It’s a Wrap (Part 2) *udated*

Back to the post that never ends….

I seem to have lost my (not so) captive audience.  This is what happens when you go 2 months without an entry.  And that is okay.  I’m primarily using this blog as a journal for our family, which I hope to print yearly.  So, to any of you out there, I’m celebrating today because this really will be the last entry about Italy.  Until we go back.

After spending the morning at Villa Taranto, we hopped back on the ferry and cruised on to the first of the Borromeo islands, Isola Madre.  Here it is, another little piece of paradise. 

       

       

Ian and Naomi loved all of the brightly colored pheasants and peacocks that roamed the grounds.

      

                   

       

While Ben was trying to take a picture of the peacock, an Italian lady stepped right in front of the camera, completely blocking his view.  Aaaahhh, Italy….

This huge cypress tree…

                    

…which is one of (if not the) largest of its kind in Europe, was destroyed (as in completely knocked over) by a tornado a few years ago.  They brought in helicopters and specialists and were able to re-plant it, however, it is just a skeleton of its former self.  As you can see, it is still recovering and requires extensive help to stay upright. Dad – if you have a picture of the tree before the tornado, I’d love to have you email it to me so I can put them side by side. (Thanks Dad!  Here is the cypress tree in its glory days…)

                      

We have pictures of my siblings and I standing here when I was 13.  Not much has changed.  This is a place I can visit again and again and again and never be bored.

   

                

 

I will always have a love affair with Lago Maggiore.  I can’t wait to go back.

And to close – a few shots of the kids chasing lizards at our little farmhouse.  Ian actually had one drop its tail when he caught it.  It is really, really too bad that I didn’t catch that on film (so to speak).  Both kids were pretty terrified.  And really, who wouldn’t be?!  Ian found himself with a squirming tail in his hand which had (a few seconds previously) been holding a perfectly normal lizard.  We had a little chat about defense mechanisms…

  

         

         

FINALLY, that wraps it up.  Arrivederci Italia!!!!  Ti Amo!

It’s a Wrap (Part 1)

Well, I’ve finally made it.  The last day in Italy.  I think I’ll reward myself with some gelato – fitting, don’t you think?

We spent our last day visiting villas and islands on Lago Maggiore.  Unfortunately, we were low on Euro coins, and could only pay for about 5 hours of parking, so we didn’t have time for every stop.  So, so dumb.  Looking back, I don’t know why I didn’t just go ask someone for change.  Maybe I was afraid that we’d miss the boat.  I really don’t know. 

      

Our first stop was Villa Taranto, which is (in my mind, anyway) a MUST for anyone visiting Northern Italy.  Remember the Boboli gardens in Florence (a few statues, some ragged looking lawns, some trees)…

      

… and then compare them to Villa Taranto.

    

 

                            

 

                          

  

 

 

 

Do I have you convinced?  (Keep in mind that this was in early April – Villa Taranto just gets progressively more beautiful from then on out.) I really don’t know why the Boboli gardens get so much press.  I LOVE NORTHERN ITALY! 

Well, it turns out that I put more pictures in than I had intended.  I’m going to have to split this post so my dinosaur of a computer doesn’t die a slow and painful death.  Maybe someday we’ll figure out what’s wrong with the laptop….