Valdobbiadene and Prosecco

We got up this morning and tried to figure out what we should do. The fridge was full of fresh veggies, cupboards had lots of food so there was no need to go put shopping, wait a minute there is a problem. We only have one bottle of Prosecco left. All we have to do is head down to the grocery store and pick one up but why take the simple way out. Instead we decided that a trip to the Prosecco region was required so off we were to Valdobbiadene. We drove through this region when we first arrived in Treviso three months ago. The vineyards were waiting for the summer sunshine and warmth to ripen the famous Prosecco grapes.

Rather than take the train we had a leisurely drive on the autobus. The bus leaves promptly at 11:00 and makes several stops on the one hour trip to Valdobbiadene.



First order of business was to have a coffee and look over the main piazza. You could hear several languages being spoken by tourists that also needed a coffee. 



When we were walking around I felt something was different but could not place my finger on it. Going back over the pictures as I was doing the blog it occurred to me, mountains! The mountains are not visible from our home base of Treviso, seeing them so close reminded me of being back in Vancouver. Strange what you miss from home when you are traveling.

A short walk to the tourist information office to get a map. The young lady at the office was friendly and helpful. We asked if there were any companies offering tours since we did not have a car, unfortunately no one did. Next option was to rent a car, one company offered cars so off to their office. After a 20 minute walk we found them but they were closed for the day. We had noticed a wines shop close to the bus stop so we walked back there. You guessed it, they had gone for lunch and would be back in two hours. This would be a good time for us to grab a bite to eat. The pizza shop where we had dinner was closed on Thursdays,  as was the one at the hotel we stayed at but we found one that was open. We both ordered the gnocchi with San Marzano tomato sauce, topped to chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese and of course a glass of Prosecco 

We have seen that food and wine are very important in Italy. Celebrations are held for the wines of the various regions along with ones for the fruits and vegetables that are in season. Back in May there were banners announcing the Cherry festival and today we saw that the Bean festival was being held the first 3 weekends of September. I wonder how may ways they are going to be prepared?


The wine shop reopened at 3:00 and we sampled some Prosecco. Along with the regular Prosecco we thought the Rose looked good so we bought a few bottles to justify taking the bus here. 

The box was a bit heavy so I remembered what they had told us when we were jogging. A bottle of water is a heavy weight you have to carry it but it weighs nothing when you drink it. Then again the bottles were not chilled so they will have  to wait for another day?


On our way back to Treviso we drove past many vineyards. You cannot see it from the picture but the branches were heavy with maturing grapes. Will have to come back next year and sample them.



We had a perfect view as we sat in the front seats today. When traveling by train we have seen many level crossings with cars waiting for the train to pass. Today we had to stop and wait for the train. There were so many things to see that the 90 minute bus ride home was over before we knew it.



Driving through the town of Montebelluna there was a  bit of a traffic jam. While sitting there I noticed people wandering across the road and no one took any notice, it happens all the time. The man ran across first followed by the lady "his wife?". She was in no hurry to get across, time to get some jogging shoes.



After we got into Treviso the bus stopped at a crosswalk for two pedestrians. Being at the front we had a clear view as a motorcycle passed the bus (high speed) and just missed the men. Must have been a close call as even the bus driver reacted.

There are two methods for payment on the busses. You can buy a ticket at the bus station or get a pass. Buy your tickets in advance and just validate them when you get on the bus or just place your pass against the scanner. Very efficient way of making sure passengers pay for their trip. Should you not validate your ticket you could be fined. 



From high speed motorcycles to modified bikes we have seen them all today. This bike is not high speed but it must get great gas mileage. If the tank runs dry just peddle to the nearest gas station or to your neighbor and ask to borrow a cup of gas.

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Good food and Family

You would think we like to cook/eat if you have been reading the blog. I guess you are right, why not when you find fresh produce at the markets.



Here a few things that we have made in the past week. Time to eat something healthy, fresh and it has to taste great. At the market Orlando suggested we try tomatoes stuffed with tuna, mayonnaise, hard boiled egg and some chopped olives.   He selected some ripe ones and within the hour we were feasting on them. One of the benefits is no dishes to wash.  Recipe for this dish is to add enough mayo and olives until it "looks good" according to Orlando's mother.



Stuffing things....well the yellow peppers and eggplant looked good so we bought a couple for dinner. Ground pork and beef with garlic, onions, bread crumbs some tomato sauce, add some parsley and top with cheese. You guessed it, add enough of everything until it "looks good". Bake until the peppers are done. 



At the market we have seen trucks that are fully equipped to keep things refrigerated or set up to cook on site. Refrigerated ones have all types of cheese or the fresh fish. Surprising on how well these rigs are set up. The trucks travel throughout the region going to the weekly markets. Our prawns came from this truck.



One of my favorites is the truck with roasted chicken, fried potatoes and an assortment of other taste tempting goodies. The chickens come in two sizes 5€ or 6€ cooked and ready to eat.
A small chicken is good for a couple of lunches. Tastes good and zero dishes to wash. No picture as the chicken was eaten when I remember about the camera. Here is the next best thing a shot of the truck.



We have had fresh fruit all summer but now new things are being harvested. The apples are crisp and full of flavor, melons are unbelievable and we buy a couple every week, figs are sweet and we may try to make a pizza with them.  A few varieties of pears are now ripe and these are good with marscapone cheeses on them.

Sometimes you have to treat yourself to a dish we made in Canada, Prawns Fra Diavolo. The Saturday market has a fish vendor with a huge selection of fish and shellfish. We bought a half kilo of prawns for 5.00€ to make this dish. I do not think this is too much for the two of us. This dish is a bit more time consuming as the prawns had to be shelled and deveined. It was very hot today so I did not mind as my hands were in cold water for this job. Prawns over rice and a glass of rose wine and then out for a gelato on a date with my friend. Bonus is we had enough for dinner the next night.


We just finished eating but I am hungry again!

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They say that food brings people together and this was true on Sunday night. This week I was finally able to connect with my cousin Adriano. The phone number that I had was wrong. Tried searching for him on the Internet but nothing showed up. Almost by accident I found that he lives about 15km from our apartment. Last time I saw him was 35 years ago when we went out for dinner with my Uncle, Aunt, Adriano, his wife Nerina and my cousin Elisabetta. That dinner was a high point of our first trip to Europe.

I phoned Adriano on Friday and his warm reception made me feel welcome. We talked about a variety of things and planned to get together for a pizza within the next few days.

Sunday was a rewarding day as I received a phone call from Elisabetta. My memory of her is the young lady that took us on a tour of Venice with my uncle. Now she has two daughters and we will be going to see them play in a musical recital in a couple of weeks. Adriano had also called and asked if we were free for dinner, of course we were! Plan was to take the train to the station close to his home, mother nature decided that it would be a good night to have the biggest rain storm we have seen. The street in front of the apartment looked like a river so plan B had to be used. Adriano called and said he would come to our apartment, thank you very much.



A short drive to his home were we saw Nerina. Danna remembered that Nerina's eyes were so bright and alive, they still are today. We talked about family and looked at some pictures then it was off to dinner.



It felt very confortable being with them. After dinner it was back to their home we talked about our children. They told us that their daughter Valentina is getting married on October 6th. We were honored to be invited to her wedding.
So much to talk about that before we knew it the night was over. No problem, that just means we will be getting together again very soon.

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Padova Italy

A regular start to the week with a walk along the river. We are noticing that the days are getting shorter and the light is somehow different. Several times we have seen this fellow rowing silently down the river.







It is good to have an incentive when you are out for a walk. For Danna it is the possibility of seeing her furry friend Axle. This dog loves to have his  ears rubbed and Danna is willing to oblige.


On our first day in Treviso we went back to Padova to buy a few things at Ikea. Well, Padova has much more to offer than Ikea so we decided to go back for another visit. Off to the train station we go. While waiting for the train a woman asked
(in Italian) if it was OK to sit on the bench next to Danna. She then heard us speaking English and asked where we were from. Not only was she from Canada but from Vancouver. Daniela grew up in Vancouver's "Little Italy" and moved to Italy 34 years ago and meet her husband Romeo. She has lived happily ever after just outside Castelfranco. The train ride seemed to be too short as we were having a good time chatting about Italy and Canada. Could these be more friends for us to have gelato or coffee with? I hope so!


We arrived in Padova to find it was even hotter (38C) than in Treviso. Today we would take it slow just to make sure my friend does not overheat. Tueday was market day and there were many vendors with everything from apples to zanzara (mosquito) repellant. 







Seems as if everywhere we go we are seeing lions, yes there was another waiting for us here. Lots of people sit on the lions for a photo op but Danna decided to just stand beside this one.


Lunch time next to the market where we could watch the action.
I should have learned by now that a nice light lunch is a tramazzino or two with something to drink. Instead I had a panino that was good but Danna's choice looked better than mine.
Before we left the Bar Nationale and I had to order a tramazzino to go, just in case I got hungry. (tramazzino=sandwich)



At one of the university buildings we found an example of some of the modern art.



Here the historic and new are visible. A modern transit system with the old building in the background.



Turns out today was not hot but very hot. My friend was definitely overheated and we had to cool her down. The best way was to head home to some air conditioning.
It was so hot even the pigeons were walking.

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Capestang France - Canal Du Midi

Canal Du Midi

I had certain expectations for Capestang but reality was that they would all be shattered by what this area has to offer. Forget about the good wines, fresh produce or even the marinated duck breast ready for the BBQ.
The scenery was stunning from the vineyards to the ancient church and of course the Canal Du Midi.

The canal now serves as a highway for the barges filled with vacationers from around the world. Pace on the canal cannot be described as anything else but slow. Why would you want to rush when you have the beautiful countryside on either side of you? When people get tired of floating down the canal they just stop, have lunch and a glass of wine.

Sometimes it is strange on how things work out. We had not planned on going down the canal but when the opportunity came up we did not say no. It helps that our friend Eva is out going and open hearted. One afternoon Eva was at the visitor information booth dropping off brochures for their B&B Le Petite Platanes when she overheard a man asking for some information. He spoke in English so Eva offered assistance. Mike, his family and friends had rented two boats for a week long ride down the canal. Well one thing lead to another and Eva invited them to her place for dinner. I think the phone call home was like this, "Hi Alfonz, I have just invited 18 people for dinner, hope that is OK with you." 

Turns out the visitors were from Washington, DC. In two days they would be returning to Capestang and the BBQ would be held that night. 





They returned on schedule and everyone looked forward to making new friends. Food for the evening was centred around a traditional French BBQ. Several types of sausages, duck breast, salads, a baguette or two and refreshments. A pot luck dinner with everyone contributing something.

Alfonz was head man on the BBQ and it was my job to keep him hydrated.
 


The kids had hotdogs and ice cream along with some fun time in the pool. They then relaxed by watching an assortment of videos.




It was a great evening but everyone had to head back to the boats as it was their last night on the canal. We were asked if we would like to go with them on the final leg of the trip. Tough decision, a 3 hour boat ride on the Canal Du Midi. Of course we would go as long as their boat is not called the "S.S. Minnow".

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Next morning we walked up to the canal to meet everyone. The first boat we saw exemplified what canal cruising was all about. One person waving, two sleeping, two looking at the scenery go by and the captain steering.



If you need some exercise there is a bike path alongside the Canal.
Good way to work up an appetite after a day of relaxing.



Capestang harbor is a place to tie up your boat for the night. Water and electricity connections are conveniently provided here. People over nighting here also have the opportunity to check out the local restaurants and bars. The bakeries, with all their sweets are very popular. A baguette, fresh cheese and a glass of wine on your boat are truly a memory you will never forget.



Leaving Capestang we must go under the first of many bridges. Wonder how many boats forget to lower their umbrella, well I know of one that has a slightly bent post.



The Canal Du Midi is man made and has some unique features. From our vantage point we looked down to the town of Capestang. It was truly an engineering feat when construction started in 1667. At its peak 12,000 construction workers were involved in the largest project in Europe.
Over 1,000 women were involved with planning the canal's water flow.






For most of our ride we saw Sycamore trees on the edge of the canal. They provide shade and also add to the experience. Unfortunately the trees have been infected by a fungus and all will have to be removed in the next 20 years. The source of the fungus is thought to be Second WW ammunition boxes made from infected Sycamore. Plan is to replace the 180 year old trees with ones resistant to the fungus.


The rest of the group traveled down the canal in this boat.
The bikes were well used by both the adults and their children.



The Ponte De Pigasse is one of the many bridge over the canal.


Vineyards for as far as the eye can see. There are wineries located close to the canal that offer wine tasting and of course you can buy a bottle for your diner.








Previously I had mentioned that the canal has some unique features. Here is an example of one. An aqueduct was built to enable the canal to flow over the river. You can see the canal water on the bottom of the picture and the river below. At one point in the canal boats go through a man made tunnel.

The two boats are now moored and waiting for their next guests.


We have reached the end of our journey in the town of Le Somail.
Danna and I thank our hosts for letting us add this memory to our adventure!



"The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them." Amelia E. Barr

Capestang France - The Hamori Family

On my last blog I told you about our stay at  Le Petite Platane but did not go into the background of the Hamori family. Alfonz, Eva and their children  left a comfortable life in Canada to enter into their new life in France.  New town, do not speak French and starting a new business, no problem for this family! The challenge was there but also the excitement of the new life that would be rated on the "happiness factor". You cannot put a number on this but looking at the Hamoris I would say they are achieving their goal.

Le Petite Platane consists of their rental apartment and gité or B&B. Year round tourists travel to Southern France and this makes it the perfect place to set up their business. The locals are sure to tell you that they have 320 days of sunshine per year. Vancouver on the other hand has 204 days of sunshine. There are vineyards all around Capstang producing some very nice, reasonably priced wines.
I can see why they picked this to be their new home.


Through their other company South Westy Shuttle they also offer a shuttle service to the airport. Their Mercedes van can easily accommodate 7 people and baggage.


 
With all the sunshine this is the perfect place to sit and relax by the pool. Yes, I did check it out and it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. A few finishing touches and the tiles will all be in place.



Late one afternoon the clouds rolled in and there was a torrential downpour. It had been very hot all day so Eva took full advantage of the thunderstorm by dancing in the rain with her daughter Angelina. For those of us under cover all we could hear were the squeals of laughter coming from the girls. They would never have had this much fun in the rain in Canada.



Their children Daniel and Angelina seem to follow in their parents footsteps.  Daniel has his own business getting fresh baked goodies from the bakery, this is how he could afford his new BMX.

Angelina is a charming young lady that takes after Eva. In a few years all the boys in town will be at her doorstep.

Both enjoy being around the adults and contribute to the conversation.
 






One night we were out for a walk and we took this family portrait.
Do you think they are having fun?

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When we went to the mall in Béziers I took a picture of this statue. I think it summarizes the Hamori families outlook on life. 

Looking to the horizon with the expectation of a
Future filled with peace and happiness.

  

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