Vance Family

Things I will miss :-(

2011-12-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

Taking the Alibus for 3 euro to go shopping downtown Napoli.

Not only the finest toystore in the world...also the funnest toystore in the world!

Yummy London Fish and Chips

Wonderful friends...

at Filomena's Pizzaria

Touring downtown Napoli

Yummy lunch in Sorrento

The beautiful drive to Benevento and Birthday parties!!!

Thank you Gina

Hostel in Switzerland with Dora's homemade spaghetti sauce...umm umm good!!!

Listening to 'fish' stories...thanks Tish :-)

Makes me smile everytime I see it

Temple trips to Switzerland

Cozy little towns nestled up on the hills.

My weakness- shopping

Shoe Alley...Bob really didn't mind shopping :-)

Bob is such a trooper...helping sort out boots we bought today to fill requests :-)

Did I mention weakness??? Food

to name a few favorites, cannolli's, mozzarella di buffalo, pizza, bruschetta

The abundance of fresh fruits and veggies in gardens, orchards and markets

One of the many little trucks that drive around selling their goods on the streets of our town.

Fruits, veggies, soda, water, pasta, other grocery items...amazing!!!

Singing Italian Hymns

The many 30 minute drives to the Support Site to visit friends, shop and go to movies.

Never having to get out of my vehicle to pump gasoline...they do it for me.

I will miss my Agip friends in Avella who are always so kind.

Things I will not miss...

2011-12-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

Stairs...stairs...and more stairs....

there is only 57 but that is enough!

Inside temps sometimes colder than outside...heehee

Road Rage and some of the drivers...

I will not miss those of you who put my life at risk.

I hope I can shake my bad neopolitan driving habits...yikes!

Making 3-6 lanes out of two or three...totally doable...only in Italy.

Here they made 7 lanes out of one...there was another lane on the left of us. And did I mention the honking??? That is absolutely hilarious...as if a few horns will make the traffic move any more smooth...heehee

Lugging around heavy transformers to use our electrical appliances.

November - March having to bleach the mold off the ceiling and walls of our bathroom.

Thankfully, that is the only room that gets moldy...even with the window open.

Misc.

2011-12-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

How proudly she waves...

Oops!

Someone was going a little too fast for this corner,

or forgot to secure the container.

Woke up to this beauty parked out front :-)

The fires on the side of the roads were numerous.

What is wrong with this picture?

Scotland & Ireland 2011

2011-12-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Edinburgh Scotland

Where JK Rowling wrote

Below the school that inspired Hogwarts

Little Scotland cottages

What is wrong with this picture?

Traffic in Scotland can be crazy too.

The bridge between old and new Edinburgh.

Sherlock Holmes restaurant

Even Scotland had the Occcupy Movement.

The sign on the door is "Wi-fi zone"

The Royal Mile street

The town cryer posts

People from all over the world come here to propose to their loved ones...actually this is the spot where the tax collectors took the locals money. Now the locals will walk by and spit upon this symbol.

Statue of John Hume, his right big toe is rubbed by passers by for good luck.

The oldest building in Edinburgh

Quotes by Scotish writers engraved in the walkway stones

A trip step...modern day burglar alarm...can you figure it out?

The retrofit plumbing on the old buildings.

The Castle of Edinburgh

Free...yipee!

The items below are all crochet or knitted

Victoria Street

Upstair 6-paned window is the back of the Elephant Bar where JK Rowlings wrote.

Streets were named by their trade...on the right Merchant Street, on the left Candlemakers Row

The front of this museum is in the shape of a huge filing cabinet with a drawer pulled out.

One of many cemetaries

To prevent grave robbery

The only pet (Bobby) with his own headstone. Just outside the cemetary.

People still leave fresh flowers.

Here is Bobby...even Bars and restaurants are named afterhim.

Yummy dinner.

Haggis, turnips and potatoes. Scotlands famous dish.

(What Bob didn't know is that he was eating the same thing disguised as a burger...heehee)

On a ghost tour of Edinburgh, the back side of a tombstone.

The front side. David Allen born 1744.

The monument to Lord Horatio Nelson, upside down telescope.

The countrys national flower, Thistle...ouch!

Where the Queen stays when visiting Scotland.

This is where the Royal Mile begins and ends at the Castle of Edinburgh.

Cute Scottish skirts...we are certain we can make for less at the Vancemart Sweatshop.

Edinburgh Castle -the end of the Royal Mile

The prison of the castle

The pet cemetary on Castle grounds.

Molly the seige cannon that shot massive stones

The castle church

For hundreds of years a cannon is shot every day at precisely 1pm to ensure

the townspeople clocks are accurate. When they hear it they look at their watches. Funny!

The factory making Tartans. Seems like there are hundreds of patterns.

The Vance Tartan pattern

Yummy Scottish drink...it was described by our tour guide as cream soda on crack.

On to Dublin Ireland

What is left of the Dublin Castle...that was burned down.

A modern addition that is not highly liked by anyone except the architect.

Beautiful garden area with fun walking stones placed.

Would love to bring the family and play a fun game of tag.

It also serves as the lighted helo landing pad for the castle.

The 1/2 penny bridge.

The builder charged a 1/2 penny for anyone who walked across (feet touched) the bridge.

Often you would see a man carrying several children a wife or both across to save money.

Thankfully Bob did not have to carry me across.

The funny story behind this plaque is definately worth looking up online.

Search - Father Pat Noise

Trinity College - the archway that is believed to be bad luck if walked under prior to graduation. Students still today walk around.

A few floor patterns in the churches

St. Patricks Cathedral

Is the organ fund in a keg???

Great story of the "Door of Reconciliation"

The teeny tiny statue (in front of the pillar) of St. Patrick in St. Patricks Cathedral

The larger statues are the ministers who lead the congregations...pretty funny

Oops...somebody wasn't paying attention when posting the service times.

Christ Church - a very sordid history also worthy of looking up online.

This petrified cat and mouse were found in the organ of Christ Church

Forgot to take a before photo of our delicious Thanksgiving meal at Hardrock in Ireland.

This sign tells it all...the party for the children starts at 8:01pm

2011-11-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Postal delivery scooters in Italy

One of many 3-wheeled vehicles on the roads...yikes!

Cool staircase in Pozzuoli

The dog with dreadlocks...he is a cute little pooch.

L, L, & L downtown Napoli

Leesa's birthday!

Silk Museum in San Lucia. Amazing process...beautiful fabrics!!!

Utah trip Oct 2011

2011-10-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

Bob nearly missing the plane to Salt Lake City

Had to ride on the front for a short time.

Kelsie writing the alphabet with Caupa

Free ride at Sam's Club :-)

Our little photographer...Kelsie had the camera

Patiently waiting at the hair salon.

Soft shoulder to crash on

See...arms up when sleeping is a 'Vance' thing...heehee

Finally...Bob's 'death dog'

Taking time out for some R & R reading us all a story :-)

Sweet smile...worth every penny!!!

Yeah! Collin got his two front teeth in Utah!

Ahhhh...need I say more?

Assembling the stroller after the purchase.

Another soft shoulder

At the Humanitarian Center

Kelsie helping Caupa get his shoes and socks on.

Umm umm a Krispie Kreme

Sweeeeeeeeeeet!

Sporting BYU shirts

Oops...theres a Rebel in the group

Playing in Park City with Aunt Laurie

A favorite photo

Watching Conference

Oh yes...a Big Gulp

Saw this label in the mall

Origin: Itay...made in China...funny

Schlotsky's...ummm ummm.

Ravello

2011-09-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

Beautiful mosaics

Postcard picture

Below is a 'not so' Smart Car...amazing...completely open.

Uncle Stanley in Rome

2011-09-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Even in the Eternal City 9/3/11

Mixing work with pleasure...again :-)

Either Uncle Stanley is a giant or this is a tiny car!

Uncle Stanley and Bob on the right.

Bet ya didn't know gladiators had cell phones...huh???

If he knew I had taken his photo, he would have tried to charge me for it :-)

Lunch time! We brought our own yummy panini's.

The lady in the crosswalk is holding an umbrella out in front of her as if to say 'stop, I am coming through'...heehee

On top of St. Angelo's

The little piles below are cannon balls...they are ready!

Too tall for the little door :-)

Shady spot to rest tired walking feet!

Pizzaria

2011-09-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Umm umm good, local pizzaria in Quadrelle.

Boat Ride and din din

2011-08-31T23:15:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely boat ride and dinner

with the Admiral and some of his other guests.

Some of the yummy food at the seaside restaurant.

Vesuvius & Uncle Stanley

2011-08-31T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hike up Mt. Vesuvius

Thankfully Stanley had his quadruple bypass prior...whew!!!

Below is a sign posted for those who want to litter on Mt. Vesuvius.

3-6 months for an apple core, an aluminum can 10-100 years...yikes!

Salerno

2011-08-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

First lunch at a delicious restaurant.

Then a walk on the pier, enjoying the beautiful weather in Italy.

Stanley, Bob, Lynnette, Rebers (Senior missionary couple)

Paris

2011-08-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Planning Paris...where do we begin???

Confession...just posting these photos makes me hungry for a

French Chicken Crepe...mmmmmmmmmmm

Great photo with the sun setting

Umm Umm...Bob and I shared...bad idea...could have eaten my own :-)

Time for dessert after din din...they opted for Hagen Daz

while I had a banana, nutella crepe...ummm

Bags of baguettes...the guy was delivering them to different locations

Sorry ladies...we wouldn't let him in to purchase anything for you.

Ouch! Anything for a buck...I mean a Euro.

Would have loved to have a dessert...but at those prices...we could only afford to look. Prices ranged from 4,50 - 6,50 Euro

Still smiling after hundreds of train rides!

Easy order McDonalds...

French fries in France...so appropriate!

The Versaille Palace

Both were very obedient to my silly requests...

The gardens are absolutely beautiful!

Uncle Stan Pompei and Paestum

2011-08-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

One of many castles on a hill.

On the way to Paestum

Driving...one lane into two or three...

This is a very smokey season...many little fires on the mountains burning the orchard waste.

Reason Bob likes Pompei so much :-)

Actually we have never eaten here.

Pompei Entrance 8/22/11

One of Pompei's many little dogs...his favorite spot...even has a little cement indent doggy pillow...ahhh

Paestum - 8/23/11

Temple of Athena

My favorite...the mosaics

A much needed rest...it was a scorching day!

A forum for the premilitary exercises for the youth.

A pool attached to the forum...Stanley ready to dive in :-)

Below a bowling lane

...lets not forget the bowling ball

Temple of Neptune

Temple of Hera

This is the kind of bench I want in our NC back yard.

Below you can see how they built the new road under the existing structure.

This photo is for Christopher...see even in those days they had lifts for their cars :-)

Uncle Stanleys visit

2011-08-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

Uncle Stanleys arrival to Naples Itlay with a smile and little sleep. 8/19/11

Sparticus' Ampitheatre in Capua 8/20/11

Above

Underneath

Model of the ampitheater in the museum

Our own private guard dog. No one dare come near our car.

The Caserta Palace 8/20/11

Big doors for big royalty

The model of the elevator and the actual one below.

Finally, a couch long enough for Uncle Stan :-)

like this book case

Ahhhh...a well deserved lunch break!

Steak & Game

2011-08-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

Good Neapolitan Steaks...Il Gatto (cat), La Volpe (fox)

Cards for playing the local card game Scopa...lots of fun...Bob is the winner most of the time :-)

Garmish Germany 8/11-14/11

2011-08-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

A beautiful site!

On our way up to Zugspitz, the highest point in Germany.

German sausage anyone???

Brrr it was chilly!

There were sleds free for the use...how fun.

Ummm...a German snowball tastes like a Wyoming snowball or a North Carolina Snowball...how is that? Oh I see it all comes from the same manufacturer.

Work, work, work...the stream in the back was beautiful!

Yummy berries!

This guy had his work cut out for him...huge lot...I really did want to offer to help out.

The horse whisperer...shhhh they might hear us.

Unfortuantely I was too far away, but the worker in the field had on the shorts with suspenders...cute.

A little parade in downtown Garmish.

The perfectly stacked wood pile...they are everywhere!

WHEEEEEEEE....we made it!!!

Our little friends who remind us how much we miss and love our grandchildren!!!

Hollentalklamm Gorge

2011-08-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

A little parade through the town in Garmish-Partenkirchen

The following photos are at the gorge...just beautiful, calming, peaceful

No swimming today...

Cute travel skirt...thank you Michelle!

Cute shoes...thank you Bob!

Height clearance barely enough in some spots

Their wood piles are everywhere...wood pieces are about a meter long.

Cat looking for an afternoon snack :-)

Last photo after leaving the gorge

BFF :-)

1936 Olympic Stadium & stroll up the hill

2011-08-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Garmish Olympic Stadium

Oh the grass was beautiful...

see the guy near the end of the ramp???

see the guy just off the ramp???

see his shadow???he blends in with the end of the ramp

whoa...not looking good...

ouch!

feeling like a tumbler....

Bob's work is never done :-)

No sampling the berries :-( aren't they pretty?

peaceful, ahhhh!

fff...forced, foto, fun

The 'real' horse whisperer

Beautiful Germany

2011-08-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Room with a view :-)

WEEEEE....nope that isn't us up there...maybe next time.

This guy was the cook...he really was not choking, just looking for his spray bottle...however, I prefer not to eat anything that resembles items on 'Fear Factor'

At the top of Zugspitz, highest point in Germany. The snow was refreshing!

There were sleds you could just grab and go on. Great concept, lots of fun!

Umm Umm a German snowball...guess what? It tastes like a Wyoming or North Carolina snowball. Just to answer a few of your questions...it was NOT yellow :-) and there were no tummy problems after.

Little chapel up on the hill, there was a wedding taking place in there while we were there. We waited awhile hoping to throw snowballs (instead of rice) but they took too long.

Bern Switzerland Temple grounds

2011-08-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Beautifully manicured...as always!

2011-08-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Swiss know how to make Chocolate Chips!

Bob's favorite are the Orange, Lynnette's favorite are the Caramel...umm umm.

Bob enjoying a 'Chocolate Chip!

Nove Ceramics

2011-07-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Below are a few items we purchased. The most expensive piece was the corn platter 12 Euro.

Nove Italy

2011-07-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

Strange looking semi.

A castle on the hill in Nove.

Gate to the city center

Inside gate there were many people, shops, etc.

Many fields of Sunflowers

The hotel, comfy and quiet.

A few of the ceramics that were available...

yes, all items in this room were 1 euro each

The Sunflower pattern is one of my favorites

Parker Visit

2011-07-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Napoli...Debbie and Jared!

An old part of the City wall

Look closely and you can see the krypton symbols...Smallville memories

Another beautiful Napoli church

Entrance to Naples Underground

What/who goes down...must come up, huffing and puffing.

A plant experiment...it's working

For more information on this, you can view the History Channel's cities of the Underworld

Time to duck and tuck!!!

Watch the hair Deb...:-)

One of the wider areas in the tunnel...

wait, do I smell burning hair???

A secret passage underground. The bed on the left was pushed back to expose the door.

Down the secret passage.

San Gennaro Catacombs

2011-07-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

Inside the catacombs.

Since the city limits have been changed all the bodies have been relocated.

They would put them in, in the fetal position.

Beautiful cactus flowers on the grounds.

Inside the church next to the Catacombs

Gaeta and Split Mountain

2011-06-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

One of three beaches in Gaeta (1 1/2-2 hours north of Naples)

The sign below reads:

This Sanctuary, "Split Mountain", takes its name from a very old, steadfast legend. According to this legend, the mountain you are standing on developed 3 splits at the exact time that Christ died on the Cross. You can find reference to this in the Bible in Matthew 27:51.

"And the earth shook and the rocks were split"

The first split to the left is called the Turk's Grotto and there is a stairway leading down to the sea. The second split, to the right, is the middle split. There is a stairway leading down to the Chapel of the Crucifix, which is built between the two walls of the split. The third split, partially covered by earth, is not open to the public due to dangerous drop-offs.

The Missionaries of P.I.M.E.,

The caretakers of the Sanctuary, hope you enjoy your visit.

Stairway to first split (260 stairs)

First split

Second split

Chapel at the bottom of the second split

Mark in wall where a non-believer placed his hand and the rock melted forming his handprint

Second split at the top of the church looking out

Where Filippo Nerl slept

Amalfi Coast

2011-06-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

A little hazier than we prefer down in the valley...Mt. Vesuvius in background.

Close to the bottom left corner you can see a small piece of the beach down below the road.

A favorite...the little towns nestled on a hillside.

Best Friends :-)

Congratulations Commander

2011-06-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Bob arrived at his bosses office for a regular meeting, his boss says, "Did you see this?"

The letter with his name on it saying he was selected for Commander.

This was not expected and was a tearful moment.

Congrats!!!

New pet and Ruins at Capua

2011-06-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

What happens when the weather is nice and we leave all the windows and front door open?

Bob and I were upstairs and Bob said, "Dog!" I thought he was just making a surprising statement...didn't realize a little dog had wandered in and up the stairs to say Caio!

What's left of the colosseum in Capua

Below a model of what they believed it really was.

Bob's Father's Day gift/s

2011-06-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Bob is not the easiest to buy for.

I think I found the perfect gift this year :-)

At the 'right' price, thanks to Shoe Alley

I had to give them to him early so I could wear them...heehee

Cherry pick'n

2011-06-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

We went to an Abbey with some friends to help out the nun's. The cherries were delicious...oops, actually one of the nun's said the way she used to pick cherries was, "one in my mouth, one in the bucket, one in my mouth", "one in my mouth, one in the bucket, one in my mouth". We only had a couple...honest.

The ladder or the branches...not sure which was safer.

Michelle S. and family

2011-06-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

Biden's

2011-06-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Before

During

Where is grampie?

Mrs. Biden shared her thoughts for about 5 minutes.

Vice President Joe Biden spoke for 15 minutes

Berlin Germany

2011-05-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

Bike for six...wish you all were here so we could go for a spin.

Brandenberg Gate...the significance??? Look it up :-)

Limo in Brandenberg square

Could not get the girl's fanny out from behind Bob

Adlon Hotel...Room price??? 15, 000 Euro per night (we slept on the steps, all we could afford) Who did Michael Jackson introduce to the world from this hotel???

Hitler's bunker, it's still there but sealed off.

Stones in the street mark the location of the Berlin Wall.

Some of the remaining pieces of the Berlin wall.

There is a chainlink fence around it to protect it from destruction and graffitti.

Some cute little cars

It goes without saying...

Checkpoint Charlie, the photo is of a Soldier who was serving in the area at the time the wall came down.

Peddling and drinking...they do have a designated steerer. Another fun way to spend time with your friends. Seats 12...have to request MUG ROOTbeer prior.

Chocolate Parliament Building.

Below are sister churches, Parisian and German.

Library where books were burned, now a Judicial building

Monument for book burning...a room full of empty shelves that would have held all the books that were destroyed.

Mother's memorial to fallen soldiers

Catholic Cathedral in the land of Protestant Germany

Your tire is safe...not so with the bike.

The sign on the ground near the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe.

This is called the field of Stelae, there are 2711 concrete blocks with varied heights.

We were reverent at the site, however we also got caught up in the 'hide n seek' moment, twice.

Interesting attire for a worker...

The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial

Main entrance gate

The Soviets liberated the camp at 11:07am

On the gate it reads, in German, 'Work will make you free'. Those coming here didn't realize the freedom was most always death.

Torture poles in the SS maximum security section

There were 80 solitary rooms 8x12

The cooks were permitted to share their artistic abilities, this was after Soviet takeover.

The Soviet Memorial built for communist propaganda

Original uniform

Part of extermination section, this was for firing squads

Extermination memorial for the Jews and others

Ovens used for burning bodies, 4 at a time

Cecilienhoof Palace, Potsdam

We had to pay admission and a 3 euro fee to take photos.

Star in courtyard representing Soviet Union

Room where Potsdam Conference was held

The Marble Palace

Not only did we pay admission...but we also worked for free polishing their wood floors.

In every room we were permitted to enter there was a different wood pattern. Now to decide which one Bob will lay in our living room. :-)

Chest with nearly 100 secret compartments

Back side of the Marble Palace

View from back

KGB Headquarters in Potsdam

On a Potsdam City Bus Tour

(Citysightseeing we wouldn't recommend this tour)

Love Rock Tunnel, legend has it that if you kissed someone in this tunnel and were unfaithful...it would fall down. It is rebuilt every night...:-)

Back side of King Frederick II Palace

Peek a boo

Can you find the little boy who blended in very well?

Sanssouci Park, with Palace in background

The original Brandenberg Gate in Potsdam

We found Cruella in Berlin :-)

Larry this is for you.

Looking for our retirement car...which one suits us???

Everyone would be 'green' with envy seeing us in this.

The red one would match L's pigs :-)

This one would definately need a governor on it for speed control.

The price...in Euro's

Wooden spokes on an old Mercedes

Pasta and Grampie

2011-05-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

Somethings are hard to resist...like putting Jaydon in a pot of cooked spaghetti.

Adorable!!!

Jaydon and Grampie...no brainwashing going on here :-)

London and home

2011-05-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Parliament building in London 5/9/11

London Eye, Bob, Brandon, Kim, Dallen, Tiana in 2nd from bottom on the way up, enjoying a grand view of the city.

London Tower Bridge

Workers inside the bridge :-)

DELICIOUS London Fish and Chips...ummm ummm!

They serve a healthy portion.

The famous Stone Henge 5/10/11

Cute London police car

Thank you Madame Toussaud for letting us enjoy some of our favorite's. 5/11/11

Back at home. He's real...no wax figure here. 5/15/11

Compare the next two photos...the difference 9 months make.

5/15/11

8/12/10

Yummy cheese puff!

Nap time with Auntie Tiana

Three generation photo. Thanks Kim for providing the ties :-) 5/18/11