Malpaga

I am sooo far behind on blogging and each that passes, I just dig myself a deeper hole.  Therefore as of today, I am just going to start posting the latest stuff and then try and catch up one of these days.  But if I dont start somewhere and some time son, I will just fall farther and farther behind.  

We did the coolest thing today.  Last week our friends came over and mentioned that they were going to tour this castle out near Bergamo and did we want to come too.  I know that castles are like Starbucks here, there is one on every corner.  And just like Starbucks, I never get sick of seeing castles (unlike the famous coffee place, it's not very expensive and it's an adventure where the memory lasts a lifetime).   But I digress.  Anyhoo on with the tour: 

We walked all around the castle and a lady dressed in traditional medieval garb told us about the history of the land and surrounding area.  She explained the frescoes and maps.  It was all very interesting, unfortunately not to our two little kids, because they started to get bored/hungry and it was hard to keep them interested and listen at the same time.

Standing on the drawbridge looking at the gate.

In  addition to my door obsession, I add on locks.

Standing in the courtyard looking up at the tour and bedrooms.

The frescoes were really well maintained. (Max wanted me to mention that: the dude in red is Cristiano I, the king of Denmark and the dude in black with the plate is his official taster.  I am just diggin on the spikey flying saucer hat).

Looking down the door opening of the bedrooms (I was hoping to catch a ghost or some sort of orb, since one of the main owners died in the room at the end, unfortunately, no such luck!)

Nice knocker.

The Seven Virtues were painted on the bedroom wall.  Is abstinence one of them, because if those are realistic portraits of real women from back in the day, some of them were down right ugly.

These are the soldiers quarters.

 So here is the coolest part.  After the tour, anyone who wanted to got dressed up in costume too!

 Sophia and I are princesses and Max is the ambassador of China, Viv is just some chick that time warped into the 13th century and got all up in our photo.  Unfortunately this is the only pic we have of all of us and of course sophia is playin around with her headband.  Ah well, guess we'll use a different one for our xmas card.

 All the kids.

Max

Yara, Luna and Sophia dance.
After everyone was dressed, we went into the main hall and we each were handed various roles and reenacted a reception ceremony with various medieval characters.

Giancarlo knights Sara.

  


And at the end of the ceremony there was a big dance.

Group foto. (Thanks Valeria!)

(Let me just add that, I am very glad that I don't live back in the olden days, because that dress does not compliment my already blobby figure.)

ps Special thanks to our new friend Valeria (the Duke at the bottom left corner).  She organized this whole soiree, which I'm sure was not easy.  There is a minimum of 20 people in order to do the tour and dress up.  She belongs to a site called goparty  which you can find other people to do events like this one.

Lunch at the Amigoni

Yara's family invited us and the Gandioli over for a play date and lunch. They live right near the school and have this really cool house. It's got a weird floor plan and is not set up in the typical square divided into 2 BR, 1 BA, but its actually one of best laid out houses we've ever been too. It's not large, but you would never know it by the way it's set up. It also helps that there are several balconies and so lots of natural light keeps the house bright, as well as the fact that the house is decorated in a simple but tasteful design. I wish I took more pictures, but my camera is acting up and so the few pictures i did take didnt come out. When we get to finally get to redo our house, I hope it comes out half as lovely as theirs. The Amigoni house is definitely a reflection of their family because it's friendly and casual.
In fact, we didnt sit down for a formal lunch, but instead Cristiana made loads of appetizers and we just chatted and grazed the whole afternoon.

There were cheeses, olives, salami, and several types of bread. These are pizza rolls with mozzerella and prociutto, which Francesco guarantees us are easy to make. The next time we have to go somewhere I am definitely going to try and make these. And then I stole 2 bread recipes from Cristiana (curry flavored bread (a yeasty risen bread) and a prociutto greyere bread (something like a zucchine bread consistency), I'll let you know how those come out after I make them. Karol made cancitas and pappas alla huanchaina (not sure of the spelling, but a peruvian specialty).

I always think I will eat less munch on appetizers, as opposed to sitting down to a several course meal, but I end up stuffing my face even more.The girls had their own table and ate as they pleased.

Sophia poses with Luna.

Max joins the red hat ladies club.

Francesco and Cristiana take the adult version of the Circus Class that the kids go to. Francesco showed off one of his many talents juggling (but the darn camera would only snap without flash).