August 12 - 19, 2014 (Post 3 of 3) Carema Convention and the day after

August 12 - 19, 2014 (Post 3 of 3) Carema Convention and the day after

What wonderful days together at Carema.  What a gorgeous backdrop/setting also.  I always wonder who I will see and what connections they will have with other's I know... never disappointed.  What a unique gathering from many parts of the world... less than 20 actual Italians there.  People from the Ukraine, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland, England, Norway, Japan, Australia, America (WA, OR, CA, FL), Canada, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Portugal, France, Philippines, China, Africa. Everywhere. ☺   Since most could speak English, all translating was done into English... I appreciated that!

Dining

  Concettina (81)

Sleeping

Laundry

Kitchen

The above pictures was the location and set up.  Below are all the wonderful people I met from all parts of the world.

 Recognize these Irish boys Doug Fulton?  Said they spent a night in your home in Vancouver BC ☺

Barb Murray from Oregon 'stretching out'

 Mariano taking a 'chill'

 Mariano and Luigi

 Concettina and her brother Salvatore.  One evening I called him Salmone (salmon)!!! Oh my!  Anyway, everyone had a good laugh, including me ☺

 Mariano, Luigi, Roberto and Marco... the guys who 'git'r done'

 Piovaz's home

 David & Isis Chambers (May's brother from Ireland)

 Ian and Joan Black (Ireland)

Katya and Alex (Ukraine)

 Luigi and Anita's father... the dishwasher every meal!

 Aurora helping Jessica Adams (Australia).  Aurora and Roberto Loved helping!!! They are adorable!

 The Gbonke family from the Ivory Coast in Africa, living in Alessandria, Italy.  They also know our own Steve Pierson!

 Church from 9:30 to 11:30, then lunch.  Church again from 3-5 then 'biscuits and tea/coffee.  Church from 6-7 then supper.

 Two sisters and a brother from Australia visiting their father's homeland for the first time.

Edwin & Anne Collins and son, Beth Harris, Yvonne & David Driussi.  They are acquainted with Trevor's cousin who lives in Brisbane.

And the rest of the folks from other parts of Australia, having never met each other before either.  Did not get the names of the couple on the left, but in front is Michael, Jessica Adams and (forgot name, but now living in London)

?, Aurora and I

  Joan, ? and Aurora

 Aurora and I

 Aurora and (I am bad with names!!! sorry dear sweet lady, and you were so nice to me)

 Mariano and his mother Aurora

 

 Mariano and his friends from Switzerland

 Still serving meals in courses, even for this many people ☺ (about 100)

 Roberto and Aurora so cute in their aprons.  They loved gathering up the silverware for washing.

 Anna Maria and ? in the kitchen cooking 

Marco and Pasquale

 Luigi and Salvatore

 Cristina

Anita roughhousing with Roberto and Aurora 

 Tsutomu, Francesco, David & Enrico

 Julie from Tasmania in the black to and shirt

 My traveling buddy Jessica Adams from Australia.  I was catching a ride back to Vicchio with the Piccolo's and then renting a van to take my things to Bari from their home.  Jessica was searching for a train to go to Macerata, so since I was heading that direction, we decided it would be good for both of us if she came with me.  We had an awesome time... so much fun.  Will post more about that trip later in this post.

Victor, Michaela and Lorenzo from Romania, now living in Venice and are good friends with Carissa's friend from Bellingham who also now lives in Venice.

 Carol (known as Carla here in Italy since they can't pronounce words that end in consonants) and Lina (Anna Maria and Concettina and Salvatore's sister)

Janell Strube and her daughter Aimelie who she was bringing to study at University in Florence.  Janell is from Florida and is friends with Terry Thom who is originally from Spokane area.  Terry is the home where I spent my last night in US just before my cruise to Italy.  He took us to the cruise ship and then drove my car back to where my friend was selling it.

 Roberto so excited to be 'helping' ☺

  Anita and her folks from Switzerland

 Augusto and Aurora.  Caught a ride back to their place on Monday 18th and spent the night one last time.  They were so good to me when I spent lots of time in their home in May and June.  Rented a van next day to move my things to Bari.

Giuliana Bellone and Carol Castleberry.  My first e-mail contacts in Italy after Mariano.  Was so wonderful to finally get to meet them!

 Evening hangout at the Gelato shop

 On far right is Ernst Süss the father of Andreas from Switzerland.  Andreas and Dwayne Powell will be together in Spain this year.  Carissa and I stopped in Spain and visited Dwayne back in May.

 Salvatore

 Luigi

 Augusto

 Leaving the North and heading toward Florence

 A fancy bridge near Milan

 And a fancier train station!

AUGUST 19, 2014  VICCHIO (Tuscany Area) AND THEN SOUTH TO MACERATA AND THEN ON TO BARI

 We arrived in Vicchio around 10pm on Monday evening the 18th and dear sweet Aurora insisted we must have something to eat before retiring, so she made us all some soup, even though we had stopped along the way and had a bite to eat.  Believe me, I will never go hungry in Italy!!  I then arose at 6am and Augusto took me to the Airport in Florence, where I was renting the van from, then we drove back out to Vicchio where we loaded it (thank you Jessica for dragging all my bags down the stairs) and finally got on the road just before 11am.  Aurora 'made' me eat something before I left and also packed a few 'biscuits' for the road, which Jessica and I both enjoyed very early in the trip :)  Thank you Aurora!! 

 I just love the Tuscany area.  One of the most beautiful in Italy, although it was raining this morning, so these pictures do not do it justice.

 Van all loaded and ready to hit the road.  However, this picture was actually taken in Macerata

 Gorgeous views along the way

 Do you think she is scared of my driving ☺

 Big Van, Big Bus, narrow road.... hmmm

Where buildings and asphalt meets !!

The views and scenery is just outstanding through this part of  Italy!

 Along the way, we stopped for a slice of pizza and how did that happen... a leather shop/store where they made purses and bags was right here!  We just couldn't resist, so we each purchased a 'few' things and we were very happy travelers!  The owner saw what happy travelers this made us and said 'she wished she were traveling with us' !☺

 They made them right here in the shop.  Sorry my picture is a little blurry of the sewing room.

  Jessica transferring things to her new wallet!

Getting closer to Macerata

And we arrived in Macerata

 Jessica's view from her apartment in Macerata.  Where she has been staying in Italy.  Just picking up her belongings and the next day she caught the train back up to Milan for her flight home to Australia.  She was very sad to be returning after having been in Italy for 1-2 years and I was sad to see her leave, after having just gotten to know each other.  I had her send and e-mail to Carissa, as I was driving and thought maybe I had enough to contend with on the winding narrow roads, so here is how she started it: "Hiya daughter of Carmen! :)
I'm Jess Adams from Tamworth, Australia and I'm currently travelling down the east coast of Italy with your darling mother from the Piccolo's to Bari...  

 We had a bit of time to kill, so we had a Gelato, then a walk around Macerata, since her roomy wasn't there yet.  She showed me where she had been and what her life at been like living there.  What a sweetheart.  

 This is a an old city wall and houses are built right into it.

 We said our sad goodbyes and now I am headed directly for the sea and down the coast for another 4 hours to Bari

August 19, 2014 Bari 
I arrived safely home to Bari around 10pm and phoned Luigi and Teresa who then came and helped me pack it all into my apartment.  What wonderful help they were!  How do I thank them enough!

I had drank so much coffee on the trip down to keep awake, since I had gotten up at 6am to pick up the Van, it turned out to be a very long night (or short, depending how you look at it)  Anyway, I couldn't get to sleep, so ended up being up all night, so just did all my unpacking.  

I kept the van for an additional day, as I needed to do a bit of shopping and a way to haul it, so next day 20th, Teresa and I went to Ikea and I purchased a couple of small items and a few simple things.  The one item I purchased was a memory foam for my bed, as it was a little hard for a good rest.  Anyway, it was Wednesday, so I returned the van to the Bari airport and Marco and Luigi picked me up, then headed off to bible study and a late supper with Luigi and Teresa afterwards.

What a whirlwind week!  Next morning, Thursday, tried to do a bit of organizing in the apartment from all the unpacking and then I scurried around and did all my laundry and repacked my bags for another trip.  Headed off next day to Petacciata!   New post coming for that!  Ciao for tonight, as I am very tired and it is late.  Have had two busy days since arriving home on Monday night.  Yesterday I did my laundry (was suppose to go to Caputo's for lunch, but was just too wiped out).  Today I walked to the Poste Italiane and did a bit of grocery shopping (fresh fruits and vegies), then blogged for a while, then off to bible study.  I have yet to get bored!!!!


Ciao!