Friday, November 21, 2014

Etruscan Country And More

If you ask me which hilltop town was my favorite, I could not tell you.

It is like asking a mother which child is your favorite, right? 

Each town has its own unique characteristics.
Besides Assisi -
Todi sits on top of a hill that overlooks the Valley of Tiber River, on the border with the ancient Etruscan territory. Surrounded by medieval walls. Sitting at an open-air cafe, overlooking the valley, I saw aqua-ducts across the valley. Marvelous engineering of the ancient Romans. The air was clear. The sky was deep blue. You slow down and "smell the roses."

Perugia is an Etruscan City, with quaint winding lanes and stone arches. As a matter of fact, most of the hitlltop towns have winding lanes and stone aches.  But each with a somewhat different flavor.
I sampled their famous white truffles with delicious pasta at a restaurant near the piazza. It is one of the towns that hosts the famous Umbria Jazz Festivals in the summers.

Orvioto, another Etruscan town, half way between Rome and Florance, is famous with its white wine. I loved the Etruscan artifacts. There was a certain gracefulness with the Etruscans.

Dumo has a Gothic Romanesque Cathedral, with the bronze door sculpted by Emilo Greco. I managed to climb up there to view it. A piece of wonderful art. Very well done.
And a good climb!
It was amazing to see elderly Italians, men and women, walking with ease, up and down those winding lanes. A lot of them with canes. They do not need gyms. They have enough exercises walking.

Carsulae, ruins of a Roman settlement, has some remains of a basilica and an amphitheatre. We walked on the amazingly engineered stone roads built by the Romans years ago, imagining the chariots rushing by.

Labro, on a weekend, the men gathered in front of a restaurant with their young children. While the children were playing, the men visited. Mothers not allowed? 
Bougainvilleas spilled over stone walls. Window boxes flowing with colorful flowers.

AT San Germini, the closest town to Terni, where La Romita is, we went to the Abbey of St. Nicolo. San Germini is a medieval hamlet, with natural mineral springs.

Spoleto, a city with loads of charm, hosts the world famous Festival die Due Mondi, a celebration of art, music and theater, and Jazz Festivals in the summers.
Medieval era shops lined the narrow streets.

Good food, good wine, good companion, wonderful surroundings, and all of us making art. What more can you ask?

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