Italy, you have redeemed yourself! After 2 weeks of travel, we finally have a much sort after fresh pasta meal!.. I should start from the start of the day...
We wake up in Termoli (a thriving tourist beach town) to a heavy sea fog & proceed up the coast missing what we hear is an amazing coastline of white beaches and expansive views of the sea... Something to see next time ;)
Our route is planned to keep us off autostrades, so hopefully we will see more countryside as well as experience some rural towns... This works well once the fog cleared at midday, and the lower speeds of rural travel (90 - 50kph on rural roads) gives Lyn better photo opportunities as we travel.
Our plans for more lake vistas are dashed in Perugia as a fog also hangs over it's lake... But we are starting to see that both the countryside and the houses are getting much more Tuscan - most noticibly, that homes are cared for - well painted, nice gardens, and sprawling olive tree orchards amidst vineyards.
Arriving at the little town of Pienzia, which Lyn found in the Lonely Planet guide as a "good day-trip location", by 4:30pm.. We quickly learn that THIS is the Italy we have been looking for... After finding a hotel in town, we take a walk and fall in love with this beautiful place...
Tiny, cramped streets amidst 3-4 level homes... All well kept, with ornate doors and windows, beautiful street lamps and minute stores with pictureframe windows giving glimpses of their wares... Wine, cheese, jewelry, nick-nacks, art... All lit with the soft glow of a setting sun and randomly placed streetlamps. We take so many photos here (total for the trip is over 3000 now) - picturesque isn't a good enough word for this wee paradise.
And then to top it off... An amazing fresh pasta with duck meat sauce, followed by wild boar slow-cooked in a rich, spicy tomato sauce... Washed down with a local white wine and a wee taste of a syrupy desert wine to finish... Heaven for my tastebuds! Italy has been redeemed!
No comments:
Post a Comment