Thursday, September 29, 2022

Funicoli funicola

In her comments Debra suggested Younger Son should install a funicolare to take us up and down the hill, which leads me rather nicely to the funicolare in Mondovi. 

We've been there before but wanted to take the children on it so ended up going twice - but there's a good ice cream shop at the bottom so it was worth it.


We could have taken the steps!

Waah, we're going to crash!


The clock tower at the top where it is always ten past two.

Daughter had given me a load of dresses to take out for GrandDaughter3 and she loved them. If you ask her she will tell you she is a princess and that's about right.

Younger Son wrote a caption for this:
The Princess takes an afternoon stroll while her guard keeps lookout.


This is definitely a case of nature not nurture but being a princess doesn't stop her doing things.

And here's my lovely boy.





Love them so much.

And finally, for now, I tried to do my bit to help by doing some cooking. I decided I'd make some Nutella butterfly cakes. Unfortunately when they came out of the oven I couldn't get them out of the tin. 

So they became Nutella pie. With added Nutella.
Oh yes, briefly going back to the funicolare. When I was pregnant back in the 80s it was suggested that mums in labour might be helped if they had a song to sing to take their minds off the pain. Yes, that was sure to work. The song I opted for was Funiculi Funicula, which I now learn is a Neapolitan song written in 1880 by Luigi Denza with lyrics by Peppino Turco. It commemorated the opening of the first funicular railway on Mount Vesuvius. No, I have no idea why I chose that song. I only remember we had one of those box sets of classical music, you know the sort, everyone's favourites, and this was on it.

But - and you know what I'm going to say now, don't you? - at the first mention of funicolare Husband is prompted to burst into song. And at every opportunity after. It's a very ear-wormy song. I am singing it as I write this. But rather than inflict my singing on you let's hear it from a master.

5 comments:

Boud said...

I think it's a great choice for labor. All those possible high notes! The princess is lovely.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

First of all, LOVE that coloured pencil crayon bench! And the clock tower still correctly tells the time twice a day, as they say.

Did you actually ever sing that impossibly jaunty song during labour? I can't possibly imagine it!

Liz Hinds said...

Debra, I think I tried but gave up quickly!!

Ole phat stu said...

No debra. Just once. At 14.10 its daytime. But at 02.10 its dark so you cant see the tower clock.

Geo. said...


"Harken, harken, music sounds afar
Tralala, Joy is everywhere, funiculì funiculà
Ah me! 'Tis strange that some should take to sighing
And like it well, and like it well..."

My Mother taught me the lyrics in 1954. Brother and sisters laughed when I sang them. I fled the house. This the 1st time I've revisited those lines in 68 years. Feels good. Thanks.