Up and Over to Umbria

April 20, 2012

Today we departed from Rome (via Fuimicino airport to pick up the rental car) to wend our way to Montefalco in Umbria.  On the way we stopped at Orvieto to have lunch and take a look at the Duomo and also have a little tour of the Etruscan underground, something that really creeped out Marilyn.

These are pigeon holes.  Jamie and Marilyn don't look too impressed!  Get me out of here!

After our little excursion in Orvieto, we went on to Montefalco where we stayed at a hotel very reminiscent of old patrician wealth, a  country house a little more than 100 years old.  Its architecture is quite art nouveau, with its wooden paneling embellished with curved insets, glass lamp shades, and other fixtures.  It is a very comfortable place, surrounded by a large  lovely garden which housed many birds just for Marilyn, the birdwatcher.

This evening we dined at the best place in town, a  restaurant with regional fare cooked by the very creative Patrizia.  Only locally grown foods are used.    We had a lovely evening with Wendy and her husband Antonio.

Off to bed:  tomorrow we have a cooking lesson with Wendy!  Better be sharp.

Trevi Fountain

April 19, 2012

Today we walked (in the rain) in the direction  of Trevi Fountain so the newcomers to Rome to thrown their proverbial coins in the fountain and then on over to the Gallery Borghese, after a lunch at Okiba Mozzarrela Bar.

Lydia, Jamie and Marilyn at Trevi.

I think the main purpose of going here was to get gelato at San Crispino's afterward!

Afterward, we traipsed over to the Villa Borghese for a very wonderful viewing of the Caravaggio's and Bernini sculptures.  I cannot get over the symbolic realism of the former and the life that Bernini  infused into marble.

Our last dinner in Rome was at a very nice restaurant near the hotel so we could tumble quickly into our beds and rise early for the trip tomorrow to Umbria.

Photos of Rome

We also went for a bus tour on the Hop On Hop Off bus to get a bigger and better overview of the city. It had stopped raining, but the audio on the bus we were on was not operating, so we weren't sure what we were seeing all the time.

But here are a few pictures of Roman life:

On Wednesday morning, our official first day of the Foodie's trip, we went to Campo dei Fiori, the large food market in the old part of Rome (Centro Storico) to see, partake, and purchase some of the beautiful produce, meat market, pastry stores, and miscellaneous goods available.  Lydia and I bought scarves (and I haven't yet paid her back my share of the combined purchase price); Marilyn wanted to sample some of the fava beans but was reprimanded by the very stern vendor; pomegranate juice was tasted; oranges and yellow plums were purchased.  It's a cacophony of color at Campo dei Fiori.

From there we walked down the via Giulia, over the Tiber to Trastevere where we had pizza for lunch, then up to the gardens of Gianicolo Hil, where we chatted with some very cheery gardeners and students, then on up the steep hill to the Tempietto, a jewel of  Renaissance architecture.

We walked a lot!

Trulli Puglia

We are announcing a new trip  - one to Puglia, leaving September 28 and returning October 10, 2012.  It will be led by Augustino Di Bari, a native of Fasano in Puglia, which is the shoe part of the Italian boot.  Here are some pictures to entice you.  Details are on the website.


Castel Monte, an old octagonal fortress

One  of the many trulli (plural of trullo), the quite unique cone-roofed buildings throughout Puglia, but especially prevalent in Alberobello.













 Polignano sul Mare.


















Masseria Il Trappeto, our home away from home.  Looks inviting, doesn't it?

Joan's Travel Tips No. 21 and 22.

1.    21.   Remember that 1 kilometer equals 0.6 US or English mile.  In comparison to the English standard therefore, distances will be shorter than expected, unless you’ve been walking for hours.

2.    22.   Remember that the Euro has been worth more than the US Dollar for many years now.  That translates to a higher dollar outlay.

Joan's Travel Tips No. 19 and 20.

1.    19.    Most hotels and even bigger B&B’s in Italy have hairdryers in the rooms.  (One less thing to pack.)  

2.    20.   Most hotels and B&B’s in Italy have WiFi – some have a stronger signal than others.  However, in Italy the internet and telephones go out frequently, depending upon location, from bad weather or just because.  It’s an accepted fact of life.

Joan's Travel Tips No. 17 and 18.

1.       17.   OK, some of the important money and medical stuff is over, until I think of more.  Next most important:  WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES.  Cobblestones can be hard on your feet, especially in 4” high heels or something analogous.  ( I read recently that the  Italian woman have the walking in skinny, skinny high heels mastered on cobblestones because they put their weight on the ball of their feet, not on the heel:  that's the secret.)

18.  Europe uses 220 voltage and plugs vary from country to country. There's not euro-plug yet. You can buy adapters at a place like Radio Shack or through travel-supply catalogs.