From Milan with Love

"We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character."

Henry David Thorou

Today is our last day in Italy. Our last day in Europe. Milan is a nice city - this is undeniable. It has so many things to see that our two days here has not allowed us to even make a tiny dent. We did have the opportunity to see what we wanted to see - the great Duomo of Milan and the painting of the Last Supper which is housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie. And of course we saw many other buildings, statues and pigeons (yes - pigeons are everywhere in Europe - they speak more languages than you can imagine).

Today I can only think about two things. My very sore feet and coming home. This has been a great trip and we saw so much but there is nothing like coming home at the end of a long journey. Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz - "There's no place like home."

Yes, "There's no place like home!!"

Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie (the church that houses
Leonardo's painting "The Last Supper")

Self explanatory I hope!!

The Duomo - Palazzo Reale Museo del Novecento

Italy..finally!!

"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies,

jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears." — Glenn Clark

We are on the final leg of our journey but to me the most rewarding leg. For we have reached Italy...finally.  Some rest will be mixed in with our journey.
We have been to Italy twice before so there is some familiarity. But more than familiarity, there is friendship and family. Not family in the "legal" sense, but a family of the heart. Salzburg takes us to Verona where we transfer trains and travel on to
San Giorgio Piacentino.
This is our destination and the home of two very special people - Jon and Sonya. Jon Canestrini stayed with us for two months in 2007 and became our "Italian" son from then on in and Sonya is the young Canadian woman who captured his heart. They carried that romance to Italy where they married in Dec 2011 and they have opened their home to us to share during our time in Italy. Unfortunately Jon is away on business during our trip so Sonya is our hostess - and what an amazing hostess she is.
During our stay we visited a castle town called Castello di Grazzano Visconti, had lunch in an old tower called La Torre Dei Cavalieri, visited the city of Parma (home of parmisan cheese), the city of Sirmione (a beautiful seaside resort), and of course our favourite place in Italy - Fondo.
I have to elaborate a little on Fondo as this will be our third trip here to visit this amazing little town. This beautiful little town is nestled in the northern mountains in Italy - in the Val di Non. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We are most happy to spend time in this beautiful place with one of the nicest families we know - the Canestrini family (Jon's family)! Gianfranco and Emiliana live in Fondo and thier daughter Miriam lives nearby in Bolzano. During our time here we are fortunate to meet Miriam's boyfriend Stefano (a true Ironman - he just finished the Ironman competition in Austria the day before!).  It is also our first time meeting Emiliana's parents.

 After we finish our trip to Fondo we return to San Giorgio.  We wrap up our time in San Giorgio in with a meal of home made pasta and meat sauce (compliments of Sonya) which was molto delisioso!!  Forgot to take a picture of that - doh!! 
Next up, our final stop. Milano (my Canadian friends and family will know this as Milan).

Flower bouquet in the town Piazza.

Our view of Fondo from our walk in the fields outside of town
(I think about a 7 km walk)

Even smaller towns like Fondo take pride in creating a
beautiful Piazza (town square)

More Fondo!!

 Sirmione (next 4 photos)

I thought the swans enjoying the beach with the tourists was a great touch!!

 Parma (next 3 photos)

Salzburg - The Hills Are Alive - With the Sound of Music

"A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to

new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change."
                                                                                              - Katharine Butler Hathaway

Salzburg Austria is a repeat performance for us. We were here in June of 2010 but the weather then was "pouring rain with alternating overcast skies!". It was such a beautiful city that I couldn't help but be disappointed that we couldn't explore it more. The upside to our trip in 2010 was that we were lucky enough to do the Sound of Music "thing" - staying at the Von Trapp family home (which was now a bed and breakfast) and going on the Sound of Music Tour.

So I figured, what the heck. We are this close and travelling from Vienna to Italy so why not stop over for a day? If we are lucky enough we can catch the city in a sunny state and relax a bit for a day and wander casually through Mirabel Platz and the Getreidegasse one more time.

And lucky were were. The weather upon our arrival was hot and sunny and with part of an afternoon and a full evening ahead of us we set out to revisit this beautiful city.

Salzburg is the city of Mozart and his presence is everywhere - on souveniers, posters, chocolate wrappers and boxes - whatever sells. And it sells. His birthhome is on the Giedenstrauss and less than 1000 meters away (give or take) is the home where he spent is youth. We toured both in 2010 so the photos are just for this blog. We revisited the Getreidegasse and Mirabel Platz finding several things we missed the first time around. Later that evening we strolled the walking path that lies along the river and stopped for some wine and apple strudel. A perfect evening.

The morning we left we awoke to sun and high temperatures once again. We left early for the train station (our train for Verona departed at 9:00 a.m.) enjoying the hot sun as we walked. As it turns out, we were luckier than we knew. By 8:30 a.m. the skies had completely clouded over and it was clear that a storm was brewing!! We boarded the train at 9:00 a.m. to the sound of thunder, and then rain.

Yes, our timing was perfect!! 

Next stop - Italy!

A small section of Mirabel Platz

Salzburg's famous shopping street Getreidegasse
at night - empty of all the daytime tourists!

Mozart's statue

Mozart's Birthplace on Getreidegasse

Wooden Mozarts - a very popular item!!

Old Salzburg during the day.

Old Salzburg at night - absolutely beautiful.