Stephanie & Jeff visit Italia!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Stephanie and Jeff arrived just in time for dinner at our favorite Sacile restaurant Cellini's Friday night. They had just finished their whirlwind Italian adventure-honeymoon that started Monday and ended in Sacile for a few days.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Evan had to work Saturday morning so we took an easy morning of breakfast and coffee and chatting and sleeping in and then got moving about an hour before reposo so Steph and Jeff could see our little area in Sacile. We stopped, not on purpose, only in places that served food of some sort--olives, cheese, chocolate, cookies, pies, candy--you name it, we tasted it and bought some to go. It was fun to walk around and leisurely see our little shops and then for Steph and Jeff to see that as soon as reposo hits (about 12:30 p.m.) we were quickly ushered out of shops or annoying glared at to leave. I wanted them to experience the Italian way.

After lunch and Evan getting home, we waited a few hours and then drove to Pordenone, the next biggest city to us, to walk around and spend a few more hours eating and drinking. First stop, a cafe for an afternoon cappucino.

We walked around a little more, went into a few shops, and watched the Italians make their way out of their homes since reposo was just beginning to be over. Next stop was prosecco and strawberries.

Steph and Jeff (if you know them well) enjoy action photos. Steph's strawberry had just fallen into her prosecco.

After an afternoon of eating and drinking, we went home for more of the same. We grilled that night but it was still too chilly and a little rainy to eat on the roof. This is one of the two bottles enjoyed that night. Good 'til the last drop.

This is one my favorite wines and I just had to have a sip.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Sunday morning we woke up to a yummy breakfast and got going to Slovenia. It was a dreary, rainy day, so visiting a castle inside a cave and an actual cave seemed like the perfect way to spend our time.

This is the Predjama Castle. You can see the advantage of being in a cave and being able to see whoever was going to invade you from miles away.

The crew before walking up to the castle.

From the castle windows, you can see the jousting area below and the viewing stands once occupied by the Kings of that era.

Most of the castle is within the confines of the cave. I believe it was 5-6 stories of rooms.

From the area behind me, you could view the torture chamber. We guess it was a little nook for this purpose.

And we all had our turn as we ducked out from the hole. Here is Steph.

And Evan.

Jeff's turn.

The view from the innermost point of the castle. In the bottom left of this picture, we think those are formed baths because the rocks were separated in a tub shape--about 3 of them.

One of the rooms with characters and what they might have done in this room--dined, used it as a spindle room, and the baby kept the mom company in her walker.

The torture chamber. We are standing at the mid-view point. There is another deck above us that is much larger and probably used for the royalty of the castle. We are also standing next, but couldn't photograph well, the stretching mechanism table--ouch!

Weapons used in battles.

Descending from inside the cave.

Now for some lunch before we head into another cave.

We spent the rest of the afternoon touring the Postojna Cave. The karst cave is the largest in Slovenia and the most toured cave in Europe. It is 27 km of tunnels and galleries. We descended into the cave on an electric train. We have just arrived at the touring site deep within the cave and several km underground.

A few of the thousands stalactites and stalagmites within the cave.

One of the galleries with a specific type of stalactite that I cannot remember the name.

This gallery is named the spaghetti gallery because all of the stalactites in this area resemble spaghetti.

It takes hundreds of years to form these massive geological wonders. The Pivka River is responsible for doing so.This is one of the most brilliant of formations. It is all white and resembles an ice cream cone. The picture just does not do it justice.

This formation is known as the organ.

A missing picture is the concert hall which holds up to 10,000 (supposedly) and has been the location of symphonies, concerts, and Christmas carol-parties in the past but are no longer hosted here. The air is too damp for the instruments.

Here we are leaving on our train. Before the electric train and lights were installed throughout the cave, only royalty could afford to visit. They would sit in modified train carseats and would be pushed to the innermost exploreable part of the cave. Can you imagine!?!

A shot of the Pivka River flowing.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Evan had to go to work. Jeff stayed home to work on a research project that he had extended just for his trip to Italy. So Steph and I took a day to visit Nove--the pottery place. We stopped in to see the Pewter Lady and then made it to VBC for Steph to get her fix of the place I have talked about since September. Here is her reaction--reenacted for photo purposes.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Evan went to work. Steph, Jeff, and I started out our day with coffee at our favorite little cafe. Then onto Aviano for their Tuesday market. Steph and I shopped and Jeff occupied himself by talking politics with shopowners and finding random and weird foods to eat. Then we went to base to eat lunch with Evan and tour base. Then we went home for a bit because it was reposo and we could not visit any wineries yet.

On the roof with a sort-of sunny day finally. This is my belly shot at 22 weeks.

Sister pic.

Now onto the wineries. This is out front of the Luciano Bessich winery.

Now to the Gelisi Antonio winery where you can see Steph and Jeff made themselves at home pouring their own tasting glasses.

Then we picked up Evan and made our way up the mountain to Pianca Vallo where there was still snow on the ground. On the way up and around the switchbacks, we see this guy. He was on ski-type rolling shoes with ski poles. Odd sight for the day.

We stopped at an overlook for a photo.

Favorite sister pic.

After many attempts, Evan finally took a normal photo with me.

Atop the mountain at the ski resort where Evan skis some weekends. Let the snowball fight begin!

And Steph gets one off the shoulder as Jeff reloads.Evan and me.

The crew in our final group shot of the trip.

Wednesday, Steph and Jeff spent the entire day in Venice touring the lace and glass islands. They made it home for dinner and finally met the Mowry's. Thursday, I sadly and reluctantly drove them to the airport to say our final Ciao until we see each other again.