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THE MARITIME ALPS
The Italian Alps are more diverse in vegetation and animals when compared to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. And although the Alps' peaks are towering, they are actually several thousand feet lower than the Rockies for the most part. These mountains also recieve a lot more water and warm humid winds from the Mediterranean Sea creating a wide range of plants and animals. |
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THE FORTS
High in the Alps, along the Italian / French border sit the old forts built by the King of Savoy in Italy in the 1800s. Today, the forts sit mostly untouched. It's a beautiful scene of nature mixed with construction. |
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VERNANTE AND PINOCCHIO
In the small mountain town of Vernante, the people have transformed their bare outside walls into the picturebook story of Pinocchio -- the come-to-life wodden puppet who wished to be a real boy. The murals of Pinocchio's story pays tribute to artist Attilio Mussino, who illustrated Carlo Collodi's original Pinocchio. Mussino eventually settled in Vernante, and in 1989 two townspeople began reproducing his illustrations on the town's walls. A few more murals are added each year and the entire story can be retold as one walks through Vernante. |
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MONDOVI
Mondovi is your typical mid-sized northern Italian city with history teaming from it's ancient red bricks and churches. I need to research the city some more to fill this space, but for now I'll let the pictures do the talking. |
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TORINO
Torino is Piemonte's largest city and the former capital of Italy when it was a kingdom. The former king's palaces are located in Torino and the city also has an excellent Egyptian Museum. Torino isn't well-known in the U.S., but for two weeks in February, Torino will be in the worldwide spotlight as the host of the 2006 Winter Olympics. |
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ITALIAN FAMILY
Of course one big reason I go to Italy is to see my mom's side of the family. It's sort of strange having half your family live across the Atlantic Ocean, but as my cousin Stella pointed out, it's amazing how quickly we can all bond despite long separations of time and distance. Nonna -- Italian for Grandma -- is the one link between all of us. She was the last of her generation in our family, passing away in 2007. |
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LAKES HIKE
On my second time into the Marittime Alps and the Parco Naturale dell'Argentera my cousin Armando and I went for a hike in Val di Valasco. The hike was a nine-hour day past three lakes, a beautiful creek, waterfalls and peaks. The weather was always kind of cloudy, but that made for some interesting scenery. Also, half of the hike is along a loop trail which is good because you go up one way and down another. There are also historical miltary roads in these mountains from World War I. |
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CUNEO
Cuneo is the central city in the region where most of my Italian family lives. Being close to the French border, it's a city known for its marketplaces and shops. |
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NICE
When I go to Italy, I frequently fly into Nice, France and then take the train to Italy. The train ride takes about two to three hours as it winds from the sea and into the alps. |
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ROBILANTE
The heart of my Italian family lives in Robilante. This is where my grandparents lived and my parents bought a house here. |
