Because Jon was unable to fly home after surgery we spent the holidays in Italy! Here are some of the highlights:
Run Santa Run! was a charity race I participated in to raise money for all of the flood victims in Vicenza. It was my kind of "run" because it was only a 2 kilometer (barely over a mile) course and when the starting gun went off everyone just started walking. Some of the Italians around me even lit a cigarette as we started off on our "race." Everyone wore a Santa Suit and many of the locals stopped in the middle of the "race" to get themselves an espresso at the cafes we passed. Instead of water and Gatorade at the finish line; we were handed hot chocolate and cake! My kinda "race"!
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| Yup, just strolling on this "race" |
Downtown Vicenza was all lit up and filled with traditional Christmas markets throughout the holidays...
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| I love our piazza during the holidays |
And for Christmas Eve we were invited to our neighbors house to experience a traditional Italian holiday with their family. We had an amazing time...and it didn't hurt that our neighbor was a chef in Venice and owns a winery! Needless to say, the food was gourmet and the wine was amazing. They even gave Jon a case of wine from their vineyard as a gift! We gave them a bag of "American" food for Christmas! It was all food they can't (and maybe wouldn't ever want to) get in Italy! Pancake mix, syrup, Cheese Wiz, Ritz crackers, BBQ flavored chips, cheetos, peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies and brownie mix! They loved it! The pancake mix and peanut butter was like gold to them. I think the cheese wiz freaked them out:
"Formaggio? In can?? Only America... hmph. "
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| Enjoying our Christmas Eve with our adopted family. Even if we didn't understand anything they were saying. |
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