Verona, Italy

Due to the ash cloud, Carlo was stuck in Milan. We met in Verona and spent 24 enchanted hours in this beautiful city!

Original frescoes on a house at the main piazza.

Statue of Dante..

The weather wasn't the best, but even then you just gotta love Italy!



Arena from the outside..

The famous roman "arena" which is used for many musical and theatrical events.


There was a wonderful market on the piazza with hundreds of little booths offering many local culinary delights.

A day at Faro, in the garden...

We spent a few really nice afternoons in the garden at Faro. We helped with the weeding, transported over twelve wheelbarrows of twigs, leaves and weeds to the dump and enjoyed some fresh cut lemons once the work was done! :)

Mandarin tree in full bloom...

Carlo and Antonio picking beans.

Voila! Cleared part of the garden from the day before!

Hard at work..


Lemons from the neigbor's tree. Soooo good!



Carlo trying himself at cutting banana trees..



ALL DONE!!!


Going home....

Sicily, Easter 2010 - sun and sea!

Sicily in the spring is beautiful... we took a quick drive to Faro with Carlo's father as it was such a wonderful day. Very windy, but fresh and sunny....


We stopped to pick up some oranges on the way. A very abundant fruit at this time of the year!

Fishing boats by the beach...I just love these colorful wooden vessels!

Carlo in his element...

A few years ago they started constructing these anti-erosion fences in order to keep the sand from blowing away. So far so good. the square of bamboo sheltered many native grasses and wildflowers.

The coast of Calabria, mainland Italy


Father and son...two men who love the sea.

The sea and the sky were competing for the deepest blue!

Scirocco winds from Africa flatten the water and make for great swimming-in the summer. :)

Roadtrip to Verona due to ashcloud!

O.k. - the whole world hated the ash cloud...but for us it provided a very spontaneous weekend in Verona! Pics to come soon! The city of Romeo and Juliet is a jewel and we loved every minute..

Lunch at Carlo's aunt & uncle's house

For easter, we visited Carlo's family in Sicily and had some wonderful meals together.
It was good to see everybody again and share some time together.

Zio Salvo and his sister, zia Teresa

Zio Salvo & Ines

Ines and Stephania!

Just a few snapshots of a very yummy lunch with the little pockets of homemade thin flaky dough filled with anchovies, salad, cheese and tomatoes! Heavenly!!!! Zia Violetta slaved for two days to make it all!!! They are called "Pidoni"!!!
There were more people present but I guess we didn't take more pictures....

Marina, Ines, Stefania (with her belly showing!)

Antonio!