666. Oh, mio dio!

**Updated! My friend Fabrizio sent me a correction on the name of a village we visited, and he told me the name of the castle whose name I didn't catch. (Grazie mille, Fabrizio!)**

"Oh. My. God." My Italian friends said this often and to which I always replied, "Oh. Mio. Dio!" Laughter ensued. What can I say? I'm silly.

One evening I shared my photos with my buddy Davide. You may (probably not!) recall that I played pool a couple of times with my friends before I left for Europe. When Davide saw the pictures from that evening, he said that we should go bowling and play pool. What a fantastic idea!


Bowling in Italy. Also inside: an arcade, pool tables, foosball, a caffé bar, and computers for internet access. Oh, mio dio!


The balls are made in the USA, of course.

I surprised myself, for I made a strike. Um, does one "make" strikes? Did I accomplish a strike? Score a strike? Oh, mio dio. I guess it doesn't matter since I lost. However, I had a great time.


Foosball, anyone?


This is Marco. He is a very funny man. He is showing us a bracelet he purchased in Mexico that will bring good fortune as soon as it falls off. Although he is laughing in this photo, he told the story with a disappointed face. He has been wearing it for 5 years! I examined the bracelet and opined that he has at least another 30 years to discover what sort of fortune it will bring. Oh, mio dio!


Speaking of whom...
I took a day trip with my rock climbing pal Fabrizio. We explored the many medieval castles that stand in the providences of Parma and Piacenza. Pictured above is a storage room I stumbled upon in a church in Piacenza. Chiesa di San Germano, Provincia di Piacenza, Italy. (San Germano Church, Piacenza)


Is it snowing? No, a gust of wind stirred up what I imagined to be the dormant and loose blow flower that had covered the village floor like dust bunnies just moments before. This is the medieval borgo (village) of Grazzano Visconti in the providence of Piancenza.


Fabrizio taking a picture of the flying blow flower clumps. Borgo di Grazzano Visconti, Italy.



This 6 seater was made during the oil crisis of the 70's, or so said the sign. Borgo di Grazzano Visconti, Italy.


Located within the same village as above, this establishment served delicious meats, cheeses, and wine as one would expect in Italy.


Inside Castello di Gropparello, Comune di Gropparello, Italy.


A farm and casa somewhere in the providence of Piacenza. I'll take one, please.


On the street of Comune di Castell'Arquato, Italy.


A perfect day for a wedding. Comune di Castell'Arquato, Italy.


A castle with a mote! We made a quick detour before heading back to Brescia where we had plans to meet up with the other friends for my last night in Italy, and I failed to catch the name of the village and castle. Oh, mio dio.

*Update: It's called Castello di Fontanellato, and it's in the village of Fontanellato, Italy. Thanks, Fabrizio!


Today is a day of rest. That is if you consider blogging, doing laundry, ironing, and unpacking restful activities. After yesterday, to me, they are. On my first day in Paris I visited Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise (photo above), a famous cemetery very near my apartment--Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Jim Morrison, and many famous non-living others call this place home--and then I jumped on the Metro and wandered through Tuileries district for no reason other than, it was there. I walked until my feet begged for mercy--probably a good 6 hour walk with stops for food, drink, and shopping along the way.

I think I'll put myself together and head over to the Eiffel Tower. I hear it's beautiful at night.

Bonne nuit!

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My sister introduced me to the Canadian crooner Michael Bublé. (Incidentally, we share the same birthday, but I'm a bit older.) Have I been living under a rock? Why haven't I heard of this angelic man before? What a babe.

I picked the below song for my blog feature, Song of the Day, because 1.) it's playing on my computer, 2.) Paris is in the lyrics, and 3.) it's a beautiful song.

janelle renee's song of the day:
Home by Michael Bublé

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home