Easter Visitors

Our first visitors of the year, brother Andy, girlfriend Sue and friends Chris and Gill, arrived on Easter Sunday and stayed for five nights. Andy and Sue couragiously opted to stay with us while Chris and Gill were obliged (and fortunate!) to stay in rented accomodation; a quaint, self-contained wooden hut in the corner of a large garden replete with flower beds, stone tables, plastic sun-loungers, swings, slide, mini-roundabout and gazebo. What more could they have needed? Only an extra blanket after the first night because it was so bloody cold!! But I'm sure they'd agree that the splendid mountain panorama (see first photo)compensated for the absence of luxury in the accomodation! And in hindsight, I'd say the weather wasn't too bad while they were here; at least it didn't pour down like it has done for a large part of the rest of April.

In the four full days that they were here we managed several walks. One was fairly hard-going, particularly for Chris and Manolo carrying the twins, as it was uphill most of the way for at least an hour. Thankfully the dark clouds that threatened to put a damper on our enthusiastic exersions didn't amount to anything and actually made the scenery more dramatic.


Chris volunteers to take charge of Tanya and both look suitably impressed by the offer!

First view of Roccavione (and everyone still smiling!)

Roccavione threatened with downpour that never came.

Luca's legs give way about 5 mins from the top.

Group photo at "La Cioma", uninhabited but well looked after old house at the top.

Another day, another trip, this time up to the snow line to make Sue's wish to walk in the snow come true

Sun and snow, always a wicked combination.

Chris and Gill(I can't think of a witty caption - any ideas?!)

Group shot with little girl who made friends with Luca and had a jacket identical to Tanya's(just a little bigger)

One day we decided to make the most of Chris and Gill's garden/park by having a picnic lunch there and letting the kids have free reign for a bit.

Tanya ready for take off.

Amy goes for a wander.

Manolo and Luca play "petanka" (that's boules to you and me) with a helping hand from Amy. The slanting roof of C and G's bungalow is visible above Manolo's head.

That's it for the photos. Great to see everybody. Many thanks to Chris for being chief photographer (I didn't even take one), to Gill and Sue for doing all the washing up, to Sue for all the drawing and reading she did with Luca, to Uncle Andrew just for being Uncle Andrew and to everyone for running around after the twins and for being fab friends. Look forward to the next visit.