All good things have to come to an end, right? I think we all wish we still had 2-3 more days.
This morning Kenzi and I climbed up and down all 462 steps of the duomo in Florence. The morning was clear so we had great views and got some awesome pictures. We then shopped in the market. Mom (Sylvia) didn't think she bought much, but when we made her a list, she said, "I bought all that?"
We then had lunch and took taxis to the train station for our ride to Venice. We almost ended up in Torino. We boarded the wrong train, got our luggage put away and were looking for our seats when we asked and found out we had boarded the wrong train. We got off and quickly got to the right place. Two hours later we arrived in Venice. After a long walk, a lot of stairs, and an argument with the taxi driver, we were on our way to our hotel. We are staying near the airport since we fly out tomorrow. This hotel is nice - like a U.S. hotel. That said, I really like the old boutique hotels.
So we head home tomorrow, hoping the French air traffice controller strike doesn't affect us. I love you family!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
June 10 2013
We had a good day. We started with a bus tour of Florence. They picked us up so mom didn't have to walk. They went to parts of the city we had never seen. The downside is it rained, so pics weren't that great.
Mom is pretty worn out, so we let her rest for several hours. Robyn, Kenzi, and Rene went to the Medici museum and chapel. We went in the duomo, had lunch, did our laundry, and went to the food open market. We went to a great restaurant near ponte veccio. Mom and Rene came back by taxi and the three of us had a great walk back. We finished off the night with gelato at Grom. Yum!
Kenzi and I are climbing the duomo in the morning, then we take the train back to Venice to get ready to fly home on Wednesday. The trip has gone by waaaaaaay too fast. I love you family.
Mom is pretty worn out, so we let her rest for several hours. Robyn, Kenzi, and Rene went to the Medici museum and chapel. We went in the duomo, had lunch, did our laundry, and went to the food open market. We went to a great restaurant near ponte veccio. Mom and Rene came back by taxi and the three of us had a great walk back. We finished off the night with gelato at Grom. Yum!
Kenzi and I are climbing the duomo in the morning, then we take the train back to Venice to get ready to fly home on Wednesday. The trip has gone by waaaaaaay too fast. I love you family.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
June 9 2013
Well we made it to church today! It was great. There were enough Americans there that they had a missionary translate each talk over the pulpit. We then did a lot of walking with Grandma trying to buy everything she could find. Tomorrow we have a driving tour in the morning, then we'll drop off Grandma and do a walking tour in the afternoon. Florence is beautiful.
Yesterday we were at the cool places of Cinque Terra. We visited two of the five cities - Rio Maggiori and Manarollo. They are so unique looking. We hiked up quite high and got a great view of the town. Kenzi and I kayaked between two of the towns (just like Lyss and I had done). After our day there we took our train ride to Florence. Our hotel is 600 years old (yes really). The hotel owner is so nice.
At the train station we met an 18 year old girl who is backpacking around Europe for eight months. Very adventurous, but don't every let any of our grand daughters do that! :-)
I think that should catch you up. I love you family.
Friday, June 7, 2013
June 7, 2013 our fiat
Our rental (manual transmission) that got us all over northern Italy! See those dents in the back? We didn't do them, but can see why they are so common!
June 7 2013 - travel day
We were out the door this morning at 7 pm, driving from Belluno to the train station in Venice to return the car and catch our train. Once in Venice we got a bit lost from our printed directions, had to back down a street with Italians staring at us, and dodging the crazy Italian drivers. We returned the car and walked to the train station. We quickly learned that our train left from the main station, so 6 euros later we had tickets to the right station. We ate breakfast and waited for our train. We boarded and then made a stop at the first station to pick up more passengers. If we had only known!
The train ride including our quick change of trains in Florence took about 4 1/2 hours. We are now in La Spezia, checked into our hotel - a nice old boutique hotel. Tomorrow we go to Cinque Terra for the day. Gypsies and foreigners who want to help with luggage drive me crazy!
Mom and Aunt Rene are both doing great and having a good time. I love you family!
The train ride including our quick change of trains in Florence took about 4 1/2 hours. We are now in La Spezia, checked into our hotel - a nice old boutique hotel. Tomorrow we go to Cinque Terra for the day. Gypsies and foreigners who want to help with luggage drive me crazy!
Mom and Aunt Rene are both doing great and having a good time. I love you family!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
June 6 2013 - a few pics
Us in the home of Gianna DeZanet
Us in Valle Di cardora
Kenzi and her study abroad friends
The beginning of Monday's transportation adventure.
Us in the Santa Giustina church where my great grand parents were married
Us in Valle Di cardora
Kenzi and her study abroad friends
The beginning of Monday's transportation adventure.
Us in the Santa Giustina church where my great grand parents were married
June 6, 2013 - Cortina
Today we drove high up into the mountains to a city called Cortina - host of the 1956 Winter Olympics. It was beautiful. I've taken a ton of pictures, but don't have a way of getting them from my camera to my iPad. Sorry. I'll be sure to post them when I can. Hopefully Kenzi can up load some to her Mac.
Tonight we went to bribano for dinner (about 20 min from our hotel). We went to a small restaurant where the woman spoke zero words of English. I spoke about four Italian words to her, so whenever she would say something, she would look at me to have me translate for everyone. It was very funny. I've had polenta three times. Yum!
A little bit more on yesterday... We spent the morning back in Santa Giustina going through records. We found several names. A few of the books were damaged so they wouldn't let us use them. That created some gaps in the records we could find. We then went up to Campel where Noni is from. We walked up the mountain and found a woman outside her house. Aunt Rene had a picture of Noni's house so we showed it to the woman and asked if she knew where the was. She looked at the picture and said, "I know right where it is and the woman in the picture is my mother in law!" Crazy! So we hiked the rest of the way up to the house and took pics. It was great. We then ate lunch and went to San Gregorio to do more research. When we arrived, we were walking to the priest's house and Kenzi got confused and went into a strangers house. She came out quick saying sorry, sorry. The priest then said that woman is named Gianna DeZanet and she wanted to have us over for refreshments. So we went and she was so sweet. We then did more research and found a bunch more names. mom and Aunt Rene gave Gianna a little present from Venice. We then said goodbye to Joel, our family history consultant and headed back to the hotel. We all slept well.
Tomorrow we leave before 7 am to return the car and catch the train from Venice to La Spezia. I love you family.
Tonight we went to bribano for dinner (about 20 min from our hotel). We went to a small restaurant where the woman spoke zero words of English. I spoke about four Italian words to her, so whenever she would say something, she would look at me to have me translate for everyone. It was very funny. I've had polenta three times. Yum!
A little bit more on yesterday... We spent the morning back in Santa Giustina going through records. We found several names. A few of the books were damaged so they wouldn't let us use them. That created some gaps in the records we could find. We then went up to Campel where Noni is from. We walked up the mountain and found a woman outside her house. Aunt Rene had a picture of Noni's house so we showed it to the woman and asked if she knew where the was. She looked at the picture and said, "I know right where it is and the woman in the picture is my mother in law!" Crazy! So we hiked the rest of the way up to the house and took pics. It was great. We then ate lunch and went to San Gregorio to do more research. When we arrived, we were walking to the priest's house and Kenzi got confused and went into a strangers house. She came out quick saying sorry, sorry. The priest then said that woman is named Gianna DeZanet and she wanted to have us over for refreshments. So we went and she was so sweet. We then did more research and found a bunch more names. mom and Aunt Rene gave Gianna a little present from Venice. We then said goodbye to Joel, our family history consultant and headed back to the hotel. We all slept well.
Tomorrow we leave before 7 am to return the car and catch the train from Venice to La Spezia. I love you family.
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