The Italian Alps

  Ceresole, Italy
Friday, June 27, 2008

Monday 23rd June

Alison: We got up at the crack of dawn so as not to miss our 7.24 train, but we waited and waited and eventually it set off half an hour late. As we had 3 connecting trains, each with only 6 minutes between them, I was naturally a tad stressed about this late start! Luckily the second train from Nice was also running a bit late and we managed to run straight out of our train onto it and squeeze us and our luggage into the crowded second class compartment which was the only one we'd been able to book. We continued to chuff along the stunning coast line towards Genova, but when we finally reached there, our connecting train to Torino had well and truly departed. The next one didn't go for almost another 2 hours, so we now had quite a wait on the platform. We had to somehow contact Andrea who was picking us up from the station, and Mike's phone was out of battery, so he asked the chap who ran the coffee shop if he could use his plug to charge it, but then had difficulties ringing the number, so he asked another chap who was just standing there if he could ring the number on his phone for us, and finally we got the message through to Norris, who lives with Caterina and only speaks Italian, to pass onto Andrea that we would be late!

On the balcony at Ceresole

The next train to Torino also ran about half an hour late, but eventually we arrived to be greeted by the gorgeous Andrea, who had been waiting in Torino all that time for us! We then had to somehow pile all our luggage and us into his small Fiat for the long drive up the mountains to Ceresole. Unfortunately by this time it was now rush hour, so poor Andrea had to face nasty traffic on the way out of Torino, but finally we were out in the countryside, going through scenery that became steadily more stunning as we drove up into the mountains. Luckily the kids fell asleep which meant they didn't get carsick, as it was very windy, with amazing hairpin turns as we drove up to the highest of the towns in the Gran Paradiso park. 

On arrival in Ceresole, Andrea's partner Gabriella and their friend Caterina Matalucci greeted us with hugs and kisses all round and then we entered their lovely mountain apartment, stepped out onto the balcony looking up to the snow capped peaks, breathed in the fresh air, sipped a glass of Prosecco and went WOW!

View from the balcony

We had a lovely meal with them with lots of drinks, laughter and stories, and then they went to stay at a friend's holiday house in Ceresole leaving us with the house to ourselves!

Unfortunately, there had been a bit of a miscommunication of our dates which led to our hosts expecting us to stay until Friday, when in fact we could only stay until Thursday. This was a great pity as they had made lots of arrangements, including going up to Monte Bianco and having all the Italian Servas friends who stayed with us originally around to dinner at Caterina's on Thursday. Thank goodness Caterina with her customary good humour and fabulous organizing abilities was able to ring around and make changes so that we could do all that on Wednesday before leaving on Thursday morning. We felt bad about mucking them around so much, but in the end nearly everyone was able to come on the amended date, so that was a great relief.

Tuesday 24th June

Alison: We had a very comfortable night's sleep in the quiet mountain air and then everyone arrived ready for us to head up the mountain for a walk through the Gran Paradiso.

Heading up into the Gran Paradiso

The drive up was incredibly beautiful, with more amazing hairpin turns and lofty peaks soaring above. We went above the tree line, past many lakes and patches of snow on the alpine meadows with their wildflowers in bloom. There were many bike riders tackling the road as well and we marveled at their stamina and enthusiasm. Mike quickly learnt how to say crazy in Italian!

Andrea Alerio leading the way!

The steep walk up the mountain was spectacular and I made frequent stops to admire the wildflowers, but once we reached a lovely spot overlooking a lake we stopped for a well deserved lunch and rest.

Rachel & Tom with a view

Then we came back down, stopping on the car ride down for lots of photos. I got some lovely ones of the shy little marmots who disappeared into their burrows as soon as we got too close! Once down to Ceresole again we went for a walk around the lake, where you could look back to their house on the other side with its spectacular views. Then it was time for another lovely dinner and then packing and bed, before our early start the next morning for Monte Bianco.

Caterina & kids going up the Funivie Monte Bianco

Wednesday 25th June

Alison: Andrea arrived early to drive us the 3 hour journey to Monte Bianco. Caterina had driven back to Ivrea the night before and Gabriella, who said she got headaches from the altitude and wasn't going to come, was heading back to their home with my washing which she had very kindly offered to do! We drove off with Andrea back down the spectacular valley, before turning onto the Aosta Valley which would take us up to Monte Bianco and the border with France and Switzerland.

Mike with Claudio & rest of gang

On the way we met up with Caterina who was driving with Claudio and Pierra and also Lino and Esther, our first Servas friends from Italy who, with Bruno and Pina, had hosted us in Torino back in 2002/3. It was wonderful to catch up with them again. 

View from Punta Helbronner 3462m

Finally we arrived at the little township below Monte Bianco (called Mont Blanc in France) and headed up the 3 funivies (gondolas) up to Punta Helbronner at 3462m. The view was magnificent and we looked across to the spectacular Giant's Tooth at 4014m only to be told by someone that there were climbers on top of it. Sure enough, when we looked through the telescope, we could see them! I put my camera to the telescope and clicked and you can just make them out in the photo!

Rock climbers on top of it thru the telescope

Rock climbers on Aiguille du Midi 3842m

From there we decided to cross into France, so we caught the gondolas up to Aiguille du Midi at 3842m. Once again, the view across the valley and down to Chamonix on the other side was stunning, but what amazed us more was the sight of ant like trekkers through the snow, some with their snow tents still shining in the sun. Moreover when we were coming into the vertical rockface of Aiguille du Midi, imagine our astonishment at seeing rock climbers almost at the top! Just walking at this altitude was hard, let alone climbing a bare rocky cliff face with seemingly minimal hand or foot holds that we could see! Mike practically had kittens at the thought of it!

The family with Mont Blanc in background

We took more photos and admired Mont Blanc (4248m), finally clear of clouds for a few moments, before heading back to Italy and down the mountain again. Halfway down there was a little alpine botanical garden with the flowers just coming into bloom in the early summer and Lino took me round to show me some of them, while the women rested in the sun. At last we got back to the bottom and began the long 2 hour drive back to Ivrea and Caterina's house where we were staying the night and she was hosting the big party in our honour.

In Caterina Matalucci's garden

After the cool of the mountains, Ivrea was incredibly hot and sticky. Norris, who lives with Caterina, had been cooking up a storm and everyone brought a dish, so even though there were 16 of us crowded into the dining room, the food was plentiful and fabulous.

Huge reunion dinner at Caterina's

We had a lovely time renewing old friendships with the group of 8 who had visited us years before in Adelaide, as well as making new friendships with a lovely young couple who were friends of Caterina, an American artist and her German husband. They were also delightful and the kids loved it when she taught them how to draw horses' heads.

Finally it was time for everyone to go home and for me to pack and get to bed, as Andrea was to pick us up early to drive us to the train station for our journey to Milan.

Great conviviality, food, wine and talk...

I was exhausted, but it had been a wonderful day, and indeed a wonderful experience packed into such a short time. With promises to join them in India in 2010 and for Rachel to come and stay with Caterina for a month to learn Italian in a few years, we went to bed.

Rachel: After a long train ride and car trip to our Servas friends in the mountains it was nice to arrive at a beautiful apartment with really amazing views of the mountains. They gave my parents a glass of champagne and we nibbled on peanuts, chips, pistachios and cherries. Catarina and Gabriella had been preparing a dinner which was really yummy of pasta pesto and I had about 3 servings. We learnt that night to play a new Italian card game called Scopa and we have played it a lot this trip. The next day we had a walk up the mountain to a little spot where we had a picnic lunch which was a really nice thing to do. We all had backpacks with food and water on our backs.

Looking towards the Giant's Tooth 4014m

The next day we went on a cable car which had four stops and went up to 3800 metres and it was absolutely amazing going up. It was so steep you wanted to sit down so that you couldn't see what was happening!!! We arrived at the top and went out onto a little balcony and saw huge mountains surrounding us. There was a peak on one of the mountains which they call the Giant's Tooth and using binoculars, amazingly we realized that there were people on top of it. When you see it, it's so high up you get scared out of your brains!


Mike:   Well what can I say about this leg of our trip with out Italian friends (who I wont name individually as simply too many (!) and Al has above, but each and every one gorgeous).  It was sooo much fun!  When we had this group stay with us in  Adelaide we had a ball. It is fair to say we relate well to the expressive, loud, gesticulating way of the Italians..  so we felt instantly at home.  My grandmother was born in Trieste, so interestingly on this trip I have felt an even stronger kindred spirit with all things Italy, and think there must be some of it in me!

Suuuuch generous hosts, they did eeeveryhing for us no matter how hard we protested, as Alison said even giving us their own apartment and moving out for the duration of our stay to their friends place!   Ceresole itself has to be seen to be believed.. the most magniiiificient scenery, set amongst stunning mountains and on a beautiful lake, to wander out onto the balcony and breathe this in was just something else..!

Being at such altitude the Italian classic Volare (all about flying) became my signature song for this part of our trip , and by the end when I burst into song 10 others would follow..  a lot of fun!!  And to me that is what I remember best about being with all these marvellous friends.. just lots and looots of fuuuuuuun!!!  Like most Italian people they just have a real zest for life that is truly infectious, so this feeds on itself and creates the most wondeful atmosphere and sense of adventure..

Going to the top of MontBlanc filled me with trepidation as we approached (as had MachuPicchu!), three separate legs of cable car to get to the top says it all.. the highest in Europe! Funny enough though on this day, perhaps as I was too busy laughing and enjoying the company, the fear never set in tooo badly..   Except perhaps when taking the cablecar at the top across to Chamonix, upon going past a huge steep jagged rockface we looked and saw people rockclimbing right near the top...   who duly waved..  oooh my goood get that hand back on your rope or the rock you idiooooots, just seeing them up there I wanted to die!!!  Idiooooooooots!!

As for the small walk we did ourselves anothe day, up a much smaller mountain (and only some part of it at that) I enjoyed that a lot too.  These friends were all a very active bunch indeed, so this was but a tiiiny walk for them, most of whom at the spritely ago of 60 to 70+ still loved nothing more than clambering up mountains and taking 4 day treks..!  In contrast our kids begged to stop after only perhaps an hour or two!

..  And the food.  Well I have already said how much we love the Italian fare, and simply suffice to say that before us on the table appeared every possible variation of cheeses, meats, pastas and all those other good things that exist on this earth!   Washed down by proseco, wine, maybe a grappa or two..  boooy this was living!

I also loved improving my very basic Italian during this time, made easy by the fact they all spoke good English which was there whenever I needed to resort to it, often!  One thing I have very much decided on this trip is I would like to really develop my languages and become more fluent, as this is something I enjoy so much I guess as it allows me to meet and talk to nigh on everyone (and I do love to talk!), and I seem to have a flair for languages which perhaps I have let lie idle for too long now .    

The big reunion on the last night with the entiiiire group was a huge highlight, and a great great feeling to see them all again.  We were all in great spirits so there was much mirth and merriment around the table, and we all took a toast to commit to India in 2010, where we had already decided we would travel together (they taking a trip together to farflung places every two years).  This should be quiiiite a hoot!   Watch out India, oh my god they wont know what hit them I tell you!

Caterina also took a real shine to Rach, so she begged us to send Rach out to stay with her one year, an idea Rach likes very much and we think we would be crazy not to take up!  As she said though, send her sooner rather than later, as a pretty young thing well into her teens will be eaten alive by those young hotblooded Italian boys!      

Anyway we know we will see more of these people who we so love, so goodbye although sad was only goodbye for now..   arrividerci et bacci a tutte!  xo