#66: Grandparent Season
Ciao Nonni!
Hello from a very Christmassy Lucca.
Last week we bid farewell to the lovely Liz, David's mum, after her week and a bit staying with us. And less than 48 hours later, it was time to welcome the inimitable duo of Fafa and Boppa (aka Mum and James).
David and I were ships in the night. He went up to Milan on Wednesday for the night to drop his mum at the airport on Thursday morning. While on Friday morning, I left for Bologna to pick up our two.
We stayed overnight at the same hotel near the main central square - the incredible Piazza Maggiore.
I'm not sure if you remember the entertainment of last year that was provided by the concierge of the hotel, who acted (in his own words) as our personal, living and breathing, GPS system - guiding us in, turn by turn, to the hotel car park in such a way that avoided ZTL cameras.
This year, my personal, living and breathing, GPS system was Mum - reading the instructions from an email that had been sent by the hotel earlier that day. I was a bit disappointed that Lorenzo had been supplanted in such a way, but this was quickly replaced by the amusement caused by the two of us trying to survive the experience without biting each other's heads off. You know how it goes - that tense relationship between driver and navigator in a foreign place.
And all the while, James sat in the back seat cackling away, and saying he wished he had recorded the whole thing.
In any case, we made it. Including that heartstopping moment when you come hurtling out of a small side street and realise that you are actually driving ON Piazza Maggiore, right in front of the steps of the Duomo. This only lasts for about 20 metres, before you duck back down another laneway, but it is truly an unforgettable experience.
The 24 hours in Bologna was very enjoyable, I really do love that city. We ate plenty of tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragù. We also took an aperitivo in the ancient markets to the side of the Duomo, and James ordered a negroni that was so strong it could have knocked out a horse.
The following day, we drove back to Lucca. At Mum and James' encouragement, we stopped for lunch on the way in a tiny village on top of the mountains that sit right on the border between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. I've driven these winding roads once before, but it didn't occur to me that last time it was in late summer.
This time, being early winter, I was caught completely by surprise to find the whole place covered in snow. The roads were freshly cleared, so the driving was absolutely fine, but we spent the first 30 minutes in awe of the winter wonderland we had stumbled upon. It must have been quite a change from the hot days in Australia only two days prior.
The lunch itself was, predictably, magnificent. And about 15 euro a head for two courses, wine, and coffee. Did I mention how much I love Italy?
The kids were very excited to see Flavia and James. Although I think Leo is in grandparent overload. He kept calling Flavia "Nannie" and then immediately self-correcting and saying "Nannie ... no, not Nannie. Fafa!"
We're in the final countdown now to Raffy's fifth birthday, and then Christmas. I'm off today to do the final bit of shopping, and put in our Christmas Eve orders for focaccia, meat and other items with the local shops.
The only thing we're missing is the rest of the family - you included! But we are sending all of our love.
Baci e abbracci,
Kate
