Alba with Monica

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Hi, Fam,

What a fun day Monica and I had in Alba! The train left Bra at 9:45, and by 10:15, we were in Alba! 

It was the kind of day where it was cool because of the clouds, but no rain. Perfect day for shopping in Alba!

We enjoyed the sites and the shops down Via Vittorio Emanuele II (like our street in Bra. Mr. Emanuele is very famous in Italian history, and every town has a street named after him.). Monica was ever so pleased to find that the REALLY COOL leather tennis shoes were only 350 euros. She's hoping her mom will be ok with the credit she put on the Visa bill! No, Karen, she got the REALLY CUTE pink non-leather ones for only 69 euros. Her only other credit she put on the card was from ...gifts she bought that will be quite YUMMY!

A huge, impressive church was in one of the piazzas. The TI (Tourist Information) center in that same piazza had some very helpful maps of places for trekking, so we got one for La Morra and one for the vineyards in Barbaresco. We are hoping to get some hiking in.

As Monica and I walked back to Osteria d'Arco, we realized that lunch would not be served for another hour, so we had a nice, cool... gelato as an "appetizer." It worked perfectly to tame our appetites. We ended up sharing an absolutely delicious plate of pasta stuffed with ricotta and a mixed salad.

The only regret I had about Alba was that the famous truffles are not in season. The truffle hunts will have to wait until September-January!

On the train ride back to Bra, Monica and I enjoyed a brief rest and watched the vineyards, nocciola trees and corn growing in the fields.

Thanks for the lovely day, Alba!

Colleen