San Marino

On Saturday June 28, after we were through moving the Frys into their new apartment in Ancona, we began driving up the Adriatic coast.  The sea was beautiful.  We drove though Persaro and Rimini.

Rimini has one of the most famous beaches in the world.  It goes for miles and miles. We stopped and dipped our toes in the water.

Then we drove inland to San Marino - an old city state that never joined Italy.  They are their own country.  

The old city and castles are on the top of this mountain that has a shear drop down to the farmlands below.

Here you can see the Adriatic Sea, about 15 miles away.

The castles were fabulous.

One of the other castles

And the shear drop down to the farm land.

Do you see Peg down there waving at me ?

This is some graffiti that was painted on the prison cell walls.

Here's the restaurant where we ate lunch.  We could see all the land to the east from our covered patio seats.

The big church at the town of San Marino on top of the mountain.

Some of the ancient tiny streets around town.

Here is a view of the three castles from the farmland below.  Very stunning views everywhere.

Move the Frys to Ancona

It was another extremely busy week. Tuesday a new senior couple arrived.  The President had planned on them replacing the branch president in Forli who left a couple of months ago.  However, since then that part of the mission is now a Stake and he new Stake president asked that the couple go Ancona as branch president instead.  So we were asked to take them down to Ancona. Wednesday we let them acclimate to the new time zone and dropped them off at the Metro station so they could tour Centro Milano.  Thursday we loaded up the Van with tools and headed south with the new couple, Elder and Sister Fry following behind in their mission car.  On the way we stopped by the old couples apartment in Forli and loaded up all of the mission furniture in the van. (We also stopped and delivered a micro wave in Reggio Emialla and bought a washing machine for the Sisters in Modena).  We got to their new apartment in Ancona about 5pm.  This had been a new Elders apartment for about a month.  Now we had to move the elders out and back with the other Elders and move the Frys in.  Friday was moving day.  After moving the Elders stuff out, we went to IKEA and bought all of the stuff for the couple.  After a quick lunch, the Elders and the Frys assembled new furniture while Peg and I went to buy a 2nd frig for the Elders, air coolers, a bed and table for the Frys, After that was assembled we discovered that there were no bed slats.  So I had to make a 3rd trip to IKEA!  It was a very hot, humid, sweaty day!  They are now moved in and getting adjusted to life in Ancona.  They are a great couple.  Very eager and willing to do anything they are asked.

 A view looking left from the Elder's Balcony

 And a view looking right toward the port.

 After one last trip to the Elders apartment to install their White Board, Peg and I went to eat at a Chinese restaurant several doors down. It was great!  The 1st real Chinese food that we have had here in Italy.  After eating we drove up to the point that form the natural harbor.  Here is a cruise ship leaving the harbor.

It is very high and has a church up there

Very Beautiful!

 The sun was setting and it was beautiful.  Even though we were still hot a sweaty, it was peaceful to enjoy the sun set.

 Ancona was settled around 100 BC and has many old Roman ruins.  This tower is not one of them.

 The view of the harbor was awesome.

A closeup.

With the sun going down we drove back to the Hotel.  We were almost there when I almost ran into a Police car as they pulled out in front of me.  They pulled up alongside at the next stop light and told me that I had ran a red light.  I was really scared!  After a couple minutes they just told me to be more careful.  WOW!

Tremezzo

Last Sunday was the Burgers last full day in Italy.  The Lees held the Burgers going away dinner at the Mission Home.  At 4:45 am Monday morning we loaded up the Burgers in the van and took them to the airport.  I think we will miss them more than anyone else in the mission field.  They had a very physical job that we must now take do.  Wednesday was scheduled as moving day for the new apartment.  Everyone in the Lampungano district gets to move.  Sisters to the Elders apartment.  One set of Elders to the Sisters apartment and the other set of Elders to the new apartment. So Tuesday we had to shop for more new apartment stuff that we forgot plus all of the stuff that we need to take care of the Merate and Muggio apartment.  We also went back to the new apartment to meet the landlord and pick up the key for the gas.  We still do not have any power!  So we cancelled the moving day and Wednesday we hauled kitchen stuff and new wardrobes to Merate and Muggio.  Back to the office in the afternoon to catch up.  Thursday was shopping for lunch for 44 at Mission Council on Friday.  Peg made Taco Salad and it was a bit hit. Peg conducts the auto training and I supervise the car inspections for all drivers. It is great to see all of the zone leaders and Sister Training leaders from the whole mission.  Another day with only a couple of hours in the office.

During the week we found out the Sisters in Como are having health problems potentially from mold. Two of their mattresses had mold on them so we took them some clean mattresses.  We were in Como for the 2nd Saturday in a row and were not quite sure what to do.  We drove up along the western shore where we had not been before.  What a beautiful drive.  Tiny narrow twisting road that is very scary at times.We stopped in Tremezzo which is a small village just across the lake from Bellagio.  Very Scenic.

Just north of Tremezzo is Villa Carllota -  A large 19th century mansion with fabulous gardens.

It is right across the tiny road from the lake.

We walked up to the entrance and there was this large tree on the lake side of the road where 5 or 6 old folks were painting the scenery.  I think it was an art class.

Inside the Villa gate in front of the mansion is this fountain.

And several tiny palm trees

The grounds were fabulous.

A creek running down from the mountain.

Inside the villa were wonderful rooms furnished and painted as it would have been back in the day.

This is the center hall on one of the upper floors.

Looking down from a upper floor window toward the back.

The nursery

Dinning Room.  Check out the bread plates? on the left of the dinner plate.

The chairs in some of the room had some interesting carvings

This guy is not happy

Back out in the garden on the other end of the villa

That is Bellagio across the lake.

One of the water features - yes those are turtles.

We then walked down to Tremezzo to find lunch.  Across the road from the largest hotel is their sunning deck and even a swimming pool floating in the lake.

Here is where we ate lunch. I had manacotti, and Peg had penne with smoked salmon and arugula.  Mine was very good - hers was fabulous.  I think it is the best pasta dish I have ever had!  She was very kind and let me swap plates with her half way through.

A view of where we ate from across the road.

Interesting water fountain 

We then walked back to the van, Here are parking stalls for the big fancy hotel.  These lifts go down several levels to store more cars.

A view of the Villa garden from a closed gate.  If you look close you will see the statues are all giant garden gnomes spewing water.

A fancy "executive " scooter with a roll cage and seat belts.

Here is the tree where the painters were busy creating art.

We got back to our van, the grey van parked correctly and blocked by the larger van.  This is Italian parking.  We banged on the white van for a while and eventually a guy came and moved is so we could leave.  Italy is great!

Como

Our mission duties are changing.  With the Burgers going home, Now we must continue with the housing duties along with our normal duties as well.  We spent several days working on apartments.  Lets see if I can remember (it was a blur).  Tuesday was new missionary training - that went very well.  At the same time a new senior couple arrived in the mission.  The office elders picked up the Pedersons from the airport and took them to their hotel.  When we got back from new missionary training, we had the Elders go and pick them up from the Hotel and we welcomed them and spent some time going through some mission training and housing, expectations, money, cars and what to expect here in Italy.  The Lees came over and joined in when they got back from new missionary training.  Then we went and had dinner.

Wednesday we took care of some office duties and then went to he new apartment to drop of some chairs and meet the Plumber who was installing the kitchen.  We then went shopping for wardrobes, book cases, shelves, washing machine and everything a new apartment needs.  Three stores and about 1500 euros later we stumbled home exhausted.  Shopping is very hard work. Thursday we meet both sets of Elders at the new apartment and assembled all of the furniture. But there is still no power or gas at the apartment.We will schedule the move in next week some time.

Friday we got caught up on our office work and it was end of the month so we both had a bunch of reports  due.  We also found out elders in Busto needed a new phone and the sisters in Como needed a new sim card.  It looks like we know what we are doing on Saturday (our day off).  So Saturday we delivered the phone stuff to Busto and then Como.  We then wandered around Como a while.

This is the front of the Como Duomo

And the inside.

Nice stained glass windows

And a baptistery

The back half of the Duomo

Piazza in front of the Duomo

Como did not seem to have many unique or interesting doors.  I did find these nice balcony supports.

And of course Como is right on the Lake.