More Adventures in Vittorio Veneto

Today, I went by myself again on the town. Determined to find that dang museum from yesterday, I went in search for it again. Funny enough, Gianna was looking at my pictures last night and said that the museum was in one of my pictures! I walked past it at least a dozen times yesterday and didn't even know that's where it was...in my defense, it is only open on the weekends anyway so there were no crowds and it didn't look open at all. It is a beautiful building so hopefully I can go back sometime. While I was killing time before I had to make the long walk back to the parafarmacia, I stumbled upon a church thst looked like it was open. I wasn't sure if you had to pay to get in or if it was a church they were currently using so I would not go in to look. I kept seeing lots of school aged kids going in and out of it so I figured I would go take a look if all these kids can come and go. I guess I became part of a field trip presentation that the school was having with their students. I sat in the back row of the pews and hoped no one would notice me as a tourist or someone who didn't belong with their school and tell me to leave. After the half hour long talk with what had to be the priest of the church, the kids went out of the school and up some long steep stairs that were very old. I didn't understand a word anyone was saying the whole time but it is easy to understand their attitude by their hand motions and their volume of their voice. Italians have one volume....loud! I appreciate it when speaking to them because they are so vocal and expressive but man, they are really loud. Anyway, so up we went to look at this monument of St. Augusta. But behind the monument was a big forest of trees with a very windy and rocky trail. The priest led the way and off we went, a single file line of a priest, nuns, 100 or so children, parents....and me in the back! Once again, I was trying to blend in so I was staying behind with the moms so they might not see me so much. The day before at the market, I bought a new scarf for 3 euro and sure enough, they must be in style because almost every mom had one on. I had good luck to wear it today to blend in with them! So we kept walking and hiking up this mountainside and by about a half an hour went by and I was dying and I couldn't see where we were going. I figured it would take me about that long to walk back down and then walk all the way across town back to the parafarmacia to meet Gianna for lunch. So I turned back around and started my trek back the way I came. A little mysterious adventure never hurt anyone, right? After that, I stopped to get some gelato from my new favorite shop on the main street of Vittorio Venento. Their fragola gelato (strawberry) is my favorite kind! We went to pick up the girls from school and then came home for lunch. We had a pork chop and farre with diced pomodores (pasta or rice grain and tomatoes). Then, the girls and I watched their favorite ballet, Sleeping Beauty and colored some pictures. For dinner, we had a mixture of legumes (tasted like a pinto or kidney bean) and risotto (rice), with some onions, carrots, and lots of olive oil and salt. It was very good, especially with our leftover pomodores from pranzo (lunch). After dinner, we took a long walk around their neighborhood and through the corn and grape fields. The main wine they make here in this region is prosecco. It is like a champagne for wine. It is very good but expensive. It is used mainly for celebrations. They had a bottle for me on my first night with them. It was very refreshing but strong flavor. Tomorrow I am braving a new town called Treviso while Angelo is working at a hospital close by. I will drive with him in the morning and then we will come back about 4 hours later. It is a bigger city than Vittorio Veneto so hopefully I won't get lost. Did I mention that they have a phone for me to use? When I told them over email before I came that I wouldn't have a phone that works there, they activated Gianna's old phone and I now have it for the summer. I use it for a translator, alarm in the morning, and to call them if I need them for an emergency. Especially when I am going to be with the girls all day soon, I will need it then. They don't have a house phone, everyone seems to have a cell phone and they are always talking on them very loudly and all the time! Ciao for now and arrivederci Treviso!