Morales22.com » Italy

Leaving Italy

Debbie — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:57:27 +0000

Well the food is awesome, the wine is the best , and there are some pretty amazing sights, but it’s the people who have opened their homes and hearts to us that makes us want to return and spend so much time here.

This last week we have been in the home of Enirco and Angela and their sons Alberto and Davide (26 and 19). Sharing meals, sightseeing and just practicing their English to our Italian over lively discussions at the dinner table (or looking blank).

So now we are about to embark on our last leg. Milan to Tel Aviv via Athens where we will be part of 100 or so coming from Rancho Bernardo on a 10 day tour of Israel. This is our 40th anniversary present to each other.

We get to Tel Aviv at 4am and get to enjoy the airport until the crowd arrives at 4pm and we can all get on the BUS!

A Rose By Any Other Name

Debbie — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:53:09 +0000

Should smell as sweet!

Got to see Verona and of course Romeo and Juliet are what its all about. So the pretty little balcony in a quaint courtyard immortalized by Shakespeare (and “Letters to Juliet”…there are really mailboxes) is lovely and filled with about 250 tourists, mostly kids on fieldtrips.

Soooo, if you’re in the area,I recommend you pass on it and go see the movie and save yourself a lot of stress

Bella IsolaBella

Debbie — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:46:17 +0000

What a paradise!! This island in the middle of Lake Maggiore is such a garden of Eden. Many go to Lake Como (because of Clooney and Hollywood) but WOW these beautiful islands are amazing and nearby to our current base in Pavia.

Everything is in bloom, including the peacocks. AND, if you are related to the Borromeo family (who have owned this area forover 400 years) you can still live there.

We had such a beautiful day, photos do not to it justice!

Il Cenacolo

Debbie — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:37:28 +0000

Well, if I had a bucket list, this would definitely be on it — seeing Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan!!! 25 people at a time are allowed in for 15 minutes (wish I could have stayed longer ) and, we booked this 3 months ago in order to get a slot!

It is larger and higher on the wall and a little more deteriorated than I imagined, but I swear it glowed with such power! Sorry, no photos were allowed

Mi Amica, Carol

Debbie — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:30:01 +0000

What’s better than being in Italy? Being in Italy with a fun friend who speaks fluent Italian!!! Now all the folk in Montalcino know more of my heart cauz she can translate for me! I can tell them how special they are to me and what a pleasure it is to be in their country again.

Carol visits Italy twice a year (6-8 weeks each time). We met at an Italian class in SD’s Little Italy, but she lives in RB and plays a mean game of golf . She leaves hubby at home cauz he’s been there, done that. But Italy gives her life such dimension (and it’s her heritage), that it’s like coming home to her. She has spent time with us in Tuscany and now we are on a 5 hour train to enjoy Pavia and Milano with her. God is so good to bring us together!

Haircut Italia Style

Debbie — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:28:14 +0000

Last time in Italy, Steve went 3 months between haircuts and we re-discovered his curly locks. Still keeping with this European style, we booked him an appointment with a true Italiano stylista.

Good by Goldilocks, ciao Romeo.

Pasquetta

Debbie — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:24:29 +0000

Little Easter, also known as “day of the angels” (they should get a day,I work mine overtime!) And another way to get an extra day off of school and work. It coincided with dia de Libertad, or Resistance Day.

So I played a mass, wreaths were laid, speeches, small parade, a farmers’ market of Tuscans delacacies. Who could be bored?

Arrivederce KC

Debbie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:00:30 +0000

Carson Is A Natural Traveller

After a couple weeks of touring Italy and laying back with us in Montalcino, KC, Jonathan and Bimbo Carson headed back to the US of A via Pisa.

They were fortunate to rendezvous with Heather and Heinz who came down from Switzerland to visit for a few hours.

Unfortunately for the Wilts, their 7 am flight was canceled, and the rescheduling put them 7 hours later in SD, and picked up by Andy.

When Steve dropped them off in Pisa, He also dropped our rental car off and took a couple trains and even hitchhiked!

Remind Me To Tell You About

Debbie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:56:22 +0000

Monte Oliveto Maggiore, awesome discovery and very moving!

Through A Veil Of Incense

Debbie — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:54:18 +0000

2 Sundays, 1 Holy Thursday(feet washing), 2 Easter Services, 1 Pasquetta (little Easter monday), working with Father Piernino, Giovani, altar boys, Miranda, me….hey I thought this was vacation!!!???

These were my commitments at the organ and those are the dear folk that were the TEAM that would put it all together for the worshippers of Montalcino. Flowers, candles, bowls of fire, blessing of the eggs, chants, hymns, nods to start my playing, and always the swinging of the Incense Canister. My contact lenses are killing me!!