We woke to more upsetting news this morning that Helen's mother in
law had died. She was very much a straight shooter and we admired her for her
frankness and the superb support she had given Helen during a most difficult
time in her life. Lilia, Donnamaree and Geoff took excellent, loving care of
her and her death will have a deep impact on their lives.
We left Siena quite early as we knew it would be a long driving
day. we hoped to reach Tivoli by the late afternoon and stay there overnight
rather than forging on towards Rome.
It was a long drive down the shin of Italy and we broke it with a
stop at Cortona. This was another of the historic hill towns on the edge of the
Tuscany region but it seemed more a working town rather than selling its soul
to tourists as others had done. As is common with these historic townships, we
parked outside the town walls and walked in. Saturday was shopping and chatting
day and there were loads of people hanging around piazzas and stopping for a
chat. There was something warm and reassuring about the feeling in Cortona. The
vibe was really friendly and relaxed. There was a ragtag market set up along
the main street but the ordinary shops were doing a good trade too.
We had morning coffee in a local cafe, surrounded by locals. They
all seemed to know one another. An Italian version of Judge Judy was playing
but the TV was muted. John and I amused each other speaking for the characters.
A married couple was having some kind of disagreement. She seemed angry and persistent.
With his imperious big nose and narrow pointed dark little eyes, look-at-me
haircut and grey beard, he looked so shifty. Waving his arms around and trying
to bully the wife only got Judge Judy to look dismissively down her nose at
him. We will never know the judgment as we finished coffee and moved on before
the deliberations ended. Apparently the public could ring in and help decide
the outcome. I say hang the bastard.
Of course we popped into the local church, because that's what we
do, and after a turn around the town, we bought foccaccia for a picnic later in
the day and set off for Tivoli. It was a long time before we got there. For
whatever reason, even though other cars were doing between 130 and 150, for the
most part, Johnny stuck to his sensible 120 km per hour. We think we passed the
long trail of film trucks we had seen a couple of days ago.
We approached Tivoli through an unlikely twisty little road that
took us past massive quarries, factories and back blocks. When we got a decent
view of the city perched up on a hill top, we noticed that a huge building
development was ruined and sliding down the hill into the valley. Most likely
this was the result of some earthquake or land movement. A short distance away,
a massive waterfall plunged a hundred metres or so and crashed into the
plain below. This was all dramatic stuff and I have to say it didn't make me
feel altogether comfortable. When we entered the city proper and started
towards the Panoramica Bed and Breakfast, things much improved.
Our hotel room is in what must have been in the 1930s or 40s a
very rich apartment. The rooms were large and high ceilinged with an
unbelievable view from our personal terrace across the city and towards Rome.
Though I do have to say that the slight mist that was hanging in the air was
just managing to obscure the view of the seven hills of Rome.
We dropped our bags off and after coffee was delivered by the
lovely old lady that runs the B and B, we went down into Tivoli to get our
bearings. The Black Friday sales were still going and the streets had a festive
feeling. Every street was laced with Christmas lights and it will be utterly
beautiful when they are all turned on. Along the pathway overlooking the valley
and park, young people hung about having a furtive smoke. a couple of them
tried to look intimidating, but they just looked comical. After 37 years of
yard duty they will have to try harder to intimidate me. Lower down in the town
a similar group of 70 year olds were hanging around a plaza cafe, having a
smoke. That will be the young lotharios in another 50 years I thought to
myself.
By the time we went out to dinner, the young people had well and
truly gained the streets and were hanging out inside and outside bars. We
slipped into Quintalia, a little restaurant down a side street for an antipasti
of melon and prosciutto, then gnocchi for Johnny and seafood tagliatelle for
me. Then it was home for Siena cake and tea and an episode of Lead
Balloon. We have an early start tomorrow
as we want to go exploring the gardens and villa of Villa D’Este.
