We awoke to the clearest blues skies we’ve had in Torino yet.  After getting all packed up and orgainzed we both stood out on the terrace for a while taking it in.  The peaks to the west, The French Alps, were putting on a show with the sun lighting up patches of bright snow.  We talked about how much and how varied the architectural interest just in our one view.

If you look at this you can maybe see the Alps in the back but check out the building, too.

And this one right across from us:

Finally our landlord Filippo came to get the keys and we only had to cross the street to get a taxi to the station.  We rode the nice train, Frecciarossa to Milan and then changed to the Regioale to Bergamo.  I was worried about only having 15min to change but it was very easy and took us less than 5 minutes.  The only thing was there was no place for our luggage so we had to put our suitcases in their own seats just in front tof us.  Luckily the car was about half empty.

We had to walk 400 meters from the station to our new B&B home. The streets were crowded with school kids but we made it fine.  We have a simple place–fine for our 2 nights here.  While Ken rested I went out to a store to buy a blottle of wine to take to Massimo’s parents house for dinner.  Massimo, our dear old friend who taught Italian at FSU and lived at Anthony and Lyn’s house while he was there, met us at the B&B.  We all went for a nice coffee (and cookies!) nearby and caught up for a while.  It was raining lightly when we walked back to the B&B for a bit of rest before dinner.

Massimo’s parents—we had met them before about 4 or 5 years ago.  they are intersting and dear.  His mom went all out on a special dinner for us with a bunch of delicious cured meats including lardo collanata and a special salami from Cremona.  Then the traditional local pasta called casoncelli.  It’s a thick, stuffed pasta with pork, raisins and amaretti in the filling.  Just delicious with some simple butter and sage.  Then (I was already stuffed) she served vitello tonatto which is not typical of Bergamo but so what.  It is sliced cold veal with a mayonnaise like sauce, flavored with anchovies, tuna and capers.  I really enjoyed it!  The often political conversation was heated at times.  You can clearly see Massimo’s lack of patience with his dad, in particular.  I was doing my best as translator for Ken because Massimo often didn’t want to repeat what his dad was saying.  Despite the seriousness of the conversation I was chuckling inside at the family dynamic.

Massimo walked us back to the B&B, in the pouring rain.  Che bravo!