Sweet Noli!

It Journal

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sweet Noli!

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What a great day to go to the beach at Noli! Both Monica and I prepared for the ride by having an early morning run (not together-she’s too fast!). Then, we had to wait for the Vodafone store to open because my contract is not lasting long enough, and I had to change contracts so I would have more minutes. I don’t want to be away from Peter and not be able to reach him. When I started receiving messages saying my account was low, I wanted to change it. I don’t renew the old contract for another 2 weeks! Che bella! But, when Vodafone finally opened, they were quick to get the job done and get me on my way to the beach with Monica.

Jezebel (GPS) and I had a crossing of ways as we started out of Bra. She wanted me to turn where the road was blocked, and I said NO. (Another Che bella!)I ended up parking on the side of the road and looking at the map to find a way to get to A6 a different way. Jezebel finally caught up with me, and we went on our merry way.

The road to Noli on the shore of the Mediterranean is breathtaking, and we commented all the way there about how difficult that road must have been to build…lots of tunnels, and bridges that spanned valleys almost the size of the Grand Canyon! It was very impressive. The final descent into Noli from the mountaintop was a switchback road for about 3 miles. Our car Thelma sure would have enjoyed that one!

Noli is as I remembered it – quaint, small, on the beach, and full of great places to eat and shop. We chose da Ines as our restaurant and called ahead to make sure they would save us an outside table in the shade. It was lovely, and the food was delicious. Monica had her first gnocchi, made with potatoes. They put salmon in it, too, and it was delicious. Her brother Josh had told her that the gnocchi (“NO key”) in Italy was the best anywhere, so she wanted to make sure she tried it. We both had such big portions that we took home half of our meal for leftovers later. Yum!

Monica was so very happy to be at the beach, and such a lovely beach. We went to put our feet in the water, and she immediately wanted to get on her suit to swim. I had some sunburn already from the swimming pool yesterday, so I enjoyed the shade of my umbrella and the nearby palm tree while I watched her enjoy the water. We took a break from the beach just long enough to get our lunch at da Ines, then she went right back to swim…until she was told that there were jellyfish in the water. Out she came, right away, and when she finished sun drying, we started back to Bra. She thoroughly enjoyed her time in the sun and at that beach. She mentioned several times how much fun she has with her family when they go to the beach on vacations. More super beach memories!

The ride back equaled the ride there. Jezebel and I got crossed, and I ended up in a parking lot (Che bella!), but we got corrected much easier than the morning, and I drove through the mountains while Monica snoozed after spending so much time swimming and sunning.

At home (5:30PM!), we decided that we shouldn’t eat affogato so late in the afternoon and spoil our supper, soooo…I prepared supper while she showered off the salt water, and we sat down to eat fresh apples and sautéed veggies/oil/spices on leftover pasta. Fortunately, just after we ate, Peter called to tell me about his day in the 110 degree dried pasta factory (Che bella!), then Enzo came out on his balcony and we caught up about the day from our balcony to his. This ended in an invitation to go with Enzo tomorrow to see how his new house is progressing. I’m looking forward to seeing the progress.

THEN, off we went to Caffe Vittorio (Monica may never eat affogato anywhere else!!!). They added some dark chocolate syrup, and the great affogato that we had yesterday was trumped today! Now we are both affogato snobs!!!

And a wonderful day was had by all in Sweet Noli!

Colleen