Ta Da! Twilight on the Duomo

Arrivederci!
Ciao!

Last day

Yesterday was our last full day here. Today we travel by train to Bologna. Spend the night at the lovely airport Sheraton and then catch an early flight out on Wednesday morning.

Yesterday we continued on the trail of Dan Brown's novel and visited the Palazzo Vecchio. Never been there before. No doubt having the story of the book to pique our interest helped to make the visit more interesting, but it is an amazing place....previously a Medici palace so quite a showplace. The hall of the 500 featured in the book is enormous and the mask of Dante is pretty eerie (even if the placard allows that it is probably NOT an actual death mask cast after he died).

The other thing that made it fun was an extremely enthusiastic ticket taker who was clearly enthralled with the art and happy to be working there who gave us little insights and sent us off running to the map room because (whisper, whisper, whisper, shoo, shoo) some Italian celebrity was going to be filming something in the room adjacent to it so the map room would be inaccessible in short order. Her enthusiasm was truly contagious.

Then we actually did some buying (having only done shopping until that point). A lovely new purse (for me), some boots (for me again) and some belts (for both of us). And lots and lots more strolling around.

Then at twilight, we took a bottle of prosecco down to the piazza to catch the perfect light on the Duomo (photo to follow) and to toast a wonderful trip. The crowds of Friday and Saturday night have dissipated so it wasn't nearly as busy so it was nice to just sit and to sip and to shoot photos.

Then on our way to dinner, a couple commented to us as we passed by that the gelato shops are worth photographing as well (Michael has) and we got to talking. So in our requisite installment of 'it's a small world after all'....they live in Concord less than 2 miles from where we used to live, and they used to take their pets to Encina Veterinary Clinic (though they didn't see Michael). Just crazy.

Dinner was at a place recommended by the guy at the hotel desk last night. Acqua al Due. They apparently have franchises in Washington DC and San Diego so not exactly a just mom and pop local place but a very unique place with tasting dishes with five pastas and three desserts and excellent steaks in blueberry sauce or balsamic sauce. Crazy busy place with plates signed by celebrities (I only recognized John Cusack) all over the walls so a totally different dining experience than we've had so far and thus a fitting end to the trip.
 

Sunday is for Church

Sunday morning we woke early (I was feeling better thanks to some substantial medications) and headed to the Galleria dell'Accademia to visit David. Well, The David by Michelangelo. I've seen it now three times. This was four for Michael. David never lets you down. The sculpture is as breath-taking now as it was the first time. We left early, stopped for cappuccino on the way and then waited an hour for the doors to open. We sat for about 40 minutes sometimes marveling at the David and sometimes marveling at the people who often hardly give it a glance before just chatting on with their friends and strolling straight on through. First, why would you bother paying 11euros for a ticket to see pretty much just the David and then not look at the David? And secondly, in the presence of such beauty, how can your eyes at least not be drawn to it while you are chatting with your friends? Yet another unsolvable mystery.

The Accademia was followed by breakfast back at our perfectly situated hotel and then more strolling. We headed all the way over to the church at Santa Croce only to find it functioning as an actual church at 11A on a Sunday morning and thus closed to tourists. Who'd have thunk it?

So more strolling. More eating. More strolling and back there in the afternoon to visit the tombs and memorials of Michelangelo and Dante, Marconi and Galileo and friends.

Then more strolling and more eating and more strolling. And then, determined tourists that we are, we forced ourselves back outside after it really got dark (which isn't until nearly 10P in this part of the world so that's a hard transition for us equatorial types) to get some photos of the Duomo at night.

 

Alive and in Florence

Yes, we are still alive. We were walking around Florence last night when a single young woman passed us on the street talking on her cellphone. She told whoever was on the other end of the connection that she just thought she should let someone know where she was. I thought I ought to do the same.

I know I haven't posted since we left Todi. Apologies. The day we spent driving from Todi to Florence via Montalcino and Monteriggioni was very nice. We'd been to both places before so it was just a question of stopping by on our way. Nothing too exciting. Returning the car to Hertz was no big deal. Remember we were still waiting to make sure that someone here would credit us back for the ridiculously expensive taxi fare from Terni to Orvieto and they did with no problems.

Our hotel is steps from the Duomo, we can hear the bells toll in the campanile, and if I lean out the window I can even see the top of the campanile. Yet when we close the windows it is quiet as can be in here. So that first night we just settled in and strolled around.

Saturday morning we took advantage of the only day predicted to be rain free and set out to the Boboli Gardens. We both read Dan Brown's new mystery, Inferno, while in Todi and much of it is set in Florence including a daring escape through Boboli Gardens. So we retraced what we could remember of the sequence of events. It's a strenuous stroll up and down and up and down and I was catching some horrible achy flu so once we were done we came back to rest and then just did some shopping and gelato eating and basic bumming around.

But speaking of mysteries and symbolism, how about this little sign? 

It appears in showers here next to that wee, flimsy, slippery looking cord mounted six feet up in the air. So, what nature of shower-related emergency might you have that would be serious enough for you to seek the assistance of strangers (in your presumed nakedness) but that would also still leave you standing up and capable of grasping that little cord in order to summon them?

Sadly, I might have asked Dan Brown himself. Apparently he was here in Florence last Wednesday to promote his book, but I missed him by just that much.

New Friends

Well, today we leave Todi. We head out this morning. The last couple of days the fog has rolled in early in the morning and settled in the valley so as I sit here writing on the balcony below me it looks like an ocean dotted with little green islands as the tips of the hills reach up through the mist. The swallows are out flying slaloms in the blue sky above. It's just beautiful.

Yesterday was just like this. So we stayed close to home. Lorenza was not in the coffee shop so we went to sit out in the piazza instead and had our cappuccino and people watched. Then we strolled around some. Stuck our heads into some stores and ultimately wound our way around to our garden terrace at the Pizzeria Cavour restaurant for lunch. Elisa, the very cheery, extremely trim, young waitress who waited on us on our very first night was there. She always seemed happy to see us after that so we were glad that she was there. Still trying to work on my Italian I told her that it was our last day in Todi (appropriately polite sad boo-boo face given as response) but that we wanted to thank her very much for all of her help. I told her that everything at the restaurant was always perfect. Grazie mille. She asked where we were staying. I told her where and asked if she knew the owner of the apartment. She said she did. She asked where we were going went we left Todi. I told her Florence for four days and then back to our home. She asked where. I told her that we were Americans but that we live on an island in the ocean in the Caribbean. I know it doesn't sound like much, but the entire conversation WAS in Italian. So I was feeling pretty good about myself.

Anyway, a couple of beers, a maxi salad for Michael and a tuna and cannellini bean salad for me and a lovely time sitting out on the terrace. When we were leaving we passed her on the stairs and thanked her again. I went to shake her hand. She did the kiss-kiss cheek thing and turned to Michael for the same. Then she looked at me and said something to the effect of, "Lei ha facce bocca?" I looked confused. So she said it again. So my minds trying to translate the Italian....but bocca is Spanish? ok go back to facce....fare is to do? Is she asking, as my French friends do, if I 'make a face' at her? (which would be a bad thing.) Meanwhile, I hear Michael saying, "Yes, yes, of course." So I'm really confused. What they heck? How can he understand her?

Well of course he could because Michael prides himself on the fact that he doesn't speak foreign languages. He just speaks English with the appropriate foreign accent. And sure enough (god damn him) that means he DID understand her because she was asking if I have face-a-bocca.....i.e. face-a-booka....i.e. FACEBOOK. Damn it. So now I am facebook friends with Elisa seen below with us outside the restaurant. Ciao for now.

 

The Duomo

Could post 20. Will post 2. The second one is for you, Amber. I believe that is the sky you and your father enjoyed every damn day you were here. I hope you appreciated it. Coz it only took me three weeks to find it.

 

Adorable Ovieto Streets

What can I say?

 

Torno Subito

I'll be back. No doubt about it in spite of the fact that it is raining right now and it doesn't bother me one bit. Why? Because in the last two days we've finally enjoyed the true potential of being back in Italy and of being in Todi in general. Lord knows it hasn't been easy but we knew what it should have been and we have confirmed now what it can be and the full potential is phenomenal.

We got up this morning and went to have coffee with our favorite barista, Lorenza. She's so sweet. Always happy. Totally animated. And even had a conversation in part English and part Italian about Michael's tattoos. (She has a tiny one on her ankle. She didn't take offense at his risqué naked lady tattoo. And I think we managed to convey the appropriate meaning of "Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on." since I was sure that looking up the word "move" in her dictionary was not going to impart the appropriate subtlety.)

Then we strolled around town and while we were looking in the window of a real estate office, Mary (the viola player we met yesterday) came jogging by and stopped and laughed at how we were clearly hooked. Then she tried to get us to have more coffee? or lunch? or a day trip tomorrow to the Roman waterfall outside Terni? And gave us her contact number in case we need any help finding a place.

Then we went back to Orvieto. Now if you remember last week when we went on our anniversary we were thrilled to have nice weather. Well, compared to today last week was downright bleak. So, I'm going to simply let some images speak for themselves. There's just six of them but I'll post them in a few groups so it's not one big entry.

To start, here's Lorenza and me and then some poppies that apparently went crazy when the weather warmed up.

 

 

 

 

 

Oz

The Poppies!!
Today was finally exactly what we came here expecting and have spent the last three weeks hoping for. In spite of weather forecasts to the contrary, the weather is divine. Puffy white clouds, clear blue skies, cool breezes and warm sunshine. We are in heaven.

After a quick run to the grocery store for provisions for our last few days in Todi along with some take-home items (pastas, truffles and Cynar aperitif) we did a little driving around to catch lovely views back to Todi and to find the perfect poppies to photograph (in spite of the carabinieri chasing us along one time).

Then back to Todi for lunch out in il giardino again. We knew it was gonna be perfect when we saw that they strung out the shade cloth over the tables today. Seriously, shade cloth! Can you believe it!?! It was exquisite.

And in addition to enjoying the weather and relishing the temperature and taking in the view, we met a group of very interesting women. I don't think I mentioned the other night when we stopped into the hand painted scarf shop and met the owner who's husband is some sort of diplomat so she's lived in and taught art for 4 years in Papua New Guinea, she's lived for years in Luan Prabang, Laos and even in Bhutan. Just an interesting person to chat with.

Well today, the four women at the next table have in common that they all own homes here in Todi but one is a Bulgarian physicist who used to teach at Princeton and worked for pharmaceutical companies in San Francisco. Another grew up in Wisconsin but hasn't lived in the States in 40 years as she married an 'uber Swede' (beats me) and used to play viola in the symphony in Cologne, Germany. The other is from New Zealand but we didn't get any other info. And the fourth taught French and Italian for 40 years and hails from Westchester, Pennsylvania right near the large animal facility for the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.

Of course, they insisted that the weather lately was been extremely unusual, acknowledged that it has been abysmal, and apologized for it profusely. Then they were ready to put us in touch with someone they know who has a house for sale. Not quite yet! But thanks.

Monday

Today when we went to have cappuccino at Lorenza's place, we asked her if there is a restaurant in Todi where we could get an 'American breakfast' of eggs, ham etc. Not that we don't adore her cornetti, but we have started missing our protein breakfasts. Apparently, however, there is no such place. I guess it's bad enough that we actually sit down to drink our coffee and to linger over our rolls since most all Italians just stop in, stand at the bar, gulp down their coffee, finish off their pastry in three bites and Ciao, they are on their way.

Since the housekeeper was coming today, we needed to go somewhere in spite of a questionable weather forecast, so we decided to head out towards Montefalco since the drive along that ridge was so pretty when we were wine tasting last week. It was overcast this morning so the views were not as photogenic but they are still striking. To compare wine growing areas, the Napa Valley in California is gorgeous too but that's a relatively narrow valley while Tuscany and Umbria go on forever

and ever

and ever.

Anyway we drove out to Montefalco and then headed into the little town square. Pretty quiet on a rainy morning but we stopped into the local version of a Starbucks - in as much as they had couches and overstuffed chairs for sitting in when I just told you that Italians don't sit to drink coffee. But we had another cappuccino because it's also a quirky reality here in Italy that it often costs less to buy a cappuccino in order to use the establishment's toilet than it costs to just use a toilet elsewhere. I.E. it can cost more to 'dispose' of your cappuccino than it costs to buy a cappuccino. So we enjoyed another round in the cozy warmth of the coffee shop and counted our blessings that we weren't one of the bikers we saw in the piazza or in the large, damp and bedraggled group we passed on our way into town who were touring Italy on Vespas! (Bet that sounded like a great idea at the time.)

Then as we were heading back to Todi for lunch, the sun came out. So we parked the car and high-tailed it up the hill to our little favorite restaurant to see if the garden terrace was open for lunch. And it was. And the sun was shining. And it was warm and beautiful. And just to prove it was ever so, we asked the folks from San Francisco who were eating at the next table to take our photo.

Look, Ma, no coats, no sweaters, no scarves, no hats, no layers!
(It rained later, of course, but I'm stopping here while I'm ahead.)







 

SUNday

Reports from friends and friends of friends all over Europe at least confirm that the weather has been unseasonably cold and ridiculous everywhere so we are not being individually targeted. That's a relief. And I did manage to read all of Dan Brown's newest novel in just two days. So there is that.

But, yesterday (Sunday) was the best day so far. We weren't just trying to snag an elusive few hours of decent weather out of an entire day but rather enjoyed a complete day of clear and bright and sunny weather. We took off to enjoy the countryside (which is always gorgeous but more so when you can really appreciate - read 'see' - the expanse of the vistas) and headed for Montepulciano. This time I carried the umbrellas as an insurance policy but never had to use them!

We arrived around 10:30A and strolled to the Piazza Grande where we stumbled upon some sort of car show primarily showcasing Ferrari's (maybe 30 or so) jammed into the square but also featured some other little classic cars on the adjoining street. The size of the Ferrari's immediately made me ponder why Italians would make cars so big when they make their streets so small. And sure enough the problem that causes became clearly apparent after lunch when we saw traffic stopped as two guys directed one after another of the cars down a wee side street, placed a big piece of cardboard under the front bumper to protect it from the pavement when it bottomed out, and then helped the driver navigate the tight little 'sharp right turn' (as our GPS systems like to call them).

Anyway, back at the Piazza we didn't want to pass up an opportunity to sit out and enjoy the weather so we paused for a drink and some people watching as the bells tolled. That's when I saw this woman out walking her pet. In the States there's a new push for providing enrichment for indoor cats by taking them our for walks or encased in little net-covered baby strollers.  I guess what's good for the cat is good for the rabbit!

Afterwards we strolled some more, took in some vistas, did some wine tasting, stopped in some shops and then found lunch in the Piazza Michelozzo under the Torre di Pulcinella.

Miraculously, when we got back to Todi it was STILL sunny. So we had a little gelato at the café down at the Tempio della Consolazione. Then Michael and I even strolled back up to the Piazza del Popolo only to find that this town really comes alive on a sunny Sunday. There were people everywhere. Dogs of every breed. Children running about. And a little brass band playing. So we sat down and had a drink and some chips and watched the world go by some more. The band quit playing but didn't disperse so we kept a watchful eye on them. The next thing we knew the band started playing and the doors of the Cathedral opened and then priests and altar boys and more priests and banners and flags and sacred hosts and the entire congregation came out for a procession through the town. There was even a woman showering them with flower petals from a fourth floor window. It was quite a little celebration and another good end to a day.

Quiet Days in Todi

Yesterday was and today looks like it will be just a day for bumming around Todi. Misty, overcast, but hey at least not windy!

Yesterday Michael and I took in the museums. There's one at the Monastero della Lucrezie and then there's the Museo Pinacoteca. Lots of pottery, hundreds of coins and a few funeral urns and tombs. As is often the case, the 'good stuff' is at the Vatican Museum in Rome but strolling through the exhibits was still a good way to kill some time on a marginal weather day. Unfortunately, we are racking up marginal weather days so we're running out of options.

This morning is similarly overcast and misty, but we went out strolling anyway on our way to say hello to our new friend, Lorenza, at our usual coffee shop and to buy some roasted pork sandwiches from the Saturday morning sandwich truck in the Piazza Garibaldi. (How quickly we can fall into routines.) Meanwhile, on the way I snapped a picture of the busy, little barber shop we pass several times a day in our wanderings.

Oh, wait. Upon closer inspection, who is that sitting in the chair?

Michael's face feels like that of a little bambino now.
I wonder if he's do my legs....