Italy Photos

Bologna

The many covered walkways throughout Bologna create such an amazing ambiance

France & Italy 2009 171

You can see the distinct difference in architecture in the phased construction

This is exactly what I imagined Bologna would be like...heaven!

This is seriously Suz's dream shop

Look at all of that fresh cheese!

Our first snack in Bologna...and it is incredible!

Holy yum...I may not share with Christian!

Time for dessert...another beautifully displayed window in Bologna

What to choose?

We decided on a pastr that has dried pasta baked in...not super sweet and very fun texture.

Despite the freezing weather, this was one of the most romantic city walks...made you forget about the cold

I love the architecture in this city...everywhere you turn there are beautiful, well-lit buildings

A nearby spot for dinner turned out to be quite delicious though. Fresh tortellini (which were invented here) in a rabbit sugo

$Suz goes with the traditional Bolognese...and immediately understands why it\'s the namesake pasta dish of this region. Delicious!$

A little limoncello to finish off our meal? Yup...and they just bring the bottle marked with where you start and charge you for however much you drink. Dangerous

We missed the memo and the place we wanted to go for dinner was closed...

Night photo with the shadow of the statue in the main plaza behind us

On our walk home to dinner we stumbled upon some ruins, right in the city

$You can see some cannonballs in the corner as well..although they\'re likely staged$

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Cinque Terre

The view from our hotel in Manarola, Italy

$This first town we\'re at in Cinque Terre, Manarola, is adorable!$

Getting our first taste of the famed Sciacchetrà dessert wine from the Cinque Terre region

Dunking biscotti in Sciacchetrà as the locals do!

The moon and coastline of Cinque Terre from our hotel window

Now that is what I call hot chocolate!

Part of the Cinque Terre trail...Christian peeking from a windwo

What an amazing way of life...the fishing boats are stored to the right and lowered down by pulleys

Relaxing on the beach in Cinque Terre

Hiking along the trail in Cinque Terre...the views are picturesque to say the least

Another picturesque view that we stumbled upon during our Cinque Terre hike

Amazingly beautiful hike between the five towns of the Cinque Terre

Squash on display on the Cinque Terre trail

Suz happily strolling through the Cinque Terre

This might be the most beautiful view of a town I've ever seen

Olive groves on the Cinque Terra Hike...like a scene out of a movie

Another one of the five towns

Sun set from the Cinque Terre trail

A local woman offering to sell us some of her hand-made wine

Farinata and fresh pizza in Manarola

I mean really...does life get any better than this? Bringing wine back to our room in Manarola, Italy

Fisherman at work at Manarola, Italy

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Parma

The ever important vat of milk

Starting to seperate the curds from the whey

Steamy working conditions for the 3 (just 3!) family members who have been making this cheese for as long as they can remember

He has only taken 1 week off in the past 30 years...for his wedding and short honeymoon. Cheese making, every day.

Four enormous batches of soon to be Parmesan Cheese!

Young parmesan before the aging process

Parmesan getting the rind imprinted with the pattern that seperates the real deal from the imposters

This is it...pretty simple branding approach!

$This is the pattern you\'re looking for when buying Parmesan to ensure it\'s authentic and really from Parma.$

Salt water bath for the young Parmesan to start forming the rind

One of the many stages in the simple process

We have to restrain Suz from jumping into one of these baths with the cheese

Wall of Parmesan Cheese...yes!

$Testing the cheese to see if it\'s ready...they can tell by sound$

Our first glimpse of fresh Parmesan Cheese Aging

The rind brushing machine

Suz wants to renew our vows here...

$These wheels are literally larger than Suz\'s head$

Parmesan as far as the eye can see

Starting to pull the curds together to form a Parmesan wheel

These things are heavy...takes two strong men

Still forming the cheese...

$...one more twist and it\'s ready to hang$

$The curds first rest in the whey in it\'s newly shaped form for a bit$

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Venice

The floating city...

Amazing how the houses just end in the water

Approaching Piazza San Marco from our water-taxi

Quick bite and some hot wine before we start exploring Venice

$Amazing stairway in an inner courtyard of the Doge\'s Palace$

Look at that doorway!

$the Doge\'s Palace and Famed rose-colered lights of Venice$

$Doge\'s Palace close-up...look at tht detail$

Beautiful against the evening sky...all of the detailed architecture is amazing

The iconic clock tower in Piazza San Marco

$Suz ready to head into the famous Harry\'s Bar for a bellini...this is where it is said to have been first created$

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Amazing baked eggplant in Venice

Backpacking our way out of Venice...sad to be leaving!

$The Doge\'s Cookie!$

$Doge\'s Cookie...pistachio flavored with chocolate chips. Suz became obsessed with this and tried to find it again but it\'s the only one we found.$

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