The Big Day in Marcolo

Today we would be attending the long anticipated event of the family reunion and dinner. Before dinner, however, we attended mass in the town's beautiful, and comparatively modern cathedral. It was packed as you might expect and afterwards we met more family that had heard of our arrival.


Later that afternoon we made our way to the restaurant where the party was getting under way. I expected a small, quaint little place where bowls of pasta would be passed around along with the sauce, we would drink lots of wine, and call it a day. Instead, we entered this brand new restaurant with sleek, modern furnishings, and were escorted to a private room where we would live for the next three hours doing nothing but eating and getting to know our new family. The dinner was served in 4 courses with each course a meal within itself. Never have I eaten so much! As each wave of food would be served the pain of over-indulgence would rise another notch. The meal consisted of antipasto meat platter made up of various sausage, ham, prosciutto, and salami, followed by the second course of saffron spiced risotto mixed with chicken. The third course was the main course of delectable, pepper-corn encrusted London broil cooked to perfection and tender enough to cut with a fork. The last course was a dolce platter of various desserts and ice-cream along with coffee, grapa, and more lemoncella. Afterwards, we spent the rest of the afternoon in spirited conversation with the family as we celebrated this grand occasion.

That afternoon we had a small pool party at the home of Louisa and Beniomino which was a perfect way to end the afternoon. The pool felt luxurious as we lounged around in the hot afternoon sun digesting not only the wonderful meal, but the entire Marcolo experience.

The end of the day we returned to home where our hosts prepared a 'light' meal of home-made minestrone (fresh from the garden of course), a pork meat platter, cake, and some espresso. It was at that moment we announced to Mariadella and Antonio that we were not leaving, ever (not really but I frankly don't know what stopped us - Fran was retired, I didn't remember what I did for a living, and we were gone so long we both forgotten our son's name).

The next morning we said our good-byes and invited them to our house when they come to America, which they promised they would do.

Travel To Marcolo

We knew this travel day was going to be a challenge since the village of Marcolo is far off of the tourist map and there would be no direct route to our destination. Our day started with one last glimpse of Venice on the water bus. The day was warm but crystal clear and the views were absolutely stunning. My best picture of Venice, I think, was taken on the water bus to the train station of Santa Maria della Salute. When we arrived at the train station we already had purchased our reservations - thanks to our daughter - and boarded for our short ride to Milan without incident.

When we arrived in Milan, Fran and I realized this was our third time passing through this train station. This was not surprising since Milan seems to be the transportation hub for that region of Europe. Our next task was to haul ourselves and luggage to the subways of Milan and board a train that would take us to a particular stop to next catch the bus. The pace was hectic and the surroundings were quite unfamiliar but we were not concerned since there was 10 of us traveling we had strength in numbers. Also Andy, Matt's brother, was our tour director for this leg of the journey so were in good hands.

We boarded the bus in some park on the outskirts of Milan for the town of Magenta. We were nearly there but there was still one unknown. There was no public transportation to Marcolo and it was probably 2-3 miles from Magenta. Everyone was up for a hike so 10 of us got our stuff together after we de-boarded the bus and started marching down the main highway like Gypsies and headed to the family's ancestral home. We made it their fairly quickly after Andy flagged down a van to take us all into town. The gentleman was very nice and refused any money when he dropped us off in Marcolo.

Our first stop was the house commonly referred to as the Roster House because of the concrete roosters on the placed on top of the gate posts This is considered the central gathering area for all family events and happenings so it was no surprise to the family that we started there. As soon as we arrived we were introduced to the cousins, aunts, uncles, and distant relatives who appeared immediately as soon as word spread through town that the folks from America were finally here. David, Matt's father, was now in charge because not only did he know everyone but knew enough Italian to be our official interpreter.

The first job at hand was determining where everyone was going to sleep. It was no surprise that the families were prepared but details of who stays where were yet finalized. Finally, four of the ladies, who I later decided were the ruling council for the clan, chatted in rapid-fire Italian hammering out not only the sleeping arrangements but the entire schedule for the next three days. Finally, the 'white smoke' of consensus appeared and we all eagerly awaited the decisions.

Fran and I were placed in the home of Mariadela and Antonio who, along with their dog Capula, warmly welcomed us and could not have been nicer. Even though we were slightly related through the marriage of Matt and Michelle, in their eyes we were considered not just friends but blood relatives. Their hospitality and charm was so sincere that we felt like we were home and, as homesick as we now become, this was where we wanted to stay forever. Fran and I realized that we were now living the Olive Garden commercial 'where you're not just guests but family'.

That evening, Fran and I were exhausted as well as famished and as were were unpacking and settling into our bedroom we weren't sure what was going to happen next. Just as that moment Mariadela summoned us to the kitchen for a 'simple' (Mariadela's words) meal of pasta and pomodoro sauce, green beans, a crisp green garden salad, their best red wine, a tasty dessert, followed by some home-made lemoncello and cappuchino. This was a meal to die for as everything was so sumptuous and fresh from the garden. It was heaven! The rest of the evening was a delight as the Mariadela and Antonio's command of English language was far better than our Italian so we spent the next two hours getting acquainted, telling stories of our trip, hearing about their family and what life is like in Marcolo. By midnight, after sipping on our last glass of lemoncello it was time to retire.

The next morning Mariadella was already up and preparing breakfast while Antonio was in the garden working. We discovered that their garden is not just a hobby but is central to their existence. So much of their food is produced from the garden that to eat 'non-fresh', processed food would be just out of the question. Antonio gave me a tour of the garden much like a curator would lead one through an art gallery. Although it didn't look it at first, the garden was carefully laid out to take advantage of the sun and soil condition. Each plant was carefully tendered to ensure maximum productivity and abundance. Antonio gleamed in pride as he introduced each plant as if it were one of his children.

For the next three days we were introduced to a part of Italian culture that few people get to experience. David led us on tour of the entire community to visit family, learn their stories, and better understand the lives they lead in this part of the world. We visited a family who keep a large array of birds caged in their back lot for special dinner occasions including pheasant, duck, and chickens. In addition there were plenty of fruit trees and an overly abundant garden to keep them well stocked for the year. At the end of each day we returned to another feast created by Mariadella and Antonio and, as always, we reciprocated by licking our plates clean.

One special night we were treated to was a presentation of Pinocchio that was staged at a local school gym by the citizens of Marcolo. This appeared to be the grand, annual event as everyone was there either performing or in the audience. For the next three hours we enjoyed a wonderful musical that was the result of months of hard work and planning by the locals. Interspersed with the play was musical entertainment presented by the local orchestra which played tunes from all over the world including some popular Disney classics. Afterwards we strolled through the village and returned back to our home away from home where we sipped on some cappuchino and dessert, engaged in more conversation, and then retired for the evening.

June 29 - Last Day in Venice

Today we went to the Doge's Palace to tour the dazzling rooms of these earlier rulers of Venice. The lavish decor of the meeting rooms, judges chambers, and administrative offices contrasted with the drab surroundings of the prisons and torture chambers spoke volumes of the cruelty of these early rulers. They did show some compassion in that if you were condemned to die you could chose the mode of execution - either hanging or beheading. I, of course, would have said "Surprise me".

In the evening after dinner everyone went their separate ways to walk around and discover the final treats that Venice had to offer. Fran and I decided to throw caution to the wind and just start walking. You really can't get lost in Venice and I wanted to find the famous La Fenice Opera House (made famous by the book "City of Fallen Angels" by John Berendt and a wonderful read by the way). So we set out just after sunset and started walking through the canyons of Venetian hotels, apartments, and shops in search of the opera house. When walking through Venice you really have to be ready to stop at anything curious. Every block and around every turn there is something new, probably something you've never seen before - an art gallery featuring local paintings, a clothing store with one-of-a-kind silk ties, a toy stoy with objects so unique you won't find anywhere else in the world, and cafe's with heart-stopping aromas that makes your mouth water like a hyena.

On our way to the opera house we were stopped by someone who invited us into this particular church for a free concert presented by an American choir. Since we were flexible with our schedule (you have to be in Venice) we went in a sat down. The church was small with seating about 300 people but the wall decor was breath taking. The alter was this immense detail sculpture of Moses coming down from the mountain with the stone tablets. The figures were so life-like you propelled to the Sinai desert so many centuries ago. And then the musinc started... They started quietly with the Latin choral favorite, Dona Nobis Pacem which means "Give Us Peace". Fran and I were familiar with this song and had song it many times in church and Colorado Repetoire Singers or CRS. Never before had we heard it, though, in a setting such as this in a sanctuary centuries old with acoustics so perfect you became lost in the music. Every note seem to float endlessly as the choir surrounded the congregation and graced us with their perfect harmony and genuine passion. For me they could have ended it there as our vacation was made complete by this near religious experience. But they had more gifts for us including Walking in the Spirit, Down By The Riverside, When The Saints Go Marching In and Haydn's Gloria.

In the end they left us begging for me but, as we later found out, this was their last stop before returning to America. Afterwards, Fran and I introduced ourselves and described the community choir we belong to in Broomfield. The conductor, Chris Bowman, knew our choir, was acquainted with our maestro, Ron Williams, and reminded us that CRS performed one of his arrangements at our last concert called Sanctus. Small World! The choir, named Santa Ynez Valley Chorale & Orchestra, were based out of Santa Barbara, California. They consisted of folks from all walks of life who all shared a common passion for music. The group was an all volunteer choir that rehearsed weekly and performed several times a year. In addition, they put together this European adventure of traveling through various countries and perform in whatever musical venue was available.

By now it was quite late but Fran and I were still energized by the concert so we continued our journey through Venice to find La Fenice. 20 minutes later there it was. A bit off of the beaten tourist path, this area consisted of restaurants with finely dressed patrons, 4-star hotels, expensive looking cocktail lounges, and the center piece of it all - La Fenice opera house. A magnificent structure created only recently and built on the old foundation of the original La Fenice that burned down in 1996.

June 28 - 2nd Day in Venice

First business at hand was to do the wash. Our hotel clerk directed us to a Laundromat which was amazingly close. By now our clothes were so 'ripe' from frequent use that the pidgeons thought we were one of them. After donning on fresh clothes we made for the streets of Venice to explore some more.

We stopped at St. Marks Basilica for a brief tour. We actually found an English speaking guide that, for about 50 Euros, was able to take us in right away bypassing the long lines.

The inside of this Byzantine structure was dark and uninspiring. By now we had seen our fair share of churches so we were starting to get somewhat particular. There are some interesting artifacts, such as the four bronze horses that, although quite unique, seemed out of place. The center piece to this structure was, of course, the tomb of St. Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark.

After St. Marks we caught the vaporetto to the island of Murano to tour the famous glass blowing shops. The glass work on this island is very expensive and way out of our price range. I ended up buying a couple of wine stops that were about 30 Euros. A set of wine glasses that we were attracted to were well over 300 Euros not including shipping back to the states. We stayed on the island for only a short time because by now the heat was insufferable. We weren't sure what the temperature was but it was time for our daily, cool afternoon siesta, so we went back to the hotel.

Later that afternoon we all gathered again and went to dinner. It was nice once again as we caught up with everyone on the events of the day. That night we went walking along the Grand Canal towards the famous Harry's Bar, not far from San Marcos, to sit where Hemingway sat. Turned out it was so crowded inside and everyone was so over-dressed (even though our tourist garb was just laundered) that we didn't go in. We did get a great view of Santa Maria della Salute that evening which is one of the most inspiring structures in all of Venice. And no wonder as this structure was built as a celebration of the end of the plague that gripped that part of the world - and served as a 'welcome mat' to incoming sailors.

The day came to a close all too quickly once again so we hiked back to our rooms and retired to, of course, more soccer on TV and some much needed rest.

June 27 - First Day in Venice

Today we departed the peaceful surroundings of Assisi and boarded the train to Venice. This was a significant day because, not only were we visiting one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, but we were meeting more family there to add to our ever-growing entourage that would eventually descend upon the small village of Marcolo (more about that later). Our ride up to Venice was challenging because we did not make reservations through Treno Italia so we were faced with additional fare and no reserved place to sit. It seems that for travel to major citires in Italy it is advised that you secure your reservation, especially if you are traveling first-class, by purchasing an additional ticket. The Euro-Rail pass will get you on board but it won't, by itself, always secure a seat. It worked out fine even though the final hour of the trip was spent standing in the club car with my son-in-law while drinking espresso, admiring the scenery, and chatting about soccer and other stuff - it was actually quite fun.

When we arrived in Venice we realized we were in a different world. There were no noisy cars, trucks, or scooters clogging the streets but instead we were greeted with the quiet sounds of boats, gondolas, and vaporettos floating through the intricate network of canals that are laced all through the city. We hopped on our water bus and headed to our designated stop, Santa Zaccaria Monumento. Finding the hotel, I knew, would be a challenging task. The map I had was pretty good but it lacked significant details. After asking around and getting guidance from some locals we found our hotel called Hotel Fontana. It was perfect! It was close to San Marco plaza but far enough away from the throngs of tourists to make us feel somewhat secluded.

After checking in and a quick lunch we hit the streets and started getting the lay of the land. Our first major site was the famed Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal. This centuries old structure was interesting with its little shops and amazing views of the Grand Canal. The only other bridge across the Grand Canal, the Accademia, was smaller and offers a glorious view of the Santa Maria della Salute.


As you walk around this great city you see signs of its constant struggle against the elements. These aging structures suffer from the onslaught of pollution, weather, rising water, and ferocious sun. Although the effort to stave off these attacks from nature (and man) is heroic, one can't help but wonder how long this war can continue before it is all swallowed up and cast out to sea.

Its amazing to see how a city (and an entire culture) has adapted to the water environment. Even though there are no trucks to haul goods and services, somehow this conveyance occurs with the use of barges and gondolas designed to move large amount of cargo through the labyrinth of the canals. You can witness this every morning as all of the Venetian commerce is supplied by a steady flow of these floating 'mules' to their destinations. By the time the tourists wake up and begin the task of touring, which includes eating, shopping, and sight-seeing, the town is fully prepared and open for business.

That evening we had set our rendezvous point with Matt's family at San Marco Piazza by the famous Campanile tower for 5:00PM. There were all there and right on time! It was good to see the folks from St. Louis again, many we had not seen since Matt and Michelle's wedding. Now we were a group of 10 so the party could really begin. That night Matt and Michelle bought us all dinner at one of the many sidewalk restaurants in Venice, to celebrate Matt's promotion at his work and to the gathering of the clan. It was a great night of wine, food, and conversation as we all shared stories of our adventure across Europe. David, Judy, Sarah and Lance had been traveling by car through Italy (brave souls) and had some interesting stories about traffic on the highways in Italy - apparently an endeavor not for the squemish. After a very pleasant evening we all retired to our rooms and called it a night.

Befire going to sleep I did some mental calculations and realized we had been gone for over 2 weeks and the return to home was now starting to appear on the horizon. We were getting a little homesick as we missed our son the comfortable surroundings of our home, we still felt the best was yet to come. I tried to remember what I did for a living back in America but was at a loss. I guess I'll figure it out when I get back. No point in sweating it out now. I'm lucky to remeber the day of the week.

June 25 - Assisi

Today we arrived in the city of Assisi after a short 2 hour train ride from Rome. As we pulled into the station I realized I didn't have a clue how to get to our hotel so once again so I grabbed the first taxi (and only taxi available), showed him my hotel card, and off we went. Of course we later learned that we should have taken the bus and saved 40 Euros but I didn't feel like standing around trying to figure out the bus route because I was concerned we would take the wrong bus and suddenly find ourselves back in Rome. As it turned out, there is only one bus route so how could have I gone wrong (I would have figured it out).

We got to our hotel in the heat of the afternoon and hurriedly checked in so we could catch our usual siesta in our air-conditioned bungalow. When we got to the room it turned out the AC didn't work. I went to the desk to complain so without really understanding what the hotel clerk told me we were moved across the hall to another room. Once settled in we tried to turn on the AC and it didn't work either. We were too tired to worry about it so we just snoozed and we later learned that what I was trying to turn on was the heater - there was no AC in the room (Geez my Italian really sucks!!.

Today was especially exciting because we would reconnect with Matt and Michelle who had been touring Amsterdam, Germany, and Switzerland since we left them in London. They also attended a World Cup match so we were looking forward to their adventure stories - and anxious to share ours. They arrived later that afternoon hot and tired but glad to see us as we were them. We cleaned up and decided to head up to a restaurant that Matt knew of from his previous visit which was near a local campground outside of town. The place was gorgeous with outdoor seating, camping-like atmosphere, serve yourself style service, and some of the best open-grilled food I've ever had. We tanked up on lots of wine, ordered some grilled chicken with salads and veggies and ate until we moaned from over indulgence - and then we slurped some expresso and dessert. Magnificent!

After a very hot and restless night we woke up about 5:30AM to the sound of the morning songbirds that inhabit the hills outside of our balcony. I went out on the deck and caught a stunning view of the morning sun rising behind the beautiful Umbrian hills. As I stood their absorbing the comforting rays of the sun, the deep, spiritual ambiance of this village began to seep in. We were somewhat familiar with the story of St. Francis by virtue of a musical that our church performed a number of years ago. Although we were a Methodist congregation, many of the local Catholics attended our performances and later told us they were deeply touched by our performance as we had very effectively and profoundly captured the essence of this great man. Through that experience we became acquainted to Sister Clare, the Umbrian plains, the wolf of Gubbio, and the man who became a legend in the Christian world through peace, humility, and service. After breakfast we ventured on up to the famous Grotto which became a spiritual retreat for St. Francis. We're told it was here he felt closest to God and became inspired to reject his life of luxury to a life of poverty and service to God. Although we didn't see it, his famous Peace Prayer is inscribed up here, a timeless prayer whose relevance is as strong today as it was in the 1200s.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

That afternoon we took a cab back from the Grotto to town to tour St. Francis Basilica. When you enter the basilica you're immediately drawn back to the 13 century with heavy wooden timbers and towering walls of the Nave adorned with frescos depicting the life of St. Francis. The interior furnishings were more spartan by comparison to the lavishly decorated churches of Rome but just as spiritual as the entire structure seem to embody the simplicity of this man. We ventured down to the dark, cavernous crypt where the remains of St. Francis lies in his tomb. Enveloped by stone and metal, the tomb seems to transform you into a meditative state that surrounds you with peace and utter tranquility. When we left we realized we were not the same. Afterwards we ventured around the square outside of the basilica to take in more of the view of the Umbrian plain.

Later that day we strolled through the village to take in the local ambiance and enjoy the window shopping and the gelato. As we were strolling I saw two nuns walking up a flight of stairs and I managed a quick snapshot. Its funny how these spontaneous snapshots can lead to something magical. After looking at the picture I realized I captured the very soul of this little village with a photo of these two sisters walking into a divinely lit path of light with certainty and determination of what is expected of them. I later decided that of all of the 100s of pictures I snapped - this was my favorite.

Later that day we found a bar that was showing the World Cup soccer match between Italy and Australia so you know who the local crowd was cheering for. When we walked in everyone noticed Matt's Italian team soccer shirt so, naturally, we were welcomed warmly and given a nice place to sit with full view of the TV. The game was exciting as one might expect and Italy pulled out a 1 - 0 victory on a free kick. The camaraderie felt in that room needed no translation as we all erupted in jubilation when the only score was made and for a brief moment we were all famiglia.

We finished the day with dinner at a small cafe that was carved out of a cliff providing the most beautiful view of the Umbrian plains that one could imagine. We engaged in a wonderful meal with Matt and Michelle as we watched the sun drop lazily in the west bringing to a close the end of a perfect day. After dinner we slowly walked back to our hotel reflecting on the events of the day and enjoying the mellow evening air. We lingered in the brightly lit square watching the multitude of locals and tourists milling around enjoying in lively conversation.

Monet's Eiffell Tower

On our trip to Paris I took a photo of the Eiffel Tower looking straight up against a stunning blue sky. Although the shot was pretty it wasn't interesting and it's been done countless number of times before. I thought it might be different to replace the blue sky with a pastel sky dotted with whispy clouds from a Monet landscape, which I shot at the Orsay Museum. The results were far beyond what I expected. The 8X10 of this is beautiful after some color balancing and blending. Hope you like it. If you want a higher quality jped file of this leave your e-mail address and I'll send it.

June 24 - Last Day in Rome

We woke up this morning realizing this was our last day in Rome. Believe it or not I actually worried that we would spend too many days in Rome when we were planning this little jaunt. How naive can one be!! Today we asked ourselves how can this be over, we just arrived!

Today's objective was to visit the Pantheon. Thanks to Rick Steves and other guide books, I became fascinated by this architectural wonder and made sure we allocated adequate time to not just see it but explore it. My son-in-law, who is also an architect, during his days when he lived in Rome, told me that once he sat in the famous domed room for hours studying the genius of this seemingly simple, but enormously complex structure. The story is told that Michelangelo modeled the dome of St. Peters after the Pantheon. What makes this great is not just the size but proximity of the dome. In St. Peter you understand that the dome is impressive, because you are told that, but you can't fully appreciate because it sits in the sky halfway to the moon. In the Pantheon, the supporting walls and columns sit lower to the ground giving the observer a much closer view of the detail - and immensity! After 2 hours of gazing at the art, tombs, and history we finally left to explore the surrounding area.

Thanks to Rick Steve's guidebook we found three small, but uniquely beautiful, churches near the Pantheon that captured our attention and took away the rest of our afternoon. The Church of St. Ignazio was, I found, to be the most interesting of the three. As was pointed out in the guide books, this church features, along with some beautiful Baroque art, an allusion of a false dome that really does trick the eye into thinking an actual dome exists - at least when you first enter. When you stand directly underneath it do you realize the off center placement of the oculus creates the allusion when viewed from the entrance and where the congregation sits.

Later that day we walked over to the Spanish Steps to take in the sites there and then board the Metro at the Spagno stop. We were warned of crowded trains but we were so hot and tired that we just wanted to get back to our room for our usual late afternoon nap. When the train arrived at our stop it was standing room only but, reluctantly, we boarded and stayed close together, weary of the infamous Roman pickpockets. There were no problems until the next stop when, suddenly, I was surrounded by 5-6 kids in their early teens. The red flags shot up and I knew we were in trouble. One of the them asked me for the time while the others frisked my like I was a goat at a petting zoo. They worked amazingly fast but, of course, they found nothing - I made sure of that. However, another one had already unzipped my backpack when a lady passenger caught my eye and gave me a nod of warning. I turned my backpack around and, although it was open, nothing was taken. I looked up at the woman as she deboarded off of the train and said "Grazie, Senora". She smiled at me and softly replied "Prego". Although the incident left us shaken we were never in any danger of losing anything really valuable - but still it could have been very inconvenient for us. Thank you Rick Steves for you words of warning. We were prepared!

That night we went to a production of La Traviata by Verde, being staged by a local opera company in an Anglican church not far from our hotel. We picked up a flyer for this production in the square in front of The Pantheon so we made sure we left ourselves plenty of time to attend. We had a quick bite at Don Govani's (fantastico!) near the Termini station and went to the opera. What a special evening it was. I can count on one hand the number of operas I've attended so I can safely say this was the greatest one yet. Fran and I promised ourselves that we would attend more (in fact we're going to see Mozart's Don Giovanni in late August up in Fort Collins. At the close of the opera we sadly realized our stay in Rome was over but looked forward to boarding the train to Assisi.