Da Notte

It's intense to be in a place where your family has a 400+ year history. I am a bit overwhelmed with a massive mix of emotions - tired, inspired, stressed, humbled, frustrated - the list goes on.

My Italian is thankfully coming back full-force, though I realize I am mixing it incessantly with Portuguese and Spanish. Imperfect communication is better than no communication at all, however, so I am trying to be content with my efforts.

Rico and I have been enjoying cheap, delicious bottles of Pro Secco (we found the Valdo we had at our wedding at the Euro Spar for a maddening 3 Euros per bottle), prosciutto San Daniele, figs (just me, in excess), hazelnuts, fresh milk, calamari fritti, pizza and wine. Not all at once, but certainly all delicious. I am already planning a gym regimine for when we return to Maputo!

Our family friend Marino took me, Rico and my Grammy on a car ride today through the Collio wine country, into Slovenia, stopping along the way for viewpoints and short tours of medieval churches and castles. We had a divine seafood lunch in Santa Croce, a small fishing village on the Adriatic coast just down from Trieste.

Tomorrow morning Rico and I are driving to Austria to visit his sister and her family. We will spend the weekend in Graz, then go to Vienna for a day trip on Monday. We are back in Italy on Tuesday, then heading home via Venice and Dubai on Thursday.

Until then, baci da Italia.