A visit to Villa Manin

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We have made plans to get together today with Aunt Lucine's children and grandchildren, so shortly after 2 pm, Luigino, Evy's cousin, picked us up and took us to cousin Loretta's house where we met up with the rest of them. After this we headed off in two cars to visit a large villa in Codroipo called Villa Manin.

Villa Manin was built in the 1700s and has a very formal symmetrical design with twin covered walkways leading to the impressive main building. Napoleon has seen this as a fitting place to stay during his travels through this region.

After taking a look at the small chapel in one wing of the entrance way, we continued on to several rooms that had been outfitted as a museum including displays of armour and early muskets. Though there was a art show going in the main building, we opted instead to head though to the gardens out back.

In a fitting welcome to the huge formal gardens, the aerial stunt squadron from the local base flew overhead leaving a trail of Green, white, and red smoke (Italy's flag colours). After playing around on a sort of artificial hill for a while, we headed off to the main part of the gardens.
Near the entrance to the gardens was a large stand of bamboo trees, quite thick and forest like. The kids enjoyed running through these and it seemed even denser than the bamboo forests that we had seen in Northern Thailand.

After wandering the garden for some time, we headed to the town of San Daniele and drove to a high vantage point that looks out over the surrounding countryside. A church sits atop of this hill, with parts of the structure dating back to 1255 ad. After this we took a tour of the town which has some quite old parts.

We headed back to Loretta and Robrerto's house for a feast of prochuito ham wrapped breadsticks. Here Evy's Aunt Lucine joined us.

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