UMBRIA: from Perugia to Ascoli Piceno, Truffles to Oliva all Ascolana
Nov 15th, 2012, 08:21 PM
#22
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Hannabilly, ha ha... Yep, I really have no reason to complain, the 99.9% good makes up for the less than perfect bit ( I better say that in case he reads this!)
I can't believe that I, the queen of spelling, wrote "We WONDER across the street..."
Well, there is a fair bit of wonder involved in Umbria, I really love frescoes...but the only wonder in the Coop store is 18 cent water...
I can't believe that I, the queen of spelling, wrote "We WONDER across the street..."
Well, there is a fair bit of wonder involved in Umbria, I really love frescoes...but the only wonder in the Coop store is 18 cent water...
Nov 15th, 2012, 11:25 PM
#23
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Pics of Spoleto, the Duomo, Rocca, and Roman bridge, as well as the garden at Palazzo Leti, our hotel,
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vwwgug53sx892tq/2NLo4B-_cs
and a unique art exhibit at the Rocca featuring the work of Jeffrey Isaac:
http://www.jeffreyisaac.com/teatrino/teatrino.html
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vwwgug53sx892tq/2NLo4B-_cs
and a unique art exhibit at the Rocca featuring the work of Jeffrey Isaac:
http://www.jeffreyisaac.com/teatrino/teatrino.html
Nov 16th, 2012, 08:42 AM
#24
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THROUGH THE PARCO NAZIONALE DEI MONTI SIBILLINI AND EAST TO ASCOLI PICENO
Okay, this day proves to be one of the most enjoyable of our trip. I planned our route to Ascoli to take the best advantage of the scenic drive.
From Spoleto, we drive to Cerreto di Spoleto. As soon as we go round the hills to the east of Spoleto, the scenery is wonderful, expanses of mountainsides uncluttered by housing developments, and industrial sites. The drive up the mountain to Cerreto is a bit of an adventure, narrow, steep and winding, but the view is so worth it.
We walk around the main piazza, with its fountain and its civic building with coats of arms embedded in its exterior, and a memorial to those who died in the War of Independence. Nothing is open on a Friday morning but a cafe, Joseph's Old Inn, where we have a good cup of tea, and a locally made pastry, and watch the tv above the counter, which has a cooking show that's also exploring local customs and dress in a small town in Sicilia.
The old men in the piazza are regarding us with much interest. Cerreto is not a hotbed of tourism, it seems, but it is a well kept little town. Perhaps in the summer it's crowded with visitors?
An old lady was making her way up the steep hill with the aid of her cane, and she comes over to where we are looking at the view, and is quite pleased that we like it. I say Buongiorno, and that is enough to make friends and to start her on a story in Italian.
I do understand that the hills are really beautiful when it snows there. People in Italy take such pride in the beauty and history of their home.
Our next stop is Visso, where we park and go looking for someplace to have lunch. Visso is a quaint little town in a pretty, treed setting, with a lot of shops selling local specialties, but does not have many restaurants.
I do not want to leave hungry, especially since it is the time when the shops are closing, and we aren't going for the tailgate party idea today!
As we are heading back to the car, I spot a door at the side of a small square, and sure enough, they are serving lunch. It kind of resembles a diner, with local pictures on the walls, and it seems like any moment, the place will fill up with hunters and loggers.
Soon, though, the local lunch crowd appears, some men in suits, some casual, but no hunters. Our little restaurant is the place to be.
We leave there satisfied on salad and grilled fish, and 2 glasses of wine, for an unbelievably low price. I love that about Umbria!
The owner gives us a map of the Parco Nazionale Dei Monti Sibillini along with our bill.
We continue our journey toward Castelluccio, and the views keep getting better around every corner. The lack of traffic makes it easy to stop for photo ops, and we take advantage, pulling over multiple times for pictures.
The road takes us up and up, and the tree covered mountains give way to green and gold mountain peaks, a big valley, sheep grazing, hikers hiking, and a rugged town on top of a hill.
As we pull into Castelluccio and park the car, we see an assortment of people, vehicles, shops and dogs. The air is cool like mountain air in the fall. And it carries wafts of the tantalizing smell of grilling sausage.
There are a couple of outdoor tables and plastic chairs surrounding a food cart van, and a handful of hikers hunkered down, intent on devouring their grilled meat sandwiches.
There are shops selling the local, famous lentils, garbanzo beans and other specialties. I say "shops" in a very loose sense of the word, since there is no cuteness or charm or prettiness like shops in the hill towns of Tuscany, say Pienza.
This is a rough and ready mountain town with agricultural roots, the buildings and roofs looking like they have weathered many storms and winds, rain and snow. There has been a settlement here since the 13th Century.
Vans with logos painted on the sides representing hot air balloon and paragliding companies, sports which are popular here, are crowded along the edge of the road as it arcs over the top of the hill.
There is no alternative but to indulge in a grilled pork sausage sandwich, shared with my husband. In that setting, in the mountain air, it is unbelievably good.
After a visit with the grill master and the young woman who helps him, a look at the giant mushroom he has on display, and a purchase of some famous lentils,we take in the view from the edge of the parking lot.
Across from us is Monte Vettore, windswept and imposing in its grandeur, and down to the southeast is the Piano Grande, flat and wide and surrounded by fields of lentils. In the spring I am told, it is a sight to behold, with red poppies and yellow rapeseed in bloom.
How can one compare the beauty of something crafted by the hands of man, like the mosaics in Ravenna, with the beauty of a landscape like the one that lies before us?
One is an appreciation of the effort and inspiration and eye hand coordination that can bring a work of art to fruition. And, often, the beauty of it provokes an emotional response in us, strikes a chord of recognition of the humanness we perceive in it.
But standing before a grand mountain, a glacial lake, or the roaring waves of the ocean can produce in us a feeling of being swept away, overpowered, humbled, and at the same time, gives a rush of serotonin that makes my heart feel light in my chest, and gives a lift to my spirit.
Both are experiences to be cherished, but cannot be compared.
It feels a bit anticlimactic now to drive down the hill and across the plain and into the mountains on the other side. Gradually the twists and turns give way to a straighter road that follows a river valley through to Ascoli Piceno. We have made it through the kingdom of the mythical Sibyl, which has risen out of those dark ages to become a protected environment, a "park for everybody".
Okay, this day proves to be one of the most enjoyable of our trip. I planned our route to Ascoli to take the best advantage of the scenic drive.
From Spoleto, we drive to Cerreto di Spoleto. As soon as we go round the hills to the east of Spoleto, the scenery is wonderful, expanses of mountainsides uncluttered by housing developments, and industrial sites. The drive up the mountain to Cerreto is a bit of an adventure, narrow, steep and winding, but the view is so worth it.
We walk around the main piazza, with its fountain and its civic building with coats of arms embedded in its exterior, and a memorial to those who died in the War of Independence. Nothing is open on a Friday morning but a cafe, Joseph's Old Inn, where we have a good cup of tea, and a locally made pastry, and watch the tv above the counter, which has a cooking show that's also exploring local customs and dress in a small town in Sicilia.
The old men in the piazza are regarding us with much interest. Cerreto is not a hotbed of tourism, it seems, but it is a well kept little town. Perhaps in the summer it's crowded with visitors?
An old lady was making her way up the steep hill with the aid of her cane, and she comes over to where we are looking at the view, and is quite pleased that we like it. I say Buongiorno, and that is enough to make friends and to start her on a story in Italian.
I do understand that the hills are really beautiful when it snows there. People in Italy take such pride in the beauty and history of their home.
Our next stop is Visso, where we park and go looking for someplace to have lunch. Visso is a quaint little town in a pretty, treed setting, with a lot of shops selling local specialties, but does not have many restaurants.
I do not want to leave hungry, especially since it is the time when the shops are closing, and we aren't going for the tailgate party idea today!
As we are heading back to the car, I spot a door at the side of a small square, and sure enough, they are serving lunch. It kind of resembles a diner, with local pictures on the walls, and it seems like any moment, the place will fill up with hunters and loggers.
Soon, though, the local lunch crowd appears, some men in suits, some casual, but no hunters. Our little restaurant is the place to be.
We leave there satisfied on salad and grilled fish, and 2 glasses of wine, for an unbelievably low price. I love that about Umbria!
The owner gives us a map of the Parco Nazionale Dei Monti Sibillini along with our bill.
We continue our journey toward Castelluccio, and the views keep getting better around every corner. The lack of traffic makes it easy to stop for photo ops, and we take advantage, pulling over multiple times for pictures.
The road takes us up and up, and the tree covered mountains give way to green and gold mountain peaks, a big valley, sheep grazing, hikers hiking, and a rugged town on top of a hill.
As we pull into Castelluccio and park the car, we see an assortment of people, vehicles, shops and dogs. The air is cool like mountain air in the fall. And it carries wafts of the tantalizing smell of grilling sausage.
There are a couple of outdoor tables and plastic chairs surrounding a food cart van, and a handful of hikers hunkered down, intent on devouring their grilled meat sandwiches.
There are shops selling the local, famous lentils, garbanzo beans and other specialties. I say "shops" in a very loose sense of the word, since there is no cuteness or charm or prettiness like shops in the hill towns of Tuscany, say Pienza.
This is a rough and ready mountain town with agricultural roots, the buildings and roofs looking like they have weathered many storms and winds, rain and snow. There has been a settlement here since the 13th Century.
Vans with logos painted on the sides representing hot air balloon and paragliding companies, sports which are popular here, are crowded along the edge of the road as it arcs over the top of the hill.
There is no alternative but to indulge in a grilled pork sausage sandwich, shared with my husband. In that setting, in the mountain air, it is unbelievably good.
After a visit with the grill master and the young woman who helps him, a look at the giant mushroom he has on display, and a purchase of some famous lentils,we take in the view from the edge of the parking lot.
Across from us is Monte Vettore, windswept and imposing in its grandeur, and down to the southeast is the Piano Grande, flat and wide and surrounded by fields of lentils. In the spring I am told, it is a sight to behold, with red poppies and yellow rapeseed in bloom.
How can one compare the beauty of something crafted by the hands of man, like the mosaics in Ravenna, with the beauty of a landscape like the one that lies before us?
One is an appreciation of the effort and inspiration and eye hand coordination that can bring a work of art to fruition. And, often, the beauty of it provokes an emotional response in us, strikes a chord of recognition of the humanness we perceive in it.
But standing before a grand mountain, a glacial lake, or the roaring waves of the ocean can produce in us a feeling of being swept away, overpowered, humbled, and at the same time, gives a rush of serotonin that makes my heart feel light in my chest, and gives a lift to my spirit.
Both are experiences to be cherished, but cannot be compared.
It feels a bit anticlimactic now to drive down the hill and across the plain and into the mountains on the other side. Gradually the twists and turns give way to a straighter road that follows a river valley through to Ascoli Piceno. We have made it through the kingdom of the mythical Sibyl, which has risen out of those dark ages to become a protected environment, a "park for everybody".
Nov 16th, 2012, 11:42 AM
#26
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Ooh, good, found your latest instalment - more fantastic writing! Impressed with your food intake, I feel we are kindred spirits 
Shame about your hurt knee but you will remember the lovely experience that came out of it.
I'm just sorry you didn't enjoy the basilica in Assisi - we thought it was fantastic. We stayed in Assisi 2 nights so were able to get there just after opening time at 8.30, and I see I noted we more or less had it to ourselves until 10. But we haven't been to *any* of the other places you describe, & obviously now we have to - I am very envious of your trip!
I haven't been counting, how long was it altogether? You managed to fit in a lot of very contrasting places, without it seeming rushed - congratulations on good planning!
Shame about your hurt knee but you will remember the lovely experience that came out of it.I'm just sorry you didn't enjoy the basilica in Assisi - we thought it was fantastic. We stayed in Assisi 2 nights so were able to get there just after opening time at 8.30, and I see I noted we more or less had it to ourselves until 10. But we haven't been to *any* of the other places you describe, & obviously now we have to - I am very envious of your trip!
I haven't been counting, how long was it altogether? You managed to fit in a lot of very contrasting places, without it seeming rushed - congratulations on good planning!
Nov 16th, 2012, 01:31 PM
#27
Sorry, sundried, I'm very cross with you - just when I've decided where I want to go next, someone like you comes along and tells me why I want to go somewhere else!
Rats - back to the planning again.
Rats - back to the planning again.
Nov 16th, 2012, 03:43 PM
#28
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Thanks Caroline. After about 2 weeks, I realized that there was no way we could ever taste everything we wanted to, so decided to go with the flow, and just enjoy every mouthful of what we could.
Regarding Assisi, I really believe that one's perception of a place has a lot to do with the circumstances of the day, and I'm always willing to go back and try again.
In the case of Venice, though, our first trip was so perfect, we were afraid to go back and spoil the memory. Sure glad we changed our minds!
Our trip was 5 weeks in all. For us it's a long way, so we always feel like we have to jam in as much as possible. I discovered I'm getting too old for that, though, well, not really old, but I do want to slow down a bit.
After this bit, we drove to Bari, met our daughter and son-in-law, and continued to Lecce, Matera, Amalfi, and finally, Rome. Yes, many differing experiences! And interesting food!
Annhig, if I remember, you're planning a trip to Sicily. You'll love it and won't regret it. It's all good, isn't it?
The more I see, the more I want to see!
Regarding Assisi, I really believe that one's perception of a place has a lot to do with the circumstances of the day, and I'm always willing to go back and try again.
In the case of Venice, though, our first trip was so perfect, we were afraid to go back and spoil the memory. Sure glad we changed our minds!
Our trip was 5 weeks in all. For us it's a long way, so we always feel like we have to jam in as much as possible. I discovered I'm getting too old for that, though, well, not really old, but I do want to slow down a bit.
After this bit, we drove to Bari, met our daughter and son-in-law, and continued to Lecce, Matera, Amalfi, and finally, Rome. Yes, many differing experiences! And interesting food!
Annhig, if I remember, you're planning a trip to Sicily. You'll love it and won't regret it. It's all good, isn't it?
The more I see, the more I want to see!
Nov 17th, 2012, 02:54 PM
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Here are my photos of our drive through the Sibillini Mountains, starting with Cerreto di Spoleto and on to Castelluccio.
Photos cannot do justice to the grandiose size of the mountain and the Piano Grande, but my mostly untouched pics give some idea, though it was a very gray day.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/il59k7iiispjnu3/2k0RgPqZyX
Sadly, my telephoto lens on my Panasonic Lumix got jammed part way through our drive, so for the last 2 weeks of our trip I had only my iphone to use for pics.
Photos cannot do justice to the grandiose size of the mountain and the Piano Grande, but my mostly untouched pics give some idea, though it was a very gray day.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/il59k7iiispjnu3/2k0RgPqZyX
Sadly, my telephoto lens on my Panasonic Lumix got jammed part way through our drive, so for the last 2 weeks of our trip I had only my iphone to use for pics.
Nov 18th, 2012, 11:18 AM
#33
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I couldn't open the photo site (Google service error). Too bad about your telephoto, but the phones are getting better and better though, aren't they?
What you said about Assisi, depending on the circumstances of the day--that's so true! And maybe true for everywhere. It behooves us not to make generalizations about a place doesn't it after one day only!
More TR to come? Please, please, please!
What you said about Assisi, depending on the circumstances of the day--that's so true! And maybe true for everywhere. It behooves us not to make generalizations about a place doesn't it after one day only!
More TR to come? Please, please, please!
Nov 18th, 2012, 03:06 PM
#34
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Annhig Sicily is a place unto itself, more like southern Italy, and really something to experience, and even if you only stay in one side of the island, there are many and varied landscapes and sights to see.
It has a special place in my heart. You might say its a bit more of an adventure, though.
It depends what is of particular interest to you. Sicily does not have a plethora of art per se, but the baroque architecture is very interesting, as are the historical sites.
Tdudette try that link again.
More to come soon...
It has a special place in my heart. You might say its a bit more of an adventure, though.
It depends what is of particular interest to you. Sicily does not have a plethora of art per se, but the baroque architecture is very interesting, as are the historical sites.
Tdudette try that link again.
More to come soon...
Nov 18th, 2012, 11:53 PM
#36
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Thanks StCirq!
This is getting to be an epic journey, but finally here is the last segment of Umbria, although Ascoli is actually in Le Marche:
ASCOLI PICENO
Ascoli is nestled in a bowl between the foothills of the Sibillini mountains, the river that runs through, and the Adriatic, a half hour east. It looks green and lush, and a mist hangs over the hilltops, perhaps a meeting of the air of the mountains and the sea.
Our hotel, the Palazzo Dei Mercanti, has very thoughtfully emailed us a map showing how to arrive to the hotel, and where to park. We still had a moment of confusion, though, so I jump out and ask a shopkeeper if we are close.
Thus continues a number of pleasant interchanges with local people. There's no better way to meet an Italian than to begin with "Bongiorno. (Smile) Dov'e Il Palazzo Dei Mercanti?" Or wherever it is that you want to go.
And that seems to break the ice, and usually results in a brief, but friendly and warm conversation.
In another town, Polignano, we approached some teenaged boys late, around 11 pm, and asked where the train station was, as we wanted to depart early in the morning.
I wasn't sure what response to expect. I know what response I would get where I live! After a brief discussion amongst themselves, apparently to discover which one could speak English the best, one stepped forward and said, "Do you want to go, I will take you there right now...."
My next project is to learn more Italian.
Back to Ascoli Piceno....our newly renovated Palazzo is very pretty, as is our room, done in pale, pale lilac, for lack of a better color descriptor, and grey. I love the combination of modern decor in a historic building.
Settled into our room, off we go to find Piazza del Popolo, literally, "piazza of the people".
The street opens up to a square paved entirely in travertine. The gothic Church of San Francesco stands at one end, while the Palazzo Dei Capitani defines one side and the Loggia dei Mercanti the other.
It is "una piazza molto elegante", elegant, yet well lived in, comfortable, spacious, proud, yet with a warm family feeling. And exceedingly beautiful.
Caffe Meletti looks welcoming to a couple of tired and thirsty travellers. We have learned that happy hour is essential for those of us unused to dining at 8 pm. We choose an outside table where we can keep an eye on the comings and goings of the square.
La passeggiata is a happy, relaxed time here, and it seems that everyone knows each other. The kids play ball together, the old men swap all the news since yesterday, a few older gentlemen are walking arm in arm with their wives, dressed as elegant Italian couples should be. The conversations are easy, no posturing, no hurrying about.
It's such an interesting play of socializing that still is alive and well in Italy, and keeps the generations from cliquing into disparate groups, and keeps mutual respect a part of daily life.
With our local wine comes a long rectangular white dish with aperitivo snacks. We love this. It seems anywhere in Italy that we have been where there are few tourists, one has a mini-meal provided with the wine during what we call happy hour time. It's always a wee bit of excitement to discover what goodies there are today.
Would you like to know what we enjoyed at Caffe Meletti?
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h3nvncvq2u1l48m/q0-N8onby6
The hotel reception recommends a restaurant for dinner, and we have a nice conversation about the town. Since it is not really a tourist town ( we only recall seeing one other tourist, a young man from California) I ask about the local economy. Some years back, some big industries moved into the town , with the help of government incentives, but since the recession, those incentives have dried up, and so have the jobs.
As in so much of Italy, tourism is now being promoted. But we found Ascoli to be so untouched, and so pleasant to be in, that we hope it doesn't change too much.
With a few hours to walk off our snacks before dinner time, we take a tour of the nearby streets and piazzas. Back out to the main street and further east, truly only 200 meters, is Piazza Arringo.
The Duomo here is dedicated to the saint who will protect the town from earthquakes. We spend some pleasant time observing a photographer and model with an interesting theme: shoes of all kind and description.
The walls in the alleys are covered in graffiti as we walk to Ristorante Rua Dei Notari. We find it inside the Palazzo Guiderocchi, an elegant setting for a very fine restaurant.
Here we have our first taste of Olive all’Ascolana, a dish which is found only in this area. The large olives are locally grown, stuffed with a meat filling, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried, with delicious results. We then share a primi, a house specialty, chitarrine with pachino tomatoes, guanciale, and parmesan.
Again, very well done. With a secondi, which has vaporized from my brain, and a bottle of wine, and excellent service, the bill was Euro 50.
Ristorante Rua dei Notari, Via C.Battisti 3, 63100 Ascoli Piceno
In the morning, anxious to get on the road, we do a quick runthrough of the local market, and follow our noses to a bakery where people are buying bread by the weight. We watch to see what everyone else is buying, and take with us a half round of the best foccaccia ever to snack on while we drive.
What a great town. Before I get too rickety, I vow to go back and do some hiking in the beautiful Sibillini Mountains, but now we are anxious to be on our way to Bari, to meet our daughter and her husband at the airport.
I’m hoping the weather will be a little cooler there, as it was the last time we visited Puglia....
This is getting to be an epic journey, but finally here is the last segment of Umbria, although Ascoli is actually in Le Marche:
ASCOLI PICENO
Ascoli is nestled in a bowl between the foothills of the Sibillini mountains, the river that runs through, and the Adriatic, a half hour east. It looks green and lush, and a mist hangs over the hilltops, perhaps a meeting of the air of the mountains and the sea.
Our hotel, the Palazzo Dei Mercanti, has very thoughtfully emailed us a map showing how to arrive to the hotel, and where to park. We still had a moment of confusion, though, so I jump out and ask a shopkeeper if we are close.
Thus continues a number of pleasant interchanges with local people. There's no better way to meet an Italian than to begin with "Bongiorno. (Smile) Dov'e Il Palazzo Dei Mercanti?" Or wherever it is that you want to go.
And that seems to break the ice, and usually results in a brief, but friendly and warm conversation.
In another town, Polignano, we approached some teenaged boys late, around 11 pm, and asked where the train station was, as we wanted to depart early in the morning.
I wasn't sure what response to expect. I know what response I would get where I live! After a brief discussion amongst themselves, apparently to discover which one could speak English the best, one stepped forward and said, "Do you want to go, I will take you there right now...."
My next project is to learn more Italian.
Back to Ascoli Piceno....our newly renovated Palazzo is very pretty, as is our room, done in pale, pale lilac, for lack of a better color descriptor, and grey. I love the combination of modern decor in a historic building.
Settled into our room, off we go to find Piazza del Popolo, literally, "piazza of the people".
The street opens up to a square paved entirely in travertine. The gothic Church of San Francesco stands at one end, while the Palazzo Dei Capitani defines one side and the Loggia dei Mercanti the other.
It is "una piazza molto elegante", elegant, yet well lived in, comfortable, spacious, proud, yet with a warm family feeling. And exceedingly beautiful.
Caffe Meletti looks welcoming to a couple of tired and thirsty travellers. We have learned that happy hour is essential for those of us unused to dining at 8 pm. We choose an outside table where we can keep an eye on the comings and goings of the square.
La passeggiata is a happy, relaxed time here, and it seems that everyone knows each other. The kids play ball together, the old men swap all the news since yesterday, a few older gentlemen are walking arm in arm with their wives, dressed as elegant Italian couples should be. The conversations are easy, no posturing, no hurrying about.
It's such an interesting play of socializing that still is alive and well in Italy, and keeps the generations from cliquing into disparate groups, and keeps mutual respect a part of daily life.
With our local wine comes a long rectangular white dish with aperitivo snacks. We love this. It seems anywhere in Italy that we have been where there are few tourists, one has a mini-meal provided with the wine during what we call happy hour time. It's always a wee bit of excitement to discover what goodies there are today.
Would you like to know what we enjoyed at Caffe Meletti?
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h3nvncvq2u1l48m/q0-N8onby6
The hotel reception recommends a restaurant for dinner, and we have a nice conversation about the town. Since it is not really a tourist town ( we only recall seeing one other tourist, a young man from California) I ask about the local economy. Some years back, some big industries moved into the town , with the help of government incentives, but since the recession, those incentives have dried up, and so have the jobs.
As in so much of Italy, tourism is now being promoted. But we found Ascoli to be so untouched, and so pleasant to be in, that we hope it doesn't change too much.
With a few hours to walk off our snacks before dinner time, we take a tour of the nearby streets and piazzas. Back out to the main street and further east, truly only 200 meters, is Piazza Arringo.
The Duomo here is dedicated to the saint who will protect the town from earthquakes. We spend some pleasant time observing a photographer and model with an interesting theme: shoes of all kind and description.
The walls in the alleys are covered in graffiti as we walk to Ristorante Rua Dei Notari. We find it inside the Palazzo Guiderocchi, an elegant setting for a very fine restaurant.
Here we have our first taste of Olive all’Ascolana, a dish which is found only in this area. The large olives are locally grown, stuffed with a meat filling, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried, with delicious results. We then share a primi, a house specialty, chitarrine with pachino tomatoes, guanciale, and parmesan.
Again, very well done. With a secondi, which has vaporized from my brain, and a bottle of wine, and excellent service, the bill was Euro 50.
Ristorante Rua dei Notari, Via C.Battisti 3, 63100 Ascoli Piceno
In the morning, anxious to get on the road, we do a quick runthrough of the local market, and follow our noses to a bakery where people are buying bread by the weight. We watch to see what everyone else is buying, and take with us a half round of the best foccaccia ever to snack on while we drive.
What a great town. Before I get too rickety, I vow to go back and do some hiking in the beautiful Sibillini Mountains, but now we are anxious to be on our way to Bari, to meet our daughter and her husband at the airport.
I’m hoping the weather will be a little cooler there, as it was the last time we visited Puglia....
Nov 19th, 2012, 10:40 AM
#38
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Another lovely place we haven't been! After all the time we've spent in Italy over the years, and thinking we'd seen a lot, I'm finding that maybe we haven't seen much. Before our plans for our new lives started being developed we'd worked up to 4 week trips, thinking that work back in Scotland might seem less horrible if we could tell ourselves we only had to do it for 11 months of the year then we'd get a month in Italy (which obviously didn't work!) - but we might have only visited 4 places in those 4 weeks. I do envy you all the different places you've experienced.
I loved the picture of your 'bar snacks'! When we started our intensive Italian course here we met a Scottish fellow student with a holiday home in Le Marche, and she said that (as opposed to usually just crisps here), in Le Marche you get 'a spread' with your aperitif!
Btw Olive Ascolane are available elsewhere in Italy - frozen or sometimes from the deli counter in supermarkets - but they've never lived up to expectations - I'd love to try the real thing.
Ann, do stick to your plan of going to Sicily! Until we fell so heavily for Venice it was probably our favourite place. I'd been once pre-DH, then we went for our honeymoon, and again 2 years later - at that time we thought we've carry on going every other year but it slipped off the radar, sadly. But I'd love to go back & see the places I've been before plus the places I haven't been. Our last trip was something like 5 nights in Taormina (just to relax, to start with), 2 nights in Siracusa, 1 night outside Ragusa, 2 nights outside Agrigento & 5 nights in Palermo (with a visit to Piazza Armerina en route), and we loved all of it. I'd been to all those places before except Palermo. I'd also been to Cefalu & not liked it, although many evidently love it.
I loved the picture of your 'bar snacks'! When we started our intensive Italian course here we met a Scottish fellow student with a holiday home in Le Marche, and she said that (as opposed to usually just crisps here), in Le Marche you get 'a spread' with your aperitif!
Btw Olive Ascolane are available elsewhere in Italy - frozen or sometimes from the deli counter in supermarkets - but they've never lived up to expectations - I'd love to try the real thing.
Ann, do stick to your plan of going to Sicily! Until we fell so heavily for Venice it was probably our favourite place. I'd been once pre-DH, then we went for our honeymoon, and again 2 years later - at that time we thought we've carry on going every other year but it slipped off the radar, sadly. But I'd love to go back & see the places I've been before plus the places I haven't been. Our last trip was something like 5 nights in Taormina (just to relax, to start with), 2 nights in Siracusa, 1 night outside Ragusa, 2 nights outside Agrigento & 5 nights in Palermo (with a visit to Piazza Armerina en route), and we loved all of it. I'd been to all those places before except Palermo. I'd also been to Cefalu & not liked it, although many evidently love it.
Nov 19th, 2012, 02:04 PM
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Ann, I have to agree with Caroline on the subject of Sicily. We loved Taormina, Siracusa, the temples at Agrigento, and Palermo. We did like Cefalu, and I would like to go back and explore the mountains around Cefalu, although I've read the roads aren't that great. More research coming up!
I'd also like to do a day hike in the Zingaro Park, Castellamare del Golfo, the islands, still so much to see....
by the way, I have a Sicily guide which is quite inspiring, its called footprint italia Sicily:
http://www.footprinttravelguides.com...ference=SICD01
I supplemented it with practical stuff from Michelin Green Guide (and Fodor's of course!)
Caroline, thanks for the correction on the olives. They are much better, I'm sure, when fresh and from a lovely restaurant like Rua dei Notari. Still, I think I'd describe them as interesting rather than over the top good.
We keep saying, just one more trip to Italy then we'll go somewhere else. But each trip gives us more that we want to explore. Maybe I'll never make it to northern Spain!
I'd also like to do a day hike in the Zingaro Park, Castellamare del Golfo, the islands, still so much to see....
by the way, I have a Sicily guide which is quite inspiring, its called footprint italia Sicily:
http://www.footprinttravelguides.com...ference=SICD01
I supplemented it with practical stuff from Michelin Green Guide (and Fodor's of course!)
Caroline, thanks for the correction on the olives. They are much better, I'm sure, when fresh and from a lovely restaurant like Rua dei Notari. Still, I think I'd describe them as interesting rather than over the top good.
We keep saying, just one more trip to Italy then we'll go somewhere else. But each trip gives us more that we want to explore. Maybe I'll never make it to northern Spain!
Nov 20th, 2012, 04:43 AM
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I'm now assuming we'll never make to to any of the other countries we fancied, but that was our choice - staying in jobs we hated in a place with no summer but being able to afford regular nice holidays, or spending the rest of our lives (fingers crossed) in Italy but probably no holidays elsewhere ever again. To us, that trade-off was worth it. And prior to that, I suppose that for about the last 12 years we've traded off first other countries for nearly all holidays in Italy, then (in the last 2 years) the rest of Italy for just Venice. It's a terrible choice, but we each have to go with what we love most - you really can't have it all (especially now I've given up playing the lottery )!
)!
