[ via chic with stix --how appropriate! (see previous post) ]

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italy, days 12-14

piazza del duomo

day 14:
this was my last day in italy, and it was quite depressing (i didn't want to leave!). . .
we did manage to see 1 more site before my 1:30pm departure time from the pisa airport: the leaning tower, the duomo, and the baptistery (ok, that's 3). since it --the leaning tower-- is quite a popular attraction, we had to deal with a lot of tourists. (but we were in and out, and i was able to capture quite a few images.)


baptistery (kind of looks like this is leaning too. . . or maybe it was just the photographer!)



door of baptistery



another door shot of baptistery

baptistery and surrounding wall (i liked the bapistery more than the leaning tower)

leaning tower of pisa



(here you can really see it leaning ^ ^ ^)

duomo



duomo

day 13:
this started out as a lazy day--coffee & knitting at the apartment--while sheri went to the questura for her permesso. i waited for her to get back, and we were then going to do some last minute shopping in lucca for a few more things i wanted to take back to the states. . .but then the phone rang, and you can read what happened here, here, here, and here. . .


outdoor seating at pizza place
day 12:
the beginning of this day was spent recovering from the 2 days of walking around lake como in the hot sun. we had lunch at the pizza place (one of my favorites--you can't beat wood-fired pizza!). for dinner we drove to montecarlo (in italy, of course) and ate a fabulous seafood meal with friends at pierantonio all'antico ristorante forassiepi.

[once i got home, it was quite an adjustment! the jetlag, the depression of being back home--let's face it, there aren't too many redeeming qualities about the midwest!--and not to mention having to buy a new computer after mine completely died as i was downloading all of my photos. i definitely plan on returning to italy. (i dream of living in the hills of tuscany, growing grapes, or olives. . .and breathing that clean air!)]
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italy, days 9 - 11

day 9 = 5 hour drive to lake como
sheri drove
i knitted
jim slept in the backseat (jet lag - he had just returned from the states)

after surviving the drive on the narrow and winding lakeside roads through the villages surrounding lago di como (lake como), we made it to bellagio, where we stayed in a charming bed & breakfast equipped with a pizzeria & ristorante. during the next 2 1/2 days we did lots of walking, site seeing, and picture taking, as we rode the ferry from port to port.
i took so many photos - it was hard to even narrow it down to these. . .


alla torretta - the bed & breakfast where we stayed in bellagio, italy


this was the never-ending rocky path / "shortcut" to the lake


we saw this villa on our way to the lake

close-up of villa


olive trees


(i liked this collection of signs)


the view from our table at dinner our 1st night


our view from the hill near our bed & breakfast
(i love all the terra cotta roofs)




we saw these 2 door smart cars all over italy
(this villa was stunning in person)


view from the ferry


(i didn't know palm trees thrived in italy)


looking up as i walked along the lake
(i love this photo. . .how the branches twist & turn)


gelato break - view from our seats on the stairs of the alley (in the shade!)
(i think i was starting to get heat stroke, & needed a break)


switzerland
day 11 - on the way home we stopped in switzerland, where we had planned to eat lunch, but it was sunday, and almost everything was closed. but, the casino was open. . .
so we headed back for italy and ate at the autogrill (kind of like the rest areas we have here with gas and fast food...only italy's fast food isn't fast food)
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italy, day 8

vernazza
view from lunch - with clouds

lunch

view from lunch - with sun

vernazza



. . .i couldn't resist

riomaggiore







on the way to the train

the 8th day included:

• a train ride to vernazza, part of cinque terre, which is on the northwest coast of italy and sits on a cliff overlooking the sea --see sheri's photos here
  
• lunch at a cliff-side ristorante (which started out cloudy, then sunny as the bright sun appeared)
  
• buying beautiful olive wood cheese boards and bowls
• walking up and down the cliff-side walkways and streets (quite a work out)
  
• a boat ride along the coast to riomaggiore
  

. . . and ended with a train ride back to lucca where we ate another pasta dinner (i was feeling my pants grow tighter every day. . .)

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carlo (italy, day 7)

italy, day 7

carlo's blacksmith shop

the 200+ year old flame

view from shop

water power

one of my favorite and most memorable days of my trip to italy was day 7. i had the opportunity to visit carlo's blacksmith shop. it is located down a long winding country road surrounded by lush vegetation and trees. he has worked there since he was a small boy, and the fire --seen here in my photos-- was started by his ancestors and has not gone out for 213 years -- but will the day carlo decides he can work no longer, as there is no one to carry on the tradition. (his only son cannot due to medical reasons.)
carlo's blacksmith shop is completely self sufficient. the electricity for the building and the power for the machines is generated by the stream running down from the neighboring mountains. he also uses recycled iron to make all of his tools (knives, shovels, table legs) and fallen tree branches from the surrounding woods for the handles. he is well known throughout the area, and was quite busy with customers the day we visited.

stay tuned for the video. . .

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