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Published: September 10th 2009
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Bergamo August 15th
Well we got through the tunnel into Italy. We came climbed up through the foothills around Chambery along empty roads and through the Frejus tunnel into Italy. The roads continued to be quiet as we circumnavigated Torino and hit the autostrade for Milan. We rushed across the plain of Lombardy past light industry with the occasional classic Italian farmstead. We did 500 kms in 5 hours in our new car and soon the stunning image of Citta Alta emerged from the hazy air.
There was nor escape from the incredible heat in Bergamo. It pushed high 30s and into the 40s over the time we were there. The town was deserted as all the locals headed for the coast and the mountains. We stayed in Michael and Francesca’s beautiful apartment while were there. It is part of a 16th century building. Looking either side are church towers and the bells ring out through the morning. The apartment itself is stunning - beautifully designed by Francesca herself to make use of all the available space. Through the heart of the clean white, orange and greys and styled fittings of a modern Italian apartments you can see an old
wooden beam. It is as thick as a tree trunk and obviously very old and it is tied up in metal to keep it from splitting. In many ways it reminds me of Italy: stylish and modern and yet with this heart of tradition that goes wayback.
On the first day we had to hunt down coffee—which is astonishing in Italy but the combination of a hot August and a national holiday had driven even the owners of bars out of the city. We had a meal in a restaurant with Diane, Franco and Francesca’s (Michael had been called into work) it was served on big plates--- polenta, meat and vegetables.
Afterwards we went with Francesca to Citta Alta, We got hot climbing through the thin streets. We stopped in surprising greenery in the shades of tree and drunk the cool, sweet water from the old drink fountains. We went into the cathedral and looked at the wood carvings. We saw the cuts in the stone in Piazza Vecchio where the executioner sharpened his axe. We sat in the square where the women would beat out the clothes in the communal washing place. Finally we went up the bell tower
and looked over the Citta Alta, the rest of sweltering Bergamo and the onto the hazy hills. We had cold ices made from real fruit - rock melon, raspberry, mint, strawberry and lemon.
So what do you think of Italy Henry?
I thought it was great. There was two moments where mum and dad made me feel like a very naïve traveller.
1. The first time was when we had just started our trip to Bergamo from Lyon we were just starting to enter the French Alps. I was looking out the window and said “WOW! That’s a cool mountain” then I heard dad say, “mmmm Henry that’s a foot hill” it turned out dad was right; that was only a foot hill compared too some of the beasts we saw and climbed two days later(I will elaborate on that later).
2. We went too an Italian restaurant one of the nights for dinner and we chose what we wanted. Well the food arrived which were these beautiful pastas and sat there and ate them. After we ate the pasta a waiter came up to our table with this big beautiful pan filled with
meat and roast veggies. As I sat there bewildered for some time every body else started eating. A few moments later my dad looked at me strangely and asked me why I wasn’t eating. I then began to tell him that I had eaten so much pasta I was all full up. Then I looked at that plate and found the strength to compress the food in my stomach and eat that and the desert after it.
Apart from those moments of embarrassment I’ve had the greatest time in Bergamo. I have really enjoyed seeing my Aunty Diane, Franco, Michael and Francesca. One of the many highlights of my trips was on Sunday when we went into Switzerland ( yes another great country) we went and saw mountains(For all those people in WA mountains are these interesting bumpy bits of land) Actually we got very up close and personal with mountains. We were so up close we actually climbed it. YES I climbed a mountain!!! Capiano Segantini (Don’t know spelling) I climbed a one thousand metre high mountain from the top to the bottom. The next day after our expedition my Calves were so sore. But the actual mountain was two thousand seven hundred metres above sea level.. I also learnt some things you can do on top of a mountain.
1. Have an nice cold ice tea (The best ice tea EVER !!)
2. Go to the toilet. Yes a record was broken the highest pee Henry has ever taken is 2700 metres above sea level
That’s all folks next instalment will be about the lovely beaches of Croatia.
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