Elba, Italy

16-18 November 2007

Another great weekend! This time we drove down to Elba (well, we took a ferry over from the mainland after we drove down).

Paris

9-11 November 2007

We left the an hour after my mother and aunt departed and spent a weekend in Paris. It was great to see all the sights. We also had some yummy Indian food, Pizza Hut, and Subway! Sometimes we really miss the USA!

A visit from Sissy and Sheila (and Halloween)

Oct. 30 - Nov. 9

Sissy and Aunt Sheila visited for almost two weeks and we had so much fun. We went to Lago d'Orta, Milan, Bolzano, Verona, Assisi, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, and a few other Tuscan hill towns. I'll have some more pictures when I can get copies from my mom.

Family Day

30 October 2007



Today was our Family Day - one year since we all met each other for the first time in Wuhan, China. We had a nice stir-fry dinner with some decorations and table setting that I bought in China Town in Milan. We also had a special treat because it was the day my mother and aunt arrived for a nine day visit.

If you want to view the images above in a larger format then just click here.

Provence, France

25 October - 28 October 2007

We had a great time in Provence and the scenery was beautiful. Among other places, we visited Arles, Avignon, Orange, Nimes and Vaison-la-Romaine.

To read the captions of the slide show, click the little box on the bottom left of the slide show box.

To see more pictures, visit this photo album.

Cathy and Angie visit Italy

16 October - 21 October 2007


Lee Anne, Wren and Cathy

My friend Cathy (from when I worked at the library in Endicott, NY) and her mother Angie were our next visitors. It was so good to see them. It had been quite awhile - at least 3 or 4 years since I had seen Cathy and maybe 5 years since I had seen her mom. It was great to catch up and to show them some of the sites. We spent a day in Milan seeing all the big sights, went to Orta San Giulio on Lago Orta, took a driving up the west side of Lago Como as well as some down time right in Varese. After they left us, they went by train to Florence and then onto Rome where they flew home. I'm looking forward to a visit with them again when we hopefully can make it up their way in September.


Lee Anne, Wren and Angie


Angie and Lee Anne waiting for entrance to the Last Supper


Outside the MacDonald's/McCafe in the Galleria in Milan


Cathy and Lee Anne with a view of Lago Orta


Wren makes herself comfortable with Cathy....


...and quickly ropes her into reading a book!


Lee Anne and Wren on a medieval bridge in a town on Lago Como


View of Lago Como from above town


Wren pushing her stroller - I think all kids must like to do this!


Wren after a bath


Wren after a long and fun day with Cathy and Angie
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a quick video of Wren pushing her stroller

Morcote, Switzerland

12 October 2007
Morcote, Switzerland

In between guests we took a little half day trip up to a town in Switzerland on Lago Lugano called Morcote. It's only 30 minutes from Varese and is a pretty little place with restraunts and shops along the lakeside.


Wren and Lee Anne in front of a fountain


The church in Morcote sits up on the hillside overlooking Lago Lugano


Descending the steps from the church


a pretty entryway to a home on the path from the church


close up of entryway


a fresco on the path


Looking up at the church


Wren found a playground and had lots of fun on the slide


She loves slides!
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A couple of videos


My first attempt at using iMovie to edit a video

The Allbees visit The Bryants in Italy

30 September - 12 October 2007

Sandy & Brian Allbee were our first non-relative guests and we were so happy to have them! While they were here, we visited Milan, Lago d'Orta, Bellinzona, and Florence. After Florence, Sandy and Brian went on a four day tour of Tuscany before coming back to Varese for their departure from the Milan/Malpensa airport. Wren was so happy to have her godparents for a visit and especially liked when Brian would read DEAR ZOO to her!

2 October
Milano
In Milan we visited all of the big sites - the Galleria, the Duomo, La Scala, The Last Supper (not pictured), Castello Sforzeco, and the famous shopping district called Quadrilatero della moda made up of four streets - Via della Spiga, Via Manzoni, Via Sant'Andrea and Via Montenapoleone. All the major Italian designers have their flagship stores here. Among other names, you can find Giorgio Armani, Dolce&Gabbana, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Versace and Vuitton.


Sandy and Brian at then entrance to the Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery. Some of the businesses inside are Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and....a McCafe!


Milan's Duomo is the third largest church in the world.


A picutre of Sandy from the top of the Duomo.


La Scala, the world famous opera house.


Castello Sforzeco was built in the 15th century


I'm not sure what the purple alligators are all about.


Back at home, Brian fits in a little reading to Wreny Roo


3 October 2007
Orta San Giulio, a town on Lago d'Orta

Isola San Giulio


a view of the town of Orta.


Sandy and Lee Anne walking down the main street of Orta San Giulio.


Having lunch in Orta.


Brian and Sanday on the little taxi boat to Isola San Giulio


Lee Anne and Wren on the water taxi.


The view of Orta San Giulio from the boat.


Sandy, Wren and Lee Anne on Isola San Giulio.


Sandy, Lee Anne and Wren on a dock in Orta San Giulio.


A view of the mountains


4 October 2007
Bellinzona, Switzerland

Brian, Wren, Jason and Wren at Castelgrande looking towards Montebello

Bellinzona is a town in Switzerland about an hour from Varese. The city is the site of three medieval castles which were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001. The three castles - Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro – along with the fortifications of the market town, are the only example of well preserved late medieval military architecture in the Alpine area and are just one of four World Heritage sites in Switzerland.


The town centre of Bellinzona from Castelgrande


Castle Montebello, the middle castle


Wren and Lee Anne at Montebello

Jason at Montebello


Wren, Jason, Sandy and Brian at Montebello


The whole gang outside the walls of Montebello.


Castello di Sasso Corbaro, the top castle


A pretty view from Montebello


Another nice view from Montebello.


A view of Montebello from Sasso Corbaro



Wren at Brian at Casso Corbana

5-7 October 2007
Florence

Riding the train to Florence is a 4 hour journey.


The Duomo and the Campanile



In Piazza del Duomo between the Duomo and the Baptistry


A view of Florence with the dome of the Duomo from the Campanile.


Another view of Florence from the Campanile.



Jason, LA and Wren in front of the Baptistry with bronze doors by Ghiberti.


The magnificent mosaic ceiling of the Baptistry


Detail fo Jesus from the ceiling.


The Ponte Vecchio at night.


Wren having her own gelato at Vivoli.


Wren having some pizza in Florence.


Jason and Brian in the tasty restaurant that Sandy found for us.


The exterior of the Uffizi gallery.


Waiting to enter the Uffizi.