Italy: Day 2 - Gambellara 9/06/05

Jennie and woke up quite relaxed. We intended to get up at 9:30 for the included breakfast and eventually catch a train towards Verona, a city close to Gambellara where Lorenzo lives. However, setting the clock wrong had us up at 8:30, which in retrospect was a good thing. We had time to clean up and even have tea!



Around noon, we headed off to the train station, a short 10 min walk away. Jennie soon fell asleep but I was fully engrossed in the Northern Italian landscape. As the train pulled into somewhere called San Felice, I could not help but notice what a calm feeling the station exuded. A picture perfect train station with a small cafe, striped awning included. And what about those red plastic chairs?! Love them!



Before long, we were in Verona and so happy to see a familiar face! Lorenzo dropped us off at his house and what a beautiful house!



He had to return to work so we were left with his precious mother and cute cute nephew, Davide (who is, I've concluded, an animal in the sweetest sense of the word). We had to take Davide back to his house, and, man, this was even better than Lorenzo's house.



The house was built in 1410 originally as a flour mill. You can see the date carved into a stone above the kitchen sink (which, of course, was a solid block of marble).



Behind the current kitchen and closed off by a large panel of wood still stands the original grinders. Absolutely amazing.



In the backyard, all you see are green rolling hills. In spite of the serenity of the surroundings, this house was bustling with activity. Davide has a little sister, Flavia and another even smaller baby sister, I think her name is Nichole. A single moment of peace is captured in this photo of me, Davide and little Nichole.



A glimpse of chaos: Davide found a frog which he immediately put in a mason jar, closed the lid and shook feriously. Minutes later, the maid's child, about 10 years old or so, pushed the mason jar off a table. Glass shattering, children screaming and an innocent frog hopping for it's life. Davide went flying towards the other girl stepping on glass in the process. All the while, Jennie and I watched in utter disbelief. Admist the chaos, amazingly, the quiestest one was the baby. Oh, and I must have forgotten to mention the crazy Grandpa (from the other side of the family), two barking dogs and a drivable lawn mower. Still, you could see the love oozing from this house and this wonderful family.



Back in Gambellara (leaving casa di Davide was no easy feat, believe me), Jennie and I decided to talk a small walk around town. There were a bunch of old men sitting together chatting happily at the local corner cafe. A couple of co-workers of a clothing store sitting outside on the steps. Lorenzo's neighbor pumping water out of the well in her front yard to water the plants. For a little town, they had also quite a large church.



Across the church stood this statue.



Being a true Italian village, I couldn't help but try to take some artistic pictures such as this one. And thus, Jennie will attest, began my obsession of green doors.



Returning to the house, Jennie and I pretty much dropped dead into a slumber. Lorenzo did not return home until late at night. But since it was our first night together, he's such a big sweetite, he took us out for a beer at his friend's bar, Lord Byron. Luka, the bartender, was super cute. Guess which one?? Lorenzo is the handsome looking man on the left. (Sorry, Jennie, it's the only picture I have at Lord Byron.)