Day 10 - Orvieto & Lago Trasimeno

Gearing up for a day of exploration, we fueled up on breakfast and adorned our shorts for a very hot 90+ degree day. For breakfast I just pulled my hair up really quickly, but afterwards I figured I wouldn't want to attempt to wear it down today due to the heat, so I sported the "breakfast bun" all day. Not glamorous, but sensible. We headed out about 11:30 and followed the A1 to Orvieto. We were give the suggestion to visit this town by a couple from Wisconsin we met in at the laundry the other day. They have been coming here for the past 11 year and stay for 6 weeks at a time. They have friends here who helped them buy a car and the friend keeps it on their property while they are back in the states. They love it here and it shows. So we took their suggestion to visit this hilltop town about an hour away.

The drive again was easy, with beautiful scenery. We exited Tuscany and entered into Umbria. Arriving at the town we take the bus to the piazza to avoid the walk up. It is quiet here. Not too touristy, but they clearly get plenty of visitors because they have a fair amount of shops. By the time we get to the shopping it is nearly 2pm and most shops were closed (Guy says "yay") but I had fun window shopping and enjoying this new town. We started to get hungry so we began scouting out a place to eat. Meandering down a small side street, we come across a small place that appears to have a lot of locals (and a few drunken American teenagers). The kids were unpleasant as they were tipsy and noisy, but we watched in quiet observation as the owner and a local patron made fun of them. It was better after they left so we could finally enjoy a quiet lunch. The place was called da Carlo Trattoria and it appeared that Carlo and his 80+ year old grandmother were running the place. There were only seats outside (not sure what they do in the winter) and no more than 7 or 8 tables. Lots of local visitors came by while we ate and they chatted with them. The mama was adorable with red, professionally highlighted hair and big Harry Carey glasses. She took our order, not writing anything down, then came back with a pen and paper and repeated our order as she wrote. She remembered everything perfectly. We ordered a bruschetta and it was not the traditional kind we were expecting. It was actually puréed tomatoes, but you could tell they were fresh. I actually really enjoyed it more than the traditional kind as the little tomatoes were not falling off with every bite, making it easy to eat. I recommend it! Then I ordered a pasta dish with fennel, pork cheek and pecorino. Guy ordered a cod fish over garbanzo beans that were slightly puréed into almost a hummus texture. His dish was drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fennel. He says it was his best meal so far. 

After lunch we stopped for a gelato from a shop on the main strip and the gelato freezer was a circle that would spin around. The gal at the shop could speed it up, slow it down or stop it. Very funny. It was good, tho and I got chocolate and another flavor that Guy could pronounce but I couldn't. Basically it was some kind of nut and light brown in color. It was good mixed with the chocolate. We then headed back down to the parking area where we had caught the bus up and put a few of our trinkets in the car. We had exactly two minutes before our parking ticket expired. Great timing!  We explored the fort, walking around the edge and looking over into the hazy valley. Then the well. The well is really the main reason we came. Here is a Wikipedia bit:  Pozzo San Patrizio, well built on the orders of the pope. During the Sack of Rome in 1527 the Pope took refuge at Orvieto, and fearing that in the event of siege by Charles' troops the city's water might prove insufficient, he had this spectacular well constructed by the architect-engineer Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (1527‑37) with double helical ramps for one-way traffic, so that mules laden with water-jars might pass down then up again unobstructed. Its inscription boasts QUOD NATURA MUNIMENTO INVIDERAT INDUSTRIA ADIECIT ("what nature stinted for provision, let application supply"). We bought tickets to go in, but once I got closer I could see that it was one way in and one way out. That meant walking down 12 stories circling down into a dark pit, then walking back up. Somewhere between the down and the up would have been tears, a panic attack and language unfitting to a Christian woman. Then I see a sign that warns against people with claustrophobia. Done. The sign sealed the deal. We did, however, use my ticket. Guy went in, took my phone (all well photos - photo credit: Guy W. Alongi) and after he had seen enough, walked back up the stairs on the same side and I used my ticket to open the glass doors so he could come back out. Truly, the engineering feat of this well is amazing. I mean they brought mules down, loaded them up with water and walked them up the other side. 12 STORIES! Holy smokes! I'm feeling a bit fortunate tonight that I can just twist a knob and water will come out!

After the adventures in the well, we head toward Lago Trasimeno. It is the fourth largest lake in Italy and just happens to be somewhat on our way back. We went to go check it out to see if it is worthy of an entire day to explore, but alas, it was not. It was beautiful and we drove around it in a few different spots to get a good view, and even entertained the idea of taking a boat ride to an island with a small castle on it, but after a walk along a small pier and being slightly tired, the idea of being in the pool after a hot day won the coin toss. However, we made a quick pit stop at the Coop to get a few items for dinner. Since we've been eating so much, we decided to keep it light, shower early and maybe watch a movie if the hotel's wifi is good enough to stream Netflix. A vacation from our vacation. 

Back at the hotel, Guy headed for the pool to scout out a spot and I went into the hotel to get pool towels. At the counter was the sweet gentleman who had so kindly made our dinner reservations for us yesterday and I decided to ask him about the parking lot pig. When I told him we had seen it two nights in a row his eyes got really big. He said "On the property?" I told him yes! In the grassy parking lot. He said they are definitely in the area of course, but never on the property! So I clarified, "So it's not a pet." He said "NO! Nota peta". He told me he'd have the owner check the fences around the property because this little wild feller should not be hanging with the guests. :) I can't imagine we were the only ones to see it, but this was all news to him.

We took a dip in the pool while I uploaded images from the day and then headed for our favorite little table outside and around the corner from our room. Guy ran up for our snacks and brought them down in a shoebox. Yes, I bought shoes...I'm in Italy. Don't judge. We ate and enjoyed our little feast, then enjoyed the cool night air and the sunset over the trees. Another glorious day and the photo link from today will help fill in any gaps. 

Ciao until Wednesday.