Carnevale Ambrosiano!

This is how the Milanese do it!

Sara, Matteo, the nanny's sister, Daria's mother, and Alessandro (the kids' cousin) at the shopping center, Portello.

We got gelato because Saturday was the last day before Quaresima! These are what Italian ice cream sandwiches look like.

Everyone throws coriandoli (confetti) at each other!

It was also Women's Day, if you were not aware, and the men have a tradition to buy their wives yellow flowers so all of the street vendors were selling special golden fiori.  The other tradition is some women go out to eat with their girlfriends.  Fortunately for Simone, Daria does not care for holidays like Valentine's Day.  Then we went to Saturday evening Mass and I discovered they get the ashes sprinkled on top of their head. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning we headed out for a day trip to Torino, to visit La Venaria Reale.  The name derives from Latin, "Venatio Regia" meaning "Royal Hunt" and it served as the hunting grounds for Charles Emmanuel I.

Venaria had such a warm Italian feel!

In La Galleria di Diana

Yes, there was even a royal cafe back in the day  :P

Daria's father in the ranch.

Drinking fresh mountain water

Daria's mother

Sara asked me to make an "American" pose so I showed her

Calzoleria! Sara thought this was an important spot.

The royal family had their very own church connected to the palace!

Credits to Sara.  She's very artistic for an 8-year-old!

My host fam!

 

My host mom!