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inclasse

Continuing the journey…

Italian journeys

It’s been an hiatus of almost a year since my last post (yes, it’s been that long since I was in bell’Italia). I was feeling sorry for myself, thinking that  I couldn’t write about Italy without being there to experience it first hand − and suddenly, the light came on! My Italian journey is ongoing, albeit in Australia! Italian language lessons, culture and food still are a big part of my life.

For now, it’s about the memories of my last Italian summer…

With the backdrop of an Adelaide winter − cold and wet with mostly grey skies −  I remember my summer in Italy last year. Under a hot Italian sun I swam in the ocean in Liguria, sweltered in the humidity of Verona and found tranquil moments in beautiful places with Italian friends. These are some of the memories!

The beautiful Ligurian Riviera

beach in Liguria
Beach in Liguria

The Hanbury gardens in Ventimiglia deserves a special mention

Himeji Japanese Garden, Adelaide
Himeji Japanese Garden, Adelaide
View of Mediterranean Sea
Spectacular sea views
Amazing displays of colour

Summer in the city of Verona, hot and humid!

Journal writing makes your creativity flourish
Capturing memories in my journal
River Adige, Verona
River Adige in full flow
Among the vineyards

The Italian experience is really all about the people you meet. New friends, old friends, great times!

Italian journeys
The Cinque Terre
Il tesoro, Emi
Timo and Isabella, Verona
Lodovica & Isabella

Alla prossima! …Isabella

 

The shrine of Italian victories

La Vittoriale degli Italiani (The shrine of Italian victories) is a grand villa in the hills of the Gardone Riviera, on the shore of Largo di Garda. We visited the villa where Gabriele d’Annuzio, the Italian writer and poet lived. The villa – a museum now – contains thousands of objet’s d’art and over 30,000 volumes of literature…amazing, though a bit morbid! Along with the villa, there is an amphitheatre and a mausoleum – a circular structure in classic fascist architecture – situated at the highest point on the estate. It contains the remains of men who served D’Annunzio and d’Annunzio himself.

Beautiful views of Largo di Garda and the surrounding hills….

Enjoy, Isabella

 

Tasting Soave in the Veneto

 Una bella giornata per un’escursione alla cantina di Baldestri Valda. (A beautiful day for an excursion to the Baldestri winery) The winery is in the middle of a picturesque postcard view of the slopes of Soave. We are taken on a tour of this modern cantina by Laura, and then a tasting of the wines produced by her family. My favourite is a fresh white Soave Classico.

Cin cin, Isabella

Winemaking in Soave, Italy
La bella Gaia
wpid-Photo-17052012-440-PM.jpg
Great wines from Cantina Balestri Valda, Soave
Great wines from Cantina Balestri Valda, Soave

 

Cooking with Luca

This evening we have a cooking lesson with the lovely Luca.
On the menu:
  • Pomodorini ripieni
  • Salsa verde della nonna di Luca
  • Tagliatelle con il pesto
  • Salami di cioccolata
   
 

   

A great evening learning to make simple, but delicious dishes and afterward sharing the fruits of our labour.

 

Buon appetito!

Isabella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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