Italian Itinerary (Part Two)

As mentioned in my last entry, in early August we spent some 15 days in north-east Italy, where my family originates from. If you're planning a trip in that area, or are hesitating about where to go in Italy, you might want to take a peek at our itinerary spread across the last post and this one. Due to the fact that we were there to see family, keep in mind the itinerary we spread across fifteen days can actually be done in a week or less, depending on where you're staying and how you're travelling.

So, where was I..?


Longarone, Erto e Casso
Early one afternoon, we drove to Longarone (in the adjoining region of Veneto) to see the Vajont Dam which is over 860 meters high, and is unfortunately known for the tragedy that occurred in October 1963. We weren't there for the guided tour, though I suspect the view from the dam must be remarkable. There's a small kiosk about 200 yards or so up the hill from the entrance to the dam, where you can pick-up a free flyer in English (there are flyers in a variety of languages) with details and testimonials from those who survived the catastrophe.

Incidentally, the letter "j" does not exist in the Italian alphabet, however, they recognize it as being the "long i". It is pronounced as a "y"—e.g. Vajont sounds like Vayont. For instance, nonna calls my son Yeremy. Snicker.

From there we drove to the mostly abandoned mountain town of Casso¹—population 35—climbing a steep and narrow winding road with our rental Fiat 500 in first and second gear almost the entire way. For those of you who doubt to ever make the journey, MagicoVeneto, an independant amateur site, has posted beautiful photographs of the little town. The homes and buildings in Casso are now mostly used as vacation residences, the village being a mite far to commute every day for work and groceries. But if you're looking for a place to hole-up for a few days, in spectacular surroundings, you might want to consider Casso. (Secretly, I'd want to rent there, and dress up in medieval garb then wander the streets in-character. Wink-wink.)

Poffabro
On a different day, we walked around Poffabro, another small mountain town in the area, larger than Casso and certainly more inhabited. You arrive at the bottom of the town, where there is a lovely fountain and a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. A seriously fantastic view. The village is quaint, and reminded me a lot of the french provincial town of Bonnieux—it has that old-time European flavour that people love to see in movies.

If you haven't decided what time of year to visit, can I suggest Christmas time? Annually since 1997, between mid-December and mid-January, Poffabro residents install Nativity scenes in their windows and storefronts, along the cobbled streets and under canopies, for all to enjoy. The "event" is called Poffabro Presepe Tra I Presepi (or something along those lines, depending where you look), and the next one will be held from December 11th, 2016 to January 15th, 2017. (Presepe means crib, and its plural form is presepi, in case you were wondering.)

Jennifer wrote about it on her blog, you might like to check it out.

Piancavallo
We spent one afternoon in Piancavallo, enjoying the International Folklore Festival dancers from Mexico, Roumania, and Russia. This little Italian city is mostly known for its winter sports, being nestled right up on the slopes, and home to one of Friuli's indoor skating rinks. (Both our boys laughed about the rubbish bins looking like Dalek. LOL) However, every summer they are host to the Folklore Festival for about 10 days. In my opinion it's well worth the visit, even if you only stay for a few hours. As with everywhere in the region, beautiful mountain vistas abound. From this vantage point, you can get a really close look at the Dolomites, the pale crag-like mountain range in the Alps. Remember to bring something warm to wear if you visit, as the air can get quite chilly at 1200+ feet above sea level.

The contagious smiles of Mexico.

Barcis
One afternoon we went off on our own, drove to Barcis, a beautiful little lake town that seems to be the length of one main road. The lake is just gorgeous. People go swimming here, and the view is magnificent, with the mountains rising right out of the water on the opposite bank. Fishing is currently prohibited as they are repopulating the lake. There is a little train (looks like a kids' ride) that offers a one-hour ride around the town and somewhat into the mountains for roughly €6 per person.

Lago di Barcis

Bibione
Almost everyone has heard of the golden sands of Lignano Sabbiadoro (in the neighbouring region of Veneto). Bibione is another busy beach city just south of Lignano—in fact if you walk north-east along the beach in Bibione, go past the lighthouse, and follow the land, you will eventually reach Lignano beach. If you're not staying at one of the hotels, you can rent a beach umbrella (which comes with chairs as well, and free parking) for about €19. We rented an umbrella for half a day (€9), and I liked it because it gave us less to carry, plus the chairs were more comfortable than just laying on the sand. The sand was soft and clean, the water refreshing for August, but you could walk into the ocean quite a ways without the water getting too high. It is very crowded, so my advice would be to either walk east along the boardwalk until you reach a less crowded spot, or go early in the morning to rent an umbrella. You can bring your own umbrella and chairs, but you are only allowed to set them up behind the rentable ones. Or else, you can set yourself up at the water's edge with just a towel.

Beware: Italian law dictates that you do not buy products or services from unlicensed vendors. You can be fined big time if you get caught. This said, you will see a lot of unauthorized vendors peddling their wares on the beach, whether or not law enforcement is around, so it's on you.

Udine
Udine is an old Venetian-style city with hustle and bustle. It is crowned by Castello di Udine with a courtyard offering remarkable views of the city from all sides. Walking down from the castle, you can watch the copper-covered Huomini delle Ore come to life every hour as they strike the bell atop the Torre dell'Orologio. There is lots to see and do in Udine, including regular festivals and events, eating and shopping!

For those who like to learn culture and tradition, here's a little song they used to sing about the castle of Udine. The song linked is sung in Furlan (Friulano), the dialect spoken in Friuli, full lyrics below.

Furlan Version

(Chorus) Oh ce biel cjscjel a Udin/oh ce biele zoventût

Zoventût come a Udin/no l'si cjate in nissun lûc

A bussâ fantatis bielis/no l'è un frêgul di pecjât

Ind'ai bussade une brute/e il plevàn a mi à cridât

Il plevàn mi à dât par penitince/di bussâle ancje doman

Italian Translation

(Chorus) Oh che bel castello a Udine/oh che bella gioventù

Gioventù come a Udine/non si trova da nessuna parte

A baciare le belle ragazze/non c'è un minimo di peccato

Ne ho baciata una brutta/ed il prete mi ha sgridato

Il prete mi ha ordinato come penitenza/di baciarla anche domani

Spilimbergo
On August 13th, my aunt and uncle suggested we head to Spilimbergo as the sun started to set, to take in La Macia, a sort of historical/renaissance re-enactment carried on throughout the city that weekend. Many go dressed in traditional garb. There are food stalls offering things like mead and traditional dishes, and vendors selling hand-made replicas of period jewellery and weapons. You can pay a small price to participate in activities like archery, or spin a friend on the wheel of torture or hit the target to dunk him in a barrel of cold water. There are also fire-eaters and jugglers performing on corners, and drummers walking the cobbled streets. It was fantastic. Definitely a must-see!

Spilimbergo is a really beautiful little place. I don't remember it from my last visit in 1992 because I was too young. But if you're in the area, I would suggest you stop here for a few hours and check out what's going on. Wear comfortable shoes! The cobblestone streets really take their toll.

Venice
We also spent a day in Venice. Take the bus or train from wherever it is you're staying, because parking is between €24-€30 in the lots outside the famous island city. The tide was high, so other than the occasional smell, the air didn't distract me from all the sights to see. Venice is beautiful, pedestrian, and very, very commercial. Gondola rides are €80 a pop, so we decided to enjoy them from our perch atop several of the little bridges rather than flagging a ride. It was a really hot day, and I liked that several of the shops had stalls out on the pavement, with fountains of cool water dripping over fresh fruit and coconut pieces rather than sweets and gelato.

Quite obviously Venice.

Since everyone and their mother has heard of Venice and its charms, I'll leave it at that.


Up high in the night sky, the darkness above the Alps is probably the best place to view the Perseids in August. Traditionally, the shooting stars on the 10th of August are considered to be the Tears of San Lorenzo, who endured a martyr's death on this day.


A Few Other Notes

Groceries and shopping: Grocery stores close at odd hours in little towns like Maniago, so try to keep that in mind if you're staying in an apartment or plan to save some cash by eating in. Shops usually open in the afternoons and grocery stores are usually closed by 8PM. Also, Wednesdays have iffy schedules, and if a cafe has no patrons it is likely to close early.

About dogs: Dogs are everywhere! And despite laws against it, so is dog poo! Also, dogs tend to be left outside, and may do a lot of barking to accompany the roosters who crow at all hours.

School holidays: School runs from September to early June, from Monday through Saturday, until 1PM-ish. Keep this in mind when planning your holiday, avoid the rush if you can.

Law enforcement: There are five types of law enforcement units in Italy, but only three you will most likely see while out and about. Polizia are normally those who give tickets, and Carabinieri are the higher-ups who have the power to make arrests and intervene physically (as well as give tickets). They can often be found standing at the side of the road, waving a white pallet with a red circle at random vehicles. You are meant to pull over and prepare your paperwork in this case. There is also the Guardia di Finanza, who are under federal jurisdiction, dealing in money-related crimes. Here is a guide to understanding Italian law enforcement.

A Canadian's official guide to Etiquette in Italy


Seeing all the family like that filled my soul up with something I had been missing these past 8 months, and even though I will miss them, hopefully their energy will sustain me for the next few.

Looking back at the things we visited and experienced, I feel we've given our children a veritable picnic basket of culture. Here's a quick sum-up:

• Examined Roman ruins in Aquileia
• Visited a renaissance festival in Spilimbergo
• Watched dancers at a Folklore Festival in Piancavallo
• Admired jellyfish in the bay of the capital city of Trieste
• Explored a giant cave over 100 meters underground
• Discovered the leftovers of a mostly abandoned city in the mountains
• Relaxed at the beach in Bibione
• Strolled a WWI cemetery and memorial
• Toured the little town where my father was born
• Watched shooting stars in the inky sky above the Alps
• And ate a whole lot of pizza!

Footnotes//
¹ Casso is in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region. The region of Veneto is so close they can be easily confused.