Pasqua

I was invited to my friend Veronica's house for Pasqua (Easter) on Sunday. We had a lot of fun and the company was great! Veronica's boyfriend Marco grilled an amazing meal.

Martina makes the bruschetta using bread warmed on the grill

Marco builds the fire...so he can cook the kabobs

Veronica's cousin made a great dish of spinach with hard boiled eggs. It had a flakey pastrey top and bottom. Very, very good.

After we ate we went to the Basilica of Superga. It sits on a hill high over looking the entire city. The basilica was built as a promise by two princes of the Savoia family. They promised the Holy Mother they would build a grand church if they were able to defeat the French and liberate Torino. The construction began in 1717 and finished fourteen years later in 1731. Inside the church there are many dedications and momentos to Mary.

Walking to the basilica (which was nice after all we ate)

The main alter

Statue of Mary in the dedication room


Side Chapels (much more beautiful then the side chapel at St. Francis!)

In addition to the tombs of the Savoia family there is also a memorial to Torino FC. The football club was returing from a friendly match with Lisbon, Portgual, on May 4, 1949, when their plane crashed on the hill just under the basilica where the memorial now stands. The entire team, coaches, and journalists were killed. It was a devistating day for the city as the team had won their fifth consequtive Series A title (the highest soccer leauge in Italy). Not only the city of Torino was saddened by tragedy but the entire country mourned the loss of the football club as they were a symbol of Italian unity and rebuilding following World War II.

View of the Po from the top

We returned form our visit to Superga to have dessert. Veronica's cousin made another wonderful homemade dessert and we had columba which is a traditional dessert for Pasqua.

Veronica and Martina gave me a traditional chocolate easter egg with a surprise inside!

We went to see Marly and Me that evening and even though I have read the book twice and the film was in Italian I still cried for probably thirty minutes total! Mom and Dad...tell Cork I miss her!