Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Sordello's family and Roujan France



Two days ago we arrived in Roujan France at our friends the MacMillans. What a lovely feeling to be amongst friends. A few drinks and some R and R just what the Dr ordered after some weeks on the go.
Have done a train ride in the mountains and seen some medievil villages. Been to the beach and indulged in some French cuisine. BLISS. Kids having a ball, the hightlight of their trip!!! Some photos to follow............

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Family time

Hi again from up at 1000 metres up the mountains of Italy. This is where most of my Italian family live. If you have been to Switzerland you will be able to imagine what it looks like, an alpine resort with flower boxes in the windows, gorgeous homes with wooden shutters.....so picturesque. Seeing family again after 20 years has been amazing...very emotional but good fun. Lots of laughs, good wine and food!

The Italians sure know how to entertain! Being fed constantly! Mike and kids struggling as no English spoken by my mountaineer cousins! Hence I am speaking and translating, a job as I am sure you can imagine I am very good at! The jaw is going at 100 million miles an hour. So much to catch up on!!

We Went to Gardaland with the kids yesterday. A theme park here with lots of roller coasters, rides, entertainment etc.... Catie (and Mike) are the dare devils and went on everything even the blue tornado roller coaster,which is the scariest of all the rides!
Zane (and I) were a little apprehensive to say the least,not sure what he expected but like his mother a little nervous about most daredevil rides. We went on most to show we could also participate, but with our eyes closed tho!!

We have also been to Verona to Juliet's house (as in Romeo and Juliet) and wrote on her wall. Have visited a number of medieval villages and had lunch with cousins at the castle restaurant! On Saturday we are off to Lake Garda and Como. I hope George (as in George Clooney)is ready and waiting for me and not been held up by filming! He has a holiday home in Como so I will be keeping my eye out!! I will post some more photos soon.

Ciao e Baci from La Bella Italia!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Photos
















Venice

Hi from Venice.
What an exhausting few days but worthwhile!Feet ache and knackered.
We went Walking around Venice, got lost but was an experience in itself. Got to taking water taxis, traggetto etc.. to save our feet on day 2.
Bloody tourists everywhere!! St Marks square and Basillica were great and went up the bell tower (the campanile)just in time to have our ears blasted from the bells donging on the half hour!! Awesome experience tho and could see for miles. Went to the Ponte Rialto and Rialto markets, Bridge of Signes and Dogge palace. Gondalas Galore, bloody rip off as usual. Food good but pizza and pasta getting a bit monotonous, so had seafood platter last night for a change,calamari scampi prawns and fish, chips and salad. (Beats cooking I must say!)
On to Padova tomorrow to see our Italian exchange student (Emma) and her family and then on to my family in the mountains (Montangna) LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AFTER 20 YEARS! Ciao for now and Baci

Thursday, September 16, 2010

some photos for you

Photos of us in Italy on face book as having difficulty putting them on blogsite
will keep trying

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Under the Tuscan Sun

Wow what a great few days. Weather gorgeous and wonderful for tripping around. Cooler nights and mornings and stunning days of 25c degrees.
Been to San Gimagnano with it's 12 towers,Voterra, Florence for a walking tour, Siena and tomorrow Pisa, the beach and finally Florence again to go the Uffici museum and the Accademia gallery to see David by Michelangelo. seeing lots art and churches, feeling very holy indeed! Had wild boar for lunch with pasta and made PIGS of ourselves. been relaxing at our farm stay with the odd vino by the pool under the Tuscan sun. can't get over the CRAZY Italian drivers!! Shame how run down Italy is and I don't mean the ruins. roads bumpy and in need of repair, graffiti, rubbish on ground and telecommunications difficult!! won't complain about NZ again!! Finding my Italian rather useful in not getting ripped off!! Kids in awe and Mike enjoying the Italian BELLAs looking but NO touching!! Ricky you must come hot chicks and lots fast cars

Friday, September 10, 2010

Contact number

If you need to contact us our number is 00 39 3807716274
To email Mike use suziek@hug.co.nz
Ciao

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Tuscany Italy

Hi there!!
Finally have managed to get onto a computer!!!We have had a few amazing days in Roma Wow the sights incrediable, ruins ancient, drivers crazy, food exquiste!! Saw Roman Forum,Palatine Hill,Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Spanish steps, Travestere, where Romans typically live, not may tourists, Campo d fiori markets, Vatican City, Tour of Vatican museum Sistine chapel, Last judgement works by mad Michelangelo, went to the Cupola top of St Peters Basillica. Out of this world.
Picked up car, a Merc station wagon, got all the extras, auto and black! Mike in heaven!! Drove to Tuscany where we are staying on a Olive and Winery making farm. Pool, vino, sun what more could we ask for!! Kids and Mike well. Enjoying the Gelato, pasta, vino. Utter BLISS!!!Weather magnificient. Will post photos ASAP when we can work it out!! Off to Florence today San Giaminano, Siena, Lucca etc.. over the next few days

Friday, September 3, 2010

Seoul Korea

Hi guys My first posting from Seoul Korea!!GREAT flight very impressed with Korean airlines. Kids were FANTASTIC. Amazing how a square screen entertains them for 12 hours!! Zane in heaven! Wow what an experience, from rainy, cold Auckland to 29c degrees, humid and sticky!! Love being in shorts and a Tee. Arrived 6.30pm last night and got to hotel at 8pm.(11pm NZ Time)
Traffic chaos, sqillions of people and Neon lights galore! All knackered
AWAKE 4.50am!! (7.50am NZ time) Out sightseeing at 7am! Seen 2 palaces, been to market and now off to Seoul tower and night markets!! People gorgeous and very interested to talk to us. They love the kids. Food different but tasty. This sure is the life!!