Friday, September 16, 2016

Boring post about holiday no. 1

We returned home at the beginning of this week after driving 2,783.4 miles, taking more than 715 photos, eating more Italian food than was probably good for us, failing to eat an ice cream every day (shock! horror!) and having not enough cuddles with new grandbaby. What would have been enough? Nothing.

GrandChild6/GrandSon4 is of course utterly eatable and delicious. And already is well versed in the Italian habit of eating out, having slept peacefully through a late Saturday evening restaurant meal and a long Sunday afternoon baptism feast. Not so hot at sleeping at night but, hey, that will come.

Now I could be really boring about our holiday but I'll try to sum it up in a few - well, maybe more than a few - selected photos.

We were staying in the Piemonte area between the foothills of the Alps and the Langhe, the area that produces Italy's most famous and expensive wine, Barolo, so our excursions took us up into the mountains and south into the vineyards, as well as into any number of quaint old towns and villages each with their own particular features. We were fortunate to have incredible weather for the whole of our time there with temperatures never dropping below the high 20s. Also fortunately both our bed & breakfast, Villa Laura, and the in-laws had their own pools so we were able to cool down when it got too much. Incidentally if you're planning a trip to the area I can't recommend Villa Laura enough.

Breakfast by the pool.
Vineyards in the Montfort d'Alba surrounds

Now that's what I call a sweet shop!

These cows were unusual: in Italy it seems to be that they tend to keep cows inside and dogs outside.

There were so many examples of trompe l'oeil everywhere that I began to struggle to differentiate.

By the time Husband had taken this photo the icy cold of the Alpine stream had spread up to my knees.
We were fortunate enough to spot a small group (herd?) of chamois deer.
Lago della ravina (possibly). Unfortunately there was a sign forbidding swimming but it was very tempting. (I can say that now; at the time I thought the water was just a tad cold!)

And just because you have to leave a Welsh inuksuk (not authentic - Husband pointed out that the original ones we saw in Canada had two 'legs'.)
Frolicking in the fountain at Mondovi.

From La Morro (I think).
From the clock tower at La Morro.

La Morro.
This was in a nature reserve but it's in this area that they grow the hazelnuts for Nutella.














2 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Look forward to seeing more photos Liz . thanks for sharing this lovely part of Italy.

Leslie: said...

Beautiful area that I'd love to visit one day
Have been to the west coast down to the Amalfi Coast and to Tuscany but not to Venice or the north yet.