La dolce vita in Umbria

Travel Day – Sorrento to Montefalco

It was with mixed emotions that we left Sorrento, with the beauty of the azure blue Mediterranean and the mostly warm and friendly Italian people. There are aspects of the South which are very endearing, but the sites over run with tourists and the ever present motorini (scooters) with modified mufflers and high revs, and the buses with horns and airconditioning systems blaring are another side to the area. It must have been truly wonderful before the hordes arrived.

We were always nervous about the transfer from the provincial rail line in Naples to the inter-provincial and left heaps of time to research this as we thought we might have to transfer to another station on the metro. As soon as we got there, we found that we did not have to use the metro, which was a great relief with Kathy’s large suitcase. So we mooched around the Naples station for a couple of hours before going to the platform in plenty of time. However, with about 5 minutes to go, we found we were at the wrong station (there are multiple stations at the same location in Naples), so we had to sprint to find the station firstly and then the platform. As we struggled down yet another long stair case with suitcase made of lead and bad back, we were walking down the platform, when "whoosh", our fast train arrived!! Several sweaty people struggled on to the train, with bags, before the train glided on. Phew!! Made it but only just…

Shared a bay of 4 seats with a very elegant Italian woman, who had been reading an Italian paper. She kindly lent this to us and we read of the attempted bomb attack in London, then looked up to see she was reading a book entitled "Morte Male" (Bad Death)!! Soon, she got up and left her seat, while we wondered if there were any Al Qaeda messages in her stack of magazines… Fortunately not, as she returned to her seat to go to sleep with her mouth wide open. Most inelegant.

The train was very fast and just glided along. Much like a plane, with even some free drink and cookies – Air NZ take that!!

After another change in Rome and then a taxi ride from Foligno, we finally arrived at Montefalco. While we were waiting for our apartment organizers to arrive, we watched with interest (at least I did) a 4WD Rally, which was being organized from the main Piazza in Montefalco.

Montefalco is a true, full on authentic medieval town and mostly non touristy. The wall still encircles the town, dating back to the 1200’s and it is perched on the top of a hill. We were truly impressed with both the location and the apartment (see photos on side bar). The view across the Umbrian country side is awesome and just like in the film "The Castle" the serenity is blissful. Very few motorini, just birds, bell towers ringing here and across the plain on the quarter hour and the occasional American conversation coming from the apartment below. Some major contrasts to Sorrento; some good some not so good as always, but we are soaking up the good and remembering the awesome parts of the south of Italy as well. Our memories of some of the people and places in the South are treasured.

Our impressions of Montefalco were further re-inforced by a lovely meal out in the Piazza. One of the best meals we have had in Italy so far for the lowest price. Wonderful genuine Umbrian cuisine, great location and service. Bellisimo!!

Foligno

What an amazing place Foligno is.  We had a coffee in the Piazza that St Francis of Assis gave away all his possessions in.  In addition, there are some amazing old places here.  We were just walking down the back streets and saw a sign saying that this building was constructed over 2,000 years ago.  It is all just taken for granted and we too are becoming more blaze about it.  I commented that if I was here 4 weeks ago when we first arrived in Italy I would have taken many many pictures already, but we are becoming conditioned to this amazing place.  Foligno has no tourists and is a lovely medieval Italian town.  When we have our car, we will come back here perhaps.

Montefalco is also an amazing place by the way.  There is very limited public transport though.  We caught the 2nd to last bus to Foligno at 0810 this morning, and there is no train or local taxis.  You really need a car.

5 July, Montefalco

Woke to a perfect morning and ventured out early for a walk. The map I had was very suspect but it was enjoyable to be out by 0700 in the still, clear, beautiful day. I walked down several km of country roads and mostly in perfect stillness, except when rounding a bend to see a huge dog going ballistic at me!! Took a lovely shot of a sunflower, of which there were many. No sheep or cattle here, but either fields of freshly mown hay or straw, olives, grapes or sun flowers. Kathy and I then spent a pleasant hour or so in the bar having our morning coffee and cream bun (yum..) just watching the local people, who ALL greet one another. There was one young chap who did not greet an old lady and she ripped into him for his lack of respect for the elderly etc!! Most interesting. Such a different culture to NZ.

We then mooched around a small shop specializing in medieval weapons and armour. Everything there from full armour suits, chain mail, cross bows, slingshots, shields, swords, etc etc and even a special stand for Lord of the Rings stuff!!

From there it was to the local supermarket, which we usually enjoy, but this one was a bit restricted in range, so we decided to mooch on to Bevagna, a nearby town. Wow, what an amazing medieval town, so authentic and untouristy and looking just as it has for hundreds of years. Much bigger than Montefalco, with amazing local shops, selling to local people. We stocked up for lunch with lovely freshly baked bread and a fruit roll that looked like an apple strudel, but was much nicer and not so sweet. Mmmmm… It was such a shame I did not bring my camera as there were so many things I would have loved to capture. Bevagna was the place that St Francis of Assisi preached to the birds. It is such a lovely place, I would like to go back again on this trip. It has a lovely feel to it.

By the time we got back, I think that Shannon and Abi had just had breakfast!! They are having such a good time together though and they had spent the morning planning their travels together.

11 July 2007

A day in our life at Montefalco

A typical day normally starts for me with the church bells ringing. There are no less than 9 churches in this tiny town and they all seem to have their huge old bells in the bell towers set to ring at 0700 each day. They don’t ring synchronously, so you get quite an unusual audio effect. If the bells haven’t woken you, then the pigeons or ravens will, with their early morning calls.

It seems that by this time, many of the locals are already at work, including this morning for instance a local contractor started his machine in the road directly below us at 0715, much to the chagrin of Shannon and Abi, who have been known to emerge from their room around noon!!

Sometimes if I am up early I will take an early morning stroll. It is often a bit hot to enjoy this later in the day, as each day here is hot and clear. Yesterday was the first day since we have been in Italy where there was any rain and this was for about half an hour and then it was hot and fine for the rest of the day. Anyway, an early morning stroll is lovely, walking around mostly amongst olive groves, vineyards, with sunshine and stillness.

We then brew up our own espresso on our little machine, before deciding what to do next. Typically, we might stroll up the hill to the Piazza Commune, where there is a bar where we will order our caffé latte and a "bomb". A "bomb" is a small sugar coated pastry, filled with a custard-like cream. Yum.. We consume this at a table on the small main street, often with a second coffee, while watching the locals meet, greet, smoke and catch up on the local news and news papers.

Our lunches here are typically some fresh Italian bread with a selection of fresh cheeses and prosciutto and tomato. Best is all fresh stuff. Italian bread turns to what we call "old boot" very quickly, but fresh it is very yummy.

After lunch it is usually time for a siesta. Pretty much all of the shops are closed from about 1230 until 1500 at least, so why not do what the locals do.

From there, we will decide what is next, which might be a drive to another village, visit to a small supermarket or just a mooch back in our apartment reading a book. Every second day we usually try to do something "touristy" and visit one of the local villages such as Bevagna, Spello, Spolletto, Assisi. See my blog on Assisi. It was amazing. Where we are is also very central, with a 2 hour train ride to Rome, 1.5 hour trip to Florence and about the same to the coastal towns.

Our day is often rounded off with another "passeggiata" (leisurely stroll) in the evening around the old town walls as the sun sets.

13 July 2007

A morning ride to Bastardo

Awoke to another stunning morning. Why do the Italians get all the good weather? No wind, nice and cool to start with and not a cloud in the sky. Hired a bike from the Piazza and headed off towards a nearby town. It was wonderful to speed off down hill from Montefalco, but in the back of my mind was always the return journey when the sun was that bit higher. As I was riding along with either fields of sunflowers or straw bales beside the road, with virtually no traffic, I did wonder if it gets better than this and decided it didn’t.

I had to say I had been to Bastardo. We had seen the road signs up for it and I hope this gets through your web filters!! Wouldn’t it be great to see people’s reaction when you say you lived at Bastardo.. Had a nice coffee and a pastry there (€1.70) and returned to Montefalco. The up hill on the return was not as bad as I had expected, despite the bike being too small for me and not being able to get the seat high enough!!

Will do this again..

Montefalcon Memories

Of lively conversation in the street outside the bar, as we sipped our morning lattes. Of the old men who meet there daily to read their newspapers (sport section only).

Of bats circling the street lights on our evening passeggiate (walks), with the heat of the day still heavy in the air.

Of discovering an Italian couple sitting on a seat enjoying the panoramic view of the valley below with a pup boxer named "York". Of Kathy chatting to them warmly of our shared love of this breed of dog and this friendly little chap licking and then nipping my toe!!

Of a 3 hour, 45km ride in the surrounding countryside with Filippo, a local cyclist, who showed me things no tourist guide has ever recorded. Of a communal washing house, with the three huge tubs, one for clothes, one for sheets and one for the sheets of the dead!! Of zooming down back roads with glorious views all around and simple silence. Of cruising in tree lined country roads and enjoying the delicious shade. Of having coffee in a small village bar that no tourist had ever darkened the door of. Of Filippo telling me how he liked New Zealanders, because they were friendly and interested in things. Of feeling safe on a bike on the road, with the few drivers we did encounter in three hours being patient, tolerant and courteous.

Of the distant sounds of a dog howling to the church bells.

Of the sounds of a motorino cracking the hot night tranquility with a shrill chainsaw scream, as some young hoon has fun at everyone else’s expense at about mid night, circling the town wall at breakneck speed.

Of peaches purchased at the local market, so delicious you felt guilty eating them.

Of pizza from the local pasticceria with a delicious base you could eat almost with no topping, but the toppings were delicious as well.

Of lunches with fresh gorgonzola, fresh local bread, thinly sliced prosciutto crudo.

Of meeting Alison, a New Zealander and respected painter, who has carved out a life for herself and her husband here. Of her kindness and hospitality to us. Of an evening drink at her place, with a lovely local sagrantino wine, sitting under a green canopy of grape vine and wisteria. Of having a couple of delicious swims in her pool in 40 degree heat and sun. Of meeting her and Filippo for a drink in a local enoteca and being served not only the wine, but a huge plate of bruschetta (covered in local cheese, pate, tomato, garlic), nuts, chips etc.

Of meeting many locals on walks and always exchanging a "buon giorno" or a "buona sera" and mostly being rewarded by a lovely smile.

Of meeting a local couple and being invited to their house and the surprise at finding this lovely place, just off the Piazza Comune, itself an ancient dwelling. Of the lovely sight of the Deruta urn on the table in the centre of their little internal court yard, which was decorated just in the right balance of minimalist and simple, ancient antiques. Of their warm welcome and conversation about Puglia. Of thinking it would be lovely to get to know these people better.

Of wishing I could speak better Italian and engage with local people more. Speaking the language adds a significant dimension to the experience here.

Of getting into our black Fiat Punto, so hot you can’t touch the seat belt or the steering wheel. Of becoming familiar with the narrow winding roads around Montefalco and the unfolding tapestry of either olives groves, grapes, hay bales or sun flowers extending on every side. Green, silver or yellow…

Of the glow of the setting sun behind the western hills, with the bright moon and one bright star beside it.

Of the narrow, cobbled lanes, no more than 2m wide, where you hear conversations in houses and feel you are trespassing in their private space by walking past.

Of texts from either Brian or Jordan in the middle of the night..

Of an evening meal with Alison and David way out in the country with a real Italian chef in both talent and appearance. In a restored ancient building, just inside the town gate (which was still there and working). We arrive at 8pm, to find no one else there yet. We were immediately handed glasses of Prosecco (local renowned bubbly white wine). Help yourself to a delicious buffet of antipasti – multiple local cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cannelloni beans, eggplant, peppers, prosciutto, zucchini, salame, all so nice, that could be the meal, but be careful.. There is no menu, but suddenly two plates of pasta appear, each with a flavour subtle and pleasurable. The place is completely full by 9pm, with people being turned away. The pasta plates are whisked away and replaced with two meat dishes, insalata mista and roasted potatoes. Origin of the meat is unclear, but it will be fresh, local and it tastes wonderful. A local game bird (guinea fowl?) and suckling pig (it was ‘running round this morning’). All this is served with a lovely local red wine.. Then dolce, which was tart, chocolate cake and some other delicacy, coffee and a bottle of something to splash into it. We try to pay the very reasonable bill at about mid night and head home in Alison’s Alfa 147 feeling we have had a memorable and thoroughly Italian evening.

Of discovering a small, simple ancient church just a few hundred metres from our house, largely unrestored and imagining Francis coming in here to simply be and to meditate there…