Having rented a car we were able to spend a few days exploring the
different areas along the
Riviera Ligure... Recco, Rapallo, Santa Margherita,
Portofino, and Bonassola. All the sites along the water were truly
beautiful not to mention a challenging drive through the mountains,
just breathtaking! We sufficiently ate and drank our way through these
beautiful and colorful places.
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Susan with the Ligure Sea and Riviera in the background
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But the best day of all during our trip was when we had the opportunity
to meet and spend the day with my cousin,
Pacifico Cofrancesco and his
family. Thankfully my brother
Steven Cofrancesco worked diligently to
make contact with Pacifico while we were in Italy so that we could
connect with him.
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Matteo and Pacifico Cofrancesco in front of their home in Garlasco (Pavia, Italy)
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We got excellent directions from Pacifico and found
our way effortlessly to Garlasco (Pavia, Italy) arriving just in time
for lunch with Pacifico's mother, father, and son Matteo. A most
amazing lunch prepared by his mother,
Filomena (
Philomena)! She served us a full
course lunch which included her home made
lasagna and Pacifico's
fathers chicken.
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Giuseppe Cofrancesco and Filomena Guarnieri,
Pacifico's parents
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The church across the street from their house, the
Santuario della Bozzola was very beautiful and Pacifico was able to
share many important historical facts about the church. It is well
known for the many miracles that are displayed in a special shrine to
the Mother Mary.
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The Santuario della Bozzola in Garlasco, just across the street where Pacifico lives,
the first church was built in this place around 1460, after a young girl, who was mute from her birth, suddenly started speaking after the apparition of the Mother Mary.
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Having Pacifico with us was like having a professional
tour guide, he was a wealth of information, not to mention that since
he is a city official he literally had the keys to the city!
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Garlasco - The Town Hall in the background
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Pacifico and Susan in the Town Hall
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Pacifico in the Council Room of the Town Hall of Garlasco
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So on this
beautiful Sunday afternoon he was able to show us the center of the
city including the Town Hall, a local church, and the very old and
beautiful Theatre House, along with his latest project... A tribute to
the memory of Maria Callas.
From there we were welcomed into his sister's (
Lucia) home for the celebration
of her baby boy's first birthday. Although most everyone spoke only
Italian, Pacifico's English is excellent so he was hard at work being
the translator, we were most comfortable and at ease with everyone.
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Lucia Cofrancesco, Pacifico's sister, with her son Gabriele the day of his first birthday,
her husband Paolo Righini on the right and her mother Filomena in the middle.
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I
think that watching baby Gabriele was a universal language in which we
could all communicate and enjoy! Our busy day continued with a trip to
Vigevano, a nearby city where we
saw an old castle and the most spectacular square that had been
designed by Leonardo Da Vinci!
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Vigevano - A tower of the Castle
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Vigevano - Piazza Ducale (Ducale Square)
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Vigevano - A detail of the wall paintings on the buildings
of the Piazza Ducale (Ducale Square),
dating back to the XVI century
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After a day like this you could only top
it off by stopping for some pizza and a bottle of wine, which is
exactly what we did back in Pacifico's home town. We said our goodbyes
around 9:30pm and vowed to keep in touch.
Travels 
