scuola and the bear costume

This is Sylvia, Penelope's teacher.

Sylvia says Penelope is doing very well and she sings in Italian now.

On Sunday, we were at a cafe and a man asked Penelope her name in Italian. 

She answered him back in Italian! 

Just like that. Amazing.

So school is much better, even good I think.

Oh yeah- and we brought the bear costume and the guitar- 

the weekend

On Saturday we went to Verona.

This telephone tells the story of Romeo & Juliet.

The balcony (outside).

Casa di Giulietta

The balcony (inside).

Casa di Giulietta

We saw the Arena.

Castelvecchio

Inside the Castle

Running in the Castle

More running in the Castle

Loved it here.

Really amazing and beautiful.

View from the Castle.

After, we walked across the Ponte di Castlevecchio 

and found a little carnival,

with a balloon maker on stilts

and rides!

On Sunday we went to 

Bassano Del Grappa

(First we took the wrong bus.)

So we waited at the Station.

Finally we arrived.

 It was beautiful.

We went to a little wine bar.

And then we had french fries!

We saw these huge babies.

And then we had gelato, of course.

a month in italy

We have been in Italy for one month

 and I think it is starting to feel like home.

We are not so lost anymore.

We found a great bread shop.

We know our way around the markets.

Penelope says ciao when people say hello to her-

and she has dance class here under the Specola.

Often, we end our day here, 

under the big clock at a cafe in the Piazza.  

orto botanico

A visit to the Botanic Garden of Padova.

Like father,

like daughter.

Looking up at the "Palma di Goethe"

This tree has been here since 1550 and 

is housed inside a giant glass structure.

the mamma of the little girl who cries

(or the mamma who lets her little girl watch Fantastic Mr. Fox too much.) (see photo.)

I think this is what the nuns at Penelope's school call me. When I go to pick her up, I have to enter through a secondary door. I ring a buzzer and then one of the nuns lets me in. Most of the children stay until 4:00 pm, so the main doors are not open. Yesterday when I came to get her, there was a nun who didn't recognize me , so I had to wait for the others to come. I'm pretty sure this is how they described me.

I don't think she is crying very often anymore. But, in the beginning there were a lot of tears. I think she likes school. I hope she likes school. I know she likes her teacher and the playground and gymnastica on Fridays. It is so hard to tell with her. When I ask her how her day was and what she did I never know what to believe. Usually her answers start out as something believable, but then they take on a fantasy like quality that usually involves her imaginary friend Lala and part of the plot from Fantastic Mr. Fox. 

the weekend

We spent the weekend in Padova.

There were paintings floating in the river.

In the Piazza, a balloon clown.

And a fire juggler.

On Saturday night, we went to a "Sagra"

It is like a big outdoor party with food and drinks.

You order when you arrive from a set menu, you pay and then you sit at a numbered table.

Soon, your food and drinks arrive.  

This is the dessert trolley.

Tiramisu for Penelope.

It was a long night. We didn't finish dinner until almost midnight.

Sunday, back to the Piazza.

More chickens.

And a little brunch at Le Numero 21.