Travel Virus

This is a typical and special dish of the Graubünden (Grigioni), the biggest Swiss canton, just above and east of Ticino. There is a special meat, sella di capriolo (roe deer) with mushroom cream, spinach spaetzle, rosted chestnuts, cookeed apple with jam, etc. It’s not my favourite dish ever, but it’s good to meet other cultures also through the chitchen

This weekend in Lonato del Garda there was the annual fair. The day of Sant’Antonio (January 17th) there’s a mass for animals, I mean for both people and animals, where the animals get a special benediction. Some years ago I brought my horse, it was quite fun. Unfortunately the weather this weekend was not great, but it was full of people anyway. In the main square of the town they had a simulation of rural life in the past, as you can see in the picture. They were also selling traditional food, local paintings, trucks, and any sort of stuff. It’s quite folklorist.

All of Europe is under the snow, but this doesn’t stop me from traveling around!

I spent a few days, including new year’s eve, in Athens. It was pretty cold but Greece is always nice. I checked out most of the musemus, especially becuase it was not raining inside

My favorite spot is the ancient agorà and secondly the acropoli. We took a guided tour and it was very interesting.

I also suggest to go up (with the funicular) the licabettus, the highest hill in Athens. There is a restaurant up there, not cheap, but worth the view especially at night.

A must see museum is the National Archelogical Museum, and needs several hours to enjoy it.

Some interesting shopping can be done around monastiraki (metro station) and the Place (old quarter).

I found Athens incredibly expensive (25 euros for one dish in a regular restaurant!) and very chaotic. Despite the alarming news on tv lately, I haven’t experienced any problem. I spent new year’s eve with some friends in Sintagma square, the main spot in the city: there was a concert and fireworks.

We also visited Nauplia (in the pic below) wich is a really nice town on the sea, about 120 km from athens. There are nice little shop, a bit old fashion, with a relaxed beach town athmosfere. I would certainly reccomand it.