Welcome to Central Italy!

grapes & sky.....

Ciao tutti!  

I hope you are all well, it's been a couple of weeks because I was without internet access for a time.  I also was without a phone for about a month, it was somewhat refreshing to be liberated from those communication, it's hard to even imagine what life was like before the age of email & cell phone. I remember being super opposed to cell phones when they came on the scene,  we all caved in at some point, didn't we.  In fact, just bought a new phone yesterday & I couldn't be more pleased with it.  :)

And, just like that, I am back in Rome for about a week, catching up on things & visiting friends.  It is always so lovely to be in Rome, I do adore

 it so.  I had an excellent few weeks staying in Le Marche region on a small farm & vineyard.  Le Marche is not a region that tourists hear too much about, somwhat of an undiscovered gem!  I found it absolutely beautiful and charming, with many small towns dotting the hilly landscape, and relatively tourist free!  I was lucky enough to visit many places & take many walks about the countryside, really soaking in the atmosphere.  

I was staying with a very sweet & generous family, we only spoke Italian & they became like friends/family.  I  met so many nice people in the area I really felt at home & when I left the other day it was sad, like I had become part of a really nice community (which it seems I miss being on the move so much).  I hope to return one day, to harvest grapes & drink wine with my friends!!

I learned so much about making wine, there is a real science to it & it requires a lot of skill & expertise. I would love to own a vineyard & make wine here in Italy.  LOVE IT!  I did try my hand at making a plum wine back in Berkeley one time, apparently I did not follow my instructions well enough because it turned out, not so good more like a poor vinegar.  Obviously I will have to try again.  

I do apologize my friends, I could not resist putting too many photos into this posting.  This is what happens when I let too much time pass between writing to you all.  Just scroll through them & enjoy.

First, some maps for orientation!

  

Le Marche is the blue region

I was staying to the left of Ancona near the dot of Jesi.

my hosts, strolling through Gubbio, which is in Umbria

Gubbio is medeival!

one day you will be mine old, orange fiat cinquecento.

meow.

pretty sky, terra cotta rooftops

the classic, old round bodied vespa approaches!

Gubbio!

ornate old thing to rope your horse to.  i think.

these fiats are lurking everywhere!  cream is also a cute color.

this was a really cool old bridge built by the ancient Romans!  probably reinforced since then.  the Romans built many ancient roads connecting Rome to ports all over Italy

the tiny town of Genga

at the farm, there were these two baby kitties, so adorable!  about a week before i left another cat had three kittens.  it is a virtual cat explosion around there!  fortunately they are all well fed & taken care of but...  maybe about ten too many cats for my liking.

Yum!  I had some tasks of writing & affixing labels, wrapping & packaging bottles, turning the bottles in the cantina 90 degrees to prevent uneven sedimentation & flavor, etc. 

she really does a great job with this spumante, i was lucky to sample it many times & was gifted a couple of bottles to bring to my pals in Rome.

setting out early to harvest grapes of a neighboring friend.  it is her first harvest this year & i learned a lot about what goes into it!

one day maybe i will own a sweet vinyard in Le Marche!?!

bringing the grapes up to the cantina

went for a hike a couple of times with the local hiking group, it was awesome!!  they really haul ass & i met some great new people.  :)

it had been quite rainy for several days so there was little to do outdoors, the clouds sure were pretty though!

ancient walls of Maiolini (?)

view of Cupramontana

visited some cute town I forgot the name of :(

the Polish ladies!

walked up a cliff to find this church nestled in the rock.  molto particolare!

bet there's good rock climbing around here! 

there is a huge cave that extends back into the rock here, it is totally dark, open & unguarded, you could just drift off back there & get completely lost.  I reflected on how, in the USA, this would certainly be closed off.  Italy is more trusting.

quaint!

the Polish were trying to eat gelato every day, a noble pursuit.

we had a pizza & took a walk in Senigallia

this is out in the sea, looks like the jetsons

a dark castle that appears to be floating

I'm really sorry, I know it's too many photos...  just hang on a bit longer.

in Jesi, some guy was giving a fabulous concert playing glasses, an enchanting moment!

going for another hike with the group, many tiny walled towns like this in Le Marche

I treated myself to a beach day @ Sirolo!

I wasn't the only one with the idea...

Sirolo is a cute little town.

my new WOOFING buddies, in a piazza in Ancona.  miss you ragazzi!!!

heading back to Roma, had the whole train car to myself.  i have to put at least one photo of myself  in here, for you Mom, so you know I am alive. :) xo

oh my god!!!!!  will I ever be able to finish this book?  seems I can't give up, because it's supposed to be a CLASSIC!!!  A classic bore,  have been hauling it around through several countries now...  

typical Umbrian hill town seen from the train

one of my very favorite spots ever, the Pantheon.  thinking of my Roman Emperor crush, Hadrian, who designed it.  :)

always love love love this view from the bridge I cross daily in Roma.  magic!

In health news, I am still having the good old eye problems & am going to see a Dr. tomorrow, hopefully I will receive a miraculous treatment for a low price!  It has been a real pain trying to deal with this.  Just last week I was lucky enough to receive two cortisone injections directly into my sweet and tender eyelid, you can imagine, the pain was brief but exquisite!  It helped a little bit.  Please feel free to sympathize with me & wish me well.  ;)

On Monday arrives my friend from US!  (it's funny sometimes when I write or speak I am using Italian grammar structure, like that last sentence)  We will set out to do some hiking in the Dolomites & hope for good weather & fun times!!  I will try to give you all an update.  I arrive to my next volunteer position on about the 27th, in Courmayeur.  It is a small town in the alps, near Mont Blanc, the highest peak around.  I have it in my head that I will climb Mt. Blanc, you know how I like my peak bagging...  We'll see if it is doable.

Miss & love you all!!!!!  Hope you enjoyed the photos & silly comments :)
Until next time!

un bacione,
Anni