the family. We walked for about 40 minutes, so I got some good pics. I got a feel for Venice. I saw Venice. That was enough for me. To quote Annie, "Venice - too hot, too crowded, and visually muted after Burano." Got back to Sacile and we all went to Cucina di Gemma for dinner. I got ravioli. I also tried pasta carbonara for the first time and fell in love. I had always wondered why pasta with egg and cheese and bacon could be that great, but it was. Wow.

Look what I found in the window

We LOVED Burano

Venice

Our favorite thing in Venice: the sign to the train station

The crowds

I'm actually in Venice

My ravioli

Last gelato

Swiped this from Instagram. Me and the kids playing games on our patio.

Little Metta standing on the balcony off of mine and Annie's room. The kitchen is below her.

Friday we said goodbye to the family and headed back to the US. Long flight to Atlanta. I ended up sitting next to a woman who is from Ukraine but lives in Pleasanton. What are the odds? She was traveling with her husband and their 2 daughters. An extended layover in Atlanta. Chick fil A but they don't have diet Dr. Pepper. We got home about an hour and a half late. Got to the house around 11:00. Gave gifts to everyone, filled them in, and went to bed. It was such a great trip. I missed Keenan and the kids, but I would do it again. What an opportunity! Thanks Annie and family.

It's pretty sweet to travel with someone who gets to use the priority lounge at the airport. Free breakfast buffet and comfy chairs.

You also get to board the plane with priority customers

Kent is a pediatrician with the Air Force. They lived in Japan for 3 years before Italy. He drove us all over the place. We really appreciated it. He comes home from a long day of work and cooks and plays the piano. It was so fun to hear the music. So peaceful. I hate playing the piano and can't play, but I appreciate people who enjoy it. He was very patient with the kids and very involved at home and with the kids. Came home from work, changed into civilian clothes, and dived into family life.

Leisy is one of Annie's twins. They're 37. She teaches a fitness class at the base. She listens to podcasts that I think would interest Allie. Stuff about faith and accepting others. She was really excited to buy a rainbow bracelet in Bled to show her support for the LGBTQ community. She has raised her kids to be quite the travelers. They keep up and don't complain. They read and play and don't watch TV. They don't have TV. She taught me how to make a mean salad. Her secret ingredient in just about everything she makes is Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette.

As Annie says, "the REAL reason we came."

Zeb's full name is Charles Zbinden Miller. When I asked him how to spell his middle name, he laughed and said "I have no idea." He logs in at school with Charles Miller, and he goes by Zeb, so he has no real reason to memorize the spelling of his full middle name. He reads all the time and is so fun. His most proud moment was when he ruined my photo of the kids doing a train down a slide. He purposefully broke up the train. I told him I'll never forgive him for it. I teased him about it. He enjoyed playing Monopoly deal with me and his brother Ike. His favorite gelato is chocolate. He can tell you where to find the best ones.

testing his dad's risotto

Ike is a cutie. He helped Annie with her word puzzles a lot. He's a quiet kid. He's not the oldest. He's not the only girl. He's not the youngest. It would be easy to not notice him, but he's so cute. He loves Italian food and has an opinion on red sauce. He especially liked the meat in his spaghetti with ragu at Cucina di Gemma's. He also wanted to learn how to whip stitch closed their pillows that had developed holes. He helped me with it. He also played Monopoly deal with us. I left the card game with the boys. He likes the cookie flavored gelato.

Helping Nannie Annie with a word puzzle

We played Sequence on our balcony 

Metta told me she was afraid of me at first then she loves me. She said she loves me more than nanny. I told her to be careful about that. She and I shared a bed in Bled. She and Mack liked it when Annie and I took turns sitting by them in the van. I painted her nails one day. She wears her hair like Pippi Longstocking. I told her she has to go to Sweden. Metta is all about vanilla gelato.

She got vanilla again

Mack holds his own. He is only 3. He'll be 4 in October. That kid keeps up with everyone. No stroller. I occasionally gave him and Metta a ride on my back, but for the most part, that kid kept up. He can easily be bought off with ice cream and other treats. His favorite gelato is fragola (strawberry). It's so cute to hear him speak bits of Italian. He's going to attend an Italian preschool in the fall. That will be amazing for him. He likes to use 5 Crown cards to practice numbers and colors. He is their Japanese kid since he was born there.