Europe trip: Testing new grounds in Italy

(I am back after some crazy weeks before getting back to Sweden and then arriving in Sweden. I know it is not obvious when you read this but I am way behind with updating the blog and I have so much to tell you about!! so it will have to take some time to catch up. Just be patient with me, please! So, it looks like I updated this in the beginning of November but it is actually Christmas, Dec 25. A very Merry Christmas to you All!!!)

A new country and a new language! Exciting! The ferry trip from Greece to Italy was very smooth. It left right before midnight and we arrived late morning. We were so lucky and got a cornet cabin which meant that it was twice as big as a normal one!! :-D

Day 51: Arrived to Italy - Trullos in Alberobello - Slept in Mottola

Happened to find Alberobello when googling what to see in Italy and what a wonderful surprise. It was like walking into a fairy tale!Alberobello is known for its Trullo buildings. As you can see in the pictures it is a very very cute place!

A miniature version of Alberobello

Our first Italian meal!! We learned the hard way that there is a "dine-in" fee in Italian restaurants, per person, including children... I don't remember the amount in this particular restaurant but around 1.50-2.00 EUR/person was pretty normal. I guess you can see it as a tip, which we didn't at this meal, so we tipped in addition to the fee. Anyways, the pizzas were delicious!!!

A very foggy evening in Mottola

Day 52: Exploring cave churches - Driving from Mottola to Schiavonea

Morning snuggles in our super charming apartment in Mottola

Before leaving Mottola we explored the city a little, which was not very big at all and we also booked a guided tour in near by cave churches, which was very interesting.

Nice church in Mottola

Statues by a market in Mottola

Beginning our guided tour to one of the cave churches

Lots of olives, both black and green!?

First stop, St Nicholas' church

Outside Saint Nicholas' church

And inside

Next Stop Saint Gregory (George?) church

The outside

Day 53: Drive from Schiavonea to Tropea, no hotel...

Next stop was Tropea, which seemed really cool in pictures that we had seen. We had lots of rain driving there and it was not very warm. When we got the Tropea we could not get hold of the hotel/apartment people we was supposed to rent from and when we finally reached them they told us they were closed for the season! Luckily booking.com helped us out (it was booked through their webpage) and a few hours later we could get into our new place. Cold and tired, but in a better location than the first one :-) And, we had time to see that this town was very cool in deed!

A monastery, looking like a castle, right next to the beach

Eating pizza while trying to solve our hotel situation... (no more dine-in costs Lol!!)

Warming his feet!?

Parking by the beach

The walk up to the monastery (it was closed)

Day 54: School/work day and beach walk

This young man knows where he is going!

The beach and the monastery on the hill at the end. Town in the background.

Day 55: Beach day for me and the boys

Marlee and Noah helped one of the restaurants to clean up the beach in front of their place. Got a bag of chips each for the work :-)

Building a jail with sticks...

Found a piece of a cactus in the water

Day 56: Drive from Tropea to Acireale (getting ready to take the ferry to Malta!)

Tropea

Our last night in Italy, before going to Malta, we spent on Cecily. Such an interesting place! I was already looking forward to going back here, after Malta, to explore... But first, all the exciting things we got to experience on Malta... And of course, seeing farmor and farfar!