Awoke to a thrush singing and breakfasted under an enormous, ancient plum tree with fruit almost ripened. The heat was already palpable but at least, unlike Australia, it's a dry heat. We're on the move towards Umbria and the partner's sister's family who are staying in Umbertide. The car rental guy told us yesterday of a few places to visit along the way. Lago di Bracciano is our first stop and then to Calcata.
Calcata was condemned in the 1930's because of the fear that the volcanic cliffs would collapse. It was repopulated in the 60's by hippies, artists and new age characters who have created a community here after the government rescinded it's decree. It's an interesting place, full of quirky houses, murals, sculptures. A tiny hamlet set up in the hills. We park our car outside of the old town and walk down through a forest of ancient hazelnut trees with the sound of clucking chickens accompanying us to the village, which appears teetering on the brink of the hillside.
Ps. This is a stock photo as somehow I lost most photos from June.
We're hot and slightly out of sorts from not sleeping well after our jaunt yesterday; I feel we may have a slight case of sunstroke as neither of us had hats and there was no respite from the heat but we are intrepid explorers. We find a restaurant, an old inn where the menu is simple and updated daily. We had sausage and mushroom pasta made with pork sausage, black truffle and sheeps milk ricotta that is creamy and delicious. The salad is so delicate, the leaves so young, it compliments the pasta dish to perfection.
Then we're off to visit the partner's family. We stop on the way at a supermarket and the partner, who loves food, goes a little crazy in the deli section, in most sections! I'm excited to buy both hazelnut and pistachio spreads. We go a bit crazy in the bread, cheese and wine section. It's like a supermarket for the rich and famous and yet, it's a simple, cheap supermarket. But Italians wouldn't expect anything less.
We leave loaded and drive up into the mountains, past broom trees and forested hillsides, arriving just in time for a platter of various bruschettas, seated on a circular stone sea, overlooking a sinking sun that is colouring the skies in lines of azure, saffron, persimmon and the lavender colour of the hillside.
As night falls, the fireflies began their short lifespan. I hang out of the little veranda outside our room, watching their love dance amongst the trees, a slight breeze finally cooling the heavy heat of the day.
Next day we head off on foot for a family dinner at an agriturismo; these are farms that produce most of the foods that are available at their restaurant. A huge table is set under a trellis covered with grapevines. We have homemade cheese and salami; tomato and capsicum bruschetta; funghi lasagna; meats, salad and a Limoncello mousse-like dessert.
Stuffed to almost bursting, we walk back through the beautiful forest along the strada bianca, the white pebbled back roads of Italy.
The next day we shop at Gubbio, a small medieval hillside town that I went to 32 years ago on my first trip to Italy. It has the second largest surviving Roman theatre outside of the city and is full of beautiful linen shops, ceramics and art everywhere. More spending happened here, more food was consumed, gelato sampled. Such is Italian life.
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