Well, we didn’t run into Edward Cullen, Bella Swan or that creepy little girl that can induce pain in people’s mind (I suppose the world’s largest and most powerful coven of vampires was in hiding) during our visit to Volterra in Tuscany.
Now this is Tuscany!
For the Tibetan monk that has been living in isolation in Bhutan… and my sister, the only two people in the world that haven’t a clue who Edward or Bella are – I am making a playful reference to the Twilight Series. Buddhist monk and Michelle, listen up – the premise of the fictional story is simple. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy happens to be a blood-sucking vampire. Girl also falls in love with another boy. Boy happens to be a shape-shifting werewolf. Love triangle ensues. They all get in trouble when the Volturi (fictional Vampire royalty from the non-fictional town of Volterra, Italy) get involved. Giant battle rages. Extend story over five books. Produce six movies and collect hundreds of millions of non-fictional dollars. You know – your classic love story.
Julia reading in Volterra
Julia’s new pose while strolling
While we didn’t see any vampires (darn), we did find something better in Volterra. We found an amazing city with an incredible history and beauty worthy of a hundred stories – let alone a few blockbuster movies.
Street scene
A government building in the main piazza
In the main piazza
Torture museums are popular here
Jacob??
“Come take a load off”
Another street scene
Remains of Etruscan-Roman Acropolis
Rooftops
I call this… “lonely albero“
Love the roofline
About to break into a run
I love this little peanut
We were given the opportunity to see Volterra with a local, Beth – whom we had recently re-connected with via Facebook. We stayed with her family in their amazing farmhouse for a long weekend that began with a wonderful party you can read about HERE. The first day of we partook in the festivities of Festa della Liberazione. The next day, we woke up and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast in true Tuscan style – piano, piano (slowly). I drank my coffee in Beth’s amazing backyard and watched Julia play while soaking up the scenery.
Beth and her son Indi
Beth’s backyard… what a yard!!
I could spend all day soaking this up
After lunch, we ventured to Volterra and spent the day strolling through the wonderful city. I was particularly interested in the large castle, Medicean Fortress perched at the main gate of the city. We decided to visit the caste and include this large fortress among the many we plan to see this year. I was greeted at the gate (and then turned away) by an armed guard. That seemed odd. Then I noticed armed guards on the roof. And industrial-size surveillance cameras. Boy, these Italians take the preservation of their historical treasures seriously. Or maybe the Volturi do exist…
Medecian Fortress in Volterra – no vampires living here as far as we could tell
Beth told us that there was a prison in Volterra, but we all agreed that it didn’t seem to make sense to convert a 14th century landmark positioned in the center of a tourist town into a prison for hardened criminals. I just discovered (thank you internet) that we were wrong. The castle was converted into a high-security prison for criminals that are serving sentences longer than seven years. I have also learned another interesting fact about the prison – there is a restaurant inside that serves gourmet food. This was part of a rehabilitation project and has been highly publicized. The food is prepared and served by inmates and the restaurant is open to the public (provided you pass a security clearance, don’t mind eating with plastic silverware and have some stones of your own). I think I’ll have to make a reservation next time we visit – my kind of joint.
Another angle
One of the main city gates
The drive from Beth’s home to Volterra was simply amazing – we got to see some of the incredible Tuscan country-side. Beth explained that there are essentially “twelve colors of Tuscany” throughout the year. A painter had once told her that the look of Tuscany changes each month with the growth of new plants and flowers each month. We must have come during the most vibrant green month – because the scenery was just stunning.
Julia and Indi ready to go
Vibrant green hillside
Tuscany in spring is a dream
Incredible scenery
Couldn’t wait to make a panoramic photo
We picked up some cheese, salami and sott’olio (“under oils” which are a variety of vegetables stored in olive oil) and headed back for a late dinner. Andrea (Beth’s husband) arrived home just as we were setting out the food and we all ate and drank until we crawled into our beds.
The following day was particularly exciting for both me and Andrea. You see, Beth is a vegetarian and so he relishes any opportunity to cook meat. I happen to love meat and so a match was made in heaven. He was particularly excited to try a new lamb recipe and was particularly excited to be his guinea pig (having grown up loving lamb). The women prepared for the feast and tended to the children while the men asserted our male dominance and hunted for the meat…at the local grocery store. We were triumphant! Andrea set to work preparing the lamb and I was eager to assist him. I gathered some rosemary from the yard – and evidently snapped a living branch in the process. He casually brushed it off, as he had “only been growing that plant for three years”. I felt awful – they were kind enough to laugh. Andrea selected a great bottle of wine they had been saving for the right occasion. I took this to mean that they liked having us and we hadn’t yet worn out our welcome. The meal surpassed all my high expectations! But we made a critical mistake – eating that much meat had put us in a food coma. We needed grappa (Italian alcoholic drink used to aid in digestion) – stat! We drove to a local pasticceria (pastry shop) for some sweets and grappa. Eventually, day turned into night and we each fell into bed, sleeping quite soundly.
Andrea preparing the rosemary
Andrea was excited to make a meat dish
Baby swap – feeding the kids early
Beth shows Julia how to twirl like she’s “up in the club”
Andrea showcases his cooking skills and great taste in wine
Full-bodied, flavorful Tuscan wine
The table is set…
…with copious amounts of succulent meat…
…and the best roasted potatoes we’d ever had!
The gang’s all here
After lunch, Andrea played some music for the kids – both drums and guitar. He had an instant collection of groupies (I’m including Jen in that lot).
Andrea lays a beat
And has a collection of fans
Julia had to get in on the action
Somehow we had already arrived at Sunday and our magical weekend in Tuscany came to a close. We enjoyed our morning coffee and some of Beth’s homemade muffins (Jen borrowed the recipe) and hit the road. We had such a nice time with Andrea, Beth and their son Indi – we hope to host them in our home in Como soon.
Facebook is great for a lot of things. First of all, it’s a wonderful time killer. It is a spectacular medium for sharing funny videos about cats. The site is also great for shameless self-promotion of your unimportant blog (ahem). Facebook keeps me and Jen apprised of popular youtube videos and trending pop-culture stories we would have otherwise missed living in another country. But perhaps best of all – it helps reconnect people after many, many years.
This is how you “like” a post on Italian Facebook
This was recently the case when my wife re-connected with a high school friend of ours, now living in Tuscana (Tuscany). Beth traveled to Rome in 1999 to study abroad. There, she found her love and has been living in Italy ever since (to clarify, I mean a man – not just a love of the country). While they enjoyed living in Rome together, they eventually moved back to his hometown in Tuscany, a short distance from Pisa. It was here that Beth and Andrea started a family together with the birth of their son, Indi. We were thrilled we got to spend some time with them in their amazing home and had the opportunity to reconnect with Beth while getting to know Indi and Andrea (whom we both loved).
Beth and Indi
Beth’s “front yard”
Still in the front
More views from the front – ridiculous, I know!!
Jen and Beth had been exchanging Facebook messages about getting together (we’re roughly 3 hours apart) almost since we moved to Italy this past January. And then, the timing seemed to click perfectly. The 25th of April is Liberation Day in Italy. Festa della Liberazione is a holiday that marks the end of Mussolini’s Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945. Today, this holiday is celebrated with the closure of nearly all business, which affords the people a good reason to get together and do what Italians do best – eat wonderful food, drink amazing wine and trade passionate stories.
Congregating after lunch
As we soon discovered, Beth lives in an incredible 500 year old farmhouse and her neighbors were having a party for the holiday. There was to be a big lunch outdoors, with music, kids and plenty of wine. She invited us for lunch and extended the invitation through the long weekend. I don’t know anyone that would turn down such an amazing invitation – and we were no exception.
The farmhouse Beth and Andrea share (the building in back)
Their home
Another angle
Building used to store hay – now used for parties
The plan was to arrive just ahead of lunch – the real start of the party. It was to be a typical Italian lunch, with all the courses and dishes we love – but, quite literally Under The Tuscan Sun and with some regional favorites we were eager to try. I would not allow our typical tardiness out the front door get in the way of this epic meal. So, I fibbed and told Jen we needed to be on the road earlier than we really did. Then, I budgeted an extra 30 minutes for typical trip delays (over an hour buffer in total). If you know me, you’ll know this was the type of meal I would not want to miss!
Everything was going according to plan until we neared Milan some 40 minutes down the road. Traffic got a bit thicker. By the time we got on the Autostrada toward Tuscany, we were stuck in stand-still traffic, moving 0 km/hour. That converts to 0 mp/hour. I watched the GPS arrival time creep later and later. 11:30am turned into 12:00pm and before you knew it, 1:00pm. I tried a short cut that just added to the time. By noon (and an estimated arrival of 3:00pm) we sullenly threw in the towel. We pulled over and ate panini at the AutoGrill. I swear as the day is long – I’m getting depressed all over again just typing this. The sandwiches were good – but nothing like what we were missing. Thankfully, we kept our spirits high and pulled into Beth’s house by 3:30 (a seven hour trip).
The remnants of the meal we missed
Since everyone had eaten, we jumped right into the party. Beth has some spectacular friends and we had a wonderful time. It came as no surprise that everyone was so warm and inviting. They talked to us as if we had been friends for 15 years and took to Julia as if they had watched her grow up. We drank wine, fresh mojitos and swayed to the beats of the DJ spinning outside. We spread our toes in the Tuscan grass and ate some fresh food off the grill.
Relaxing together
Julia loved playing with Indi
DJ spinning great music
My kind of speaker set-up
Part of the party
Say “formaggio!”
This nice kid fired up the grill for us
At one point, a big blue tractor showed up and it almost sounded like some of the male partygoers were arguing with the man driving the tractor. I recognized a few words and hand gestures usually only reserved for a type of heated debate. After a few minutes, the arguing died down and the guys walked with the tractor driver to the bar area to get a drink together, laughing like they were best friends. It didn’t seem to make any sense until Beth explained.
What’s this guy doing here?
The land we were on (including the farmhouse, all the structures and ten more homes nearby) belonged to the Marchese (Marquis). The Marchese is a man of noble decent who carries his title and rules his lands as if he were still in power. In reality, he has no more power than you or me. That is – if you or me had a noble bloodline, hundreds of acres in Tuscany, a mansion, dozens of employees and a several properties on our land. In 1948, the newly adopted constitution of Italy refused to recognize all noble titles (the Republic of Italy replaced the Kingdom of Italy in 1946). So, the Marchese (whom I was fascinated to learn loves the aristocratic pastime of hunting with dogs) “rules” his lands and everyone is just sort of happy to let him go on thinking it. He had “ordered” this man to drive up the hill in his tractor to tell us to lower the music. At home in the States, I can imagine a property manager (at the behest of the landlord) banging on someone’s front door to tell them to lower the music would be greeted with a bit of disdain. He would certainly not be invited in for a drink and food. But this is Italy. After a couple glasses of wine together, we lowered the music and the man drove back down the hill having successfully completed his task. But not before letting Julia drive his tractor – quite literally, he let her steer unaided for about 10 meters (until she almost put him into a field).
Only a small portion of the Marchese’s house can be seen here – it was huge
He let Julia drive
She was ready to GO!
After some time, we decided to go in and feed the kids and make a proper meal. Beth’s time in Italy was definitely evident, as she “whipped up” on the best pasta dishes we’ve had since arriving here. We paired with another wine and settled in for a relaxing weekend in Tuscany.
Dinner is about to be served – LOVED the charm in her home
Wonderful Tuscan dinner
Baby Indi munching on his mom’s wonderful cooking
More to come about this amazing weekend in Tuscany in a subsequent post…
Apparently I’m the only person in the world to forget that, “The Sound of Music” took place in Salzburg, Austria. I base this observation on the countless number of tour operators and tourists we observed visiting and posing at key movie locations. However, thanks to a quick iTunes movie download in the hotel, we were quickly singing our doe-ray-me’s along with the rest of the cheese balls.
Not only was this classic movie set and shot here, but a fairly famous musician was also born and raised in the city. Perhaps you’ve heard of him… Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salzburg is an amazing city filled with a rich history and jaw-dropping beauty. We left northern Italy for Austria on a whim two days prior. We continued riding that whim and drove further into Austria to see Salzburg on the suggestion of family. Since our expectations of the city were nonexistent, they were easy to surpass – but I would think this city could have easily leapt the most lofty of them all.
Julia taking in the sights
Since our first day in Salzburg was framed with an incredible visit to Hohenwerfen Castle (HERE), we didn’t arrive in the actual city until mid-afternoon. Having spent more than the anticipated amount of time at the castle, we had a lot of ground to make up. We walked down Linzer Gasse until we crossed over Staatsbrücke Brücke (State Bridge), one of the oldest in the city. The original bridge was built in 1090 and now the 10th incantation of this passage stands with a plaque commemorating the slave labour from Eastern Europe used to reconstruct it during WWII.
View from the Staatsbrücke Brücke
Landestheatre (Provincial Theatre)
We spent quite a bit of time walking through the Altstadt (Old Town), taking in the marvel of the city. My carefully planned itinerary seemed to constantly evolve as we made turn after turn based on our curiosity, rather than our plan of attack. We strolled past the birthplace of Mozart, but declined to pay the €35 admission (for all of us) to see some old violins. Sorry, Wolfgang… I’m still a fan.
Street view – Google, I’m available for free-lance
St. Blaise’s Church at the end of the shops
Mozart’s first “crib”… literally, he was born here
We next discovered the Pferdeschwemme (Horse Pond) – one of two remaining in the city where horses would go to get cleaned. In the middle stands a statue, Der Rossebändiger (horse whisperer), which is a bit of an inside joke unique to the city. Not sure I got the joke, but we did enjoy the spectacle.
The Horse Pond with the “funny” statue in the middle
The pond is carved directly into the face of a mountain
A better view of the horse’s entrance
At this point in our voyage we were at a critical crossroads. We could head northwest to the Augustinerkloster und Bräu (Monastery and Beer… a beer garden) for a brew and dinner. This would consume the remainder of our first of only two days. Or we could head southeast and continue further into the city. I wanted it all, but knew we had to chose. So we made the right choice – stay another night and do it all! We postponed the Beer Garden for the next day.
We were happy with our choice to stay another day
We walked along Hofstallgasee, passing by some incredible sights – and always with an eye upward at Festung Hohensalsburg (the Castle that sits overlooking the city).
Festung Hohensalsburg above the city
Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church)
A nice horse and buggy through the city would be fun
And the castle again
This path led us directly to St. Peter’s Abbey, one of the oldest monasteries in the German area. The abbey was formed in 696 by Saint Rupert. During medieval times, the monastery was known for its educational prowess. Adjacent to the monestary were catacombs that were carved into the face of the mountain, just next to the cemetery. St. Peter’s Cemetery was created at the time of Late Antiquity and therefore, older than the Abbey itself. The dead have been buried here for 1,300 years.
Welcome!
Inside the courtyard
The Abbey at Saint Peter’s
“Hey guys, let’s go!”
“I’m not waiting for you suckers, I’m off!”
“Are you coming?!”
The cemetery
Always time to stop…
…and smell the roses
Catacomb Chapel built directly into the face of the mountain
Private burial sites
“I love this place!”
After leaving the awe-inspiring Abbey, we stopped to watch a life-sized chess match in action in the Domplatz (plaza outside the Dom). One of the other spectators was nibbling on a giant pretzel and we had to get in on that action!
Check… and… mate!
Num-num-num!
Next up was the Dom of Salzburg, or Salzburg Cathedral. Today’s baroque style cathedral was finished in 1628 and replaces the original cathedral built on the site in 774. I’m sorry to admit, but most European cathedrals, while beautiful – do not particularly hold my attention. However, the Dom was different. My father-in law (Dominic) may say it’s because of the name – but I think perhaps the artwork and painting intrigued me a bit more. We barely got out before closing, and somehow I became the valet as 30 people exited through the surprisingly heavy door I was holding. Good thing I had eaten that pretzel for strength!
The Salzburg Dom
Allegoric figures representing an Angel, Devil, Wisdom and the Church
Jen lights a candle
Inside one of the domes
I promise – this door is as heavy as it looks
The day was winding down, and Julia needed to eat. OK… I needed to eat. We walked back toward the hotel and searched for a restaurant the concierge recommended, Das Stadtwirtshaus. Our German hadn’t improved since we first arrived in Austria and we couldn’t find the place. Instead, we found Altstadtheuriger-Bruderhof – a modern place that blended classic German cuisine with a contemporary style. The result was delightful. And Julia couldn’t have had any more fun!
“We’re eating weinerschnitzel?! Hahaha!”
“Daddy, you’re so funny…you said schnitzel!”
“BWHAHAHAHAHA!”
“Oh, did you want to sit here?!”
Clear beef soup with root vegetable and liver dumpling
Wienerschnitzel served with parsley potatoes
Baked breast of corn chicken
served with a creamy and lime flavored cucumbers and parsley potatoes
At the end of the day, we still hadn’t visited the castle overlooking the city, had a beer at the beer garden or seen any of the classic Sound of Music sights. Glad we had planned to stay an extra day – we would be busy waking up the hills with the sound of our music tomorrow!
I recently realized that our “Home Cooking” section of the blog was growing the slowest throughout the entire site. I’m only partly ashamed to admit that the one consistent about our trip is that we’ve been indulging in some of the most amazing food we’ve ever had. However, my OCD recently kicked in when I noticed all our food posts landed in the “Restaurant” or “Jen’s Kitchen” sections. So, in an effort to right this wrong… here is one very memorable home-cooked meal we hosted a little while ago.
Eugenio brought a wonderful Champagne
Jen has a warm and wonderful family, with whom we love spending time. Recently, her cousin Eugenio drove from Torino to spend time with us and get reacquainted with Julia. He brought his lovely girlfriend, Barbara as well.
But enough jabbering… this post is all about the food and drink!
Let’s pop this cork and get the party started!
The night Eugenio and Barbara arrived, we set out a light dinner – just some typical Italian antipasti to nibble on, as well as some regional snacks we all like to enjoy.
Eugenio brought the Champagne
I think we’re going to need a bigger table
Oh wait, there was a free corner – let’s fill it with food
The next day, we had Jen’s cousin Massimo and his beautiful family over for a proper meal.
Vitello (veil) roast from our local butcher…
…after a nice sear
Antipasti for our guests
Claudia and Eugenio horsing around
Wait – who hit who?! Love both their expressions
Jen made a delicious prima (first course) – pasta pomodoro
Yummy!
The secondo, our vitello (veil roast)
Alessandra (Massimo’s wife) made a beautiful torta
We picked up some chiacchiere
Eugenio got some additional pastries
Julia’s cousin Bea, enjoying her ice-cream
Julia stole a taste
Everyone was so stuffed we needed a break with some scotch
It’s not a party unless you serve a second dessert
It was a wonderful weekend filled with too many delicious treats. Hopefully you were able to enjoy as well.
Day three in Dublin brought no less excitement than either of the first two days. If you haven’t read about the first couple days and are interested in reading about this wonderful vacation in sequential order, you can read about Day One HERE and Day Two HERE.
Julia getting ready to go outside for some fun
We had booked a return from Dublin on Monday morning so that we could enjoy the famous Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and all the corresponding festivities on Sunday. We had heard for quite some time that the People’s Parade was a wonderful sight to behold and that we should arrive early. Fortunately, our hotel was directly along the parade route. Even more fortunate was that we were given a room with a direct view of the parade.
Street level action
View from the room
Jen continued to tell me from the moment we woke that we needed to be standing along the parade route early. Everything she read said that should stake our spot at 9:00am for a 12:00pm start. I was far less excited about standing dormant for three hours with a toddler. And I’m notoriously famous for playing the risky game of “see, I was right” (me) versus “I told you… you never listen” (her). I lost track of the score years ago, but I’m willing to bet I’m in the lead. Unfortunately, I lost a point in this round.
Julia got in her “pouch” to watch in comfort
I had convinced Jen that the light drizzle would delay people’s arrival. I also reassured her that our pivotal view of the route would allow us to descend from our room and claim a prime spot as soon as the crowd grew. My theory proved to have merit when I checked the window at 10:00am, only to see a few stragglers standing by the gates. Twenty minutes later, I glanced down again – not expecting much change. I was wrong. The first row was already full and a second row was filling up quickly. We rushed to adorn ourselves in green and headed down – just in time to sneak a 2nd/3rd row position (depending on which way the crowd was swaying).
Of course, we got dressed in green
Mixed into the crowd
This was the first year that the famous parade opened it’s gates to people from all around the world. 8,000 participants from Brazil to Finland, New York to Hong Kong created their own floats and costumes to symbolize the pride they had in their customs and traditions.
Dancers from Brazil
Stagecoach from Austria
Sweater?! From… Norway?? Canada??
We watched the parade from the street for about an hour – but soon decided a little sitting and Guinness should be on the menu. I took Julia to the room while Jen ordered a couple of pints from the hotel bar. We had a great view of the parade and with the space to spread out – Julia couldn’t help herself from dancing.
We were thrilled that we got to see the parade at street level, but I think we were all thankful that we were able to also watch from the room and still join in the festivities.
Julia watching from above
Cheers!!
Julia and her momma
Paddy’s Day gear
Hugging my Irish princess…
… and teaching her bad habits I’ll live to regret!
Just a small crowd
After the parade wrapped up, we walked across the street to the Temple Bar area for lunch and another pint. Not a good move on Saint Patrick’s Day. Temple Bar is the “party” district of Dublin and the atmosphere was that of 1,000 fraternity houses melded into one. We couldn’t find anywhere to eat and had to settle for the only quiet place we could find. A wonderful restaurant that served the exact type of food you want to eat when you’re in Ireland… Chinese food! It certainly wasn’t part of the plan (I would have happily eaten fish and chips for every meal) , but it worked out just fine.
Julia got a lollipop after her lunch
We walked for quite some time more and crossed the river toward the northern end of the city to get away from all the chaos and explore some new areas. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, but admittedly we longed a bit for the carefree fun of our youth – what with all the rebel rousing around us. We were just about to walk into the Brazen Head, Dublin’s oldest pub (est. 1198) when the line instantly tripled (one in one out).
The Brazen Head (est. 1198)
We continued on and found a quiet, out of the way pub. It certainly didn’t have the atmosphere we were looking for (it actually looked rather boring) – but we could rest assured no one would try to use Julia’s head as a coaster. By chance (or Irish luck), I decided to poke my head into one last pub as an alternative option. I came out with a grin from ear to ear. “Jen, come on! It’s a pub for kids!”
Our “Pub for Kids”
It really wasn’t a pub for kids… but the loud music we heard blasting was for a kids dance competition. And the candy they were passing around was for the kids. And the cider they were offering was for the kids. And everything else was for the adults! What a perfect place. It turns out, we found a locals pub and they were hosting a place for families to participate in the partying without having to leave the kids behind. Everyone was so sweet to Julia, she instantly made friends. We also made friends with a nice Irish lass, Victoria and her mother. We enjoyed talking to her, and pretended to understand her mother. Even though we spoke the same language – we were far apart in accents.
You have a baby…in a bar?!
Great juxtaposition, huh?!
“I think I’ll take some… CANDY!”
Happy family – I claimed their Irish blood for the day
Our friends
Our new friend, Victoria who was very sweet to Julia
We finished our final day in Dublin completely content with our trip. The only regret was not booking a ticket to stay longer in Ireland. We both eagerly agreed that we would happily come back to one of our new favorite cities.
About to get on a plane – no one told him Paddy’s Day was over
We arrived in Dublin on Friday with plenty of time to enjoy the day, which you can read about HERE. We woke up Saturday even more eager to get started after everything we had seen the day before. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of eggs, soda bread and black pudding (blood sausage) in our hotel’s restaurant. As Jen drank her fresh-squeezed orange juice, I poured over my cheesy, hyper-animated tourist map of the city. I came to two conclusions – animated graphics of tourist attractions are as helpful as pictures on a menu at Denny’s. That, and we were going to do a lot of walking!
A helpful reminder to Americans that they drive on the opposite side
I had a route strategically designed to maximize the enjoyment of our walking tour. I imagined the original architects of the city would be proud of my clairvoyant understanding of their intentions. But Jen had a different plan – she wanted to go to Merrion Square to scout a kids festival she had read about (a few miles due east of where I wanted to go). “Sure thing, honey – sounds perfect!!” Ladies and gentleman – I’m no rookie.
We departed from the hotel and walked along Nassau Street (no via‘s or strada‘s in Dublin) toward the 250 year old Merrion Square, largely considered one of the city’s finest parks. The city had set up the, Big Day Out which included street theatre, music, fun zones for kids, workshops, arts and crafts, etc. A perfect place for a family… if it were open. We had gotten a bit too early of a start and arrived ahead of the opening. I consulted my map and re-routed our course. Our primary destination – the Guinness Factory… with a few “pit-stops” along the way. You know, things of lesser importance such as the infamous St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin’s Castle. Only a few impressive, historical sights were in between me and my freshly brewed pint.
Walking west in the southern section of the city, we passed the back-side of Leinster House (currently the National Parliament Building) and then Department of the Taoiseach (the most impressive in a complex of Government Buildings), sights we took in through the gates along Merrion Street.
Department of the Taoiseach
Leinster House
We passed by St. Stephen’s Green and subsequently the St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, which houses the largest indoor clock in Europe (according to the advertisement on my map). While the building was beautiful and everyone loves a giant clock… it wasn’t enough of a draw to lure us inside.
St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
We crossed over South Great George Street, which houses the South City Market (also referred to as George’s Street Arcade). The Victorian-style indoor market was originally opened in 1876 and re-built as it stands today after a great fire in 1892.
South City Market -or- George’s Street Arcade
We arrived at St Patrick’s Cathedral early enough to enjoy some quality time before many of the other tourists arrived. In the year of it’s founding, 1191 – St. Patrick’s Cathedral was dedicated to the same Saint for which we now devote a day of drinking Guinness and dressing in green. The cathedral is Dublin’s second largest cathedral. Since there was no precedent for two cathedrals in one city – many believe it was built 100+ years after Christ Church Cathedral in order to replace the larger church just up the street. If that was the intent, they were unsuccessful in crushing the competition. They should have consulted Sam Walton’s Irish ancestors.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Julia, who had been kissed by a leprechaun
My Irish lassies
The sky was simply beautiful over the cathedral
By the time the crowds descended on St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we had departed toward the Viking/Medieval area to continue our tour. We arrived at Christ Church Cathedral just as a light drizzle cut through the otherwise strikingly blue sky we’d enjoyed all morning.
Christ Church Cathedral – the larger and older of the two
A perfect time for lunch – and as fortune would have it, a make-shift food market had been set up on the grounds of the church. An easy decision was made easier because we are always huge fans of vendor-food.
Vendors in front of the church
Kilts are back in fashion this spring
After lunch we stopped by Dublin Castle which was sadly, a bit disappointing. We have had grand visions of seeing many of Europe’s castles this year and this was to be our first “real” castle. What we didn’t know is that most of the original structure no longer stands – only one tower from medieval times remains and it is now attached to a much more modern government building. Oh well, there’s still time for more castles – I don’t suppose they’re going anywhere anytime soon.
Dublin Castle – what remains
We had made the perfect loop to put us in line with the Guinness Factory, or Guinness Storehouse as it’s called in Dublin – about two miles due west. We still didn’t know quite what to expect when we made the left onto Crane Street, except that we’d be in for a treat. The brewery-site was absolutely enormous and filled with Irish charm. Outside of Las Vegas, there’s only one other “candy store” for adults – and we had found it!
Turn left for fun
Want to increase your “cool factor” – stand here
I was a bit nervous when we saw the size of the line (our two-year old has many wonderful qualities, but patience is not one of them). I walked to the front and realized that was only the first leg – it wrapped around the building in a depressing right angle. I was slowly walking back to ask Jen the inevitable, “should we wait” when fortune stepped in and saved the day. A Storehouse employee saw us with our stroller and whisked us out of line and in through a back door. He escorted us to a special ticket counter and then directly into the Storehouse. Thank you, Mr. Guinness for mixing in customer service with your perfect balance of hops and barley.
Guinness St. Jame’s Gate – our VIP entrance
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone! The Guinness Storehouse is a single building in a larger campus of buildings designated for brewing. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for the property, so you can rest assured there will be many more pints to come. The Storehouse is a modern architectural dream, with glass and steel set around a museum, shop and multiple bars.
Just a portion of the enormous campus where Guinness is brewed
“I’m so excited, I could dance”
You start the tour in the atrium, at the bottom of the worlds largest glass pint (which, if full could hold 14.3 million pints of the delicious black brew). The tour winds it’s way up four of the seven stories in the building and then back down to the first floor.
Escalator to start the tour
Part of the giant pint
The Store to buy merchandise
The tour…
Hops grown in one of two parts of the world
Water is critical in the brewing proces
An old barrel used for aging
Old barrels now serve as a gate to a bar
Quote by Rupert Guinness
At the end of the tour, you can sample a free taste of Guinness. It was funny to watch people go back again and again and again. Although a bit awkward when we kept running into each other at the bar!
I heard more consecutive glasses break than ever before
Just a taste…
Then, with your paid admission – you are entitled to one free full pint of Guinness at any of the many bars of your choice. We chose the most popular, Gravity Bar at the top of the building. The Gravity Bar offers panoramic 365 degree views of the city. On a beautiful blue day like we had – we couldn’t get there fast enough.
Imagine the most amazing club you’ve ever been to – great music, tons of pretty faces, and a wonderful mood. Then add the best views of an incredible city and free Guinness… and you’ve got a proper image of Gravity Bar.
Gravity Bar overtop Dublin
The perfect pour…
…complete with shamrock…
…and a mate!
Only trouble… Julia didn’t quite get into the fun. Whether it was the loud music, the packed room or the gaggle of buzzed patrons that got a kick out of seeing a baby in a bar… she lost it and could not be consoled. We took our freshly poured pints and descended down to a quieter level to finish our drinks. Since it is our intention for this blog to one day serve as a journal for our travels… it is my hope that Julia reads this (many years from now) and knows the sacrifice we made for her!
Julia couldn’t be consoled
“Well, maybe just a sip will help”
“Why would you give me that?! I’m just a baby!”
Since we had so much fun walking and sightseeing, we decided a walk back to the hotel was not the proper way to put a punctuation mark on the end of our day. I flagged down a handsome cab and thought we would ride back in high fashion. Only thing… these horses were trained to run, not stroll! Julia loved having the wind push back her hair and even pretended to drive for a bit. Good thing she’d only had a little Guinness!!*
Riding that horse like a boss!
Julia’s view
The wind was blowing her hair back
“Who’s next? Only 20 quid!”
*No babies were harmed or really given any Guinness in the making of this post
We had exactly two trips pre-planned before we moved to Italy. One to Scotland with Jen’s family this coming June and the other; something way to good pass up… Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland! Jen suggested we participate in one of the largest parties in the world and I happily obliged. We booked a flight on a local carrier and headed to Dublin for a long weekend. I’m going to publish three separate posts dedicated to Dublin – too many stories and photos to fit all into one!
On our way to Dublin
We boarded our flight on Ryan Air from a small, regional airport. As it turns out Ryan Air (an Irish Airline) is simultaneously the coolest and the absolute worst airline on the planet. They offer low-cost airfare throughout Europe (great), but those flights are tricky to find and they nickel and dime you to death (not great). When you book your ticket, you have to navigate through 5 pages of extras that they try to trick you into buying (“would you like trip insurance for your goat?”). By the end, you’re too burned out to read their luggage policy and you might end up in a pickle like we did.
We arrived at the airport and were sent to a different counter because we hadn’t printed our boarding passes. €10 to print?? Err… OK, no biggie. That’s when I started to notice all the mini-luggage people were towing around (picture the novelty suitcase you would buy your 8 year-old). I glanced back at our behemoth US sized carry on bags and knew we were going to be in trouble. I didn’t even bother to try to cram it into the “your bag must fit in this cage” contraption and went to the desk to check them. AGENT: “Oh, you didn’t pre-check online? That will be €120″.
ME:“I’m sorry, I’m only on level one of Rosetta Stone – that sounds like you said one hundred and twenty euro’s for two carry-on bags?!!” AGENT: “Yes. That’s just for this leg of your flight” Gulp!
Jen and Julia boarding
With a €130 lighter jig in my step – we eagerly boarded the plane. The nickel and diming continued… “would you like water – €4″ (I’m not exaggerating). But also… “would you like lottery scratch offs and smokeless cigarettes for the flight?” Haha… hmmm, kind of cool. But I’m with my wife and baby, lady – no dice!
“Uhhh… sir, there’s a hole in the bottom of your plane!”
We departed the best/worst flight of our life and arrived in the center of Dublin. We were instantly taken with the cleanliness, beauty and charm of the city. We were going to enjoy this trip!! The forecast had called for rain, but yet the sun was shining as bright as all the red hair atop everyone’s heads.
We checked into our beautiful hotel, adjacent to one of the most popular parts of town – Temple Bar. Temple Bar houses street after street of wonderful pubs and restaurants. Admittedly, it may have been a location that suited us better 3 years ago (the partying can get a bit rowdy)… but it was still spectacular. On the other side of our hotel, we were flanked by Trinity College, one of the world’s top ranking universities established in 1592. When Julia asks, I’ll be sure to tell her that’s why I selected the site.
Our hotel
Temple Bar – too early for the crowds
Temple Bar pubs
Jameson and Guinness run this town
Enjoying Temple Bar
Temple Bar at night
We searched for a good pub to eat lunch and found the perfect place. Inside The Stags Head, the atmosphere was great, the Guinness was tremendous and the fish and chips were the best I’d ever had. Well, they’ve had over 100 years to get it right – The Stags Head was established in 1895. Julia loved the crowd she gained while feigning drinking her mom’s Guinness. We let her get close enough to get an adorable Guinness mustache.
The Stags Head est. 1895
Our first Guinness in Dublin
“Mommy, you’re so silly!”
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Oh, now I see… delicious!”
Our food was wonderful. Here are some pictures of what we enjoyed.
Cocktail sausages and chips
Beef and Guinness Pie
Slow cooked Irish beef with roast vegetables in Guinness broth served with rosemary potatoes
Beef and Guinness pie
Traditional Fish and Chips
Fresh Haddock in a light crisp beer batter served with home-cut chips and a tartare sauce
Traditional fish and chips
After lunch we walked for miles and miles, taking in the sites and the festivities that seemed to be at every turn (a carnival, band, show or jokesters like these guys were everywhere).
Everyone was getting in on the fun
We particularly enjoyed walking down Grafton Street, a pedestrian street full of incredible shopping. If there is anything that I know, it’s that a crowded street full of pedestrians brings out the street performers!
Grafton Street – Dublin’s pedestrian shopping district
A fire juggler
He saw my camera and stopped performing to pose
The Irish are taller than the Italian
A little taste of Venice in Dublin
We passed through Fusiliers’ Arch into Saint Stephen’s Green. Fusiliers’ Arch was completed in 1907 in honor of the enlisted men and officers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers that fought in the Second Boer War.
Fusiliers’ Arch at the northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green
Saint Stephen’s Green is a picturesque park toward the southern end of the city. The perfectly manicured lawns matched the beautiful duck pond and stunning fountains with blissful harmony – a perfect backdrop for a curious 2 year old to run wild and wreak havoc! We chased Julia all the way into a playground we discovered and loved watching her have fun with her new Irish friends.
Saint Stephen’s Green Park
A little duck watching
A bridge spanning the duck pond
Julia by the fountains – she made her first wish
By the time the sun set we were thrilled to see another surprise. The “greening” of the city. During the St. Patrick’s Day festivities the entire city seems to participate in this tradition of green uplighting. All in all – we decided after a magical first day, we had the Luck of the Irish on our side (OK, I had to fit that in there somewhere)!
Custom House 1791
Trinity College
A Temple Bar pub
Temple Bar at night
Julia and Jen certainly loved getting in touch with their Irish roots and I was just happy to be a part of it all!
That title will make sense soon. Please, read on. Unless you’re a member of PETA. Then, please stop and choose another post!
“I’m getting out of here – I don’t want to hear about bunnies for lunch!”
You may have read HERE about when our Uncle S. and Aunt Deborah came to see us last week and we enjoyed a very nice visit with three days full of wonderful food. Well, the meal we shared on day three was truly blog-worthy!
I don’t think S. or Deb knew what to expect when they came; and so they came open for anything. But since one of their good friends had been to Lake Como some time ago, he mentioned a few top sights and restaurants to consider. One particular restaurant, Al Veluu appeared to be unbelieveably perfect for us. Al Veluu sits atop a hillside in the wonderful lake town of Tremezzo, thus extending picturesque views of Lake Como (a town we wanted to show them anyway). Their well designed and informative website features images of the lake that somehow seem to take second place to the images of their food. And since I happen to know their referring friend has impeccable taste, it was evidence enough for me!
Hilltop view of Tremezzo
Jen and I discovered the town of Tremezzo whilst exploring the lake at the beginning of our trip, this past January. We were just out for a drive and promised that we would return to explore further as soon as we could. One of the main sights of Tremezzo is Villa Carlotta, a stunning villa with impeccable gardens. Unfortunately, we were three days ahead of the seasonal opening of the villa and thus unable to see. Expect a blog post about it in the near future.
Villa Carlotta
We allotted plenty of time for a relatively short drive. We needed to wind our way to the base of the lake and up with western side of the west leg. In this case, it was as much about the journey as the destination. While winding through the narrow streets of lake town after lake town, we took in the sites of the water and incredible villas (including that of the local celebrity, George Clooney – no, he wasn’t out).
Al Veluu – our intended destination
Timing it perfectly, we arrived at Al Veluu just as they should have been opening for pranzo (lunch). However, as you know – the best laid plans are always the first to go awry. The place seemed to have a few too many construction workers and too few diners. I went up to talk to the proprietors and see what was going on. Turns out, the only thing on the menu was renovations. Fortunately, the owner, Luca was very nice and suggested another place, La Fagurida. He even invited us to stop by on the way back for a limoncello (lemon drink). He also shared that if we were fans of rabbit (I am), we could do no better than La Fagurida.
Easy-to-miss sign to La Fagurida
Tight squeeze down the driveway – took it sloooow
La Fagurida – the owners live above
We drove up the hill another 300 meters and found the restaurant (he cautioned us not to drive too quickly, lest we miss the small sign). We were charmed by the restaurant’s exterior and even more amazed to see the menu’s pièce de résistance in an open-air cage out front. There was a large cage of bunnies out front. They looked so cute and playful, it even made me think twice about ordering one! While the title jests that I got to pick my own – I assure you, that wasn’t the case. I don’t know if I could have handled that (strangely though, when it comes to lobster I have no problems).
Coniglio Gabbia (Rabbit Cage)
As delicious as they are adorable!
S. and Jules playing with the bunnies
We ordered several wonderful primi (first courses) from the menu and settled in for what looked to be a promising meal. Our table was quickly covered with delectable treats, including the most amazing polenta that any of us had ever had. In fact, we ordered so much that we couldn’t even finish (wanting to save room for our main courses). We should have known that not finishing your food is not an option in an Italian woman’s kitchen and she literally made me and S. finish every plate.
Antipasti della casa
Prosciutto, salami and bresaola
Insalata fagioli borlotti
Insalata gelatina
Cipolle, carciofi e peperoni arrostiti
(Onions, artichokes and roasted peppers)
Polenta uncia e classica
Our secondo (main course) was brought to the table and we each eagerly dove in.
Coniglio arrosto (roasted rabbit) for two
Verdure alla griglia (grilled vegetables)
Spiedino de carne mista (skewer of mixed meats)
Vino della casa in a wonderful bottle
We finished with dessert for Julia and soaked up the view one last time. We wound our way back into town for some coffee and pastries.
Did I feel a bit guilty about staring my lunch in it’s adorable little face? Perhaps a bit – but my guilt was eased by the memory of the delectable meal. As it turns out, they serve about 1,000 rabbits a year – so I was just one of many guilty parties.
Last week, we received a visit from our Uncle S. and Aunt Deborah who were traveling through Europe on business. They had planned a stop over visit us before traveling by train to their next destination. We had also coordinated with Jen’s mom, who was departing on the same day they arrived, which saved us a trip to the airport and allowed us to spend the day in Milano (never a bad thing). Whoever said planning is overrated never had traffic and a two year old to contend with.
Julia with her great-uncle S.
Julia was sad to see her Nonna leave, but excited to have new visitors to play with. She instantly recognized S. and Deb as they arrived through customs. Since it was early evening when they landed, we took them back to our condo and had a “light” dinner of bread, salami, salami piccante (spicy salami) prosciutto, cheese, a cannelloni bean salad, acciughe in salsa verde (anchovies in green sauce), insalata finocchio (fennel salad) and insalata caprese with some wonderful buffalo mozzarella. Franco and Claudia came downstairs to join the party and brought some additional goodies of their own. Of course, we had more than a bottle or two of some good vino along with grappa and limoncello to wash it all down.
Julia found a left-handed drinking buddy
We had a long list of activities we wanted to accomplish while they were here, but the three days we had wasn’t enough time to do it all. The only thing to do… plan our lunches and work backwards from there! Since most restaurants are closed one day a week (either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the restaurant) and the weather predicted to change dramatically over those three days – I spent a good 30 minutes figuring out the rubik’s-cube that was their trip.
We spent the first day in Lecco (the other “leg” of the lake), the second day eating sopra (above) with Franco and Claudia (who live above us) and the final day in Tremezzo (another lake town). Since both S. and Deb had read the blog post HERE about a wonderful restaurant we discovered who’s cuisine is matched only by the adventure you must undertake to arrive – that was pre-penciled in.
Julia was excited to return to Osteria Montalbano
A quick summary of the restaurant, Osteria Belvedere Montalbano in Lecco (or click the link above); Lake Como has two “legs” with Como at the “foot” of the west leg and Lecco at the foot of the east leg. Lecco has stunning mountains that surround the lake. In order to find the restaurant, you must drive through the town, into a residential area on one of the mountains, enter a private road and continue to wind your way up the mountain. As you approach the end of the road, you’ll find a dirt path that is covered with stones and trees. Turn on your all wheel drive and wind your way up the path for 20 minutes before finding this jewel.
Everyone in front of one of our favorite restaurants
On our first trip, we were lucky enough to make it up this tiny/dangerous road unscathed. This time everything appeared to be going well, when suddenly we came across an obstacle. The road was closed half-way up because a local farmer was chopping trees and one laid clear across the “road”, blocking our path. There is NO turning around or backing down – our only option was to push forward. I hopped out of the car and asked him when he would be done. He said that it would be about 20-30 minutes. I volunteered to help and S and I became his gofers while he continued to skillfully wield his chainsaw. He jokingly said, avete fame (you must be hungry)! We were on our way in less than 10 minutes!
Nothing is going to keep us from getting there!
The food was as spectacular as the first visit and the quantity could have fed a small army, let alone four travelers. Since the menu is seasonal, many of the dishes were repeats for Jen and myself – but we had a couple new dishes, pictured below.
Filet with radicchio and a gorgonzola cream sauce
Roasted rabbit with a white wine reduction
Pan fried polenta
Half pear / half blubbery torte with custard
As we were leaving, we noticed a bocce-ball court that looked like it will be a lot of fun when the weather warms. S. made an astute and funny observation that there wasn’t a flat patch of earth anywhere to be seen for miles, yet they had a perfectly manicured surface to play bocce-ball on the top of a mountain!
Anyone up for a game?
This is my bench… don’t even think about it!
Deb and Julia sharing a laugh
We’re looking forward to visiting Osteria Belvedere Montalbano again when our next adventurous visitors come to see us!
I just tell you – I am quite the romantic! I mean, so much so that I didn’t have a card, a plan or a clue this past Valentine’s day. But I just knew something would work out!
“Sure hope Daddy has something special planned for us”
I figured, what better way to start a romantic Valentine’s day than finalizing one of our last major tasks – car shopping. Thanks to my new best friend – the internet – we found a car in a town about 40 minutes away. So we piled in and headed over. After some intense negotiating (and let me tell you – your author was winning like Tyson versus Spinks) we built up an appetite. We asked the salesperson for directions to a local pizzeria (having not eaten delicious Italian-style pizza for a full week). He asked if we wanted pizza, or we wanted to eat like a local. That was a no-brainer and we answered at the same time in Italian (my accent, perfect – Jen’s not so much) that we wanted to eat like the locals. He gave us directions and we set our coordinates to GO.
La Pioppa
“Welcome to La Pioppa”
Within about 10 minutes, we pulled up to an Agriturismo called La Pioppa (La Pioppa’s Website). A couple years ago, we learned that an Agriturismo is essentially a cottage, ranch, farm or farmhouse that has working agricultural operations combined with tourism in order to provide a charming and authentic setting for it’s guests. We have great family friends that run a beautiful Agriturismo called, Il Ghiaccio (Il Ghiacco’s Wesbite). We spent a wonderful week in Tuscano (Tuscany) at Il Ghiaccio a couple years ago.
Fireworks overtop Il Ghiacco in 2010
I was a bit naive to think that Agristurismo’s only existed in Tuscano and have since learned they are not only all over Italy – but actually all over Europe. As we learned more recently, some Agriturismo’s focus on the agricultural, others the lodging (hosting private guest kitchens), others dining and others still a combination of the three.
Ducks freezing their butts on a pond
Lunch time for the horses too
This guy’s got to wait his turn
“Sure hope I’m not on the menu today!”
La Pioppa seemed to have an emphasis on the farming and dining, with only a couple rooms above the restaurant. But business must be booming because we noticed an entirely new building of rooms under construction.
After enjoying some time with the animals (Julia couldn’t pick a favorite), we headed in for our meal. A pre-fix menu for €11 gave us a prima (first), secondo (second), water, wine, coffee and a dessert.
Jen ordered the Ravioli con Carne al Sugo di Pomodoro (meat ravioli with a tomato sauce) and I got the Pasta alla Carbonara (a pasta based with eggs and parmigiano cheese). Or maybe it was the other way around… either way, I ate the lion’s share of both.
Paccheri Pasta alla Carbonara
Ravioli al Sugo
Next was a Bresaola (an air-dried, aged beef thinly sliced) along with Patate Fritte (french fries) fried in olive oil and Salsiccia e Fagioli (sausages and beans).
Bresaola
Patate Fritte
Salsiccia e Fagioli
For dessert, a Panna Cotta al Cioccolato (panna cotta with chocolate) and then… you guessed it, our coffee!
Panna Cotta
Beautiful water goblet
Some more time spent playing with the animals for Julia and then we were on our way. This will be a must-return visit when the weather is warmer to really enjoy the outdoors. I’d sure say that La Pioppa saved the day – the Valentine’s Day, that is! I even got credit for organizing a wonderful day!
