We decided to go to Jesolo in the afternoon which is on the sea. They have a big sand Nativity there (a whole nativity carved out of sand) that we thought would be fun to see and fun for the kids. We got a fairly late start, since we were so lazy this morning. The day was foggy and the drive even foggier.
There were so many vineyards and large fields we passed by. Chris and I sat in the back of the Explorer behind the kids. It's like we were the children on a family trip too. We arrived in Jesolo and discovered that the sand nativity was not on the beach, as we though it would be, but in a great big tent in the middle of town. We parked and climbed out of the back (good thing these joints can still bend well). We entered the nativity which reminded Chris and I of the ice sculptures we saw at the Queen Mary, though not so cold.
The sand sculptures were very impressive. There were huge scenes sculpted out of sand. The detail and the faces were so impressive. The town scenes fit the time period very well. The actual nativity part was really beautiful and touching. The only weird part for me was the huge sand sculpture of the pope in the middle of it all, but I guess that's what you get in a super-Catholic country.
After the sand nativity, we walked across to a coffee shop where we enjoyed a snack. I had a latte machiatto (milk with coffee), a cannoli that was soooo good, and another interesting long cookie with chocolate in the middle. It was good, but didn't come close to the cannoli. The kids had hot chocolate, which was really more of what I've seen as drinking chocolate in the states.
We piled back in the car and headed for back. One thing about the Italian towns is that they all put up such pretty Christmas lights. There are strung up across the building over the main thoroughfare through town. There are shooting stars or icicle lights or balls or sometimes Buone Feste (Happy Holidays) or Augure (Wishes) or Buon Natale (Merry Christmas - though this is much less frequent) written in lights.
One of the boys was having a great time putting his jacket up over the seat in front of me and having me grab it to play a version of tug-o-war. Then, it became two boys putting their Avenger stuffed toys up for me to grab and throw/dance/tug. This lasted for quite some time amidst giggles and screams. Little kids' giggles are just too cute and you must play with them even if feeling a bit car sick. It's amazing what entertains them too...oh, to be a kid again.
On our way back we stopped at their equivalent to a truck stop, but a very very nice truck stop. There were bathrooms down below (which you were expected to pay something for) but even though they were very nice, they did not have toilet seats - the bowl yes, but no seat, so you squat. Yeah, they must all have strong squatting muscles here if all women are expected to squat.
We dropped off the kids and Angela and drove to Maniago for kabobs and pizza (the Ibarras' favorite). Even though it was foggy, and incredibly foggy in places, the fog was low. There was a full moon and in parts you could see fog on the ground, but a bright moon above you. I noticed that the top of the white mountains to left were reflecting in the moonlight and you could clearly see the outline of them. As we drove closer (Maniago sits at the foot of the Dolomites), it became clearer and clearer and you could see these huge mountains rising up. I was pretty sure I heard them calling my name (mountains often do this to me). It is why I love living in Rancho.
We drove into the cute little town that had blue lights strung up across it's roadway and parked in this big piazza with a pretty fountain and a large evergreen tree wrapped up in blue lights. The town looked closed up and empty, except for a few people gathered outside a bar/cafe. The pizza place, which was through a gate that appeared along the wall of the shops/apartments, was literally a hole in the wall, though it was quite busy. The kebob we got was really what we would call a pita sandwich filled with gyros at Daphnes (although I'm sure this is much more authentic and fresher than Daphnes). Andrew had to eat his immediately and Chris quickly followed suit.
We climbed back into the car, drove by Andrew and Angela's second home they had during their tenure here, and then drove home back along those majestic mountains reflecting the moonlight. I'm really hoping they will be clear on Monday when we return for the market.
We arrived home and ate the rest of our food, were introduced to the movie "The Lorax" (whose pink, purple fuzzy 'trees' I loved) and the show Homeland.
Our plan for tomorrow is to get up early and drive to Pisa and Florence...but since I slept in until 10:30 I find I am not yet tired....
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