More on the beautiful region of Abruzzo in Italy...

 This is my new Italian friend, Daniele.

He is friends with the people who own L'Aperegina 
and also with some other volunteer workers I met there...

Italy seems to work very much on the network system...

I'm always hearing the phrase "You need what?  I have a friend who can help you.  I call them."

...Personally, I think it's great. 
 It makes me feel comfortable because it is as if I am never meeting a stranger...

Daniele absolutly  l o v e s  his beautiful region of Abruzzo...

He enjoys sharing with people this place of his birth

so he has developed his business called 

http://www.abruzzowithyou.com/

He writes on his website: 

"The great love for my region has led me to find out interesting itineraries both in the beauty of nature and in the historical and religious traditions, which give the chance to live special experiences."

now me writing on my blog:
don't you just love the way Italians phrase things :) ...

 Above is one of the many beautiful pictures you will see on his website...

This is my first glimpse of the hermitage (where the hermits who took care of the sheep lived)...

as we hike down the steep path...

... we arrive at this hermitage here in the Majella National  Park,
and look back at the mountain side we just came down....

By the way...

You don't go hiking in Italy...you go trekking.  Yes, it's the same thing, just not the same word...its like the Italians have a different word for everything...

...um...that was a joke...
I truly enjoyed the 'trekking' to this interesting site. 

 The fog covered the snow capped peaks but it enhanced the ancient mystery of this place...

Daniele showed me this old sheep herders house...

A sheep herder is called "Pastore" in Italian...

so that is where the name for the man who leads the church comes from... Pastor...

Do I look like a tourist or what?

Speaking of tourist...I assumed that Italians in general wouldn't really like Americans so much...

but it is not true...

my experience has been that Italians are interested Americans and the American culture... 

just as we are interested in Italians and the Italian culture...

I have enjoyed many conversations about cultural differences and similarities...

...For example they are not happy with their government, feeling that the politicians care only for

their own power and money 

and ... ahem...I feel the same about many American politicians...

...and...

they too have a tv show called Master Chef...(Italian version)

 ...and 'reality' shows and game shows...

I'm not sure why I was surprised to see political comedians on tv here...but they are quite popular.

By the way they us the same letters, TV, but pronouce it 'teh-voo'...

...yes, of course it sounds prettier when Italians say it!

I believe their lyrical language is yet another thing that shows their love for beauty.

The beautiful romanic church of S. Liberatore a Majella...

I think that the Italians have made natural lighting an art form... 

... Windows are placed in the perfect place for beautiful effects.

Ok...another tourist picture...in front of this romanic church...
(romanic as in 'romans'...not as in romantic you guys)

....I had to put this picture in my blog because I don't look fat here!  haha!
Yes...It's an optical illusion...
...but I know you are wondering if I'm getting fat on the pasta and delicous food...
so...this is all I am revealing on that subject.

Inside the church was the little room with a little well in it...

Another picture of the romanic church...wait...maybe it was kinda romanTic ;)

..Another day, I had the privilege of being shown some more of the beauty of this place...

This lovely sight is the Trobocchi Coast just south of Pescara, Italy.  Since Italy is shaped

like a boot...think the calf of the boot...

...or look on Google Maps...

This is a trabocco.  It is a place to fish from and of course, is how this section of the coast on the Adriatic Sea got it's name.

Here's me standing in the way of the beautiful scenery...

I just had to put this in because I think my expression pretty much says it all...

Arrivederci from beautiful Italy...I miss you, my American friends...

...thankfully that void is gently balanced by the new friends I have met...

I've written to you..

now I hope you will write back :)

Ciao!