November 1, 2010
We had to get up before 5am to get ready to head to the airport. We were pretty efficient and headed out around 5:30, after saying our goodbyes to D. The ride to Catania was pretty quiet. It was, after all, the crack of dawn. B got us to the airport around 6:30. In other words, right on time. We got our boarding passes, checked our bags and held our breath. I don't know how we managed it, but we did not have to pay a dime (or a Euro) for the weight on our bags. With everything taken care of and plenty of time to kill, we found our gate and settled in for some waiting, trying to figure out how to spend the last of our Euros. Sam went for a walk to find something delicious and came back with a couple of sodas. We sat back and enjoyed our beverages, and I snapped a picture or two of Moosie. With still more time and Euros on our hands, Sam went off on another excursion. This time, he returned with snacks. I got to try the previously-mentioned Nutella Snack & Drink, and Sam had a croissant. My snack was yummy - crunchy breadsticks with Nutella for dipping. You really can't go wrong with Nutella! The orange drink that came with it was not as much of a hit.
After some more thumb-twiddling, it was time for our flight to board. This first flight went off without a hitch. In fact, it landed in Rome a little bit early. We were thrilled that on this stop in Rome, we wouldn't have to sprint through the entire airport. We took advantage of this fact by making our way to our next gate at a more leisurely pace. We got to the U.S. Airways counter to check in for our next flights, and things started going downhill. The lady at the counter asked for our boarding passes (which had our baggage claim numbers on them) from the previous flight. This is where poor Sam realized he must have dropped his somewhere. We searched everywhere, to no avail. Who would have thought you'd have to hang on to a boarding pass from a flight that already happened?? That had not been the case with any of our other previous flights. Oh well, lesson learned, I suppose. Thankfully, the lady at the counter was able to find all the information she needed.
After all that drama, we settled on the floor to wait for our flight. We still had a tiny amount of Euros left, so Sam set out in search of a snack. He came back empty-handed. Right at the designated time, we were asked to line up to board. The line took us to the center of the circular counter, and down a seemingly secret staircase. We found our seats, stowed our bags and prepared for the flight. We were right on schedule! Or were we?
After some sitting around, the captain announced that he had made several requests, and we were waiting for the push-off machine. I'm not sure how long that took, but eventually, we got in line at our runway. People were starting to get a little antsy, but after a while, the captain once again made an announcement. This time we were told that the tower was having us wait for a short while due to heavy rain and high winds. In about fifteen minutes or so, we'd be on our way. More time passed, and more people started getting twitchy. Another announcement came. We were cleared by the tower to take off, but we were about tenth in line, so it would take about twenty minutes before we would be up in the air. A wave of grumbling passed through the cabin, and people began milling around. The waiting was definitely getting old. The captain came on the P.A. and made yet another announcement. The wind had shifted, and we were getting redirected to another runway. We should be in the air in about twenty minutes. This time, passengers had chimed in on the "twenty minutes" part. When we got to our runway, we ended up even further back in line than before (even though we'd been told we would not lose our place). Boo. By that point, people were wandering around all over the place, as the poor flight crew tried, in vain, to enforce the "fasten seatbelt" order from the captain. I had been a good little traveler, with by belt fastened and my electronics turned off, so I don't know exactly how much time had elapsed. I do know that, all in all, we sat on the tarmac for about 2-3 hours. So frustrating!
Once we finally got up in the sky, the flight itself was pretty uneventful. Sam and I occupied ourselves with various activities, including watching the last Shrek movie, napping and eating. About halfway through the flight, we picked a most thrilling program to watch. Are you ready for this? It was a documentary on corn! We learned some stuff, took a break so I could stretch my legs, then learned some more stuff. It was truly exhilarating. We rounded out our viewing of in-flight selections with "Date Night." We were pleasantly surprised and quite entertained. Sadly, our screens turned off about ten minutes before the end because we were preparing to land. Finally! (For the record, we still haven't seen the end of the movie.)
As we touched down, we got one last announcement from our captain. Because of our delay in Rome, we would have to speak to an agent at the gate about our connections. It turns out, we missed our flight from Philadelphia to Sacramento by a mere thirty minutes. Sam was furious. Even more so when we received our boarding passes for our new flights. For the next morning! It was right around this time that I thanked my lucky stars for having the foresight to get subs for the following day. Without much other choice, we started our trek through the airport. First stop after claiming our luggage: customs. We had filled out a form on the plane, where we'd been told members of the same household could do a joint card. With this in hand, we found the shortest line, and approached the clerk. "Are you two married?" he asked. "No, but we live in the same household," we answered confidently. "You need separate forms," we're told. We tried to explain what we'd heard on the plane, but to no avail. In retrospect, I think the announcement had said family members in the same household. Darn it! So the customs guy sent us away to redo our forms, and then told us when we were done that we "need to approach the counter separately. I don't want any problems." I really enjoy being made to feel like a felon over a simple misunderstanding. Anyhow, we went through the process with our new forms n hand, and through another customs desk where they took said forms. All the while, my paranoia was rising, as one of our suitcases felt somewhat damp, and I had visions of red wine and glass all over our clothing.
After passing through all the necessary checkpoints, grumpy and exhausted, we got in line at the ticket counter. We would have gladly turned in our meal and hotel vouchers for an earlier flight. After waiting in line, there was pleading for flights to anywhere in our general vicinity (no Sacramento? We'll take Oakland, or SFO?). No luck Apparently, no flights leave for the West Coast after 6pm. So we set out for the shuttle and headed to our free room at the Hilton. First order of business upon checking in: checking for damage in the luggage. When I discovered that all our bottles of wine and various other liquids had survived, I immediately felt better. Sam jumped in the shower to try to relax a bit. Both of us feeling better, we grabbed our meal vouchers and headed downstairs for dinner...only to be informed that the restaurant was already closed. Thankfully, the adjacent sports bar was open and served food. We were seated at a table in the center, surrounded by large flat screens, playing an array of sporting events (including the World Series, I believe). I ordered a much needed glass of wine, and we both dove into some yummy cheesesteaks. The sandwiches were pretty big, and I barely go through half of mine before calling it a night.
With bellies full, and feeling much less grumpy, we returned to our room, reassembled our luggage and went to bed.
November 2, 2010
Our last day of travel began with a 5am wake-up call. We dragged ourselves out of bed, packed up and checked out, with a few minutes to spare before our shuttle arrived. We partook in some of the free coffee in the lobby while we waited. The shuttle came and got us to the airport with no incident. The airport was quiet that early in the morning and we didn't have to wait very long to check into our flights. Once again, I held my breath as they weighed our luggage, and again, no fees. Whew!
At the security checkpoint, Sam and I both had our carry-on bags searched. My dude seemed at least mildly amused by Moosie's presence in my suitcase, and buckled her in before sending me on my way. Sam's bag got x-rayed again after being searched, then searched again. Apparently, one of the souvenirs was raising eyebrows. We were finally permitted to go and made our way to the gate. We were pretty exhausted at this point, so we sat quietly, with smart phones in hand, catching up on the last two weeks.
Our flight started boarding on time. We didn't have to be told twice to get to the gate, and were almost at the front of the line. Of course, being allowed to just board the plane at that point would have been too easy. There were TSA agents at the gate, and both of us had our bags searched again. Seriously??
We shared a row with a gentleman whose slumber we had to disturb a couple of times, due to our demanding bladders. We had some coffee, and after trying to get the fruit and cheese plate on multiple flights, we finally succeeded. I only mention this because Sam ended up with a cube of cheese in his coffee. After many poorly suppressed giggles,, he consumed both the coffee and the cheese. I probably would have cut my losses at that point, but he prevailed. Other than that, this particular flight was pretty uneventful.
We arrived in Phoenix on time, where we made our way over to our gate for the final flight. This was another relatively quiet wait. We had exit row seats, but discovered that we were in different zones for boarding. So odd. Anyhoo, they claimed this flight was on time, but we most definitely boarded about fifteen minutes late. Compared to everything else we'd dealt with on our journey home, this was not a particularly big deal. The boarding was relatively quick, and the flight was short and rather comfortable, since we had extra leg room in our row. We also had an empty seat next to us, which is always a plus.
An hour and some change later, we landed in Sacramento. And sat there. And sat some more. After some further sitting, the captain came on the P.A. We were at our gate, but the jetway wasn't extending. The captain said he had no communication with the crew on the ground, but said he could see them trying to get the silly thing to work. A little more sitting there took place, and still no luck. Finally, we were permitted to exit the plane through the back (of course this happened when our seats were close to the front!) and go down the moveable stairs. We found our way into the airport, found my dad, and claimed our (still fully in-tact!) luggage. It was time to pile into the car and head home. It had been amazing adventure, but it sure was nice to be back in our own abode.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Part 10: A Party, A Volcano, and a Feast
October 30, 2010
I'm sure D and B could have used some help getting ready for G's party, but they were kind enough to let us sleep in, instead. We took advantage of this opportunity, and leisurely got ready for the day's activities. When we finally made it downstairs, B had freshly made pancakes (from scratch) ready, with chocolate chips and banana. There was sausage too. A very tasty breakfast, indeed.
Shortly after we ate, D, who had been at the community center, returned and requested help in getting everything transported. We loaded up the car with food and drinks. Sam and D drove over, while B and I walked. I pushed the baby in his stroller, B took the grill for a stroll. Upon arrival, D asked me to deal with the decorations. I hung up the banner and farm animals and set up some stuff on the tables. People started showing up early, and everyone who was not already doing something was recruited to blow up balloons. I rediscovered that I hate this task. D's friend showed up with the cake. It was a truly magnificent barn, with all sorts of little farm creatures.
The party began, and from what I could tell, went off without a hitch. All the kids seemed to ave fun, the adults socialized, meat was grilled and consumed. While I did not get to try the cake (I just wasn't feeling the need for much sugar at that point), Sam and I did share a Rice Krispies tire from the tractor. There was also a pinata. The kids obliterated the poor little cow with a Nerf mace (a Sam and B special). The kids who were old enough for a blindfold wore a Jason mask with the eyes taped over (a B exclusive). G started opening presents. The first bag contained a soft rubber Tonka truck and some clothes...and that was the extent of the present-opening. G was so into the truck, no amount of persuasion from B could get him interested in the rest of the gifts. They were taken home with wrapping in tact, for later opening.
The party drew to a close and everyone stuck around to help clean up. On the way home, we reshuffled our roles. Sam walked back with B, G and the grill, and I rode with d and all the stuff. As soon as we got back to the house, the baby went down for a nap, and the rest of us worked together to get everything cleaned up and put away. The R's had made an appointment with a photographer that afternoon, to commemorate G's big day, so Sam and I had some quiet alone time while they were gone.
Dinner that night was a spread of leftovers from the party (ribs, coleslaw, beans) and sausages from the grill, which D had picked up from the market the day before. Once again, cleaning up was a team effort while G got his bath and went to bed.
Since it was Halloween weekend, there was a haunted house and stuff set up in the neighborhood. B had to go sell hot dogs at the event, which he was unbelievably thrilled about (by which I mean, completely bitter). Sam and I walked over with him and, being total children, decided to go on the haunted hayride. This was little more than a hayride, covered with a tarp, with some screaming children in the front. When they didn't get attacked by water balloons at one point (which they were expecting) they started chanting, "Water balloons!" which soon evolved into, "Candy! Water balloons!" It kept us entertained. When we got off the ride, we saw that B was still not fully engaged in hot dog selling, so we got some tickets for the haunted house. It consisted of several military tents linked together. There were strobe lights, fog and actors portraying all sorts of spooky characters. I interacted with a zombie (I think) and woofed at a werewolf. It was quite well done (the haunted house, not my woofing).
When we got out, B was still just supervising hot dog activities (and in all honesty, we didn't need to be eating at that point anyway), so we walked back to the house. D was spending some quiet time folding laundry. We popped in a movie ("Miss Pettigew Lives for a Day"), ate ice cream, and just relaxed for the rest of the evening.
October 31, 2010
We had requested a 7am wake-up call, because we needed to get an early start for our visit to Mount Etna. Morning rolled around, and we heard the usual household sounds - baby crying, dishes in the kitchen and other things of that nature. After sometime, I finally peeled myself from bed to go look at the clock. 7:38, it told me. Crap!! B must have forgotten to knock on our door. Or maybe we slept through it. Crappity crap crap crap! I flew around, trying to get ready. I took the fastest shower on earth then rushed Sam along to do the same. It was about 8:15 when we were both ready and made our way downstairs. (We were supposed to leave by 8am.) B was in the living room. He looked up from playing blocks with G and said, "You guys know it's 7:15, right?" Oops. We had totally forgotten that the time change had happened that night (one week earlier than the States). Since we had time to spare, we sat down to a light and simple breakfast of bread (from the excursion to the market on Friday) and butter.
Inspired by B's confidence ("If I go the right way, it should take about an hour to get there."), we embarked on our journey. We had to make a couple of detours first. Not all gas stations in Sicily are open on Sundays, so we set out in the opposite direction to get a tank of gas. We started heading toward our destination then, with another quick detour so that I could take a picture of an amusing road sign. At that point, we were all keeping an eye on the signs, as sometimes there can be easy to miss. The drive to Mt. Etna turned out quite well, actually. B made all the necessary turns and we made it there without much ado. Along the way, I took in the scenery one last time. At one point, when we had almost gotten to the touristy area, B pulled over. He wanted to show us a house that had been a casualty of the volcano. It was half-buried in lava rock and ash, but still accessible and surprisingly in tact. We climbed over the barricade and explored a tad. Sam stood on the roof briefly, and we all went inside to look around. After snapping a few photos, we got back on the road.
I couldn't help but notice the contrast in the landscape. The whole mountain was covered in black rock. But amongst the ash, there were lush tress with the most beautiful fall colors - bright yellows and oranges everywhere! We arrived at our destination, a smallish flat area with shops and things. This was relatively close to the summit, and we'd had no plans to go all the way to the top anyway. We didn't have time for that, and it was quickly getting foggy, so we wouldn't have been able to see anything up there anyway. (By the way, who heard that Mt. Etna erupted recently? So weird that we were there not that long ago.) This was our last chance for shopping, so we went from store to store, checking people off our list. It's amazing how many sculptures and things can be made out of lava rock. When everyone had been bought for, it was time to head back. Did I mention that one of the shops offered us samples of grapa and some sort of brittle? I partook in both. When we emerged from the shops, we couldn't even see down the mountain, the fog was so thick. It was quite chilly too. Great timing to head home.
We managed to make it home without getting lost and only encountering some minor traffic. We had a bit of down time before our next (and final) activity. B and G took advantage of this and took naps. Sam and I relaxed, and D worked on some chores. Around 12:45, D declared we should get ready to go. She went to wake up B, and apparently, startled him a bit. We heard an exclamation from the other room, and D came in saying B had jumped in her face. Anyway, I digress. It was agriturismo time!
So an agriturismo is when a family owns a large farm and turns part of it into a restaurant that serves their own goods. Except you don't get a menu and pick a dish. You go in and they bring you course after course of amazing fresh food. The meal lasts for hours, and is absolutely incredible! We drove over and parked amidst some olive trees. (We also saw the biggest, fattest worm I've ever encountered in my life. Gross!) We were seated right away and quickly realized the rest of the place was filled with a huge party of loud, happy Italians who were apparently celebrating a special occasion. Almost immediately, food started appearing on our table.
First came bread, wine, water and olive oil that had been pressed just five days earlier. And then began the appetizer course. This on its own could have been a full meal. It was similar to the lunch we'd had at our cooking class, but on a grander scale. There were countless fresh cheeses, salami, olives (which I did not partake in...turns out, even the freshest, most amazing specimens just don't appeal to me), sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables...so many things I can't even remember them all. After sampling a dozen delicious things, there was a short pause before the next course.
Pasta came next. Big, thick noodles with a tasty tomato-based sauce. This was followed by another pasta dish, which could have also passed for a very thick soup. The noodles were short and skinny. I couldn't begin to tell you what the sauce was. I just know that we were instructed to pour olive oil on it, it was vaguely sweet, and I enjoyed it. Throughout this course, B and D were in and out, taking turns entertaining the kid outside. Earlier they had occupied him with unopened birthday presents, left over from the previous day's party. B decided when the "non-course" of salad came out, that it was his turn for outdoor duty. The salad was very simple (and thankfully, small). Just some fresh greens with a light dressing. I believe it was at this point that Sam and I decided to take a little break (or was it after the meat course...?). We went outside, walked around a bit and enjoyed the beautiful view. After a few minutes, D joined us. She grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos of us.
The meat course came next, and just like the cooking class, this is about the point at which Sam and I slowed down. Not that things weren't delicious, there had just been a whole lot of eating already done. The dessert at the end of the meal was delicious! A nice slab of hazelnut cream. Have I mentioned that I am a true European and HEART all things hazelnut? Full or not, I devoured my serving. It was tempting to accept D's, who declared that she does not enjoy nuts in her dessert, but I resisted. I had a bite or two, and let B have the rest. Coffee was being served to finish off this feast, but by then, B and D decided that it was time to get G home, so we paid our bill and departed. This was probably for the best, as I had been dealing with a headache throughout most of the meal, and it was getting progressively worse, despite taking meds.
When we got home, it was just about time for trick-or-treating to start. I curled up on the couch upstairs and hid my face in a cushion while Sam and D passed out candy (B had left on an errand as soon as we got back from the agriturismo). However, when I heard that the first kids were Belle and a Redskins player, I decided to tough it out and see what other cuteness came to the door. I think my favorite was Mario, complete with a belly. I sat on the porch with my companions, helped pass out treat bags, and walked G around the driveway. We even discussed making one last gelato run.
As the day wound down, so did my headache, and the candy supply, so we went inside. By this time, B had made it back home, but was preparing to leave again for a second night of hot dog sales at the Halloween festivities. With him being gone, G sleeping, and everyone still so full they could burst, the final gelato stop never happened. Oh well, it was probably for the best. Sam settled in for some football and I prepared my luggage, wondering how in the world we were going to get our many fragile ("...must be Italian...") and liquid-filled items home. I definitely stalled on the packing for a while, but eventually had to start.
D, who is apparently prepared for anything, supplied us with some bubble wrap, which proved super helpful. I got everything packed up and secured, as did Sam. Fitting everything in our luggage wasn't a problem. I was mainly concerned with the massive weight overages we would surely have to pay. Also the fact that we had several bottles of red wine that would ruin our wardrobes if my packing was not good enough.
Knowing that our flight the next morning was pretty early, I took my last shower in Sicily. (By the way, the R's have the best shower door. Even though it's only a small stall, the door has three sliding panels, with tight seals in between. Totally fabulous! And fantastic water pressure too!) And that pretty much sums up our last day on vacation.
P.S. - How I was able to fit into my pants after this trip, I will never know!
I'm sure D and B could have used some help getting ready for G's party, but they were kind enough to let us sleep in, instead. We took advantage of this opportunity, and leisurely got ready for the day's activities. When we finally made it downstairs, B had freshly made pancakes (from scratch) ready, with chocolate chips and banana. There was sausage too. A very tasty breakfast, indeed.
Shortly after we ate, D, who had been at the community center, returned and requested help in getting everything transported. We loaded up the car with food and drinks. Sam and D drove over, while B and I walked. I pushed the baby in his stroller, B took the grill for a stroll. Upon arrival, D asked me to deal with the decorations. I hung up the banner and farm animals and set up some stuff on the tables. People started showing up early, and everyone who was not already doing something was recruited to blow up balloons. I rediscovered that I hate this task. D's friend showed up with the cake. It was a truly magnificent barn, with all sorts of little farm creatures.
The party began, and from what I could tell, went off without a hitch. All the kids seemed to ave fun, the adults socialized, meat was grilled and consumed. While I did not get to try the cake (I just wasn't feeling the need for much sugar at that point), Sam and I did share a Rice Krispies tire from the tractor. There was also a pinata. The kids obliterated the poor little cow with a Nerf mace (a Sam and B special). The kids who were old enough for a blindfold wore a Jason mask with the eyes taped over (a B exclusive). G started opening presents. The first bag contained a soft rubber Tonka truck and some clothes...and that was the extent of the present-opening. G was so into the truck, no amount of persuasion from B could get him interested in the rest of the gifts. They were taken home with wrapping in tact, for later opening.
The party drew to a close and everyone stuck around to help clean up. On the way home, we reshuffled our roles. Sam walked back with B, G and the grill, and I rode with d and all the stuff. As soon as we got back to the house, the baby went down for a nap, and the rest of us worked together to get everything cleaned up and put away. The R's had made an appointment with a photographer that afternoon, to commemorate G's big day, so Sam and I had some quiet alone time while they were gone.
Dinner that night was a spread of leftovers from the party (ribs, coleslaw, beans) and sausages from the grill, which D had picked up from the market the day before. Once again, cleaning up was a team effort while G got his bath and went to bed.
Since it was Halloween weekend, there was a haunted house and stuff set up in the neighborhood. B had to go sell hot dogs at the event, which he was unbelievably thrilled about (by which I mean, completely bitter). Sam and I walked over with him and, being total children, decided to go on the haunted hayride. This was little more than a hayride, covered with a tarp, with some screaming children in the front. When they didn't get attacked by water balloons at one point (which they were expecting) they started chanting, "Water balloons!" which soon evolved into, "Candy! Water balloons!" It kept us entertained. When we got off the ride, we saw that B was still not fully engaged in hot dog selling, so we got some tickets for the haunted house. It consisted of several military tents linked together. There were strobe lights, fog and actors portraying all sorts of spooky characters. I interacted with a zombie (I think) and woofed at a werewolf. It was quite well done (the haunted house, not my woofing).
When we got out, B was still just supervising hot dog activities (and in all honesty, we didn't need to be eating at that point anyway), so we walked back to the house. D was spending some quiet time folding laundry. We popped in a movie ("Miss Pettigew Lives for a Day"), ate ice cream, and just relaxed for the rest of the evening.
October 31, 2010
We had requested a 7am wake-up call, because we needed to get an early start for our visit to Mount Etna. Morning rolled around, and we heard the usual household sounds - baby crying, dishes in the kitchen and other things of that nature. After sometime, I finally peeled myself from bed to go look at the clock. 7:38, it told me. Crap!! B must have forgotten to knock on our door. Or maybe we slept through it. Crappity crap crap crap! I flew around, trying to get ready. I took the fastest shower on earth then rushed Sam along to do the same. It was about 8:15 when we were both ready and made our way downstairs. (We were supposed to leave by 8am.) B was in the living room. He looked up from playing blocks with G and said, "You guys know it's 7:15, right?" Oops. We had totally forgotten that the time change had happened that night (one week earlier than the States). Since we had time to spare, we sat down to a light and simple breakfast of bread (from the excursion to the market on Friday) and butter.
Inspired by B's confidence ("If I go the right way, it should take about an hour to get there."), we embarked on our journey. We had to make a couple of detours first. Not all gas stations in Sicily are open on Sundays, so we set out in the opposite direction to get a tank of gas. We started heading toward our destination then, with another quick detour so that I could take a picture of an amusing road sign. At that point, we were all keeping an eye on the signs, as sometimes there can be easy to miss. The drive to Mt. Etna turned out quite well, actually. B made all the necessary turns and we made it there without much ado. Along the way, I took in the scenery one last time. At one point, when we had almost gotten to the touristy area, B pulled over. He wanted to show us a house that had been a casualty of the volcano. It was half-buried in lava rock and ash, but still accessible and surprisingly in tact. We climbed over the barricade and explored a tad. Sam stood on the roof briefly, and we all went inside to look around. After snapping a few photos, we got back on the road.
I couldn't help but notice the contrast in the landscape. The whole mountain was covered in black rock. But amongst the ash, there were lush tress with the most beautiful fall colors - bright yellows and oranges everywhere! We arrived at our destination, a smallish flat area with shops and things. This was relatively close to the summit, and we'd had no plans to go all the way to the top anyway. We didn't have time for that, and it was quickly getting foggy, so we wouldn't have been able to see anything up there anyway. (By the way, who heard that Mt. Etna erupted recently? So weird that we were there not that long ago.) This was our last chance for shopping, so we went from store to store, checking people off our list. It's amazing how many sculptures and things can be made out of lava rock. When everyone had been bought for, it was time to head back. Did I mention that one of the shops offered us samples of grapa and some sort of brittle? I partook in both. When we emerged from the shops, we couldn't even see down the mountain, the fog was so thick. It was quite chilly too. Great timing to head home.
We managed to make it home without getting lost and only encountering some minor traffic. We had a bit of down time before our next (and final) activity. B and G took advantage of this and took naps. Sam and I relaxed, and D worked on some chores. Around 12:45, D declared we should get ready to go. She went to wake up B, and apparently, startled him a bit. We heard an exclamation from the other room, and D came in saying B had jumped in her face. Anyway, I digress. It was agriturismo time!
So an agriturismo is when a family owns a large farm and turns part of it into a restaurant that serves their own goods. Except you don't get a menu and pick a dish. You go in and they bring you course after course of amazing fresh food. The meal lasts for hours, and is absolutely incredible! We drove over and parked amidst some olive trees. (We also saw the biggest, fattest worm I've ever encountered in my life. Gross!) We were seated right away and quickly realized the rest of the place was filled with a huge party of loud, happy Italians who were apparently celebrating a special occasion. Almost immediately, food started appearing on our table.
First came bread, wine, water and olive oil that had been pressed just five days earlier. And then began the appetizer course. This on its own could have been a full meal. It was similar to the lunch we'd had at our cooking class, but on a grander scale. There were countless fresh cheeses, salami, olives (which I did not partake in...turns out, even the freshest, most amazing specimens just don't appeal to me), sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables...so many things I can't even remember them all. After sampling a dozen delicious things, there was a short pause before the next course.
Pasta came next. Big, thick noodles with a tasty tomato-based sauce. This was followed by another pasta dish, which could have also passed for a very thick soup. The noodles were short and skinny. I couldn't begin to tell you what the sauce was. I just know that we were instructed to pour olive oil on it, it was vaguely sweet, and I enjoyed it. Throughout this course, B and D were in and out, taking turns entertaining the kid outside. Earlier they had occupied him with unopened birthday presents, left over from the previous day's party. B decided when the "non-course" of salad came out, that it was his turn for outdoor duty. The salad was very simple (and thankfully, small). Just some fresh greens with a light dressing. I believe it was at this point that Sam and I decided to take a little break (or was it after the meat course...?). We went outside, walked around a bit and enjoyed the beautiful view. After a few minutes, D joined us. She grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos of us.
The meat course came next, and just like the cooking class, this is about the point at which Sam and I slowed down. Not that things weren't delicious, there had just been a whole lot of eating already done. The dessert at the end of the meal was delicious! A nice slab of hazelnut cream. Have I mentioned that I am a true European and HEART all things hazelnut? Full or not, I devoured my serving. It was tempting to accept D's, who declared that she does not enjoy nuts in her dessert, but I resisted. I had a bite or two, and let B have the rest. Coffee was being served to finish off this feast, but by then, B and D decided that it was time to get G home, so we paid our bill and departed. This was probably for the best, as I had been dealing with a headache throughout most of the meal, and it was getting progressively worse, despite taking meds.
When we got home, it was just about time for trick-or-treating to start. I curled up on the couch upstairs and hid my face in a cushion while Sam and D passed out candy (B had left on an errand as soon as we got back from the agriturismo). However, when I heard that the first kids were Belle and a Redskins player, I decided to tough it out and see what other cuteness came to the door. I think my favorite was Mario, complete with a belly. I sat on the porch with my companions, helped pass out treat bags, and walked G around the driveway. We even discussed making one last gelato run.
As the day wound down, so did my headache, and the candy supply, so we went inside. By this time, B had made it back home, but was preparing to leave again for a second night of hot dog sales at the Halloween festivities. With him being gone, G sleeping, and everyone still so full they could burst, the final gelato stop never happened. Oh well, it was probably for the best. Sam settled in for some football and I prepared my luggage, wondering how in the world we were going to get our many fragile ("...must be Italian...") and liquid-filled items home. I definitely stalled on the packing for a while, but eventually had to start.
D, who is apparently prepared for anything, supplied us with some bubble wrap, which proved super helpful. I got everything packed up and secured, as did Sam. Fitting everything in our luggage wasn't a problem. I was mainly concerned with the massive weight overages we would surely have to pay. Also the fact that we had several bottles of red wine that would ruin our wardrobes if my packing was not good enough.
Knowing that our flight the next morning was pretty early, I took my last shower in Sicily. (By the way, the R's have the best shower door. Even though it's only a small stall, the door has three sliding panels, with tight seals in between. Totally fabulous! And fantastic water pressure too!) And that pretty much sums up our last day on vacation.
P.S. - How I was able to fit into my pants after this trip, I will never know!
Part 9: Catania
October 29. 2010
This being one of our last days in Sicily, D had offered to take us into town to do some shopping and such. The plan was to head into Motta, but after we piled into the car and got on the road, Sam noticed the plan had changed. D was braving driving into Catania so that we could see a few other sites and shop (We were going to go to Catania the next morning with B, but it would have been quite a rushed trip.
We got into town with no incident, and only had to do a little driving around to find parking. We walked to the fresh fish market. It was madness. There were fish, shrimp, snails and all sorts of other edible sea creatures. This lead into the meat and produce market. The place was absolutely bustling. Vendors were showing off their goods, yelling out prices and trying to get everyone's attention.
The market was right next to Elephant Square, a large open area next to the cathedral, with a large elephant statue in the middle. Sitting at the base of the statue, there was a gentleman, playing the Godfather themem on his accordion. We were going to explore the cathedral, but there was a service going on, so we walked across the square to the pastry shop (which had been a goal for the day). Sam got a granita and I, a delicious-looking pastry piled with whipped cream, which I saved for later. We continued walking through the market, where we stopped by a tiny bread shop (dear lord! Did we ever stop eating on this trip??). We got a small loaf of crusty bread, a ring topped with sesame seeds, and a variety of rolls. The whole lot cost us 2.55 Euro (about $3-4). I felt like we made out like bandits.
As soon as we walked out of the shop, I tore into the bag of bready goodness (I assure you, I will never go on a low-carb diet). Some of the rolls were still warm! I took a bite of roll, and I'm pretty sure I heard music...perhaps heavenly choirs from above? This roll was soooo good, I accidentally stabbed Sam in the mouth trying to give him a bite. So we walked the streets of Catania, exploring, taking pictures and eating bread like the starving orphans in Aladdin. The other rolls we got were, in my opinion, even better than the first ones. (To this day, if Sam wants to instantly distract me and put me in a great mood, he tells me to think about the bread we ate in Catania.)
We stopped by a coffee shop, where we managed to order and pay for our capuccinos entirely in Italian. Woo!! We made it back to Elephant Square, and the service at the cathedral was over, so we went inside to look around and take pictures. After the cathedral, D informed us that we didn't have much time left before we had to head home. She was babysitting her friend's son that afternoon. So, Sam and I went into one of the shops and started picking out souvenirs and gifts for people on our list. D had opted to stay outside with G; too many breakable objects in the store for her comfort. When we emerged from the shop, she presented us each with a chocolate bar (citrus for me, pepper for Sam), and we walked to the car.
On the way home, we stopped at the base, where our hostess need to drop something off, and we all needed to get some cash for that evening. (I had attempted to do this earlier, but was not paying enough attention and ended up getting the wrong currency.) We rushed home soon after, and Corbin (the baby - just a couple of months younger than G - that D was babysitting) showed up soon after. It was an afternoon full of babies sleeping, eating, playing and (assisted) walking. In my case, there was also pastry consumption. I wanted to share my dessert with Sam, but we quickly discovered that it was soaked in alcohol (likely rum) and, therefore, off-limits to Sam. Speaking of food, lunch on this day consisted of yummy, yummy bread and the past we had made at our cooking class the day before. Unfortunately, the noodle had stuck together during storage, but were still very tasty. In conclusion, our first pasta-making experience had been mostly a success.
Eventually, B came home, Corbin left, and D recruited help to make preparations for G's birthday party the next day. Come to think of it, some of this started during G's nap a little earlier. I was on coleslaw duty, as well as beans. The guys were sent to the store. When they got back, duties were reassigned, and somehow, I ended up being the one to feed G his dinner, which was totally fine by me. When that was done, B and D gave him his bath and put him to bed. Mary (whom we had met at the cooking class and was a good friend of D's) came over with her family to babysit. The rest of us had big plans that night. It was finally agriturismo time!
We drove over to the place, buzzed in at the gate and pulled into a completely dark and empty parking area. The kind gentleman in charge of the establishment led us into an empty reception room. Somehow, with his lack of English and our lack of Italian, we figured out there had been a miscommunication. We thought we had reservations for that evening, but it turned out, they were closed. The poor frazzled man tried desperately to get us to reschedule, but we had to be on our way. D tried calling the other agriturismos they had been to before, but they could not fit us in that night.
We ended up driving to Motta to have dinner at Donna Fortuna, a restaurant the R's enjoy. The meal started out with the most welcoming staff in the universe. When we got to our table, we were served a champagne-like cocktail. The guys, thinking they were hilarious, started pushing all the glasses toward me, a la mango liqueur in Germany. Their plan was foiled, however, because D was partaking in drinks this time. We had two glasses each of the light, refreshing beverage.
B, feeling particularly American, ordered his favorite - pizza with hot dogs and fries - and a Coke. D had grilled swordfish (very good), Sam had penne with four cheeses (super good), and I had tortellini, served with peas, peppers and mushrooms (delicious!). Let's not forget, there was fresh bread served with dinner.
When we were done (and trust me, every morsel was eaten), even though we were all quite full, we went for gelato. Don't judge! We were only a few doors down from the gelateria from the day before. It would have been silly not to go. This time, I had peach and hazelnut. Another yummy excursion! And so, another day in Sicily came to a close.
This being one of our last days in Sicily, D had offered to take us into town to do some shopping and such. The plan was to head into Motta, but after we piled into the car and got on the road, Sam noticed the plan had changed. D was braving driving into Catania so that we could see a few other sites and shop (We were going to go to Catania the next morning with B, but it would have been quite a rushed trip.
We got into town with no incident, and only had to do a little driving around to find parking. We walked to the fresh fish market. It was madness. There were fish, shrimp, snails and all sorts of other edible sea creatures. This lead into the meat and produce market. The place was absolutely bustling. Vendors were showing off their goods, yelling out prices and trying to get everyone's attention.
The market was right next to Elephant Square, a large open area next to the cathedral, with a large elephant statue in the middle. Sitting at the base of the statue, there was a gentleman, playing the Godfather themem on his accordion. We were going to explore the cathedral, but there was a service going on, so we walked across the square to the pastry shop (which had been a goal for the day). Sam got a granita and I, a delicious-looking pastry piled with whipped cream, which I saved for later. We continued walking through the market, where we stopped by a tiny bread shop (dear lord! Did we ever stop eating on this trip??). We got a small loaf of crusty bread, a ring topped with sesame seeds, and a variety of rolls. The whole lot cost us 2.55 Euro (about $3-4). I felt like we made out like bandits.
As soon as we walked out of the shop, I tore into the bag of bready goodness (I assure you, I will never go on a low-carb diet). Some of the rolls were still warm! I took a bite of roll, and I'm pretty sure I heard music...perhaps heavenly choirs from above? This roll was soooo good, I accidentally stabbed Sam in the mouth trying to give him a bite. So we walked the streets of Catania, exploring, taking pictures and eating bread like the starving orphans in Aladdin. The other rolls we got were, in my opinion, even better than the first ones. (To this day, if Sam wants to instantly distract me and put me in a great mood, he tells me to think about the bread we ate in Catania.)
We stopped by a coffee shop, where we managed to order and pay for our capuccinos entirely in Italian. Woo!! We made it back to Elephant Square, and the service at the cathedral was over, so we went inside to look around and take pictures. After the cathedral, D informed us that we didn't have much time left before we had to head home. She was babysitting her friend's son that afternoon. So, Sam and I went into one of the shops and started picking out souvenirs and gifts for people on our list. D had opted to stay outside with G; too many breakable objects in the store for her comfort. When we emerged from the shop, she presented us each with a chocolate bar (citrus for me, pepper for Sam), and we walked to the car.
On the way home, we stopped at the base, where our hostess need to drop something off, and we all needed to get some cash for that evening. (I had attempted to do this earlier, but was not paying enough attention and ended up getting the wrong currency.) We rushed home soon after, and Corbin (the baby - just a couple of months younger than G - that D was babysitting) showed up soon after. It was an afternoon full of babies sleeping, eating, playing and (assisted) walking. In my case, there was also pastry consumption. I wanted to share my dessert with Sam, but we quickly discovered that it was soaked in alcohol (likely rum) and, therefore, off-limits to Sam. Speaking of food, lunch on this day consisted of yummy, yummy bread and the past we had made at our cooking class the day before. Unfortunately, the noodle had stuck together during storage, but were still very tasty. In conclusion, our first pasta-making experience had been mostly a success.
Eventually, B came home, Corbin left, and D recruited help to make preparations for G's birthday party the next day. Come to think of it, some of this started during G's nap a little earlier. I was on coleslaw duty, as well as beans. The guys were sent to the store. When they got back, duties were reassigned, and somehow, I ended up being the one to feed G his dinner, which was totally fine by me. When that was done, B and D gave him his bath and put him to bed. Mary (whom we had met at the cooking class and was a good friend of D's) came over with her family to babysit. The rest of us had big plans that night. It was finally agriturismo time!
We drove over to the place, buzzed in at the gate and pulled into a completely dark and empty parking area. The kind gentleman in charge of the establishment led us into an empty reception room. Somehow, with his lack of English and our lack of Italian, we figured out there had been a miscommunication. We thought we had reservations for that evening, but it turned out, they were closed. The poor frazzled man tried desperately to get us to reschedule, but we had to be on our way. D tried calling the other agriturismos they had been to before, but they could not fit us in that night.
We ended up driving to Motta to have dinner at Donna Fortuna, a restaurant the R's enjoy. The meal started out with the most welcoming staff in the universe. When we got to our table, we were served a champagne-like cocktail. The guys, thinking they were hilarious, started pushing all the glasses toward me, a la mango liqueur in Germany. Their plan was foiled, however, because D was partaking in drinks this time. We had two glasses each of the light, refreshing beverage.
B, feeling particularly American, ordered his favorite - pizza with hot dogs and fries - and a Coke. D had grilled swordfish (very good), Sam had penne with four cheeses (super good), and I had tortellini, served with peas, peppers and mushrooms (delicious!). Let's not forget, there was fresh bread served with dinner.
When we were done (and trust me, every morsel was eaten), even though we were all quite full, we went for gelato. Don't judge! We were only a few doors down from the gelateria from the day before. It would have been silly not to go. This time, I had peach and hazelnut. Another yummy excursion! And so, another day in Sicily came to a close.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Part 8: Cooking Class
October 28, 2010
Yay for Thursday! D had signed us up for a cooking class. Now, the classes don't just take place at the base. Your group buses over to a predetermined location where you are sure to have a truly authentic experience. We got a somewhat early start, and D got us to the meeting spot with a little time to spare. We rode the bus for over an hour to get to a private farm that is in the process of becoming an agriturismo (more on that later).
A wonderful Italian woman taught us how to make pasta (cavaletti, I think). I'm not talking about tossing pasta in a pot and preparing it, mind you. We actually hand made every noodle. We got some other information from our guide from the base, Andrea. Then, it was time to eat. (We got to save the pasta we made to take home.) This lunch was quite a feast. But before I get into that, I almost forgot that upon our arrival, we were given a drink and asked to guess its contents. Sam nearly nearly got unintentionally tricked. Initially, Andrea told us the drink was non-alcoholic. Then he amended his statement with, "It only has a little bit of gin." It turned out to be a celery-based concoction. I'm not generally a fan of celery, but this was pretty tasty, and quite refreshing.
Anyway, back to lunch! It started out with a bunch of appetizers. Fresh cheeses, salami, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, bread and the best bruschetta I've ever had. OMG! The fresh ricotta cheese was also amazing! It was super delicious; super light and creamy. It was worlds away from the stuff you get at the store. Then came pasta, which was the same kind we had made, with two different sauces - pesto and pepperoni (note-in Italy, pepperoni refers to peppers, not the meat). I preferred the latter, though both were very tasty. Next came the meat. There were two types of sausages and some sort of roast. While these, like the rest of the meal, were very good, we were getting too stuffed to finish this course. Also at this point, there were some side dishes - a pepper and onion dish, fried up with breadcrumbs for added texture, some spinach patties, and another type of patty, whose contents I'm unsure of (perhaps egg and potato?). Toward the end of this course, they brought out a simple orange salad. Fresh, tart orange slices with green onions. As everyone sat there, completely stuffed, there came some homemade candy that was basically a hardened jam. Sam compared it to a chunk of Fruit Roll-Up. Throughout the meal, there was wine aplenty, made right there on the farm. They were selling it for dirt cheap, so we got a few bottles to bring home, both for us and as gifts. As the meal was wrapping up, everyone started picking at the centerpieces - lovely platters of perfect fresh fruit.
Finally, the time came to pay for this most scrumptious experience and make our way outside. And there, waiting for us, was a huge tray cannolis and little chocolate candies. Upon inquiry, we found out these chocolatey morsels were an invention of the chef's, and consisted of mascarpone, Nutella, biscotti and hazelnuts. They were heavenly! As we all stood around stuffing our faces and drinking espresso, our hosts brought out two huge baskets of fruit, encouraging us to take some home. Unable to consume another bite, we rolled ourselves to the bus and got on the road. I have to give our bus driver some major points for mad driving skills. He navigated the bus down streets so narrow, I would have been nervous to drive a car down them. The ride home was fairly uneventful, except for when we hit a bump and our butts cleared the seats by a few inches. Sam was cradling our bottles of wine at the time, and was a bit nervous.
D picked us up from the base and we went home. We spent some time digesting out feast and zoning out. It wasn't terribly long before D was fetching us for dinner (does the eating never stop in Sicily??). It was make-your-own panini night. We were still quite stuffed, and it was hard, but we persevered. We made it downstairs and shared a ham, pepper jack and avocado on ciabatta.
After a brief break, during which the baby got a bath, Sam, B and I went bowling. We were supposed to be joined by at least one other person, but they canceled. I started off with a strike, which was pretty awesome, but went downhill fast. Despite a few good shots, I scored in the high seventies for all three games. Both guys consistently scored over 100. I am a skilled bowler, no?
After bowling, we headed into Motta for some gelato. B took us to their (his and D's) favorite gelateria. I got Nutella and strawberry. YUM! The ridiculously tasty treat was a most spectacular way to wrap up the evening.
Yay for Thursday! D had signed us up for a cooking class. Now, the classes don't just take place at the base. Your group buses over to a predetermined location where you are sure to have a truly authentic experience. We got a somewhat early start, and D got us to the meeting spot with a little time to spare. We rode the bus for over an hour to get to a private farm that is in the process of becoming an agriturismo (more on that later).
A wonderful Italian woman taught us how to make pasta (cavaletti, I think). I'm not talking about tossing pasta in a pot and preparing it, mind you. We actually hand made every noodle. We got some other information from our guide from the base, Andrea. Then, it was time to eat. (We got to save the pasta we made to take home.) This lunch was quite a feast. But before I get into that, I almost forgot that upon our arrival, we were given a drink and asked to guess its contents. Sam nearly nearly got unintentionally tricked. Initially, Andrea told us the drink was non-alcoholic. Then he amended his statement with, "It only has a little bit of gin." It turned out to be a celery-based concoction. I'm not generally a fan of celery, but this was pretty tasty, and quite refreshing.
Anyway, back to lunch! It started out with a bunch of appetizers. Fresh cheeses, salami, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, bread and the best bruschetta I've ever had. OMG! The fresh ricotta cheese was also amazing! It was super delicious; super light and creamy. It was worlds away from the stuff you get at the store. Then came pasta, which was the same kind we had made, with two different sauces - pesto and pepperoni (note-in Italy, pepperoni refers to peppers, not the meat). I preferred the latter, though both were very tasty. Next came the meat. There were two types of sausages and some sort of roast. While these, like the rest of the meal, were very good, we were getting too stuffed to finish this course. Also at this point, there were some side dishes - a pepper and onion dish, fried up with breadcrumbs for added texture, some spinach patties, and another type of patty, whose contents I'm unsure of (perhaps egg and potato?). Toward the end of this course, they brought out a simple orange salad. Fresh, tart orange slices with green onions. As everyone sat there, completely stuffed, there came some homemade candy that was basically a hardened jam. Sam compared it to a chunk of Fruit Roll-Up. Throughout the meal, there was wine aplenty, made right there on the farm. They were selling it for dirt cheap, so we got a few bottles to bring home, both for us and as gifts. As the meal was wrapping up, everyone started picking at the centerpieces - lovely platters of perfect fresh fruit.
Finally, the time came to pay for this most scrumptious experience and make our way outside. And there, waiting for us, was a huge tray cannolis and little chocolate candies. Upon inquiry, we found out these chocolatey morsels were an invention of the chef's, and consisted of mascarpone, Nutella, biscotti and hazelnuts. They were heavenly! As we all stood around stuffing our faces and drinking espresso, our hosts brought out two huge baskets of fruit, encouraging us to take some home. Unable to consume another bite, we rolled ourselves to the bus and got on the road. I have to give our bus driver some major points for mad driving skills. He navigated the bus down streets so narrow, I would have been nervous to drive a car down them. The ride home was fairly uneventful, except for when we hit a bump and our butts cleared the seats by a few inches. Sam was cradling our bottles of wine at the time, and was a bit nervous.
D picked us up from the base and we went home. We spent some time digesting out feast and zoning out. It wasn't terribly long before D was fetching us for dinner (does the eating never stop in Sicily??). It was make-your-own panini night. We were still quite stuffed, and it was hard, but we persevered. We made it downstairs and shared a ham, pepper jack and avocado on ciabatta.
After a brief break, during which the baby got a bath, Sam, B and I went bowling. We were supposed to be joined by at least one other person, but they canceled. I started off with a strike, which was pretty awesome, but went downhill fast. Despite a few good shots, I scored in the high seventies for all three games. Both guys consistently scored over 100. I am a skilled bowler, no?
After bowling, we headed into Motta for some gelato. B took us to their (his and D's) favorite gelateria. I got Nutella and strawberry. YUM! The ridiculously tasty treat was a most spectacular way to wrap up the evening.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Part 7: Palermo and Monreale (kind of)
October 27, 2010
This is the day we decided to venture to the other side of the island. Our destinations: Palermo (the capital of Sicily) and Monreale. The hour and a half drive to Palermo was lovely. F decided to sleep, and there was much pretty scenery to admire as we went. Once we arrived, it was a whole different story. Sicilians (or maybe Europeans, in general) are absolutely nutty drivers. To them, traffic laws are merely suggestions. They pretty much go when and where they feel like, at whatever speed the feel like. This includes the people on Vespas. And the pedestrians aren't much better. For this reason, the streets of Palermo were essentially a free-for-all.
We were trying to follow a GPS to our destination, but because of the driving madness and some technological inaccuracy, ended up driving in circles for a while. Finally, after nearly being smooshed by a bus, we found a place to park and decided to walk the rest of the way. After we'd walked a short distance from the car, it began to rain. Naturally, this happened on the one and only day I had decided to leave my coat in the car. Oh well!
After some walking, and directions from kind strangers, we arrived at the Catacombe du Cappucini. While a little eerie to be walking through a cave of skeletons, this was very interesting. There were separate areas for different classes - professors, clergy, etc. There were babies too, which was sad. These catacombs are famous for one baby in particular, a little girl who died in 1920, but is still perfectly preserved.
By the time we came out, the rain had gotten a little heavier, and D and Sam both kindly offered me their sweaters. I chose to just deal with the rain, and Sam reminded me that the top I was wearing had a hood (haha, I knew that...), so that made things a little better. On the way back to the car, we stopped by a bread shop, where Sam got a crusty roll and I, a pastry. Both were delicious. I was in the back with G, and had to sneak bites while he wasn't looking so he wouldn't get cranky.
Our next stop was Monreale, where the plan was to go look at the cathedral. Crazy Sicilian roads and drivers struck again. We got to Monreale with relative ease. However, once in the center of the town, the roads were so incredibly narrow and hilly, it's a wonder cars fit there at all. Just about every street was about two car widths wide, with half of it taken up by parked vehicles. Many of these streets were (poorly marked) one ways. Others, without much more room, were intended for two-way traffic. Not surprisingly, many cars in that area were dented.
We drove around in circles, first looking for he cathedral, then trying to find parking. Poor D was getting extremely stressed. Sam and I would have offered to take over the driving for a while (though I admit, I probably would have had a heart attack trying to do so), but neither of us drives a stick (we should remedy that...). I believe the final straw for D was when she accidentally ended up going the wrong wan on a one-way street, and scraped her car backing up out of it. Although it may also have been when she was trying to drive uphill on the wet cobble stone and her tires were losing traction.... Either way, we gave up on the cathedral. I have to say though, that Monreale looked like a very pretty town.
We had intended to stop somewhere for lunch, but after all the driving drama, just headed straight home. I did my best to keep the baby entertained, and it was a quiet ride back to Sigonella. B had started on an early dinner before we got back, so it wasn't long after our return that we sat down to some salad, grilled meat and potatoes au gratin. The rest of the evening was quiet, with no special activities.
This is the day we decided to venture to the other side of the island. Our destinations: Palermo (the capital of Sicily) and Monreale. The hour and a half drive to Palermo was lovely. F decided to sleep, and there was much pretty scenery to admire as we went. Once we arrived, it was a whole different story. Sicilians (or maybe Europeans, in general) are absolutely nutty drivers. To them, traffic laws are merely suggestions. They pretty much go when and where they feel like, at whatever speed the feel like. This includes the people on Vespas. And the pedestrians aren't much better. For this reason, the streets of Palermo were essentially a free-for-all.
We were trying to follow a GPS to our destination, but because of the driving madness and some technological inaccuracy, ended up driving in circles for a while. Finally, after nearly being smooshed by a bus, we found a place to park and decided to walk the rest of the way. After we'd walked a short distance from the car, it began to rain. Naturally, this happened on the one and only day I had decided to leave my coat in the car. Oh well!
After some walking, and directions from kind strangers, we arrived at the Catacombe du Cappucini. While a little eerie to be walking through a cave of skeletons, this was very interesting. There were separate areas for different classes - professors, clergy, etc. There were babies too, which was sad. These catacombs are famous for one baby in particular, a little girl who died in 1920, but is still perfectly preserved.
By the time we came out, the rain had gotten a little heavier, and D and Sam both kindly offered me their sweaters. I chose to just deal with the rain, and Sam reminded me that the top I was wearing had a hood (haha, I knew that...), so that made things a little better. On the way back to the car, we stopped by a bread shop, where Sam got a crusty roll and I, a pastry. Both were delicious. I was in the back with G, and had to sneak bites while he wasn't looking so he wouldn't get cranky.
Our next stop was Monreale, where the plan was to go look at the cathedral. Crazy Sicilian roads and drivers struck again. We got to Monreale with relative ease. However, once in the center of the town, the roads were so incredibly narrow and hilly, it's a wonder cars fit there at all. Just about every street was about two car widths wide, with half of it taken up by parked vehicles. Many of these streets were (poorly marked) one ways. Others, without much more room, were intended for two-way traffic. Not surprisingly, many cars in that area were dented.
We drove around in circles, first looking for he cathedral, then trying to find parking. Poor D was getting extremely stressed. Sam and I would have offered to take over the driving for a while (though I admit, I probably would have had a heart attack trying to do so), but neither of us drives a stick (we should remedy that...). I believe the final straw for D was when she accidentally ended up going the wrong wan on a one-way street, and scraped her car backing up out of it. Although it may also have been when she was trying to drive uphill on the wet cobble stone and her tires were losing traction.... Either way, we gave up on the cathedral. I have to say though, that Monreale looked like a very pretty town.
We had intended to stop somewhere for lunch, but after all the driving drama, just headed straight home. I did my best to keep the baby entertained, and it was a quiet ride back to Sigonella. B had started on an early dinner before we got back, so it wasn't long after our return that we sat down to some salad, grilled meat and potatoes au gratin. The rest of the evening was quiet, with no special activities.
Part 6: Return to Sicily, Games and a Birthday
October 24, 2010
Even though our flight didn't take off from Munich until about 1pm, we decided to get a relatively early start. The R's knocked on our door around 8am for breakfast. Having eaten a large dinner, followed by munching on yummy German sausage the night before, Sam and I weren't up for another breakfast buffet. Instead, we helped B load up the car and stayed downstairs for some coffee. When we were all done, we checked out and piled into the car once more. Having grabbed the directions to the airport from the hotel, I got the coveted "warm butt" seat in the front, so I could navigate. Even though we managed not to get lost, some of the directions still had us feeling a tad confused.
We got to the airport with plenty of time and turned in the rental car. After some very minor wandering, we relaxed at the gate and watched G play with a water bottle and a pair of plastic forks. We took turns sitting at the gate and exploring. At one point, Sam and I grabbed some beverages - Lemon Bitter Schweppes and Mezzo Mix, an orange cola. Both were pretty tasty.
When boarding time arrived, an announcement informed us that there would be a slight delay due to a toilet issue on the plane. People were initially displeased, but the delay lasted all of five minutes, and boarding was super fast. Sadly, we were on Lufthansa instead of Air Malta for this flight. Still, while not as magical as our flight into Munich, the flight out was still quite pleasant. Sam, once again, played video games, and I, once again, worked on our journal. We were served a meal of half a ham sandwich and a small Mars bar (apparently, the European airlines can't couldn't stop feeding us!). The flight went smoothly, and B and D's friends picked us up from the airport in Catania, with no incident.
D needed some ingredients for dinner that night, so Sam and I joined her at the commissary, while B stayed home with G. D was on a mission and flew through the store, grabbing vegetables and shoving them at Sam and me. I really liked the produce system. You take your veggies to the scale, enter the code, and it prints out a label right there on the spot. After stocking up for dinner and the next day's game night, we rushed home.
We had D's famous meatloaf, which prompted her meeting B, and a yummy salad. After cleaning up from another tasty meal, Sam planted himself in front of the television for football. Yes, even halfway around the globe, he somehow manages to watch the game. B watched the game with him as he assembled G's birthday present. I alternated between hanging out with the boys and helping D make some really cute hamburger cookies. Overall, it was a pretty low-key night.
October 25, 2010
After our vacation within a vacation, Monday was a super low-key day. Sam and I got to sleep in a little bit, and then just hung out a bit. Since there was downtime, I to to working on our journal, and got a decent amount of writing done. Somewhere in the course of that time, Sam went from video games to uber nap. He was out for about three hours.
As the afternoon continued, D started preparations for that evening's game night. We both tried to help where we could. I don't recall what I contributed to the mix, but was put in charge of bacon-wrapped scallops, which turned out quite yummy. People started showing up around six. There was Chris and Crystal, Aubrey and Owen with their daughter Amelia, and Michelle and Rick, and their super polite daughter, Celeste.
The dining room filled with everyone, enjoying tasty hors d'oeuvres and good conversation. When bellies were content, we split into two groups - a larger one in the dining room engaged in a rowdy game of Pit, and a smaller one in the living room playing Smarty Party. Sam and I were in the smaller group, introducing people to the aforementioned Smarty Party, as we had been the ones to buy it for the R's. Sam may or may not have exclaimed, "There's a game in the other room that involves rubber pants!" After a full game and many laughs, our small group got to talking while the Pit crowd finished their game. It should not come as a surprise that the conversation turned to Looney Tunes. As this most serious discussion was taking place, Celeste (the super polite child) came to ask Rick a question. He said to her sternly, "Don't interrupt. I'm talking to adults right now." I totally LOLed and pointed out how hilarious it was that a child was being reprimanded for jumping into a conversation about cartoons. The others laughed with me, and Rick piped up, "Okay, now back to Daffy Duck..."
Eventually, the Pit game finished (not before B snuck a bear into the deck and confused Chris like whoa!), and some of the crowd dispersed. Those of us that were left played another round of Smarty Party, introducing a few more people to the game. The night wound down after that, with some discussion of traditional Sicilian foods.
October 26, 2010
Tuesday was G's first birthday. He started his celebration by eating waffles while Sam and I snoozed. When we arose, D proposed a trip to the local mall, so we could get some of our shopping done, and she could get G some winter coats.
Etnapolis wasn't much different from any American mall. It was smaller, but definitely similar. One thing I thought was brilliant was the inclined moving sidewalk, instead of an escalator. This made navigating with the stroller much simpler. Anyhow, our first stop was the toy store, where we spent more time than a bunch of adults should, looking for just the right items for a couple of people on our shopping list. After some general wandering, and after D found some coats for the baby, we started to head out. But not before stopping at the Illy cafe for some traditional grub. We had some paninis and arancinis (filled and fried rice balls). D took G outside while Sam and I chowed down, where to proceeded to rearrange some chairs.
When we got back to the house, it was time to work on birthday dinner stuff. Even though I'd never made one before in my life, I was put in charge of the banana cream pie. Thankfully, the recipe was super easy and I was able to produce an acceptable birthday dessert. Dinner that night consisted of enchiladas and tacos, plus the pie. Chris and Crystal joined us to celebrate the baby's special day.
After dinner, the guests went home, G got a bath and went to bed, and the rest of us played Smarty Party once more.
Even though our flight didn't take off from Munich until about 1pm, we decided to get a relatively early start. The R's knocked on our door around 8am for breakfast. Having eaten a large dinner, followed by munching on yummy German sausage the night before, Sam and I weren't up for another breakfast buffet. Instead, we helped B load up the car and stayed downstairs for some coffee. When we were all done, we checked out and piled into the car once more. Having grabbed the directions to the airport from the hotel, I got the coveted "warm butt" seat in the front, so I could navigate. Even though we managed not to get lost, some of the directions still had us feeling a tad confused.
We got to the airport with plenty of time and turned in the rental car. After some very minor wandering, we relaxed at the gate and watched G play with a water bottle and a pair of plastic forks. We took turns sitting at the gate and exploring. At one point, Sam and I grabbed some beverages - Lemon Bitter Schweppes and Mezzo Mix, an orange cola. Both were pretty tasty.
When boarding time arrived, an announcement informed us that there would be a slight delay due to a toilet issue on the plane. People were initially displeased, but the delay lasted all of five minutes, and boarding was super fast. Sadly, we were on Lufthansa instead of Air Malta for this flight. Still, while not as magical as our flight into Munich, the flight out was still quite pleasant. Sam, once again, played video games, and I, once again, worked on our journal. We were served a meal of half a ham sandwich and a small Mars bar (apparently, the European airlines can't couldn't stop feeding us!). The flight went smoothly, and B and D's friends picked us up from the airport in Catania, with no incident.
D needed some ingredients for dinner that night, so Sam and I joined her at the commissary, while B stayed home with G. D was on a mission and flew through the store, grabbing vegetables and shoving them at Sam and me. I really liked the produce system. You take your veggies to the scale, enter the code, and it prints out a label right there on the spot. After stocking up for dinner and the next day's game night, we rushed home.
We had D's famous meatloaf, which prompted her meeting B, and a yummy salad. After cleaning up from another tasty meal, Sam planted himself in front of the television for football. Yes, even halfway around the globe, he somehow manages to watch the game. B watched the game with him as he assembled G's birthday present. I alternated between hanging out with the boys and helping D make some really cute hamburger cookies. Overall, it was a pretty low-key night.
October 25, 2010
After our vacation within a vacation, Monday was a super low-key day. Sam and I got to sleep in a little bit, and then just hung out a bit. Since there was downtime, I to to working on our journal, and got a decent amount of writing done. Somewhere in the course of that time, Sam went from video games to uber nap. He was out for about three hours.
As the afternoon continued, D started preparations for that evening's game night. We both tried to help where we could. I don't recall what I contributed to the mix, but was put in charge of bacon-wrapped scallops, which turned out quite yummy. People started showing up around six. There was Chris and Crystal, Aubrey and Owen with their daughter Amelia, and Michelle and Rick, and their super polite daughter, Celeste.
The dining room filled with everyone, enjoying tasty hors d'oeuvres and good conversation. When bellies were content, we split into two groups - a larger one in the dining room engaged in a rowdy game of Pit, and a smaller one in the living room playing Smarty Party. Sam and I were in the smaller group, introducing people to the aforementioned Smarty Party, as we had been the ones to buy it for the R's. Sam may or may not have exclaimed, "There's a game in the other room that involves rubber pants!" After a full game and many laughs, our small group got to talking while the Pit crowd finished their game. It should not come as a surprise that the conversation turned to Looney Tunes. As this most serious discussion was taking place, Celeste (the super polite child) came to ask Rick a question. He said to her sternly, "Don't interrupt. I'm talking to adults right now." I totally LOLed and pointed out how hilarious it was that a child was being reprimanded for jumping into a conversation about cartoons. The others laughed with me, and Rick piped up, "Okay, now back to Daffy Duck..."
Eventually, the Pit game finished (not before B snuck a bear into the deck and confused Chris like whoa!), and some of the crowd dispersed. Those of us that were left played another round of Smarty Party, introducing a few more people to the game. The night wound down after that, with some discussion of traditional Sicilian foods.
October 26, 2010
Tuesday was G's first birthday. He started his celebration by eating waffles while Sam and I snoozed. When we arose, D proposed a trip to the local mall, so we could get some of our shopping done, and she could get G some winter coats.
Etnapolis wasn't much different from any American mall. It was smaller, but definitely similar. One thing I thought was brilliant was the inclined moving sidewalk, instead of an escalator. This made navigating with the stroller much simpler. Anyhow, our first stop was the toy store, where we spent more time than a bunch of adults should, looking for just the right items for a couple of people on our shopping list. After some general wandering, and after D found some coats for the baby, we started to head out. But not before stopping at the Illy cafe for some traditional grub. We had some paninis and arancinis (filled and fried rice balls). D took G outside while Sam and I chowed down, where to proceeded to rearrange some chairs.
When we got back to the house, it was time to work on birthday dinner stuff. Even though I'd never made one before in my life, I was put in charge of the banana cream pie. Thankfully, the recipe was super easy and I was able to produce an acceptable birthday dessert. Dinner that night consisted of enchiladas and tacos, plus the pie. Chris and Crystal joined us to celebrate the baby's special day.
After dinner, the guests went home, G got a bath and went to bed, and the rest of us played Smarty Party once more.
Part 5: Germany, Day 3 (The Proposal!)
October 23, 2010 <3
Another early morning, made even earlier by a misunderstanding. Sam and I had both been under the impression that B had said we should meet for breakfast at 6:30. I dragged myself out of bed at 5am, and Sam was up not long after. As I was finishing up getting ready, Sam went over to the R's room and knocked on the door...and accidentally woke up G. Oopsies!! He came back, and we waited until the R's came to us. We went down to the breakfast buffet together and lounged around until our bus came at 8:20.
Off we went to tour some local highlights. We had a fabulous tour guide who was very knowledgeable about the local history, and had a sense of humor, to boot. I, sadly, did not catch her name. I do know that our driver's name was Hienz.
Anyhow, I digress. Our first stop was a wood carving shop. This held a wealth of hand-carved delights, and more stein purchasing occurred. Our tour guide gave a demonstration of how "little smokers" worked, as well as telling us some interesting tidbits about them and nutcrackers. I had been persuaded into bringing Moosidora on this particular journey, and the nice lady behind the counter complimented me on my furry friend.
We loaded back onto the bus and proceeded to our next stop, a church that was home to a statue believed to work miracles. It had started out in a woman's home, then a tiny chapel, and finally ended up in said church. There was a service going on when we arrived, so obviously we could not go exploring right away. Right next to the church was a small cafe that made fresh donuts, which our tour guide informed us were so good, "it's a sin not to try them." Not wanting to go to hell over a pastry, we tried the donuts. They were, as promised, divine. After our tasty treat, it was okay to tour the church. As we approached it, we encountered a rooster that had snuck out of pen. Its buddies, along with some little goats, were still behind the fence. One of the first things we saw upon finally entering the church was a black cat slinking our from between the pews. We were clearly in an animal-friendly community.
The church itself was beautiful, with lots of intricate artwork. We didn't have much time before we had to be back on the bus, so we walked through, taking lots of photos. I got a prayer candle for my mom on our way out, and we were on the road again, this time to our final destination and the highlight of the journey - Neuschwanstein Castle.
The structure was commissioned and inhabited by King Ludwig II, who hated royal life and was a bit of a recluse. The castle was under construction for seventeen years, but never finished. On our tour, we were only shown the finished parts, including the indoor cave. This was probably the room that stands out most in my mind. However, it didn't quite beat out the fact that Neuschwanstein Castly was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. Love!!!
After the tour, we were all a little tired and cold, but our tour guide had informed us that just a short walk away, there was a bridge that had the best view of the castle and made for the best photos. This could not be passed up, so we trudged along in the cold. When we got to the bridge, the view was totally worth it! The castle looked absolutely gorgeous and many pictures were taken. I was wrapped up in my surroundings and not paying much attention as Sam started digging around in his pockets. I was out of the corner of my eye that he had pulled out some silly stuff, including a spider ring. He handed the ring to D (it was a remnant of her trip to San Francisco several years back) and said, "This one's for her." After a pause, he added, "And this one is for you." I was still only barely paying attention, and assumed he was handing something to the baby. And then I turned and really looked at him. He was standing there, holding a box with a perfect diamond ring. With the "Cinderella Castle" in the background, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! With all the daydreaming in the world, I could not have asked for a more perfect proposal. And by now, you all know I said yes!
It was then time to start heading back down the mountain. On our walk down, in the tradition of funny pictures, I took a photo in a beaver hat. D asked us if we could go on ahead, since we were now on a bit of a time crunch. We agreed, but must have taken a slight detour, because we into the restaurant where we were having lunch at the same time as the R's. We ordered some traditional Bavarian fare and scarfed it all down in ten minutes flat, barely finishing before we had to get on the bus to head back to Edelweiss. There were no stops on the way back, just beautiful scenery, more history a brief drive into Austria and some singing from Heinz, our driver.
Upon getting back, we went to our rooms for a brief rest. We had decided, in advance, to keep dinner simple that night, and met up a short while later to dead downstairs to Zuggy's, a burger and pizza place. The service was pretty slow, and D and B were highly peeved, D opting to take G upstairs before her food came. Burgers and pizza finally arrived, and those of us that were left at the table consumed our meals. I offered up the last of my sliders to the guys, but was turned down. However, when we got up to leave and B saw there was still a mini burger on my plate, he grabbed it and walked through the lobby of the lodge, chomping away on it. Since D had been on her own with the baby for a while, B brought her food upstairs. She promptly grabbed it and came to our room to eat and play Bananagrams, while G slept.
After that, and watching bits and pieces of "Angels and Demons" and "Nacho Libre" (surprisingly funny!), it was time to turn in for our last night in Germany. Before going to bed, we had decided it would be better if the R's came to our room the next morning, to avoid further accidental baby awakenings.
Another early morning, made even earlier by a misunderstanding. Sam and I had both been under the impression that B had said we should meet for breakfast at 6:30. I dragged myself out of bed at 5am, and Sam was up not long after. As I was finishing up getting ready, Sam went over to the R's room and knocked on the door...and accidentally woke up G. Oopsies!! He came back, and we waited until the R's came to us. We went down to the breakfast buffet together and lounged around until our bus came at 8:20.
Off we went to tour some local highlights. We had a fabulous tour guide who was very knowledgeable about the local history, and had a sense of humor, to boot. I, sadly, did not catch her name. I do know that our driver's name was Hienz.
Anyhow, I digress. Our first stop was a wood carving shop. This held a wealth of hand-carved delights, and more stein purchasing occurred. Our tour guide gave a demonstration of how "little smokers" worked, as well as telling us some interesting tidbits about them and nutcrackers. I had been persuaded into bringing Moosidora on this particular journey, and the nice lady behind the counter complimented me on my furry friend.
We loaded back onto the bus and proceeded to our next stop, a church that was home to a statue believed to work miracles. It had started out in a woman's home, then a tiny chapel, and finally ended up in said church. There was a service going on when we arrived, so obviously we could not go exploring right away. Right next to the church was a small cafe that made fresh donuts, which our tour guide informed us were so good, "it's a sin not to try them." Not wanting to go to hell over a pastry, we tried the donuts. They were, as promised, divine. After our tasty treat, it was okay to tour the church. As we approached it, we encountered a rooster that had snuck out of pen. Its buddies, along with some little goats, were still behind the fence. One of the first things we saw upon finally entering the church was a black cat slinking our from between the pews. We were clearly in an animal-friendly community.
The church itself was beautiful, with lots of intricate artwork. We didn't have much time before we had to be back on the bus, so we walked through, taking lots of photos. I got a prayer candle for my mom on our way out, and we were on the road again, this time to our final destination and the highlight of the journey - Neuschwanstein Castle.
The structure was commissioned and inhabited by King Ludwig II, who hated royal life and was a bit of a recluse. The castle was under construction for seventeen years, but never finished. On our tour, we were only shown the finished parts, including the indoor cave. This was probably the room that stands out most in my mind. However, it didn't quite beat out the fact that Neuschwanstein Castly was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. Love!!!
After the tour, we were all a little tired and cold, but our tour guide had informed us that just a short walk away, there was a bridge that had the best view of the castle and made for the best photos. This could not be passed up, so we trudged along in the cold. When we got to the bridge, the view was totally worth it! The castle looked absolutely gorgeous and many pictures were taken. I was wrapped up in my surroundings and not paying much attention as Sam started digging around in his pockets. I was out of the corner of my eye that he had pulled out some silly stuff, including a spider ring. He handed the ring to D (it was a remnant of her trip to San Francisco several years back) and said, "This one's for her." After a pause, he added, "And this one is for you." I was still only barely paying attention, and assumed he was handing something to the baby. And then I turned and really looked at him. He was standing there, holding a box with a perfect diamond ring. With the "Cinderella Castle" in the background, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! With all the daydreaming in the world, I could not have asked for a more perfect proposal. And by now, you all know I said yes!
It was then time to start heading back down the mountain. On our walk down, in the tradition of funny pictures, I took a photo in a beaver hat. D asked us if we could go on ahead, since we were now on a bit of a time crunch. We agreed, but must have taken a slight detour, because we into the restaurant where we were having lunch at the same time as the R's. We ordered some traditional Bavarian fare and scarfed it all down in ten minutes flat, barely finishing before we had to get on the bus to head back to Edelweiss. There were no stops on the way back, just beautiful scenery, more history a brief drive into Austria and some singing from Heinz, our driver.
Upon getting back, we went to our rooms for a brief rest. We had decided, in advance, to keep dinner simple that night, and met up a short while later to dead downstairs to Zuggy's, a burger and pizza place. The service was pretty slow, and D and B were highly peeved, D opting to take G upstairs before her food came. Burgers and pizza finally arrived, and those of us that were left at the table consumed our meals. I offered up the last of my sliders to the guys, but was turned down. However, when we got up to leave and B saw there was still a mini burger on my plate, he grabbed it and walked through the lobby of the lodge, chomping away on it. Since D had been on her own with the baby for a while, B brought her food upstairs. She promptly grabbed it and came to our room to eat and play Bananagrams, while G slept.
After that, and watching bits and pieces of "Angels and Demons" and "Nacho Libre" (surprisingly funny!), it was time to turn in for our last night in Germany. Before going to bed, we had decided it would be better if the R's came to our room the next morning, to avoid further accidental baby awakenings.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Part 4: Germany, Day 2
October 22, 2010
We had no particular plans for Friday, so there was no need for a morning alarm. Sam and I slept in a tad while the R's had an early breakfast. After some much needed rest, we headed down to the breakfast buffet. This was an abundance of traditional American fare, though I'm pretty sure the rolls were similar to the ones I ate as a kid, back in Poland.
Sam got an internet card, which he used to update his fantasy football team. It wasn't long after this that we met up with B and D to go exploring.
We headed into downtown Garmisch, and walked right into the middle of the market. All sorts of fresh yummies were available for sale, but we only got some sausages (delicious ones, I might add). We kept wandering and went into a Christmas shop, where I got a couple of lovely glass ornaments - a cottage (which made it all the way back to Sacramento unharmed, but then shattered in our living room before ever making it onto the tree) and a pickle (which luckily survived). We also stopped by a candy shop, where we were allowed to sample handmade chocolates. This may come as a shock, but...they were super yummy. I got some gingerbread-type cookies to share with everyone later.
It was then time for lunch. We went to a local cafe, where we blindly selected some sandwiches. I also had an ultra smooth cappuccino, and Sam decided to try a local beverage that had fresh ginger and lime, topped with sparkling water. The sandwiches, which contained ham, were very much enjoyed. Because there was extremely limited seating inside, we ended up having our lunch outside, despite the very nippy weather. Then, it was on to stein shopping. There was a little store across the street that had a vast selection of said drink receptacles at reasonable prices. We walked out with exactly one stein, and made our way back to the car. Bundled as much as our California wardrobes allowed, we went over to a local lake for a short hike.
There was a decent amount of snow on the ground, and snowball making ensued. Only one was thrown...by Sam...at me. He spent a large portion of the walk after that worried about the solid sphere of ice that was my snowball.
We were in the approximate vicinity of the 1936 Olympic park, and saw a couple of old bobsleds. I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to take pictures in them, but did anyway. We contemplated going to the bobsled museum, only to find that it's only open on Wednesdays 2-4pm. Cold fingers, noses and ears prompted our return to the lodge.
D headed to her room to put the baby down for a nap. The rest of us went downstairs, where we consumed hot beverages and played Phase 10. Many laughs were shared, and B took home the victory. The timing worked out perfectly, as the baby was well-rested by that point, and we could start getting ready for dinner.
Taj Mahal was the restaurant of choice for the evening, another recommendation from the front desk staff. As the name might imply, this was Indian cuisine. As had been the case with all our other European dining, the waiter was super nice, and very entertaining. We each selected a dish, which we then consumed family-style. There was a very spicy vindaloo, mango pork, a fish trio, simosas, and of course, naan, which came with a cucumber yogurt sauce that D and I delighted over. /As the meal was coming to an end, we decided to get some dessert. There was one whose description read, "A surprise for you." Naturally, that's the one we ordered. It had five or six different treats to sample, which I'm not sure I can remember (lychee fruit, mango cream, Indian ice, a "pouf ball," as Sam described it, and something else...). G had started getting antsy before dessert, so D had taken him for a walk. Only Sam, B and I were left when the check arrived, accompanied by complimentary mango liqueur. D, as I mentioned, was outside, B was driving and Sam doesn't drink, so all the little shot glasses ended up in front of me. Thanks for making me feel and look like a lush, guys! For the record, the liqueur was not at all strong and tasted like delicious, sweet juice.
We went back to the lodge after yet another successful meal, and headed to our respective rooms.
We had no particular plans for Friday, so there was no need for a morning alarm. Sam and I slept in a tad while the R's had an early breakfast. After some much needed rest, we headed down to the breakfast buffet. This was an abundance of traditional American fare, though I'm pretty sure the rolls were similar to the ones I ate as a kid, back in Poland.
Sam got an internet card, which he used to update his fantasy football team. It wasn't long after this that we met up with B and D to go exploring.
We headed into downtown Garmisch, and walked right into the middle of the market. All sorts of fresh yummies were available for sale, but we only got some sausages (delicious ones, I might add). We kept wandering and went into a Christmas shop, where I got a couple of lovely glass ornaments - a cottage (which made it all the way back to Sacramento unharmed, but then shattered in our living room before ever making it onto the tree) and a pickle (which luckily survived). We also stopped by a candy shop, where we were allowed to sample handmade chocolates. This may come as a shock, but...they were super yummy. I got some gingerbread-type cookies to share with everyone later.
It was then time for lunch. We went to a local cafe, where we blindly selected some sandwiches. I also had an ultra smooth cappuccino, and Sam decided to try a local beverage that had fresh ginger and lime, topped with sparkling water. The sandwiches, which contained ham, were very much enjoyed. Because there was extremely limited seating inside, we ended up having our lunch outside, despite the very nippy weather. Then, it was on to stein shopping. There was a little store across the street that had a vast selection of said drink receptacles at reasonable prices. We walked out with exactly one stein, and made our way back to the car. Bundled as much as our California wardrobes allowed, we went over to a local lake for a short hike.
There was a decent amount of snow on the ground, and snowball making ensued. Only one was thrown...by Sam...at me. He spent a large portion of the walk after that worried about the solid sphere of ice that was my snowball.
We were in the approximate vicinity of the 1936 Olympic park, and saw a couple of old bobsleds. I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to take pictures in them, but did anyway. We contemplated going to the bobsled museum, only to find that it's only open on Wednesdays 2-4pm. Cold fingers, noses and ears prompted our return to the lodge.
D headed to her room to put the baby down for a nap. The rest of us went downstairs, where we consumed hot beverages and played Phase 10. Many laughs were shared, and B took home the victory. The timing worked out perfectly, as the baby was well-rested by that point, and we could start getting ready for dinner.
Taj Mahal was the restaurant of choice for the evening, another recommendation from the front desk staff. As the name might imply, this was Indian cuisine. As had been the case with all our other European dining, the waiter was super nice, and very entertaining. We each selected a dish, which we then consumed family-style. There was a very spicy vindaloo, mango pork, a fish trio, simosas, and of course, naan, which came with a cucumber yogurt sauce that D and I delighted over. /As the meal was coming to an end, we decided to get some dessert. There was one whose description read, "A surprise for you." Naturally, that's the one we ordered. It had five or six different treats to sample, which I'm not sure I can remember (lychee fruit, mango cream, Indian ice, a "pouf ball," as Sam described it, and something else...). G had started getting antsy before dessert, so D had taken him for a walk. Only Sam, B and I were left when the check arrived, accompanied by complimentary mango liqueur. D, as I mentioned, was outside, B was driving and Sam doesn't drink, so all the little shot glasses ended up in front of me. Thanks for making me feel and look like a lush, guys! For the record, the liqueur was not at all strong and tasted like delicious, sweet juice.
We went back to the lodge after yet another successful meal, and headed to our respective rooms.
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