Day 15 Christmas eve

Day 15 Christmas eve Sleep in nice. Breakfast of champions- choc milk, biscotti and chocolate Panatonne. Then we walk to the town centre- a bar, a market and a supermarket (oh and the new pizza shop ) 300 metres away. We have an apple spritzer (alcoholic bevi) at 12.30 (feels like 10 am cos we only got up an hour ago) at the bar which is extremely busy. We then he's to Daniella's for lunch. This section almost needs its own page...  My fav was the semolina gnocchi- it was so so soft. We also had liver, nonna style cooked beef, another type of raw looking meat but it had a really nice soft texture too. Then a delicious orange flavored tart and some fruit. Oh and choc and coffee but that's a given... Daniella is a fantastic cook- giordano says that's the reason he's with Elisa. Then joe (giordano) took us to Aquilea. It is a very interesting place. About 300 ad I think it was- it was he 2nd largest city in Italy (second to Roma) with about 10 000 people. It was so important because it had a thriving port that did major exporting with Egypt. Now the city has only about 2000 dwellers. Ruins keep popping up all over he place and people aren't allowed to build on them. But joe says most of the time it's kept hushed. Joe tried to explain the history that as written on the brochure and managed to tell he story that the images on the floor of the church we're depicting- a monster that ate a man and then spewed him up on the beach??? Sure joe whatever you say... We were quite cold after visiting the stone ruins all over the city and it was dark so it was definitely hot choc time. Then back home to prepare for Christmas eve. Oh my gosh Christmas eve! We first went to he bar of course where we shouted everyone a spritzer. But only stayed for about 5 mins so Liz had to skull her red wine. Then off to Joel's parents house. Wow there were lots of people there. I met lots and lots and remembered none. Oops. We latched on and had chats with some girls around our age who spoke English. But the food! Sorry here I go again but hey we're in Italy and its Christmas- what do you expect. Antipasto was laid out before us on a long long dining table in a grand dining area. It was filled with salami, prosciutto, savory tarts, baclava, bread, cheeses, mini pizzas... I may have accidentally filled up on pre entree. Next was entree- lovely pasta soup then out rolled 3 different types of lasagne and of course we had to have one of each. They were so so delicious. Then vegetables and another baclava dish. And last biscotti - a heap of different varieties, chocolate and torronne. We could not move off the couch. At midnight bells started to ring and the boys pricked up their ears - babbo natale (Santa clause) had arrived and brought everyone presents. The boys ran over and ripped open their presents. Tomaso was tracking down baddies with his high tech spy watch for the rest of the evening. We got back to the house at 130 but then giordano said he was taking us to the bar. So the three of us walked down to the bar with him and ordered whiskey and coke and drank and danced to a mixture of traditional italian music and disco techa tunes. We got home at 4 am... Zzzzz tomorrow is Christmas!  During the night however a little person comes up the stairs. We look up and Mateo dives into bed with Liz! She is started at first but lets it happen. It is his bed after all. A few mins later Elisa and joe climb the stairs looking for mateo and find him fast asleep beside Liz. He remains for the rest of the night.