MON - After a sumptuous buffet breakfast, we did some marketing for our next 4 days at Monte Bianco at the highly recommended Mercato Orientale.
Being a big sea port, they had plenty of fresh seafood 
and their famous baccala or salt cod, 
and other food. 
We also visited the San Nicola market (our fourth Christmas Market) just in front of our hotel. 
Genoa was not one of our planned stops and so we checked out 
and departed Genoa by 11am so as to reach our chalet in Monte Bianco before sunset. We drove passed the historic town of Genoa 
... perhaps we would come back to Genoa one day.The weather was good and the drive up Monte Bianco was easy ... no snow or ice. As we emerged out of each tunnel on the way up, the scenery changed and became whiter. Finally, we reached the whitish circle (end of autostrada) at the town of Courmayeur - the Italian side of Monte Bianco (or Mont Blanc in French, Chamonix was on the other side).
We checked into Residence Le Grand Chalet (we did not take the attic, but took the 2 adjoining units on the second floor so that we could be together).
Next to the ski-lift facing Monte Bianco, our chalet was very cosy with a nice big living and dining area,
fully-equipped kitchenette, 
warm and cosy bedrooms, 
balcony with great view of Monte Bianco. 
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (and Michele's birthday)! But we could not see the tip of Monte Bianco as it was snowing up there ... see that snow! 
We walked to Courmayeur and had crepes and hot chocolate in a bistro (they speak French too). 
Courmayeur was charming. By late afternoon, the snow cleared a little and Monte Bianco could be seen peeping through the snow. This was the first time we saw Monte Bianco. 
Michele and Aunt Janet cooked dinner. We had Korean kimchi noodle soup and pork chop, and Chianti Classico Reserved. Yummy! 
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