Rocca Calascio

 This trip went to San Stefano and then back to Rocca Calascio.

Photo by Josefin

Sunday: I am so sorry that many of you have been missing your Italian virtual summer vacation, but we have been so busy being on vacation that there has been no time or energy to write.

The day after J & G arrived we drove to Rocca Calascio. If you come we will take you too. It is one of the most amazing places I have ever been and, although you are on top of the world,  you do not need bottled oxygen. It is a full day trip from CVS and back, but the drive takes you up and down with plenty of hairpin turns to keep anyone happy, agricultural valleys over looked by hill town. Getting lost is no problem when you have a Jeneane to say, “Dove la strade guste…..?” (fill in the town name) I got to do that a couple of times and I am proud to say I understood and was understood.

 On the road to San Stefano

All of these unscheduled adventures took longer than expected so we headed straight to the campground at San Stefano for lunch. We were the only diners. We sat outside before we realized the young man of the couple who run the restaurant had a broken hand and a cast to his elbow. We did try to be helpful. This restaurant makes there own pasta and only serves food from the region. I had  spaghetti with saffron oil, sun dried tomatoes and cheese. Exquisite! We know of this place because once we were in San Stefano for an art exhibition and the Italian who was with us asked some policemen where to eat. We have been back every year since. (whoa we have come a lot of years now!! Jim five, me four)

 Small things and views of San Stefano.

San Stefano is an “Albergo diffuso”. This means it is one hotel with rooms throughout the town. This year I have seen two other towns that have signs up for this option. We didn’t stay long, as the object of our trip, after lunch, was to go to Rocca Calascio. This proved slightly harder than expected because of the giant road working equipment that was tearing up a trench to lay a big cable. It is the unexpected that adds flavor to the expedition. But, soon we were walking up from the parking area toward the top of the world. This trip was the first one we have made when the Gran Sasso was not covered in clouds. We could see Conetta Grande, the highest peak, up close and the start of the Campo Imperatore.

 There is a small village above the parking area for Rocca Calascio. I believe that people live there, but mostly it is small tourist shops of goods produced locally. I love this sign so I am sharing it again.

Two views of Conetta Grande: Mussolini was kept prisoner near here during WW2, 

but the Germans rescued him by air.  

The Castel

The church with Campo Impertore in the background.

Castel walls.

My feet looking out an archer's opening.

Irresistible to not take more and more photos. This time out of an archer's opening.

It is a privilege to return to a spot like this multiple times. It is the most photographed place in Abruzzo, but there are never more than a few people. This is a must see on your trip to CVS.

Perfect Toliet

We have been so busy and going so many places with Josfin and Gregor that there hasn't been time to write, BUTT I did find the perfect toilet, you may not have realized that I was looking, but I have been.

As you see this toilet is both a urinal and a toilet. Unlike many toilets of this style in Italy, this one has a rim. To the left you can see the most important feature: A cup holder. Nice natural lighting, simple tiles keep the focus on the toilet.

Swedes at Last

A walk down Via Sotto Castello with Bella.

It was a foggy cool morning when Bella and I set out for our walk. I was looking up and took some pictures of things to look up at.

 Above the right hand window is an old pulley to pull the hay up.

 Truffle dogs waiting to bark at us. 

 Chickens hoping we will feed them.

 The mystery of the morning.

Headed back home.

 Finally after two years, back at the piazza with Gregor and Josefin.

How to be sure your meet is fresh.

More on our day later including a trip to San Stefano and Rocca Calascio.

Walking the Dog

I hate it when I don't have time to write this before I post. Why are you so busy you may wonder? Well there seem to be lots of naps to take.  We have a small, but demanding house guest: Bella the dog. The Swedes will be here in a hour and we will be dominated by Scandinavians.
it is not that much fun to have a dog in Italy. Walking a dog involves being barked at by fierce dogs and worrying about wild boars. "Take Bella, not me".

 Bella has a mind of her own and for one so small has lots of determination. Here she is at the end of her leash at the bottom of the stairs on our way out this morning. The good thing is haven't been out this early in a long time and it is beautiful

 First we head up the Via Sotto Castello. Lots of truffle dogs chained up along here. They go wild with barking. If they were to get out things could come to a bad end. 

The kind of dog Bella is was bred to kill rats at farms so she likes to get into and under things.

 She got so stuck in the weeds by burrowing in that I had to grab her by the tail. She was an excellent example of how seeds travel on the backs of animals. My socks were a good example as well.

We are walking in some of the most ruined and deserted parts of the town. These buildings used to be barns.

T-shirts are not going to be a problem after all. I have already seen someone wearing one that I posted a few days ago.  Good to see they followed my fashion sense.

 Peaches and apricots at market.

We spent more money at market today than we ever had. Probably 50E. We could barely make it home. Josefin and Gregor should be here any minute and I hope they are hungry. We had a big scare because I could not get on the internet this morning, but as you see we are back! We paid all our taxes through next June and our trash bill. Already the plan is in motion to return June 2015. The taxes for a year were about what we pay in a month in Vermont. It was a big money spending day.

All in a Days Work

The day started with a terrific wind and rain storm. This was about two a.m. It had cleared when I got up at 6:30 and took Bella out for a walk. By the time we were back on the terrace the ominous factor had increased, thunder sounded in the distance and Bella was under the downstairs bed. We watched the light sweep over the mountains...constantly shrinking as the clouds built up. Suddenly the mountains were gone swept away by a torrent of rain. The rain moved toward us across the valley obliterating all in its path until we were pounded by the rain. It rolled over us and was gone. The sun came out and it would be a painting day after all.

This mornings work:

My painting spot.

Facing the opposite direction this is what I saw. All of Castelvecchio laid out below me.

 I finished the top painting quickly as I have been working on it already two days. I meant to have the flowers in my next painting, but something happened and I don't.

Jim's finished watercolor/pastel pencil of the church. I worry that the paper is not good enough.

 Painting is hard work. Even Bello is tired.

Random picture of how the kitchen looks now. Another attempt to make you jealous. It is adorable, right? Many of the old things were in the cave or found in the earthquake zone or bought from local artisans. See who's picture is on the calendar to the right?