"I believe in yesterday": Mi Albicocca

Cesena Italia. What a place to be.

We arrived at Mama Ro in the dark, so had no bearings as to where we were.

The next morning after a white sheet, four poster bed sleep I remembered where we were.

I didn't even stop to put on a coat. Straight out the door and into the 0 degree morning. Fields of Albicocca (apricot) tree's as far as the eye could see. We were in Cesena, birth place of my Nona. I walked further out of the door way, and saw the hills, houses and birds. I began to cry.

First day was difficult, unlike the rest of our time in Italy. The language barrier proved to be a tricky one. Carlo and Roberta (the owners of Mama Ro and our hosts) are apricot farmers. Carlo speaks very good English so that helped a lot.

I asked, in my very shaky italian, "Carlo, vorrei noleggiare bicicleta per favour?" (I'd like to hire a bicycle please)

And so our adventures on the bicicleta began!

We decided to go on a pilgrimage to find the convent that my Nona grew up in. But sadly we were unsuccessful. We trekked for hours, walking up and down the same street. But nothing.

We did find the street she lived in "Via Aldini" that made me happy non the less.

Then for Due Cafe e Insalata (two coffee's and salad) The best coffee I have ever had!

Things blur into one big day here in Italia. We went food shopping, now that was an experience! We managed to get out a live and with what we needed, and headed home to make dinner.

We toured the whole town on our bicicleta. To the Abby (a giant church on top of the biggest hill in town, took about on hour to get up it!) All the walls were painted with angels, and marry's and don'f forget Jesus!

Milena Zoffoli, my second cousin, speaks no english. We found her apartment, made our way up for coffee and some form of a catch up that went from my really bad Italian to her really bad English. But we managed. We found out much about the town, and her life. She sadly told us that the convent Nona grew up in had been pulled down and was no longer there.

We parted with hugs and big kisses, and I was glad to have met a relative in Cesena.

One of the days in this blurring week, saw a visit to Bologna. After many tears and broken Italian, we found our way to the centro (centre). Market; fresh fruit, fish, cheese, meat..everything!..We had finally made it to Italia! Grant ordering a Latte (milk, as in a glass of milk) was one of the highlights in our day.

Today we rode 30km to the Adriatic sea "Cesenatico" We were informed it would take 20min...try an hour. But Che Bello (what beauty) The port was designed and built by Leonardo Da Vinci! We were in the midst of greatness.

Along the road home we passed a canal with houses along one side of it! So many houses, all close together, with that Italian smell, the plastic table cloths and old pots sitting on the brick fences. As we rode on I sore Due Gati (two cats) sitting in a window, bathing in the Sun. As we looked harder we saw more Gati. We counted 10 Gati!

We were invited to Carlo and Roberta's house (literally up stairs) for Vino e Piadini (wine and piadini, traditional cesenian food) Buono Mangare! Over wine and Piadini (bread, like pizza base, with tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto) we talked about Italia and Australia until our eyelids gave way.

Goodbye Emilia Romagna, thank you for all you have shown us. We will be back to visit our new friends in Cesena.

And maybe an Ablicocca or Due.