Well, it's a new day with the same old bad weather. Rainy, cloudy, clears a 
little then lightning, thunder and it pours again. It started clearing up and I 
took this picture of a mountain from our hotel window. Just one hour later I 
took the next picture - now you see it, now you don't!!!<p><img src="DSC_1537.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1538.jpg"></p>
<p>We decided that the weather wasn't going to stop us and we piled into the 
car. Pouring rain, but we're on the way to Roccadaspide. It's in the mountains 
so I don't know what to expect, but the hotel clerk said it should only take 
about 30 minutes to get there.&nbsp; Yeah, right, on mountain roads? I'll 
believe it when I see it.<br>
&nbsp;</p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1539.jpg"></p>
<p>So far, so good....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1540.jpg"></p>
<p>Ok, what do the snow flakes under the &quot;slippery&quot; sign mean? Slippery in the 
snow??&nbsp; Duh!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1541.jpg" width="644" height="429"></p>
<p>Our first sign that we're approaching Roccadaspide!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1542.jpg"></p>
<p>Still very cloudy and rainy but starting to clear up a little.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1543.jpg"></p>
<p>This sign says that we're at turn number &quot;6&quot; of &quot;8&quot; tight, hair pin turns!!!&nbsp; 
See the arrows coming up?<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1544.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1545.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1546.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1547.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1550.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1551.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1552.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1553.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1555.jpg"></p>
<p>Started raining harder again&nbsp;&nbsp; :(<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1556.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1559.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1560.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1561.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1562.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1563.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1564.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1565.jpg"></p>
<p>There it is!!! Our first view of Roccadaspide.&nbsp; Just a few more hair pin 
turns to go!!!&nbsp; ha ha<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1567.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1570.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1571.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1572.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1573.jpg"></p>
<p>Ahhh, there's the sign - Roccadaspide!!&nbsp; We're here!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1576.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1583.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1585.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1586.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1588.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1589.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1590.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1591.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1592.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1593.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1594.jpg"></p>
<p>Here's the castle I heard about.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1595.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1596.jpg"></p>
<p>Wow, this town is not as small as I thought it was!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1597.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1598.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1599.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1600.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1601.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1603.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1605.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1610.jpg"></p>
<p>Ok, looks like there's a church. Maybe they'll have some info???<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1611.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1613.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1614.jpg"></p>
<p>Inside the church was beautiful. Here's some pictures.....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1615.jpg" width="417" height="628"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1616.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1617.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1618.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1619.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1620.jpg"></p>
<p>I walked up to that little organ and talked to a Priest (with my very limited 
Italian) and managed to communicate to him that I was looking for family. His 
eyes lit up when I told him my name and my grand fathers name - I knew I was 
onto something, but that was a far as we could get without a translator. He made 
a few phone calls to get someone out there who could translate for us. More 
pictures while we waited....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1621.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1622.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1625.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1628.jpg"></p>
<p>Found out we were related (somewhat)!! The priest's brother was married to my 
Great-grandfather's granddaughter!!<br>
Left to right...<br>
JP, Charlene, my newfound cousin Antonette, Leonardo (the translators son), me, 
Priest who is my cousin's brother-in-law, and Pasquale (the translator)<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1629.jpg"></p>
<p>This is where my cousin Luciano Rubano was born. I met Luciano in NY for the 
first time last year.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1632.jpg"></p>
<p>...and this was my great-grandfather's house. They still have his initials in 
the wrought iron above the door &quot;PR&quot; for Pasquale Rubano.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1633.jpg" width="639" height="957"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1634.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1635.jpg" width="463" height="693"></p>
<p>This is Antonette's house - look at her view!!!!&nbsp;&nbsp; OMG!!!!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1636.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1637.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1638.jpg"></p>
<p>Inside, we talked some more and looked at her picture album of family.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1639.jpg"></p>
<p>The top left picture is Antonette when she was 18 (that would be about 67 
years ago!!)<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1641.jpg"></p>
<p>I can't believe I forgot to get pictures of the other two floors of her 
house. Downstairs, the garage was converted into a finished &quot;house&quot; complete 
with it's own kitchen, dining area and living room and a spare bedroom. Below 
that in the cellar was where the wine and other storage was.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1642.jpg"></p>
<p>That's Gretchen showing us her house, down in the valley, looking from 
Antonette's balcony.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1644.jpg"></p>
<p>I zoomed in to see their house next door to their cabinet factory. <br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1643.jpg"></p>
<p>More pictures of the surrounding hills and landscape....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1645.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1646.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1647.jpg"></p>
<p>This mountain is called, &quot;Mussolini's Face&quot; - if you look you can see the 
forehead, nose and mouth. In an adjacent town, there are still &quot;Mussolini's 
Rules&quot; painted on walls for everyone to remember!!&nbsp; More very cool 
history!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1648.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1649.jpg"></p>
<p>Saying goodbye to Antonette...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1650.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1651.jpg"></p>
<p>Now we went with Pasquale and Gretchen to tour the city since it stopped 
raining.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1652.jpg"></p>
<p>Lot's of hills and steps.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1653.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1654.jpg"></p>
<p>...and unlimited gorgeous views.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1655.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1656.jpg"></p>
<p>Old arch ways....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1657.jpg"></p>
<p>Old churches....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1658.jpg"></p>
<p>Had to take this one - see the &quot;add on&quot; attached to the wall? These buildings 
are so old, they didn't have bathrooms. So, in order to add the plumbing 
facilities, they attached them to the outside like this. Very interesting!!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1659.jpg"></p>
<p>Very old church - build around 1100??&nbsp; not real sure exactly but that's 
how old this part of town is.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1660.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1661.jpg"></p>
<p>More walking in the old part of town...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1662.jpg"></p>
<p>Old churches bell tower...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1663.jpg"></p>
<p>Very old arches and steps....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1664.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1665.jpg"></p>
<p>The castle - still privately owned by two brothers who live there now. 
There's about 400 rooms but they only occupy a small part of it.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1666.jpg"></p>
<p>...some fun with the camera and long exposures since it was now too dark for 
any good shots.....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1667.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1668.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1669.jpg"></p>
<p>There is a project to restore the castle and the surrounding roads funded by 
the state....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1670.jpg"></p>
<p>Back to town - in the center, far right of the picture was the restaurant we 
ate at. Very hard to find but super good food.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1671.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1672.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1673.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1674.jpg"></p>
<p>We found out the the name of the town, Roccadaspide, comes from &quot;Rocca&quot; which 
means rocks because the entire town is built on rocks for a foundation, and &quot;daspide&quot; 
which translates to a snake, actually an asp, that a princess who lived in the 
castle was bitten by.<br>
And that's how it got its name!!!&nbsp; So cool.</p>