Del Col - 24 Hours Later

    It is now the day after arrival here in Pordonne and we just got back from a full day of touring the country side.  Yesterday afternoon, we were greeted by Lucia and Roberta and walked the short distance around the block to the Del Col's shop and homestead on Via Misure.  It was a whirl wind start to almost 24 hours of visiting.  We had a tour of the Del Col

200 year old shop

workshop.  That was an experience in itself.  I was somewhat surprised how small it really was and that the only current activity was the key cutting that occasionally goes on there. We also had a full tour of the Del Col house that is nearly 200 years old.  Guiditta does not speak any English but Lucia did a great job of trying to keep up to her with the information she was providing - the original walls, the added staircase, the old kitchen sink that is now a planter in the garden, the bedrooms where people were born (including dad Gino) and where they slept.  The house is now primarily used as a

This Is The Place!

storage area and occasional office space.  Next it was up the stairs to meet Giovanni and Marina (Uncle Sante's oldest son).  Marina called Stefano who is located in Rome with the army and I talked to him for a few minutes.  By the time I was finished the house had exploded with Del Col relatives.  It was hard to keep them all straight.  We did have a few glasses of wine and then agreed to meet later for dinner with a few of them.

       Gino Del Col and daughter Lucia then walked us down the main street.  Gino was a history teacher and it was exactly like a private tour only much better.  Pictures galore!    I can't begin to describe the things we saw.  Thank goodness for Lucia who could speak English and provided a running commentary.

 

Pordenonne Church

Venician Organ

     We headed back to the hotel for a shower and a change of clothes and the met again after 8, heading to Piazza Cavour, a short walk for dinner.   The few for dinner turned out to be 22 in all including young Francesca, the only male relative among the extended family.  Marta Del Col was also there and she speaks very good English.  We were able to sort out some of the faces and names of the extended family.  Pizza, tomatoes in oil, bread, antipasto (Parma ham - prosciutto) a selection of cheeses and dolce.  Tired and overfed we headed back to the hotel.

Judy and Plat of Proscuitto

       Today was the best tour that you could ask for.  Gino,Lucia, Marta joined us.  We drove
into the surrounding area and stopped at a winery for some wine, and then at several villages to view some of the history of the area. Our first stop was a town called Valvasone that has one of the oldest organs around.  Absolutely beautiful.  Frescoes everywhere.  The old walled city and the original fortified "castle" followed.

     Next on to Spilimberc (?) and another old church with another beautiful pipe organ as well as the frescoes and walled houses.    Our last stop was San Danielle for lunch in a small cafe.  It is the heart of the prosciutto making area and of course that is what we had along with a selection of cheeses and bread.   Then the drive back to the city.  The true description of the towns will come when the photos are ready to be shown.

      Our last stop of the day was the short walk from the hotel to the local cemetery where

Lunch

Guiditta pointed out Giovanni Del Col (1872-1946 and Caterina Nocent 1876-1955 grave sites.  They were my father,s parents.  We also visited Sante Del Col and wife sites - the parents of the Pordenonne Del Col relatives.

That ended the day touring.  We were going to have dinner together tonight but be did that last night so we will all meet for an ice cream tonight.  Tomorrow we will meet my mother,s side of the family.