Paying attention to detail and vistas
Our travels around Tuscany and Umbria have taken us to:
Citta di Castello; Pila; Monterchi; Monte Saint Maria Tiberina; Spoleto; Norcia; Castellucio; Pisa; Gubbio; Florence; Citerna; Siena; Lerchi; Assisi; Cortona
I am struck by how I have reveled in the detail of wooden doors, shuttered windows, flowers in pots, creepers on walls, and the vast palette of colours of the stone – from the pink of Assisi, to the burnt orange of Siena, the grey shades of Gubbio, the neutrals of Monterchi and the brick of Citerna.
Each of the hilltop villages were a treasure to explore; ambling along the narrow, steep streets and to stumble across the secret views across the valleys. The countryside shifts from forested areas to the green fields of vineyards, to golden harvested fields, silver green olive groves, to dried out sunflowers, and the parched plains around Siena. It has been a joy both on foot and by car.
Last night it stormed here in Umbria, so we set a table inside for the first time in two weeks. Our meal of gnocchi with black truffle was repeated for the week 2 group and Teresa made this delicious plum pie for desert.
Torta di Prugne, plum custard pie
Use ready made puff pastry and line a pie tin
Spread a thin layer of jam on the base of the puff pastry
Cut the plums in half and remove the stones
Layers the plums in the pie casing
Prepare cream custard by whisking an egg with a cup of fresh cream and pour over the plums until just covered
Sprinkle sugar over the top
Bake at 180 degrees until pastry is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve with fresh cream, expresso and desert wine and enjoy while it storms and thunders outside.
We woke up to mist enshrouded hills here at La Villa after the rains last night and the landscape is once again transformed, the village of Tiberina across the valley is floating in the mist and the light is gentle which make a change from the baking summer heat.
Our movie list
Dinner conversation last night was a list of movies we need to see or rewatch that will bring back memories of our holiday here in Italy. If anyone can add to the list please do;
La Dolce Vita
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Under the Tuscan Sun
Up at the Villa
Room with a View
A Good Woman
Il Postino
Tea with Mussolini
My House in Umbria
Avanti
La Vita e Bell
beat the devil
"Arrivederchi Roma". I'd been hearing dad sing this line from an ancient song so many times that it felt a relief to be able to say it......and mean it! Today dad and I headed for a frenetically busy day in Rome. Thanks to Jane (the GPS) and her "minor" detour through the hills of Italy to avoid all toll roads we arrived in Rome at about 9:30am and immediately hopped onto a fantastic typical tourist hop-on-hop-off open top bus. This bus was an absolute must - thanks to Michelle for the heads up! - and allowed us to see all the major sights of Rome. The bus followed a designated tourist route past all the major attractions and had pre-determined stops which people could chose to get off at it. Buses then circulated every fifteen minutes past the stops and the all-day pass ensured we could catch any bus. Our first stop was the ancient and marvelous Colleseum. We had a fantastic time exploring the inside and imagining what the games must have been like in 100 AD! Our next “get-off” point was the majestical St. Peter's Basilica, the queue for which was easily over a km long! We opted to explore the Vatican City and Sistine Chapel but not before a deliciously over priced pizza in a typical café! For all my energy and enthusiasm, the amount of sweaty tourists in the Vatican for mid-September was mind-boggling and challenging at best! We were relieved to hop back on the bus and rest our feet before out last stop off point at the gorgeously trendy Trevi fountain! Rome amazed me with its grandiose statues around almost every corner and surprised me with things that were not as I had imagined. Thanks dad for a fun filled adventure….and who could forget the drive home where we must have said something in the Vatican City to ensure that every possible stressful obstacle which could be thrown in our way was! Arriving home safely, dad and I could happily sing “Arrivederchi Roma”!
