Oops! On an earlier post I forgot to write about something that happened on the train while on my way to Nottingham. An elderly man sat beside me and began reading a small yellow journal. The end.
Kidding.
I was reading a newspaper like a studious little citizen and once I finished reading the comics- I mean the stocks- page, I noticed that the man had also finished his reading. I offered him my newspaper and he gladly took it, saying that he would offer me his book but that he doubted I would be interested. Earlier, and in the non-creepiest way possible, I had peered over to see what he was reading and had seen a few pictures of vintage vehicles and the name "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."
Kidding.
I was reading a newspaper like a studious little citizen and once I finished reading the comics- I mean the stocks- page, I noticed that the man had also finished his reading. I offered him my newspaper and he gladly took it, saying that he would offer me his book but that he doubted I would be interested. Earlier, and in the non-creepiest way possible, I had peered over to see what he was reading and had seen a few pictures of vintage vehicles and the name "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."
This being said, I am a big fan of the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and am at peace with looking at cars so I told him I would like to read the journal. He handed me the book, pointing out a few pages he thought might be interesting when I mentioned I had recognized the CCBB vehicle. Soon, we had both finished with our readings and started chatting. It turns out that he was a collector of cars and owned five Maseratis. He was a retired mechanical engineer who had worked for a time in London in a facility near Buckingham Palace. He had been married for over fifty years and said that honesty was the most important part in keeping a marriage true. He also said that the young and old generations could stand to learn from one another.
When it came time to part ways, he gave me his journal. There are many different people on trains, and a lot of them just want to get from point A to point B, and that's fine, but once in a while, a remarkable person will sit beside you who is willing to share what they know and to listen to your thoughts if you show that you will listen to theirs. That's about as philosophical as I will get.
From what I understand, the Brooklands Society was founded in 1967 by British journalist Bill Boddy to preserve the history of Brookland's (South East England) Motor Course and Aerodrome. Brooklands is the world's first motor racing track and his goal was to restore it. In 1991 the Brooklands Museum Trust was established and in addition, the Brooklands Museum was built on what used to be a 300 acre Motor Course site. The Brooklands society helps to preserve the once brilliant race track site that existed from 1907-1939 and to promote the vehicles and aircrafts which competed and appeared there as well as the people responsible for them.
Cambridge!!!! I stayed with my sister in her residence and she took me on a tour around campus. It's hard to imagine not being inspired to succeed when gazing at the buildings.
Yep, this is the famous King's College
We took a flight to Italy and a friend picked us up at the airport in Milan. Yay!!!! Another stamp for our passports!
I had thought that there would be snow since we were up north but instead we were greeted with a spellbinding sun. We stayed in Lillianes, a tiny and beautiful city amid the Alps.
Our friend's mother loves chilies and grows them in her backyard.
These puzzles look easy but they were deceivingly complex - hence why I'm proudly displaying them. Actually a child is probably reading at this post thinking, my little brother does these before he eats his coco puffs in the morning...
This cake tastes like a heavier version of trifle and when you first take the cake out of the container it has no frosting. The cake will be in a clear plastic bag. Look into the box and see a packet of icing sugar and empty it into the bag with the cake. SHAKE!!!!!!!! And enjoy as many pieces as you want...hehe
My sister, our two Italian friends, and I went to a spa for a day and some of the pools were outside and there was a view of the Alps. It was sunny and the snow on the mountains was elegant and the air was crisp. One of the indoor pools was in a dark room and in the pool were green, purple, blue, and red lights slowly faded on and off. The room was quiet... until you put your head under the water, where relaxing music could be heard.
There were waterfall massages, alternating hot and cold pools (these ones actually hurt a bit but one's circulation does improve very quickly), nap rooms with fireplaces and giant windows, F made me take a dunk in a freezing pool (she was brave and did it first), and we tried out the steam rooms. Some of the saunas were outside and people would go out in the snow afterwards - I was content to quickly put my feet in the snow but others fully wiped themselves down with snow. Yowch! One of the Italian sisters we were with was brave enough to try it... and then she proceeded to throw snow over her older sister who yelped and tried to escape.
That evening, my sister and I were invited to a family dinner, which involved a large number of Italians who seemed to be the epitome of the word 'family.' The people in Lillianes speak a dialect of Franco-Provençal which, as I understand, uses elements of French and Italian. This being said, these people are able to speak their dialect plus French and Italian. So lucky! Since I speak very limited french, communication was difficult at times but luckily, a few of the family members and friends spoke english.
This family was happy, accommodating, kind, and very generous which all made for a fun evening. Upon our return to our residence, we watched some episodes of Alias, the tv series where Jennifer Garner reigns supreme and makes me want to go on a run or to the gym. Then I end up doing neither and just watching more episodes...
To work off the Pandoro cake we drove partly up one of the mountains and we hiked up the rest. Almost the rest anyways...
It was very steep in places and this Canadian felt mighty tough when we made it to our destination: a cabin where our friend and her cousins used to come with their grandfather. It was a very special place for her and I could understand why. Her grandfather always said the mountains were the quietest of places. I think he was right. We sat down near another log cabin to soak up the view and it truly was silent. It was as though all the sound had been paused, leaving the mountaintop in a permanent state of anticipation.
An old fashioned support beam
My wicked hiking boots
There was a swing and a type of well. The water almost had a heavier yet clearer consistency and apparently this particular type of mountain water is especially good for one's health.
A Whomping Willow tree!!!!
It was very sketchy walking back down to the car - our Italian friend was relaxed and confident and had no problem at all while my sister and I were like clumsy Michelin Men ninjas in our layers of coats with our limbs splayed all over the place in an effort to stay upright.
Making tiramisu!!!!!
We went with the family to a late Christmas Eve service which was entirely in Italian. Fortunately, my sister and I were given quick translations here and there. In the right hand side of the church sat the children who were in charge of the animals. Yes, there were chickens and lambs and during the service one chicken kept squawking and there were many chuckles throughout the audience. There was a baptism, a skit on forgiveness and the importance of family (some things never change no matter what church you're in on Christmas Eve!), and then the children led the animals around the aisles and to the front of the church.
During the service a friend beside me (let's call her V)was holding on to a little girl who at one point turned around from watching the service and sneezed ALL over my friend. The little girl stared for a second in wonderment at what she had done, and then went back to happily watching the service while the rest of us tried not to laugh at the sight of V staring at her sneezed-on shirt in comic disgust.
SANTA!!!!!!!!!!!
Bueno Feste!!!!!
The next afternoon we made pasta from scratch. After all, when in Italy...
And of course, the usual bread sticks and wine! Oh so much wine...
The bowl was made from melting cheese in a pan, waiting for it to cool, peeling it off, and then flipping it onto a bowl to harden. A few minutes or so later, voila!
(singing) Pear chunks cooking on an open pan... Jack Frost nipping at my nose...
An olive oil jar which I thought deserved a photo shoot
Mocetta aka cured beef (can also buy cured goat meat)
Pesto, ragu, and lemon/citrus pasta sauces!!!!!
Stuffed baby tomatoes
What I really enjoyed was the variety of food: on the cutting board there would be at least five or six different types of cheeses as well as olives, mocetta, sausages, chilies, stuffed tomatoes, and different types of bread. Admittedly I am not a wine drinker but I did kind of enjoy the Moscato, a sparkling white wine from north-western Italy.
We drove to Aosta to see the market on Christmas Day
A fountain with a dog's head - there were quite a few of these in Aosta
Going to the Christmas Market!!!!
The lactose intolerant's worst nightmare...
A merry tree :)
We went inside a couple of churches, one of which had a crypt!!!
A War Memorial
A deity here, a deity there...
These climbing Santas were very common in Aosta Valley
AHHHH le chocolat!!!!!!!
A random street decoration
Pretty sure this is the Arch of Augustus, built in 35 BC to honor Emperor Augustus. It celebrated the triumph of politician and general Varro Murena over the Salassi tribe.
A fancy pulpit
Cute animals in a store!!!!! Not real, folks
No thrilling story here, I just enjoyed the sign
We met up with some Italian friends and ate dinner over the course of a few hours in typical Italian style! Two of the girls had gone on a Kenyan safari and entertained us with their stories, one of which included a close call with a cheetah. It had wanted to jump onto the open upper section of the tour bus to be with the two sisters and the tour guide was too busy to notice the cat's pre-jump movements (anyone ever watch their house cat prepare to jump onto the counter or a couch?) but luckily the driver began to move the bus so the cat never got to join the tour aka eat anyone
Before...
... And after!
A cluster of mountainside homes
A fleeting glimpse of a fortress as we were driven away from Lillianes (in a car, not by an angry crowd).
This post is dedicated to Emily :)
