Italy

How lovely to be back in Cavour. Viv's place is great and the kids have fun playing in the rooms, watching italian cartoons, and eating plenty of pasta both of their favorite dishes so we have happy children!


The view from the bedroom across a field of wheat.

Even though Sequoia didn't sleep the first couple of nights - and we discovered why yesterday - a new tooth - that makes three new teeth since leaving Sydney, once the tooth cut through she was much better. I think there are a couple more to come, her new ones are two molars and a front bottom tooth but the eye teeth look as if they are on their way as well.



We had a week of very unseasonal sunshine in Denmark - apparently it rains every second day there, and now we have a week of unseasonal rain here in Italy where it hardly ever rains at this time of year! But the weather isn't stopping us from exploring. Our first day we spent at home, playing and getting over the previous day's long hours of travel. So now Viv's house here has been hit by hurricane jasper and cyclone sequoia!



Jasper has made loads of Lego, including a wonderful airplane - his four year old birthday present from Viv. We ate and ate, Viv's great zucchini quiche, fresh mulberry cheese pie, salad and gorgonzola, smoked meats, and local chocolates. Then for dinner we had this wonderful fresh ravioli filled with cabbage and proscuito with a mince sauce.

Day two we walked into Cavour and bought Jasper some great gumboots which he has worn every day, splashing in puddles where ever he finds them.



We shopped for bread at the bakery, cheese, prosciuto, fresh local vegetables - zucchini still with their lovely flowers intact, every body was so lovely, Jasper was given sweets and merangues, and we are all practicing "caio" and "caio caio".

We went up to La Rocca to feed the cats and see the house.


Jasper opening the door with an amazing large old metal key.

Carlotta was pleased to see Viv but not so sure about Sequoia, I think she recognised competition to her feed bowl. The other three cats soon came to eat, all of them suspiciosly eyeing miss sequoia as she watched.



Viv and Sequoia looking across the landscape back into Cavour.


The kids had to try every bad they could find for jumping and rolling checks...





Sequoia discovered Luca's old books...



and Jasper discovered Luca's old guitar...



Viv and Jasper found an old version of Bimgo which we plan to play this week.



In the afternoon, after lunch (delicious again, isn't local food amazing, Sup would love this!), we set off to see Abbazia di Staffarda, staffardo abbey, a beautiful gothic church, monastery (no longer working) and farm still run by the order of the .


We had little handsets with translations to tour the ground which Jasper thoroughly enjoyed!



The church had an amazing gold alter which told stories of Christ and Mary in amazing details. While above and all around the walls were painted with bautiful frescoes.



For Jasper and Sequoia every part was a place to play and explore, they made up games and giggled themselves silly.



We finished off with Cappuccinos and sat out on the cobbled street by pots of Geraniums, just as the rain began, we were under the eaves and it was lovely to hear the bellowing bull and the warm heavy rain.

The long late spring days made us feel like exploring some more and we drove on to Saluzzo, planning to have a stroll if the rain stopped which it did.



The historic centre was set high on the hill with views across the valley - and on a clear day to the alps, which we haven't seen clearly yet - but we live in hope. The cobbled streets and stuccoed buildings were lovely and we saw an old stone church with great frescoes.


"Let's go this way"



Beautiful old roses grew up against the walls of softly coloured houses.



We walked down narrow streets which pitched down the hillside and tramped back up to the cars - great training for our next days walk!



Viv and Sequoia looking over the valley below.



We drove home for a late dinner of pasta pesto, great cheeses and fresh bread, we have also 'degusted' Viv's amazing veal rolled with sage and cheese, and three new types of cured meats, spinkled with olive oil and lemon juice.