dutch embassy event- Van Gogh and more Jan 27,2010

view of trajan's market and medieval tower from terrace of vittoriano museum

Trajan's column from terrace

restaurant on terrace at top of museum where the cocktail party was help

We were invited by the Dutch embassy to a private tour of the Van Gogh exhibit which is currently at the Vittoriana museum. We had seen the exhibit but we were very willing to go again especially with a guide whose  main area of study is Van Gogh. Scott, Christopher and I went and enjoyed an excellent tour with descriptions of the various phase of Van Gogh's life. He started out with his landscape scenes, horizontal and flat focus in his paintings, studied in antwerp and eventually to montmartre in Paris to experience city life and see the impressionists first hand. eventually moved to the south of France where he lived out the rest of his 37 years before he committed suicide. He had always struggled with depression and psychological problems. 

skiing-sestriere, italy dec 26-31st, 2010

a non-flattering photo of us ready for a day of skiing

matthew

christopher, only photo I could get of them. otherwise they were blasting down the slopes

italian and french alps

loved the lighted angels in front of the church, we could see these from our hotel window. there were two of them. in background you can see the lighted slope for the ski show that evening

there were many participants at the ski show on one of the olympic slopes. it was a cold and long show

their olympic symbol and olympic slope in background

3 very nice days of skiing. weather cooperated nicely, about 32 degrees F, little wind and sunshine.  It has snowed a great deal just prior to our arrival which was perfect.  There were crowds but we avoided them by skiing on the shadier side of the mountain. The italians will always seek out the sun. Sestriere also had a lovely indoor/outdoor heated swimming pool which was fun to use after a day of skiing. great to be in the freezing cold swimming outdoors while watching the sun set on the alps.