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My last week in Italy I spent down in Le Marche visiting friends. On Saturday I went for a drive through the mountains and into Umbria with Jackie and Antonello. The day was quite relaxing as we glided along the curves. Looking out the windows I was reminded of Oregon. The landscape, while slightly more hilly in Le Marche, is very similar to that of Oregon and imparticular the Williamette Valley. I always feel at home when I'm in that part of Italy. We avoided the highway and instead stuck to 'back roads,' and soon found ourselves in a little town where we stopped for lunch. The food was great, although the waiter was a bit weird... and exceeded the point of weird when he litterally picked up Jackie's fork and began feeding her. After lunch we took a walk through the town, which was greatly under construction, before getting back in the car and continuing on.
As we headed further into the mountains we continued to climb higher and higer as the road twisted back and forth. Eventually we came upon a clearing where we stopped for a drink of water from a fountain. The fountain consisting of stones and an old tub was fed by mountain spring water. One of many such fountains you find along the road through Italy. The views were spectacular as the land gave way to valleys on either side of us. Further ahead I could see a small town perched on a hill. After our legs had a good stretch we headed down into the valley and pass the town.
When we got to the valley floor Jackie pointed out some trees on the side of a hill to me. They were planted in the shape of a map of Italy, and apparently their planting was ordered by Mousolini. I'm curious as to if they were put in other locations in Italy as well, or if this valley holds the only one. It seems like such an odd place to put it. After reaching the other side of the valley we bagan to climb the hills again, as we headed over another range and onto our final destination, Norcia.
Norcia is a cute little walled town, sitting relatively flat on the valley floor surrounded by open space. The streets were lively with people, most of whom were tourists although Italian tourists rather than Americans. Norcia is a well known spot in Italy for several reasons, one being that it is the birth place of St. Benedict and another being it's sausages. Throughout the city little stores selling local sausages and cheeses lined the streets, all boasting boar heads outside.
After playing tourists, taking lots of photos and eating some gelato we got back in the car and headed towards home a bit sleeping. We stopped along the way tucked deep into the trees at another fountain. The road that lead us there, and the one that would lead us out were both the kind that are so small only one car can pass. If another comes from the other direction someone will have to backup a ways to a point where the road gets wider to allow the other to pass. It's the type of driving that to me would be challanging, but to Italians is just the way of life.
As the sun began to set we arrived back home in Macerata, all a bit sleepy but happy from our adventure that day, the escape from life, and also from the summer heat. | | 
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2 Comments:
I love the new look! Those photos down the side are areally nice touch! Have a caramel latte for me will you!
thanks! :D just shows how bored i am here, nothing to do but sit in front of the computer!
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