Another wonderful, hot (37 c) day of driving on the Umbrian main, back and some real back roads. The GPS gets us to some places through the most interesting ways. She (I've got mine she up with female voice with an Aussie accent (Nicole)) did not take into account 2 closed roads under repair - made it really interesting (recalculating was heard a few times today). Love having it though, takes the pulling out the map scratching your head thing out of the driving equation. Headed east today to Spoleto, with an aqueduct dating back to the 14th century (Ponte del Torri) as well as the main Duomo featuring frescos by Filippo Lippi. Although great highlights the real highlight was the women who passed us with her days groceries and after exchanges pleasantries she turned and asked where were headed (and no, no English here, it seemed like this is what she was referring to). We said the Duomo and she became pleasantly animated in proceeded in giving us detailed instructions, I replied with 600 metres a left and then a right after a arriving at a big square (picture my animated arms outstretched with my big square comment). Yes, we found it perfectly.
Back to the car and off we go after setting the GPS for a back route (recommended by some reading I had done) and feeling pretty good about it. Well as we were going for the first half the traffic built with semi trucks, delivery vans other cars some tri motorcycles, I'm thinking not so back route until our big turnoff, hey great we are the only ones, we have the road to ourselves. Oh about 30 minutes later there is a chain across the road - ah, road closed, no way, no English sign telling us that. Oh well we did see some beautiful scenery, from two different angles, which is all part if the experience. Gubbio was our next stop and is stunning to see. Its 14th century architecture epitomizes the very best of medical hillside towns. Magnificent town with a really cool funicular that takes you up to see a basilica high up overlooking the town. Funny, the sign for this shows a regular gondola type of funicular, well Jan's jaw dropped when she saw this thing. We went up together but she wanted to go down on her own little cart - looked like a bird in a bird cage, cute. We had dinner at a great spot overlooking the town and headed the hour and a half home as the night sky set in - let's just say I've have plenty of bug juice to remove from my window in the morning. Jan asked if we could change Nicole's accent on the way home, nothing funnier than an Aussie pronouncing Italian street names. We had Emily going home with a British accent pronouncing Italian names, ha, I think I like Nicole's better.
Here are a few pics of the day, we will see how the internet connection posts these, thank you for your patience. Did I mention that we are in the middle of nowhere at our Castle in Izzalini. I am sitting on a bench just outside the reception office (best place for the internet), the temperature is warm (25ish). This bench is in the main courtyard, two groups of people (from 10 to 15 people) one to my immediate left the other across the courtyard, the ages span three generations, parents/grandparents are chatting while the children are running around playing. The lighting is a warm yellow glow from the lamp standards. This could very well be the entire village meeting and chatting here on a nightly basis, too warm to be indoors - I find this to be a calming atmosphere as I attempt my internet post. It really is okay that it takes a while…
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