Visiting Italy gave members of one Sudbury family the opportunity to revisit their roots and explore their family’s history.
The mother and daughter team of Linda and Kiara Lalande went to Italy with Linda’s father, Gino, last August.
Linda, Kiara and Gino spent the first week of their trip visiting family members, before the girls embarked on a 12-day guided bus tour of the country.
While Gino was born in Italy, and Linda had visited once before, it was Kiara’s first time visiting the country.
“You can see pictures, but it’s just not the same,” the 18-year-old said.
When they first arrived in Italy, the Sudbury family met Gino’s sister — his last living sibling. Meeting her, and other relatives, was memorable for Linda and Kiara.
“That was really special for me, to see all the people after so many years,” Linda said.
Visiting relatives was a bit difficult for Kiara, since she doesn’t speak Italian. Luckily, she was able to understand some bits of it.
When Linda first visited Italy, she was nine. She said it was “interesting to see the changes” when she went back, 39 years later.
Linda Lalande (right), and her daughter Kiara, visited the watery streets of Venice, along with many other sites, while on a bus tour in Italy last August.
Although things had changed, she was still able to locate her grandmother’s old house. Finding it was an emotional moment for her, she said.
After spending a week visiting relatives from both sides of their family, Linda and Kiara flew to Rome to join 40 other travellers from around the world on a tour of Italy.
The language barrier facing Kiara disappeared, since most people in bigger cities spoke English.
In Rome, the group had an opportunity to visit the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Forum, the Colosseum, the Catacombs, the Pantheon, the Piazza Novanna and the “breathtaking” Trevi Fountain, where they followed tradition and each made three wishes — one each for love, health, and a safe return.
Linda said Rome was her favourite city because of its colourful history and stunning architecture.
Kiara said she enjoyed Venice the most.
“You think, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually here,’” Linda added.
The two also visited several other hotspots, including Naples, the Isle of Capri, the Town of Pompeii, Assisi, Romeo and Juliet’s balcony in Verona, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and art shops in Florence. “We really covered a large area,” Linda said.
The mother said she enjoyed travelling with a tour because she didn’t have to worry about planning for accommodations or meals.
“Every day is full of sights,” she said.
During less structured days, the girls were able to do some exploring on their own. Kiara said taxis and buses were readily available to bring them wherever they wanted to go.
Although the mother and daughter both said they would happily go back to Italy, they said they would likely go during a different time of year. When the Lalandes travelled, the August sun was “sweltering. You just stood there and you’d sweat,” Kiara said.
“I will never complain about the cold in Sudbury again,” Linda said, with a laugh.
