Thursday and Friday

Thursday after all those pictures taken of me at Alba Fucens I went to get my hair cut. It is an amazing cultural experience. The woman actually knows my name which was surprising. I decided to go for it and have my hair highlighted, however it turns out that it is so grey that it now looks white, but I am considering it a preview. Up till the last minute and even after I was undecided. This is not something I usually participate in. The good thing was the chance to listen to so much Italian. I said nothing, hard to believe, but true. By the time she was done putting the highlighter on I looked like I was prepared for the alien invasion. Then I got to wait and listen. When it was my turn to have my hair cut an animated conversation was going on. I kept my eyes shut as the scissors flashed by my face. But it is a great haircut. I was only there two hours. Some people stayed on after their haircut was finished. Some people waited longer than me to have their hair started and one person just seemed to be hanging out there. It was so hot wrapped in a plastic bag with an entire box of tin foil on my hair, but that is the price one pays to be beautiful. Or at least different.

After that it was the grain festival. The best part was the free wine from the same vineyard that did the tasting at Girasole. The white wine is really excellent. The other best part was the music.

Old havesting equipment

Jim and Audrey buying food tickets

Our friend, Victorio, out taking pictures of people for me.

Me and the musicians.

Audrey before dinner.

Our friend in traditional CVS dress.

We did not love the traditional hand made pasta of CVS. Chef Boyorde is what came to mind. But it was a great event with so many people of the town. There was also an exhibition of people of CVS who had died in WW1 and WW2. It is important to always remember that war is the enemy not the people.

Friday was a beach day. After market we packed up a lunch and off we went. Once you are there it doesn’t matter how much money it took to get you there. This year our gelato place own first price for their dark chocolate gelato. It was spectacular.

Audrey and Jim looking for rocks. They are hard to find.

That might have seemed like enough for one day, but after a much better dinner than the night before, Jim and I headed up to the piazza for a repeat of the night before. There was a trio playing pop music. They had a nice sound. First we sat with the guys from Ireland and Britian. When they left we moved on to sit with our neighbors. Remember we had had dinner. They kept pressing food on us. Honestly one cannot say no. There is no word for “no” when it comes to food. They bought peanuts at the peanut stand which is at every event. I had never considered buying them, but they were great. They are from Texas and all I can say is that we are exporting all our best peanuts to Italy. You buy them in red plastic tubes. After that the night was officially over. You can’t top peanuts and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in Italy.

Federica, her uncle, her boyfriend and her dad. She is the beautiful one.