Italy Update (and new video)

IT'S BEEN OVER a week since we returned from our trip to Italy. The truth is that I had hoped to put something up right away, but I just don't have the energy to chronicle the whole trip because it would take too long (and bore too many people). So here's the super-short version, and if you want more you can watch the short video we made of the trip (available below or by clicking 'videos' at the top of the page).

The trip was wonderful, partly because we decided to visit some parts of Italy that are a little less well known -- so no Milan, Florence, Pisa, or Rome (we did cheat a bit and spent a day in Venice). Instead we spend our time in Italy's central region: Romagna -- known around the world for cheese (home ofparmigiano-reggiano cheese), performance cars (Ferrari, Lambourghini, and Mazerati are all headquartered here), balsamic vinegar (it originates in Modena), and Tenors (Pavarotti was born and lived in Modena). Since Kerri and I have both travelled a bit in Italy, it was nice to visit some new places.

Since this was their first real trip to Italy, Patrick and Julia were in charge of keeping the official record of what we did and I will now consult their notebooks for some more of the details. Here's what I found:

• We visited: Emilia-Reggio, Modena, Bologna, and Venice
• We stayed in a Holiday Inn Express every night (go figure)
• We visited three official (DOC) Parmigiano-Reggiano farms and bought some cheese from each farm (all in Emilia-Reggio)
• Number of tunnels we passed through in the first 2 hours of the trip: 103...then we stopped counting. (It's true!)
• Number of Ferarris and Lambourghinis we saw: 12
• Number of cars that passed daddy even though he was driving 135km/hour: A LOT.
• Times daddy swore because he was lost: [entry removed by editor]
• Favorite meal: just of the Piazza Maggiore in Bologna -- Pasta e fagioli, tagliatelle bolognese, penne and tomatos, tomato & mozzarella salad. Yum.
• Favorite part of trip: riding the bus with no roof (Henry)
• Number of time we had to stop 'for a quick coffee': too many!

If you want something visual, here you go:

CJS