Luckily the holiday season provides the time and the memories to update friends and family around the world on the Kirkbride ongoings. A warm holiday wish and Happy New Year to everyone far and wide. Once again our location in Europe affords us another wonderful Alps vacation that we could drive to where friends and family met us to celebrate Christmas and our annual ski holiday. We chose northern Italian Alps this year as a world heritage site and half-way between Pristina and our dear friends the Kaisers who drove the opposite direction from Barcelona. Then being a 3 hour drive from the Venice airport allowed my dad and sis to fly in and spend several days in the sinking city before returning to the US. All and all, a holiday for the record books with non-stop kids craziness, laughter, skiing logistics, good (mauld) wine, great food and endless snow-white mountain vistas.
To add a little variety to the drive, we opted to take the ferry from Durres Albania to Bari Italy which brought the driving time down from 18 hours to 13 (with an overnight ferry to break it up). Giving us time to have a great seaside dinner before boarding, all we should have had to do was board, sleep and wake up in the EU. Only the several meter waves seriously rocked the huge ship all night preventing any sleep or relaxed nerves to begin our holiday. Luckily the Italian highway was perfect and we made it to our snowy mountain destination just after nightfall the next day. Only after we passed around 1200 meters did snow start to collect on the ground once again highlighting global warming but ensuring we had a snowy Christmas.
We stayed in Selva Val Gardena located outside of town at a quant self catering apt complete with a pool with a view and ski in/out for those with equipment. It was great having the extra space of 3 units for the adults and kids to go in/out and separate for playing and talking/drinking time. Stacey/dad were with us the entire week to celebrate Adi's 10th bday as well and Andrew, Emily, Sefi and Ando joined for Xmas and 4 nights. Sooo great to have the kids paired up to entertain themselves and allow the adult kids to catch up on life and get updates on their new lives in Barcelona.
We had Adi and Rea checked into ski school for several days across town which involved enormous logistics and costs. I was able to do my first day solo where I somehow cracked a rib but was joined the next day by Andrew and a final day with Adi who has gotten good enough to handle any intermediate and I accidentally took him on one black which he hit a jump sailing several feet in the air and sticking the landing (0 falls vs 3 for daddy). It was fantastic to finally have a ski partner and inhale the incredibly fresh air we miss in Kosovo.
The charms of the Italian Alps were much appreciated by visiting the Christmas market, ice skating, fine dining to celebrate Christmas Eve, snow hikes, sledding, snow ball fights. Santa was very generous but having all the family and our dearest friends certainly the best gifts of all. The week went by way too quickly but we added an extra day opting to avoid a return ferry trip by driving all the way thru the rest of the Alps to connect with the coastal route thru Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania before finally hitting home. Since we had to shut our heat before we left, it felt like we brought the mountain weather with us as it took 3 days to get the walls warm again. We rang in the New Year with Pranvera's family and finally had some rest and relaxation with Pranvera still off work and having full pajama days playing with all the new games and toys. HAPPY 2020!!
