Christmas Palooza and Palaces
Today we needed to get out of Barb’s hair so she could pack because tomorrow we all leave together for our next adventure…a river cruise up the Danube river. Since Barb will be busy, Anna came over to be our guide and directed Antonio to drive us to a nearby store called Peraga Garden Center.
This store was amazing! It was filled with beautiful Christmas decorations for sale. Christmas villages, nativity scenes, ornaments, wreaths, you name they had it. The store also has a greenhouse and when it is not Christmas season, there are indoor/outdoor furniture displays. The woman who owns the store is a very talented decorator because her displays were gorgeous! I was disappointed that I was limited to items that would fit in my suitcase.
In the afternoon we ventured to the small town of Venaria to explore the Palace of Venaria. It is a former residence of the House of Savoy built between the 16th and 18th centuries. It is one of the royal's 14 residences. You wouldn’t know that this was just a vacation home because it is massive! There were many rooms and lots of history to learn about. I’m not sure Antonio will ever go with us to another museum because we took so long to go through this one!
When we finally returned home, Antonio roasted the chestnuts he bought over an open fire - luckily Jack Frost wasn’t nipping at our noses! I’m not sure if I’ve ever tasted a roasted chestnut but they are pretty good with a little salt. They aren’t crunchy like other nuts but were every hearty. Delicious!
This was our last night in Italy. Tomorrow we start a new adventure!
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