grisini e nutella

We spent the whole day in Sestriere Ski fields, an hour’s drive from the city center. The small car couldn’t take the whole family, so Ate Kholeen and Kuya Veingie took the bus instead. The drive to the ‘Montagne’ (mountains) was incredibly scenic. It’s a little bit like New Zealand, except the road signs are either in Italian or French. Now and then, we pass by castle ruins, or medieval-looking structures atop steep hills, or frozen rivers and creeks.

our ride to sestriere

nice

The ride was almost perfect: we’re with Kanootz’ family, enjoying pleasant conversation with them; we are surrounded by all these magnificent snow-capped mountains; we’re all warm and snug in our down jackets; we’re snacking with grissini dipped in Nutella. That covers our senses of hearing, sight, touch, and taste… the only thing is that, something is really bothering my sense of smell. I keep sniffing at everything, and even at everybody, trying to find that unpleasant smell… only to find out, it was ME! I’ve borrowed Ate Khols’ warm boots for the ride up. What she hasn’t told me is that she’d stepped on DOG POOP the night before and hasn’t washed those boots!

mirror in cafe des alpes

cross in sestriere

khols & veing's ride to sestriere

The laughter in the car almost deafened me. Papang (dad), found a café (Café Des Alpes) nearby for a pit stop. Fortunately, there was a water fountain beside some lump of snow in front of the cafe. Kanootz and Kheli took a boot each while I changed into my snow boots (borrowed from Lola Edna – my mother’s midwife when she gave birth to her first child – that’s me).

love of my life

white is snow

ski slope

When we got to the main ski fields, we met up w/ Ate Khols and Kuya Veingie. We walked around the town a little bit and agreed that we should all have lunch first before we hit the slopes.

plantpot in resto

Famiglia Garcia-Aquino in resto

candle in resto

icicles

Famiglia Garcia-Aquino Dec 2007

We found this little ‘ristorante’ amongst the tiny boutique shops and let ourselves in. The food was average, but as they say, it’s not about the food but the company. By now, I’m also starting to learn that what I’ve read sometime ago about how restaurant / cafes in Italy treat ‘Filipinos’ isn’t always true. At least in this part of Italy, and at least in this particular restaurant, we were treated respectfully and hospitably.

wooden nativity scene

mustn't miss his daily reposo

After lunch, Kanootz & Kheli rented snow boards while Ate Khols got us a pair of toboggans. Papang didn’t seem very interested in any physical activity. He headed back to the parking lot for a snooze soon after lunch. Mamang (Mom) on the other hand was so much fun! She tirelessly climbed and slid up and down the slopes, even racing with the boys.

Well, for myself, I was perfectly content with just being in wonder of what was around me. Sometimes, I think it’s all a grandiose dream. Now I know that God really does give us more than we could ever ask for. All this was way beyond my childhood aspirations. For a little sickly girl from a tiny rice-farming village in the middle of Southeast Asia, what can I say, except that “life is beautiful”!

Go!

And whilst the miracle of snow remains an awe-inspiring experience for me, it was the might and magnitude of the snow-capped mountains that really showed me just how enormous the Earth is and reminded me that we are all but a speck of dust in God’s infinite universe. Still, Job (7:17) exclaims, ‘for what is man that you make so much of him? That you give him so much attention… o watcher of men?’ It really is incredible to know that the same God who made all this beauty and the whole universe in all its vastness knows every single one of us by name!

bella vista!

Torino, Italy