house hunting, Sundays, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on our first Abruzzo trip– 2025!

Yesterday, I finished writing the “blow by blow” blog series about our trip to Abruzzo in Italy. We went there to look around and see what the condition of the area is, and whether or not we might be able to live there, whether it be as vacationers, or as permanent residents. We also stopped for a couple of nights in the Lugano area of Switzerland and Colle Isarco, near the Austrian border. I like to wrap up my blog series with a top ten list of things I learned. So, here we go with my top ten list for this trip!

10. The word “mance” in Italian means tip or gratuity.
As a general rule, Italians aren’t all that big on tipping. When you go to a restaurant, they usually charge a coperto (cover charge) that amounts to 1 to 3 euros per person. When you settle the bill, you go to a cashier, rather than paying your server. That said, we saw evidence that some people do appreciate tips. When I spotted a jar by a register that read “Mance”, I figured it meant “tips”. I looked it up, and sure enough, I was right. Bill slipped the lady a ten euro note, which earned him a big, bright smile of appreciation. How refreshing!

9. There is an Eataly style AutoGrill near Parma that is pretty nice.
Back in 2008, Bill and I went to Italy together for the first time. It was his first time ever, and my first time since 1997. We stayed near Turin/Torino, which is where the big Italian food store “Eataly” was launched. Yes, we visited, and it was amazing, although we didn’t load up nearly enough. Since then, Eataly has grown by leaps and bounds. Now, if you travel on the Autostrada near Parma, you can enjoy an Eataly style meal. The stop is only eastbound, though. The westbound lane has a regular AutoGrill location.

8. Riposo or pennichella is still pretty serious in Abruzzo.
Riposo (mid afternoon break, perhaps more familiarly known as “siesta” to Americans) is a thing in a lot of Mediterranean countries, although some areas take it more seriously than others. I noticed when we were in Abruzzo, a lot of businesses and restaurants shut down at about 1:00 PM for riposo. They reopened at 3:00 or 4:00. It took some getting used to.

7. Pescara is a hectic, yet convenient, base city.
I had a hard time choosing where to stay in Abruzzo, since we were going down there to see little towns where houses might be for sale. I wound up choosing Pescara, which I found really hectic. We did get used to it somewhat, and it’s convenient to a lot of places in Abruzzo.

6. If you stay at the Relais Castello Morcote in Vico Morcote, Switzerland, you can visit a vineyard and get beautiful photos and views of Lake Lugano!
You can also buy some delicious wines that are from Switzerland.

5. The Centro Ovale in Switzerland, near the Italian border, is a cool looking building that is now defunct!
I don’t know how I never noticed that former shopping mall on previous trips to Italy. We’ve been through that border a few times, but this time was the first one I noticed the architectural wonder that took longer to build than it was actually open for business!

4. Campione d’Italia is an Italian exclave surrounded by Switzerland.
I had heard of Campione d’Italia before our trip because I happened to see a video about it on YouTube. I hadn’t necessarily planned to visit there, but when I noticed how close it was to our location in Switzerland, I decided we should check it out. I’m glad we did. It’s a very interesting place, with a mixture of Italian and Swiss features. It is, officially, Italy, but it is entirely physically separated from the rest of Italy by Switzerland. However, it doesn’t take long at all to get to mainland Italy from there. It’s easy to reach by car and bus, and it’s the home of Italy’s only casino (which is a huge eyesore)!

3. March is a nice time to visit Italy, although it’s still considered the “low season.”
Abruzzo has a lot to offer visitors. There’s the Adriatic Sea and the Appenine Mountains, as well as access to interesting Italian cities and the cool tiny country of San Marino, which I hope to visit sometime. But one thing I noticed that was nice was that there were no tourists around, and I didn’t hear any Americans! That might be because of where we were, but it’s probably also because it’s March!

2. We got stared at in the tiny towns we visited…
It was pretty obvious we were outsiders in Abruzzo. We’re both lacking olive complexions and dark hair and eyes. When we visited the cute town of Gissi, people stared at us with curiosity, rather than aggression or hostility. We were conspicuous. In another town, the reception from one local seemed a bit menacing, so we left. They probably pegged us as Germans.

And finally… 1. Vipiteno is a great place to visit on the way back to Germany…
Vipiteno is in Italy, but it used to be part of Austria. It feels like one is in Austria, even though one is in Italy. And it’s a really great place to buy souvenirs and eat good pizza. When I go to Italy, I like to go to grocery stores and load up on goodies as much as I like to shop for other stuff. We definitely did so on this trip, but Vipiteno was especially handy. They had a great gourmet store with lots of local delicacies. And, we also got to see some snow before we headed back home!

*Honorable mention that I almost forgot–
There are harness racing horses (pacers) trained in Abruzzo. I had no idea, and was shocked when we ran across people training them on a little used (but open) road! I didn’t see anyone riding horses, but I did see a couple of sulkies! As a horse lover, it was kind of a thrill for me. I miss having a horse, even just to pet and hang out with. I’d love to have some land with a donkey and a horse to spoil.

All in all, we had a really nice trip. I’m still not sure what the future will hold for us, but I’m glad we visited Abruzzo. It’s a very beautiful part of Italy, although I can see why they are eager to get some people to buy cheap property there. It’s fairly depressed and in need of some “new blood”. I liked it, though. Maybe we’ll have a chance to visit again!

adventure, art, house hunting

Hello Vipiteno… long time, no see! (part eight)

As I have mentioned in previous blog posts (and videos), I first discovered the formerly Austrian and currently Italian town, Vipiteno/Sterzing, back in June 2009. I went on a bus trip out of the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They advertised a day trip to Italy in Vipiteno and Bolzano. I went for it.

I remember that week spending every day on a tour somewhere with other military spouses and their families. On that particular day, I was seated next to a very hostile man who seemed angry that I existed. I guess he was mad that he had to sit next to me, instead of with his wife. That’s why you should get to the bus early, so you can stake out your territory.

In any case, I enjoyed both Bolzano and Vipiteno in June 2009. Bill and I went to Bolzano in August 2020. And now, we have enjoyed Vipiteno together. Below are a few Vipiteno pictures from my first trip. I remember our group was herded to a purse shop there. I bought a leather bag that I used for some time before it was time to replace it. We also visited a very old church that dated from the 14th century and is famous for its frescoes. I don’t know why I didn’t post more pictures. Bill and I didn’t have a chance to go there during our visit together.

On Saturday, March 15th, we woke up to snowy skies, which later turned to rain. We enjoyed a good breakfast at Hotel Erna– cold cuts, cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables, and these incredible rolls that were shaped liked crescents. They had a sweet filling and toasted almonds on top, and they were served warm. They were so good!

It was raining during our visit to the town, which literally put a damper on things. Luckily, there are many shops in Vipiteno. It’s a great place to buy things. And, indeed, we did buy lots of gifts for the grandchildren and stuff for ourselves. Bill also insisted on buying me an umbrella. Aside from that, I took a lot of photos, and availed myself of the very welcome free public restroom near the tourism office. I am relieved to report that it was also pretty clean!

*The tower is pretty much the main attraction!*

Vipiteno is also where I purchased my latest prop… I bought a middle finger paperweight. I feel pretty sure I will get my money out of using it. I even made a video about it.

I made this video for my friend, Dave, and to show off the new toy I bought in Vipiteno!

We bought toys and delectables for ourselves and the kids, then went searching for lunch. The town has many pizzerias, and a few places that appeared to offer cuisine that is more for the Austrian/German palate. We ended up at a pizzeria ourselves, a place called Ristorante Bellavita. It looked like they were doing some cosmetic work on the outside of the place, which isn’t on the main drag.

We sat down at the back of the restaurant and both decided to have pizzas. Bellavita offers some special ones. Mine was called Aline, and had Brie, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, bacon, and oregano. Bill’s was a white pizza that had pork bellies, mozzarella cheese, and basil pesto. He managed to finish his, but I only got through half of mine. Then, for dessert, I had Blanco profiteroles, which were chocolate filled and covered with whipped cream! We took the rest of my leftover pizza with us, but Bill ended up eating it.

I see the this particular restaurant doesn’t get the best ratings, but we definitely enjoyed our lunch there. Service was good; prices were reasonable; and we felt comfortable. Also, the pizzas were interesting and delicious!

After a bit more walking around, we realized the weather was getting worse. It was colder and wetter, and frankly, it wasn’t fun hanging around outside in it. So we decided to stop by a Spar grocery store (Austrian chain) and pick up some more goodies for home and the kids. As much as we shopped in grocery stores, there are still some things I wish we’d bought.

After that, we headed back to the hotel, and I played with my new pink hand. I also took selfies, and then a long nap… When I woke up, someone on YouTube had left me a comment on one of my best videos, advising me to take it down because of the election results. Bill and I made a video response to that, and I got to put the new pink hand to good use.

I’m glad we visited Vipiteno. It really is a charming town, even when the weather is bad. There’s good food and shopping, and it’s a nice place to spend a Saturday afternoon! For those who want to do more than shop, there’s also good skiing and hiking, as well as the train to lovely Bolzano, which is well worth a look. We might have gone there, if we hadn’t already been. I would probably rather stay in Bolzano, although the area around Vipiteno and Brennero is very charming. March was a good time to be there, too. I would imagine there are many crowds in season. I noticed lots of bus parking, and of course, my first time there was on a bus tour!

It kind of gives you a look at Hotel Erna, and the hand, which comes from Hong Kong, but was imported through The Netherlands.

And, as was our custom on this particular trip, we decided to stay in and watch movies as we wound down our trip. In the next post, I will describe the drive back to Germany, and that will end the blow by blow account of this trip. It will be followed by my usual “ten things I learned” post. Stay tuned!

adventure, house hunting

Onward and upward to Vipiteno, Italy… (part seven)

On Friday morning, Bill and I had breakfast a half hour earlier. We had requested it, because it’s quite a long haul to Vipiteno from Pescara. Carlo very kindly obliged us. After we ate, we paid him the tourist taxes for our four nights at his B&B and said goodbye. His wife was taking care of the Italian couple who had booked a room on our last night. I noticed she was much chattier with them, but that’s only natural. Maybe if we move to Italy, we’ll get fluent in the language… especially since there seem to be fewer English speakers in Italy than in Germany.

I have actually picked up some German after living here for so many years. However, it’s not that easy to learn German when so many people automatically seem to switch to English when they don’t hear a German accent. I can’t deny that just being in this country and hearing the language from locals, on YouTube ads, and the radio has led to picking up some words by osmosis. But practicing speaking it is more difficult. Maybe the widespread use of English is a detriment to us Americans– lots of books, movies, music, and video games are in English, after all. I was dumbfounded by how widespread English was when I went to Armenia. When I lived there, I definitely needed to know Armenian! That’s not as true today.

Anyway, we set off for Vipiteno before 9:00 AM. At first, we had really beautiful, sunny weather. I took lots of photos of the coast as we drove north. The Adriatic Sea is truly very beautiful and blue. I want to book a vacation in a beach town and enjoy it when the weather is warmer. I wish the guardrails in Italy weren’t so tall. There is so much beautiful scenery there, but it’s hard to capture it from a car.

The further north we drove, the cloudier the sky became. My German friend had warned me that there would be snow in the Alps. But for the first hours of our drive, the weather was clear, sunny, and fairly warm. Carlo had told us that it was unseasonably warm during our visit, as he prepared his garden and had construction of a new shed done on his property.

We stopped for gas at a station that overlooked the sea. I was amused when I entered a stall and saw a little sink in there. I guess it was a makeshift bidet (I almost wrote “makeshit”). Italians are big on bidets in their bathrooms, but it’s not so often that you find them in public restrooms!

I took a few more photos of interesting structures as we drove further north. It was getting close to lunchtime. I wished we were on the other side of the Autostrada, so we could have another lunch at Eataly. Instead, we stopped at a chain place called Sarni. I was immediately turned off by it because of the trash near the building. Then, when we walked inside, it smelled vaguely of urine, which turned me off. So, after a quick pit stop, we decided to keep driving.

We stopped at an AutoGrill, which was very crowded and had signs advertising how each parking spot had a webcam that would allow patrons to check on their cars while they ate in one of the food court restaurants. I wondered what prompted them to put in the cameras. And then, when we went into the place, I was turned off by how crowded, dirty, and hectic it was. I also didn’t see anything offered in the restaurants that was particularly appetizing, although I would have settled for something. But this time, Bill decided we’d keep driving.

*Yikes! What prompted them to install these?*

I was starting to get fatigued and grouchy as we reached the exit for Parma. Not long after that, the road changed, and we were on a different Autostrada heading for Brenner Pass. Bill spotted another AutoGrill. This one was the charm. Not only did it have a sit down restaurant that didn’t smell like pee, it also wasn’t super crowded. So we went in and enjoyed lunch, right at the point at which I was about to have a hangry meltdown. I had a burger and Bill had a chicken sandwich. I was impressed by the burger, which was tasty and juicy, even if it was pretty messy.

*But they will make you walk the gauntlet of junk food and toys before you exit the store!*

We were maybe two hours or so from our destination after we ate our late lunch. I was feeling less irritable, even though the weather got pretty yucky. You can see by the photos, we went from sunny and warm to cloudy and grim!

Finally, in the late afternoon, we arrived in Gossensass-Colle Isarco, which is a little village just outside of Vipiteno, which we drove past on our way to our Gasthaus, Hotel Erna. I’m not sure why I decided to book this particular property. It might have been because reviews mentioned that the scenery was pretty, parking is free, and the service was good. It’s a pleasant, three star establishment that had all we needed, but was not particularly fancy. Their restaurant wasn’t open because it’s the off season. Fortunately, there are a couple of little shops and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. There’s also a train stop, and when you check in, they give you a card that allows free rides on public transportation.

I was actually invited in by the proprietor, as I had charged ahead of Bill without picking up any luggage. He had decided to bring it in instead of getting it after checking in. We were assigned a corner room with two balconies. Since it was getting dark and was cold and rainy, we decided to settle in for the night. Hotel Erna also has a tennis court. Bill said the court looked like it was Wimbledon style, with grass. I wonder what the story is behind a tennis court at this little unassuming hotel!

It would have been nice to have had dinner, but our late lunch filled us up… and the weather just didn’t invite us to venture out. Maybe if we go back to that area again, we’ll do it when Hotel Erna’s restaurant is open. It really does have a different feel… as everyone was speaking German, even though we were technically in Italy.

In the next post, I’ll write about our visit to Vipiteno/Sterzing. Stay tuned!

adventure, house hunting

A touristy day in Chieti… (part six)

For our last full day in Abruzzo, Bill and I decided to visit the city of Chieti. Our host, Carlo, had recommended the city, which is the capital of the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region. After another hearty breakfast at the B&B, we set off for the city, which is atop a hill/mountain and offers beautiful views. There are some nice museums in Chieti, but we only visited one, and that was because I needed to pee. We parked in a public lot near a military “kaserne” and walked around.

Chieti is kind of gritty, with narrow streets and walkways. I got a sense that it was sort of a working class town, but there was a certain charm to it. Below are some photos…

*This cat was actually hanging out by our B&B in Pescara.*

The cathedral was very beautiful, with a large plaza outside of it. For some reason, graffiti artists decided to deface the walls on the other side of the cathedral. I don’t mind some graffiti, but it’s sad when it’s done to truly beautiful buildings. At least they were decent enough to leave the cathedral itself alone.

After we walked through the cathedral, we made our way down a busy street heading west, and soon found ourselves near the University Museum of Chieti. Here, we found a very cool museum with restrooms! I was glad for that! The entrance fee was reasonable, and the people running the museum were so nice. A lively class of Italian youngsters were having a field trip as we made our way through the many exhibits that showed off everything from taxidermy to medicines. They even had a few mummies in there, which we were requested not to photograph. They were behind a sheer red curtain. Below are some photos from the museum, which was not only interesting, but really allowed me some relief! Most of the descriptions were in Italian.

*This must have been the bus for the schoolkids.*

After we left the museum, we walked to another small chapel, where I got a few more photos, then noticed it was getting close to lunchtime. We were, on this day, determined to have a proper Italian lunch. However, the restaurant close to the museum smelled good, but was very crowded. So we walked out of that area, and started hunting for our midday repast.

*Another church with what appears to be a shrine.*

We finally saw what appeared to be a restaurant that could accept us. Bill went inside and asked if they were open. The waitress said yes, in twenty minutes. Then she took our reservation. She said it was necessary. We soon found out why! Apparently, La Tavernetta gets very busy at lunchtime. It certainly did when we visited…

We each had two courses, bread, wine, and fizzy water… and when we were finished, we were pretty full. Good thing we didn’t want dessert! When we left, there were people waiting to be seated! I had ravioli with tomato sauce. Bill had ravioli with mushroom sauce. And then we had tagliata– chicken for me, and veal for him. Bill made the cashier smile when he handed her ten euros as a mance (tip). Tipping isn’t a big thing in Italy, so ten euros was pretty generous. It was about twenty percent of the tab, which was surprisingly economical for all we consumed.

It was mid afternoon by the time we finished lunch, and we had limited time for parking, so we headed back to the car. On the way there, we stopped in another church…

*Seems like they take recycling seriously, except this thing was locked.*

Realizing that we’d be heading north the next day, we decided to stop by another grocery store for more goodies. I made sure to buy some candy for Bill’s grandkids, including a bag of Haribo “fried egg” gummies. Since eggs are so expensive in the United States right now, I figured it was appropriate.

*The boxed wines are very good, and a good deal. These have about three bottles worth of wine in them! We only brought one home.*

Although we had intended, on the last night, to go into Pescara for dinner, we were still too full from lunch to do so. So we stayed in and watched movies from the 80s– Lost in America, National Lampoon’s European Vacation, and The Incredible Shrinking Woman. Sometimes I really miss the 80s!

We had one last night in Pescara, then packed up our stuff and headed north to Vipiteno/Sterzing, where we would be trading in our sunny skies for snowy skies. More on that in the next Italy post!

adventure, house hunting

Bad vibes and beach views (part five)

On Wednesday morning, we got up and had breakfast– the very same as we had the day before. I notice in Italy, things get started a bit later. Breakfast started at eight o’clock at each of our lodgings, although at the B&B, we were requested to have it at 8:30 AM, due to kids going to school. It was not a big deal for us, although we usually rise early. I probably wouldn’t do that if I lived alone, but Bill is like a rooster, and he wakes up early most days. Then, by about nine in the evening, he can’t keep his eyes open anymore. I have repeatedly tried to get him to go to bed without me, but he refuses to do it.

We had big plans for Wednesday, having decided to visit another town called Castiglione Messer Marino. I had seen a villa there at a very good price that I liked a lot. I wanted to see what the town looked like. After we ate, we set off for our destination, which took us down the Autostrada and then on another, more rural road. I was enjoying the scenery, and we were on track to reach our destination at about 11:00 AM or so.

But then, Bill took a wrong turn, and that fucked up our journey for about an hour. We ended up on a very primitive road that sent us through some more towns, including one called Bomba. I kind of liked the look of Bomba, which was situated on a hillside. I took a few photos as we passed through. It was easy, because Bill was creeping behind an elderly man with no sense of urgency as he walked to his compact car. I couldn’t blame him. The town looked like the kind of place where people don’t feel the need to hurry.

After we left Bomba, we kept driving through the very rural countryside. At least an hour was added to our travel time. Both Bill and I were needing to pee, and it was getting close to lunchtime. But things appeared to be fairly dead in that part of Abruzzo, so we kept driving. I kept taking pictures. A lot of these look very similar, but the landscape was so striking that I felt like I had to keep taking photos.

We finally reached Castiglione Messer Marino, and I immediately didn’t like the look of the town. And then, we pulled into a parking lot near what appeared to be a school, and a rather aggressive looking man stepped out of what appeared to be a booth of some sort. He came near our car and seemed notice us. I got hinky vibes from him, and given that we were victims of shady folks in France once, I decided not to get out of the car. The guy gave off a belligerent aura.

Luckily, Bill agreed, and we kept going, at first to what turned out to be a closed restaurant, and then in another direction. Bill got out and did the European thing, peeing on the side of the road. I continued to wait for a toilet. Fortunately, we like the same kind of music and talking to each other… the weather was getting colder and rainy, so we headed back to a more populated area.

I’m not sure I will consider that villa anymore, even though it’s going for a very good price and looks pretty well kept. I just didn’t like the town’s vibe… It wasn’t just the belligerent aura from the stranger, but the overall feel of the place. And now, I wonder if the town is the reason why the price recently went down on that property. I also noticed there weren’t many trees there, which gave the area kind of a desolate quality.

We ended up heading toward San Salvo, which is a beach town. Bill pulled up to an open restaurant, which was a blessing, since I was getting pretty cranky. We were the only ones there for lunch, and we both had pasta dishes. I also availed myself of the ladies room… whew! The very young and kind server spoke some English, and we enjoyed Forst beers, which come from Bolzano. We encountered them in 2020, when we visited Parcines.

After lunch, we stopped by the beach so I could get a few photos. The weather was getting worse, so I hurried. I’m sure in the summer, that place is packed with people…

Once again, we stopped by a grocery store for snacks, because we had a somewhat late lunch, and because after our day’s driving on hairpin, primitive roads, we were just kind of ready to be in for the night. I love Italy, but it can be kind of overwhelming and chaotic!

So ends my report of Wednesday. I am glad we went to Castiglione Messer Marino, even though I doubt it will be our future home. If nothing else, I did get some good photos, and I liked some of the other little towns we passed through as we traveled to and from there. Maybe we will find something in one of those places.

adventure, house hunting

Our first look at RURAL Italy… (part four)

Tuesday morning, we had our first breakfast at the B&B. Carlo’s wife, Francesca, brought out cheese, cold cuts, slice bread, butter, water, coffee, and “cornettos” (basically Italian style croissants). I don’t enjoy the Italy version as much as I do the French and Belgian, because the Italian version is less buttery. But the cornettos are probably marginally healthier. They gave us plain ones and ones with marmalade.

After breakfast, we decided to drive to Gissi (pronounced Gee-see), a little hilltop hamlet I had noticed offered some inexpensive homes for sale. As I mentioned before, we weren’t looking at any specific properties. We were just in Abruzzo to look around and assess whether or not we’d want to buy property there.

On the way out of the neighborhood, we encountered two guys driving a horse. That was something I don’t see everyday, so I got a photo…

Little did we know, the above horse photo wouldn’t be the only one I’d be taking. The GPS sent us to a rural road where there was a traffic jam. We soon realized that there was a guy there trying to hitch a horse to a “sulky”, which is a type of “chariot” type vehicle used for harness racing. I didn’t know it before our visit to Abruzzo, but apparently, they train horses for harness racing there. Pretty country abounds…

Once we got past the horses, we found ourselves in some extremely beautiful scenery…

As we drove up a hillside, we saw the outskirts of Gissi, which turned out to be a beautiful little town. I could see myself living there and liking it, as long as we found the right property. There’s a big free parking lot in the middle of town.

Unfortunately, when it came time for lunch, we couldn’t find anything open. I suspect that it was because it was early March. Bill and I went to a Tigros Market (grocery store) and bought snacks. The market was very small, but had the essentials on two floors. It wasn’t ideal, but it got the job done for me, as my blood sugar suddenly bottomed out.

After we walked around Gissi, we decided to move on to Vasto, which is a beautiful city by the coast. I also really liked Vasto, and could see myself living there. It’s much bigger than Gissi is, of course, and offers restaurants and services. However, it’s important to note that siesta is still very much a thing in that part of Italy and others. Most everything shuts down at about 1:00 PM and stays closed for a couple of hours.

*Castles like this are all over the place…*

We were fortunate enough to find a restaurant, 12 Cantin, that was open for lunch in Vasto. They were playing music, which alerted us to their lunchtime availability. We were fortunate to find this eatery, as the food was excellent, and the service was very friendly. The waiter even gave me a hug when we were leaving! I had sea bream with vegetables and Bill had tuna. We probably should have had more courses.

We walked around a little bit more in Vasto. I got some more photos, and we lucked into an open public restroom that was even somewhat clean. Then, as the afternoon got later, we headed back to Pescara. We stopped to pick up some wine and snacks, and then decided we were in for the night. Again, after driving around all day, we weren’t really feeling like driving for dinner… and the B&B was not nearly any place we could walk to with ease… I think we will probably add Gissi and Vasto to our list of places where we might like to see properties. Both had their own unique charms, in different ways…

house hunting

Moving onward to Abruzzo… (part three)

Monday morning, we woke up to steady, cold rain. It would have been tempting to just stay in bed. But we had a long haul ahead of us, and I realized that morning that we had neglected to call the B&B where we were going to be staying and let them know of our plans. That had been specifically mentioned in the instructions when we booked Peperosa in Collina B&B, in Pescara, Italy. We were supposed to give 24 hours notice, but I forgot. It was Sunday, anyway.

With some gentle prodding from yours truly, Bill was convinced to call the proprietor of the B&B, Carlo, and let him know when we expected to arrive in Pescara. Then we had breakfast… more of the same delightful cold cuts, juices, cheeses, and breads, accompanied by perfect cappuccinos. Bill ordered six bottles of wine from Tenuta Castello di Morcote, and we settled the bill.

There was a neighbor of the hotel, picking up what appeared to be new shrubbery and landscaping. The truck belonging to the landscapers blocked the entrance to the hotel, so the receptionist asked them to move, so Bill could get our Volvo close to the door and collect our bags. The owner of the house retorted quite rudely to the receptionist, who came back in and was muttering in what I assume was an annoyed way. I couldn’t blame her. The neighbor seemed to be quite difficult and bitchy.

Nevertheless, we managed to load up our vehicle and got on our way south. Lugano is pretty close to the border with Italy, so it wasn’t long before we were passing what used to be a pretty cool looking shopping mall called Centro Ovale. I didn’t know what it was as we were passing it, but it was a very striking structure. I looked it up and learned that it took longer to build this former shopping center than its days as a functioning business. It closed several years ago, but it still managed to turn my head. I had to zoom way in on Google Earth to find out what it was. Luckily, there was a picture of a sign for a parking garage for this weird looking mall. I didn’t get a chance to take a photo.

After some time we decided to stop for lunch. We ended up at an AutoGrill turned Eataly branch. Bill and I visited the original Eataly food hall in Torino/Turin back in May 2008, when it was newly opened. It’s a really amazing place. Eataly now has locations in several different countries, including a few in the United States. Bill has also been to the one in New York City, which he managed to visit when he went there for a job interview in 2014.

Below are some photos from our drive…

Someone came up with a bright idea to marry an Italian AutoGrill stop with Eataly, so it offers Eataly’s products, a couple of fresh food options, and other cool stuff. AutoGrills usually have good food and free restrooms, but they also make you walk a gauntlet to get in and out. I didn’t mind doing that at the Eataly version. We picked up some stuff to bring home with us. This particular location doesn’t get the greatest ratings, but we had a good experience there. They have a broad range of food choices there, but we both had salads.

At some point near our lunch stop, I happened to notice a tractor trailer truck, decorated with the cast and setting of The Dukes of Hazzard. Italians are nuts about that show, as well as Little House on the Prairie. I noticed when we visited Italy in 2022 that both shows were airing during prime time. I didn’t see it aired during this visit, but the tractor trailer was a reminder. I ripped off a few photos, because I wasn’t quick enough to get shots of my own… Yes… I DID see this. It was BIZARRO.

After lunch we continued southward, stopping at another AutoGrill for gas and a pee break. There, I found a novel version of Ritter Sport, which is a German chocolate bar made in Waldenbuch, a suburb near Stuttgart.

*Never seen one of these in Germany. It was good.*

All the while, I was keeping Carlo apprised of our progress, as I watched the weather and landscape change. The sun was shining, and we got beautiful views of the blue Adriatic Sea, as well as mountains. We passed San Marino, which I would have loved to have visited, as it’s its own country outside of Italy. I didn’t get the best photos, unfortunately…

Finally, we arrived in Pescara at about six o’clock in the evening. Carlo had told us to go to an address, and then input a different address. Apparently, GPS isn’t reliable with his destination. Once we arrived, he opened the locking gate for us and welcomed us to his B&B, which appeared to also be his home. I had reserved the biggest and most expensive room, called “Country Chic”.

Carlo explained everything to us in English, and invited us to our new home for four nights… As you can see from the first photo, his place is near the airport.

By the time we were settled, it seemed like too much of a hassle to go out again. Pescara was a bit hectic as we drove in, with lots of traffic and people on bikes and motorcycles edging for space on the crowded streets. Our journey had taken hours, and we were tired, so we decided to eat snacks, drink wine, and watch TV. I wasn’t that impressed with Pescara at first, but the drive down was nice. The Adriatic Sea is BEAUTIFUL.

We were well rested for the excitement of the next day. Stay tuned for the next post on that.

house hunting, videos

Strolling through Swiss vineyards and visiting an Italian exclave… (part two)

Sunday morning, Bill and I went down to the restaurant/breakfast room for a continental repast. A very cheerful lady made us cappuccinos and we loaded up on the usual Italian goodies… cold cuts, fruit, breads, and I think there were also eggs. Bill enjoyed the cheeses, although I skipped that.

After breakfast, we decided to walk to the vineyards, a nice perk of staying at Relais Castello di Morcote, which owns the property. To get to the vineyards, we had to walk through the “town”, which was an unusual experience. Part of the walk involved passing through a narrow covered building, where people were also living. It’s hard to describe it, but I did get some photos, which might help give you an idea of what I mean.

*This was on the walk to the vineyards…*

We got confused by the first stroll into the town, because we were told we needed to open a gate on the edge of the village. The first gate we came to wasn’t the right one, so we went back and asked for clarification. We hadn’t walked far enough the first time. So we went back through the town, strolled past some very expensive looking homes, and eventually found the correct gate, ready to accept the code and let us in for a beautiful walk and amazing views…

At the top of the hillside, you will see the castle ruins, which are also open to visit. We were the only ones walking through the vineyards during our visit, so it was quiet and peaceful, and the scenery was so beautiful… I took lots of photos. I probably should embrace the idea of economy, but when you have such beautiful views, it’s hard not to get carried away.

After I took some pictures of Lake Lugano, we walked through the castle ruins, which I guess are now used for events. I marveled at how we had the whole place to ourselves. It was really nice to be able to explore without anyone supervising. I don’t think you’d ever find that in the States.

After we visited the vineyards, we decided to go to Campione d’Italia, a very special part of Italy that I first learned about after I saw a YouTube video…

A fascinating and entertaining video about a tiny piece of Italy that is totally surrounded by Switzerland…

Bill had never heard of Campione before I mentioned it to him on our recent trip. It so happened that the exclave was located very close to our lodging and is easily accessed by car. So we drove there and walked around… The first two photos below are in Switzerland, near our hotel. The rest are Campione, a little piece of Italy with a long, fascinating history that dates back centuries. Watch the video for the story!

When it came time for lunch, we stumbled into a very busy restaurant offering sushi and pizza. Ordering was interesting. Every table gets a tablet, and you just order through the tablet, rather than talking to a person. The pizza was pretty good, but the sushi might have been a better bet. The people who ran the restaurant were Asian and I noticed a lot of people were having sushi and loving it.

We passed what appeared to be a church turned art gallery. I would have liked to have stopped in and looked around, but we didn’t have time. Bill’s meter was about to run out. So we skipped the art gallery, and passed the enormous casino, which apparently is the only one in Italy. The video explains why this is so… It really is a monstrosity!

We stopped by a Swiss Coop grocery store on the way back to the hotel and picked up some provisions for the evening, since the restaurant was closed, and there weren’t any others nearby. We were able to order some wine and cold cuts from room service. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the church where the parking garage was. The inside was extremely beautiful. Bill lit a candle for his father.

I was reminded that we have driven through the Lugano area so many times on the way to Italy. It really was worth stopping in, although next time, I think we need to go to the actual city and check it out. It’s very beautiful there, although it’s a lot more expensive in Switzerland than it is in Italy. But then, Switzerland is also noticeably less gritty.

We turned in early, since Monday morning meant a long drive to Abruzzo, the region in Italy we were determined to see. More on that in the next post.

adventure, house hunting

Vico Morcote– a very Italian part of Switzerland… (part one)

On the morning of March 8, 2025, Bill and loaded up the Volvo, our luggage, and the dogs, and set off for parts south. First stop was the Tierpension Birkenhof. Noyzi and Charlie both love going there. Noyzi especially loves a week or so there, relaxing with other dogs.

Once we dropped off the boys, we drove south to Vico Morcote, Switzerland, a suburb of Lugano, Switzerland. Switzerland, for those who don’t know, has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch. When we visited Switzerland in January, we were just over the border from Germany in Basel. This time, we were heading to the Italian part of the country. I don’t know how or why, but I only packed one Type J plug converter. Switzerland, which seems to endeavor to be separate from the rest of Europe in most things, doesn’t use the same types of plugs most of the rest of Europe uses (Type F).

But I wasn’t thinking about that on our drive down to the Lugano area. I was thinking of how pretty parts of Switzerland are, and the fact that our hotel, Relais Castello di Morcote, had both a Michelin mentioned restaurant and a winery, Tenuta Castello di Morcote. Unfortunately, our visit was at the end of the off season, so one of the restaurants wasn’t open. Our full day was also on Sunday, and no wine tastings were available that day. We did have dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, and enjoyed the hotel’s unique charm. It was once a convent, and still has the original floor in a sitting room.

I took some photos on the way down, mainly to pass the hours… and of course, we had an obligatory stop at a McDonald’s for lunch. 🙁 I amused myself by taking pictures of the ads in the pay toilets, which now cost 1 euro! You can trade in a ticket to get a euro off a coffee or something, but we never do that. I usually end up with a shitload of tickets in my purse.

We had pretty good weather. The sun was shining, and for most of the drive, it wasn’t too cold out. I don’t remember any troublesome Staus (traffic jams), either.

We reached Vico Morcote in the late afternoon. To get to the hotel, we had to drive through a narrow village, then up a mountain road with a couple of switchbacks. Bill has gotten pretty good at negotiating these roads, since our first Italy/Switzerland visit in 2008. There was only one close call. A woman in a small car was hurtling down the mountain side in her small car. Bill got a bit tense as they met on the road and squeezed past each other. Then we found a garage, but it wasn’t for the hotel. The hotel garage was by a church, and actually slightly lower than the garage we found. But, once we found where we were supposed to go, we drove up to the hotel’s entrance and offloaded our bags.

The receptionist was a friendly young woman who spoke several languages with aplomb. She showed us to our room, a deluxe room with a garden view. The hotel has just twelve rooms, and they are individually decorated. I’m not sure why I chose the room I did, rather than one with a lake view. The hotel is very close to Lake Lugano, so on the other side of the hotel, it’s possible to score a beautiful view of the water. But, it was no big deal, since guests at the hotel can visit the vineyards and walk around. There’s a spot where one can get stunning views of the lake and mountains, and then tour the castle ruins. That’s what we did on Sunday morning! We were blessed with sun, which is more than I can say for Monday’s weather.

Below are some photos from our room, which was on the first floor. It was a handicapped accessible room, so we had an open shower with grab rails. I included photos of the common areas at the hotel, as well. One thing I didn’t like about our room was that there was a big full length mirror by my side of the bed. I don’t like mirrors, but especially when I’m getting in and out of bed. But, other than that, it was a comfortable place to spend a couple of nights. We did bring our own pillows, but that’s mainly because one never knows how many pillows will be offered at European hotels.

We had 7:30 reservations at the restaurant, and we both ordered the evening’s special, which was a four course meal. I had the char, while Bill had Swiss entrecote. They gave us a bottle of Rose wine from their cellar to take away in honor of International Women’s Day. I swear, I never celebrated that until I lived in Armenia. Of course, with Trump in charge, I’m sure any celebration of people who are rich, white, Christian men will be jettisoned.

Below are photos from dinner. I was just reminded that I took a picture of my fork, because I liked the silverware they had. I am going to see if I can find out where I might buy some myself. 😉 I was less impressed with the chairs we were sitting on, which I found rather uncomfortable. Even if they weren’t a little narrow for my wide ass, they were made of wicker and just weren’t very nice to sit on. But the restaurant does have bench seating that I liked much better during breakfast.

After dinner, we were pretty tired, so we went back to the room. I “hosed off” and prepared for our first night’s sleep in the hotel. This was definitely our fanciest and priciest lodging during this trip, more in line with the types of places I’ve been booking lately.

In the next post, you will get a look at the hotel’s stunning vineyards and castle ruins, as well as our visit to Campanione d’ Italia. Stay tuned.

house hunting

An Italian style respite from the chaos…

Featured photo was taken in Gissi (pronounced Gee-see), a very cute little town in Abruzzo where I’ve seen properties for sale…

Hi everybody. We got back from Italy yesterday. I meant to start writing this series earlier today, but it happens to be the second anniversary of Arran’s death. Arran, as some of my regular readers might know, was a beloved canine family member. I spent a most of the morning making a video about him and our other rescue dogs of the past. Then I decided to record two songs. So it’s now 3:30 PM, I haven’t had lunch yet, and I’m just now getting started writing this first installment of our latest travel series.

This is a link for those who want to see the video about Arran. It has some cute clips in it. That’s also where you’ll find the songs.

Anyway… about our trip.

I have recently mentioned that Bill has a friend from work who bought two cheap apartments in Italy. Given the current political climate, and the fact that we’ve been in Europe for so long that it feels like home, Bill and I are thinking maybe we might stay in Europe… If they don’t kick us out due to Trump’s idiocy, that is.

Bill’s friend gave us a link to the real estate site where he found his apartments down in Abruzzo, a province that is a little more than halfway down the eastern side of Italy’s boot. Since Bill had some vacation time banked, we decided to drive down there to have a look around. We had never been to Abruzzo, so it would be a new location for us to explore. I told Bill that I wanted this trip to be strictly about checking out the area and the mood toward Americans, to see if buying property is something we might seriously consider.

I thought about flying to Abruzzo, since it’s a pretty stout drive from where we live in Germany. I couldn’t find any flights that didn’t cost an arm and a leg and weren’t terribly inconvenient. I also realized that we’d probably want to hit some Italian grocery stores and load up on culinary goods and presents for Bill’s grandchildren. So we planned for a road trip, with two night stops on the way down and back up. Yes, we could have just done overnights, but I like to spend at least two nights at our stops when we can, because I like to have the chance to look around.

For the longest time, I had been wanting to visit Lugano, Switzerland. It just never worked out. We either didn’t have time, or I talked myself into continuing on to Italy, where everything is much cheaper! This time, I did book us two nights in Switzerland, although we didn’t stay in Lugano. Instead, we stayed at a beautiful hotel and winery in a little hamlet called Vico Morcote. The hotel where we stayed was once a convent, and has been beautifully renovated for guests who don’t want to be in the city.

I had a hard time choosing where we should stay in Abruzzo. I had been watching the real estate site for potential properties, but they weren’t necessarily all in the same areas. I ended up deciding on a B&B in Pescara, a decent sized city in Abruzzo that has views of the mountains and the Adriatic Sea. I was also very attracted to Ancona, which is a coastal city further north, but it would not have been convenient to our plans to stay up there.

Finally, on the way back to Germany, I remembered the charming commune of Vipiteno, which is also known as Sterzing. Vipiteno was once part of Austria, so German speakers might still call it Sterzing. Vipiteno is the Italian name for the town. I went there on a bus tour in 2009 and recalled that it was a very cute town, great for shopping. So I booked us at a small Gasthaus in the nearby hamlet of Colle Isarco.

We didn’t make any specific plans to see or do anything. The trip was strictly for exploring Abruzzo, relaxing a bit, and buying some stuff for Bill’s grandkids and our own pantry. All in all, we had a great time, as usual. We spent some money and I took many pictures, which I will share in this series.

I think I’ll take my time writing this travel series, since I don’t have a bunch of eager readers anymore. It helps keep the blog stats up when I slow down and spin the story. So, I hope you’ll join me as I share a blow by blow of our travels, lots of photos, new things I learned, and travel tips.

Below are three photos– one from each stop. It really was a very diverse trip, full of all kinds of weather and beautiful landscapes, which made packing and parking a bit challenging! Notice each place has a name that starts with a V!

Anyway, I’ll start writing the story in earnest tomorrow. Hope to see you back here then! I’ve got to stop messing with the computer and go have a snack before I pass out. Ciao!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Category Archives: house hunting

Ten things I learned on our first Abruzzo trip– 2025!

Hello Vipiteno… long time, no see! (part eight)

Onward and upward to Vipiteno, Italy… (part seven)

A touristy day in Chieti… (part six)

Bad vibes and beach views (part five)

Our first look at RURAL Italy… (part four)

Moving onward to Abruzzo… (part three)

Strolling through Swiss vineyards and visiting an Italian exclave… (part two)

Vico Morcote– a very Italian part of Switzerland… (part one)

An Italian style respite from the chaos…