Saturday/Rāhoroi
Today is the All Black test - Australia play the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup in Perth, so we asked Lachie (the computer scientist) if there was a way to watch it on the internet? Lachie said he would find a way. So we had a morning answering emails, and walked around the grounds of Verdenoce. I saw a smallish turtle in the river/pond at the back, and just as I was about to take a photo, it dived. Here is the back view of Verdonoce.
I chatted to Alu (she speaks very good English) and Maicol at Verdenoce. Maicol is the son of Rosano and Ivana who make the breakfast for us, and grew up here. Alu is Brazilian, with an Italian parent, and was a student studying in Bologna when she met Maicol and stayed. Verdonoce has been renovated in the last six years and is now a family business . There are two apartments and 6 double bedrooms. It was built in the1960's. Here is the original look.
The breakfasts here have been wonderful. We will have fruit and cereal, then an egg and a croissant and other continental things. We were trying to ask for a poached egg as we were getting fried eggs. Ivana and Rosano do not speak too much English. and we speak near to zilch Italian. Maicol and Alu were not around. We kept to the fried eggs. They were very tasty. It turned out poached eggs are not really a thing in Italy.
We arrived for the rugby at the Ficarelli / Prandini's. Lachie, legend, got the ESPN link working linked to the TV as the national anthems were being sung. AB's were not firing and Aussies won 47-26. A red card was issued to Scott Barrett at the end of the first half. You can't blame the ref. AB's have to step up.
After that we had another gorgeous lunch, and then Bill and I went for another walk around Reggio Emilia. We saw a wedding. At first I though this was the father of the bride, and then they lip kissed, so both Bill and I figured it was the couple getting married!
Another ice cream at the best ice cream shop in Italy, and a photo of us all having fun. Manuela, Paola and Chiara have really thought about what would interest us here and have taken time off to be with us. They have been on the button with what we would like. They have looked for new and local experiences which create family fun and discussion. We have loved it, and have been getting to know culture here and family. We are loving the family part and the new experiences. Not to mention the lavish food. We have been treated to the best pasta, cheese, salads and ice cream. Emilia-Romagna rocks.
