Wood and Salami

Well, my solo expedition has officially begun! I've just left mum at the airport and now I am alone... I'm feeling calm and collected, ready and excited! Welcome to a new chapter.

As it happens, I am not entirely on my lonesome as Elena is in Milano and her Aunt Romana has very generously offered for me to stay with them a few nights. I meet Elena's family and they are all so lovely! I'm even invited to lunch at Caroline and Guido's house and on the menu... Gnocchi! The one dish I have been longing to try here in Italia and I'm finally getting my chance. Caroline even prepares two variations- a pomodoro (tomato)/garlic, and a saffron beschamel sauce! Yummy!!!!

One thing that I, as much as I like to eat, cannot get my head around is the number of courses which are appropriate in a lunch and dinner meal. First you start with Antipasto, then it's Prima (often a pasta or salad), Secondo (a main meat dish) and Dolce (dessert). All of this with a side of bread! And Italians are very generous with their serves.

During my time in Milan I was afforded the opportunity to hang out with some locals (friends of Elena's) and my what fun I had! Elianora, Davide, Andrea, Stefano and Giulia took us to Yguana Bar where I had my first Italian Happy Hour. Here, that usually means three hours where you can buy a drink and receive free nibbles (often antipasto). At this place 10Euro bought me a delectable free pour cocktail and a whole buffet (the length of the room!) to devour my way through.

After a couple of hours there, it was off to Castello and a piazza that I cannot remember the name of. The nightlife here was buzzing with people everywhere! Basically, the piazza is surrounded by bars in which you purchase your drink and walk away and sit down with in public somewhere in the square. There is a gorgeous monument lit by lights in the park and the square is filled with the warm yellow glow of street lamps. A refreshing change to Australia, the people here do not appear to become so intoxicated that they fight, yell and stagger around. In fact for many, one or two drinks will suffice. For the Italians, it is about being outside and socialising after dark, not getting blind rotten drunk in the back corner of a pub with rotting carpet putting mould on your lungs.

Elena and I at happy hour

Jump at the Duomo

From Milan there is a tour which takes you out to Tirano and onto the Bernina Express. The Bernina Express leaves from practically the Italian border to Switzerland, and runs along the highest train track built, up through the Swiss Alps. I want to sing, skip and click my heels together with joy at the memory of this expedition! Thank you Ben for my birthday present allowing me this! The landscape is sooooo picturesque in Summer, and I can only imagine it being equally as stunning in Winter, when mountains are covered in snow and lakes have frozen over.

As you start out, you pass Swiss style houses set amongst brilliant green and the backdrop of the mountains. Everyone has these beautiful little veggie gardens growing deliciously fresh produce. It makes me really miss my herbs.

This is a little something like what I experienced....

Peaceful quiet but for the chirping of birds. Yellow flowers dotting the mountainside and higher up, glaciers. Freshly melted, icy water rushing down the mountainside and cascading over the rocks.

The smell of wood and salami which is replaced by the scent of pine as you near the top. The chill in the air from the snowcaps. Hikers whom I watched enviously from the window, walking in perfect sunlit conditions. Yes, there were even those funny ones walking with the two poles, prostrate bodies at angles of 30 degrees!

Hiking the Swiss Alps in Summer – straight on to my list of things to accomplish.

I think it's safe to say that I'm in love. I seem to be falling in love a lot on this trip. Well, I suppose it's every woman's dream to have a mad romance while on vacation in Europe. Too bad the scenery can't love me back...

All aboard!

Looking back

Bernina Express

The final stop of our tour is St. Moritz. This is a place that even the Swiss think is expensive!

40mins was plenty of time for me to look around at the gigantic blue lake and all the things I can't afford. I did however, succumb to the temptation of a little purchase. After all, who comes to Switzerland without buying Swiss Chocolate? So inside an expensively decorated Chocolaterie (I don't know the Swiss word) I walk, and 5Euro later I exit with four tiny hand made chocolates. Given, they were melt-in-your-mouth, but 5Euro?! What a splurge!

After 12.5hrs of out and about today, it's back to the hostel for an early night. Cinque Terre tomorrow! After today's inspiration, I'm quite looking forward to a spot of hiking.

St. Moritz