Tim arranged for a tour of the Pilatus factory near Lucerne, and near Mount Pilatus - the mountain the company is named after. Tim flys a Pilatus, so he was really looking forward to seeing the production process. Tammy, Deborah and Belia stayed back to do some more shopping. The rest of us arrived at 8:30 am, and received a warm welcome from a man named Theddy, who Tim had been emailing with in regards to the tour. Theddy is a test pilot and has made variou...

The Inn offered breakfast in a quaint room on the second floor. We filled up and hit the streets. Shops upon shops impressed us. Every one of us found something to bring home. Tim spoiled me with a very pretty ring from Swarovski for our 18th Wedding Anniversary, which was on the following day. Brennin spent a lot of time looking for a specific new model of Swiss Army Knife, and finally found it. A unique tent market lined the lake, full of artisans sell...

We said our goodbyes to the villa (not an easy thing to do because it was such an inviting place.). We also said goodbye to Patricia, letting her know what a gem she owns. She thinks it's way too old but that's one of the most charming things about Villa Vadana. The scenery near Venice is fairly flat, as we drove towards Switzerland we could see imposing mountains. We made a stop just across the border into Switzerland at an outlet mall. We thought we migh...

We spent the day by the pool, and the kids put on a play for us that they had been practicing since we arrived at the house. We watched the play in the garden, with the house as a backdrop. The windows and balcony became part of their stage. Their costumes included the masks they bought in Venice. They did a great job, we were entertained. Bravo! Luigi recommended a restaurant called Saraceno located in Conegliano, the city his mom lives in. He described t...

We relaxed in the morning, having coffee and going for a swim. I had some time to blog. Just being in the house was a treat. I loved all the open windows with sheer curtains moving in the breeze and the sound of the birds. I felt completely at home. Deborah offered to stay back with the kids so Tammy, Doug, Tim and I could have a night out. We dressed up and drove to Venice. It was late in the day so we saw Venice in a softer, warmer light. The temperature...