Belka Italia

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Day 3



This is cross country day. If it has to be cloudy and rainy, today is the day and it was. We are driving from Parugia in Umbria across and through the mountains to the Adriatic coastal town of San Bennedicto dal Tronto.



Our first stop was a a hill town called Spella. The original plan was to be dropped off at the top and make our way down to a weekly garden market. Because the cobbles were wet and slippery we went to plan two. I stayed on the bus and the rest headed out in the rain. Did I ever make the right choice. The lovely garden market that Mike visited two years ago is now a flea market. Some of the group came back to the comfort of the bus, others wandered around and when all were aboard we headed to Norcia for lunch.



Norcia is known a St. Benedict's home town and for its sausage and other cured meats. It was raining lightly as we made our way to the piazza. There were shops along the way offering sausage, fruit, pasta and other foods as well as jewelry and tourist gifts. Pat stopped for sausage and I waited outside the shop. There were three little girls singing along to their iPod. When I was their age we sang along to sheet music.



We stopped at a restaurant and basically took over the place. Pat and I enjoyed a glass of the local white and a selection of local specialities, think cheese and cured meat, along with fresh bread and local olive oil. On one of the tables was a truffle. If it had been real it would have been worth many thousands of euros. What a nice treat. We then wandered around, visited the local church and headed back to the bus for the trip through the mountains.



San Bernadetto del Tronto is a modern resort town with many shops selling clothing, shoes and other leather products. Surprisingly, there were very few restaurants and what we found were closed. We wanted a bite and ended up at a place that served lunch but not dinner so we had wine, olives, potato chips and bread balls. Actually it did the trick.



A little about our four star hotel. It's located a long block from the beach and the Adriatic. There is no bar, no restaurant, safe is broken, shade won't lower, bathroom is very small and crowded with a shower, toilet, bidet, sink, and a stool. Worst of all, the walls are paper thin. I can sleep through anything but I had a hard time blocking out the noise of the party next door

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Photos

Norcia
Ham, ham,ham.

Norcia
Sing, sing a song.......

Norcia
Looks like Teddy Roosevelt to me.

Norcia.
Street scene