BYE BYE ROME HELLO ARMENA
We had our bags packed by the designated checkout time from La Residenza. The Shaver/Melahn's never travel light. Adam and I had done the dry run to the car rental places the day before but when it came time for checkout the desk clerk encouraged us to take a cab and our luggage instead of trying to drive back to the hotel to pick up every and our luggage. There were now traffic areas surrounding the hotel that if caught bringing an unregistered car into the area could bring you a fine of $250. We decided even if our families put up a stink about having to trot their luggage around we were going to demand they follow our desk clerk's suggestion or we were going to hand over the keys and tell them "Then you drive". We got no resistance.
Yesterday I mentioned the possibility of an impending fiasco. We dodged the bullet but Adam and JoHannah were not so lucky. When they went to their Italian rental car company they were informed that they needed an International license in order to rent their car. The deal they thought they had scored by using a European company backfired and they were forced to scramble at a Budget counter to get a car at double the price they had paid for the Italian car.
Does anyone really know how GPS works? How on earth does that woman with the British accent talk to billions of drivers all at the same time and in places all over the world telling them when to turn right and when to turn left? I don't know how we were able to travel with only Michelin maps to guide us and a passenger side navigator trying to follow a route with their finger while looking for signs in a foreign language and screaming instructions all at the same time.
Now we can watch some of the scenery while that British lady takes all the flack though her "Straight ahead" command sounds more like "Straight to hell". I'm sure she's responsible for saving thousands of marriages and relationships.
Our plan was to drive as far as Orvieto and stop there for lunch before continuing on to Armena. We had done this drive many times and Orvieto was a little beyond halfway. Once off the autostrada it's a little scary drive up the mountain to the center city of this beautiful hill town. I did have some advice about parking at the lower level of the center city and walking up the hill to the Duomo. Last time we were in Orvietto I mistakenly drove into the city where apparently I was photographed entering a street banned from car travel. A year later I received a ticket by mail for $297.00 from the Community of Orvieto. Lesson learned.
Rick had once again scored a restaurant find right next to the Duomo called Trattoria Vinosus.
Once again a Spaghetti Carbonara made its way around the table.
Adam went for a plate of Antipasto Vinosus
and Emmy and I split a serving of tortellini in an onion broth that was magnificent.
After lunch JoHannah, Emmy and Rick went back to the cars while Adam, Roby and I went to explore the Duomo.
The Duomo is a marvel in black and white stone both inside and out.
The fresco walls are among some of the most god smacking marvels you'll see.
We followed our tour with a stop at the adjacent gelateria knowing we'd have finished our cones well before we reached the others.
Soon after the drive from Orvieto to the farm you need to turn of the autostrada and finish the trip by going on winding provincial roads through the Tuscan hills. Although the curves and the speed of my driving might have caused both Rick and Emmy a bit of nausea the views of the Tuscan hills in the vibrant greens of springtime were well worth it. We pulled off the road at several points to just marvel at the beauty. Even in a cloudy cool day the scenery was perfetto.
Then we arrived. All of us together at the farm, and we couldn't have been happier. Flowers on our table from Laura and Eric, olive oil from the Saraceni's olive orchard and eggs from the hen house and a tart Stefania had made were in our apartment to welcome us back.
Stefania and Allesandro were right there to great us. Laura and Eric had been the first to arrive. It was time revisited. The group was intact for a week together. For the Saraceni's it had been two years without any guests.
We were happy to be among the first to return. Nothing would have more appropriate than a family style dinner to end the day.
We all gathered in the main room for a ragu of wild boar and a main dish of pork with oranges for dinner prepared by Stefania and Allesandro. Food like this always tastes better with friends.
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