Kirsten Captures

Day 1

Our first day in Italy was kind of a blur. We traveled all day on the 27th to arrive just in time for 28th. However this view sticks out in my mind:

But first, let’s talk about the flight from JFK to Milan.

I did not sleep on the plane at all. Instead, Peter and I played trivia and word games because our TVs were not working!!! Delta flights have mini televisions at each seat where you can watch movies on demand. I spend most international flights catching up on movies and I actually enjoy the time to just sit and relax. During my last flight from China, I watched a record 6 movies. Yes, that is about 12 hours of movie watching.

For this reason, I love the long flight to China. On the other hand, the flight to Milan is only 7 hours which is great if you don’t have movies to watch.

Flying into Milan, we flew right over the Alps, their snow-capped peaks illuminated by the moon. In the darkness, little towns glowed under a blanket of fog nestled in the mountains. It was so ethereal that I cannot fully describe its beauty. As we landed in Milan, the sun began to rise and the mountains revealed themselves. We had arrived!

Despite the beauty around me, I was exhausted! Thankfully I napped in the morning before lunch at our friend’s parent’s house. It was an epic Italian meal that made me fall in love with Italy so much more. We started with some appetizers and bread sticks. Next came the main course and then the cheese dish. Our friend’s parents once owned a cheese empire so they brought out blocks of delicious farm fresh cheese that just melted in your mouth. OMG.

Finally, they brought out a bucket of dates, nuts, and nutcracker. According to Peter’s mom this is an Italian tradition in the winter. In the summer, the Italians switch to a fruit platter. Now that is seasonal eating right there.

To really finish off the meal, we had shots of Italian coffee presented in small teacups and saucers. Oh and did I mention we were drinking red wine and champagne the entire meal? Whew.

Full and happy, we headed downtown to explore.

Our friend lives in a rural area outside of Torino that is only accessible by car. The closest “big” town is Caselette which is where we headed for the afternoon. Peter’s mom and I ran some errands around town while Peter napped in the car. I was tempted to join the locals and ice skate on the town square.

We then headed back to our friend’s house and enjoyed the sunset from his balcony. His home sits against a mountain and overlooks rural farmland. To the right you can see the Alps, including the mountain that looks like it belongs in Paramount Pictures.

Of course we took advantage of this wonderful photo opp.

Then things got a little weird.

Peter, that is not a bathroom.

Peter: “Look over there!”

Peter’s mom…” I can’t see through this thing!”

Peter: “Just pretend!”

Peter’s mom: “I still can’t see!”

Welcome to the effects of jetlag. The first couple days of travel are always a little interesting when you are sleep deprived.

That evening we went to dinner at 8pm with a big group of friends for another multi-course meal that lasted several hours. It was absolutely delicious. My favorite dish was the cheese stuffed dates topped with walnuts. Wow. Never mind, the entire meal which included fried soft cheese, roast beef, and homemade tiramisu was my favorite. OH and don’t forget the wine and champagne. We had lots of wine and champagne.

After the late dinner, we crashed hard just to wake up at the crack of dawn. Why?

It was time to head into the mountains!