Blogs from Umbria, Italy, Europe - page 40

We caravanned from Frascati to Terni destination waterfall/rapids Marmore! It was a good day to go into the mountains of Italy for a bit of aqua-adventure. We joined the mountaineering club at ESRIN very last minute so we could participate in this outing. I really, didn't want to partake in the festivities being fearful of rapids. In the end I had committed and next thing I realize I'm down river with a paddle in my hand, yikes! Thankfully in the company of six men including the 'guide' to make sure I made it back to dry land alive! This was a very picturesque place HUGE amazing misty waterfall that is breathtaking. I think it's the largest waterfall I've ever seen. Once we arrived at the center had a bit of food then got suited up, if ... read more

We left Liz's place at 4 AM for Heathrow airport by taxi. The journey took around 30min. Taxi was the only option at that hour of the morning (the train left at 230AM!). We joined the cue for checkin and this took around 2.5 hours because we had to wait for the Alitalia staff to open the checkin and then get to other flights checked before ours. We made the flight at 6:30 and arrived in Roma 3hrs later. The train from the airport to central station was straight forward - one train and one track. At Roma Termini however, there were 30 tracks and trains and alot of confusion. It took us around an hour to find someone who could help direct us to our train. We finally boarded bound for Perugia with a change ... read more

Gubbio è uma cidade muuuuuito louca da regiao Umbria. Tanto é verdade que se você quiser pode sair de la com um “Atestado de Louco” e funciona mesmo assim: 1- Va à papelaria e compre uma folha do atestado oficial de louco com o brasão da cidade e tudo. 2- Preencha os espaços em branco com seu nome, data e local de nascimento. 3- Va até a “Piazza dei Pazzi” (Praça dos loucos), escolha um cidadão eugubino (nascido em Gubbio) de minimo 3 gerações, que servirá de testemunha. 4- Tire a roupa e de 3 voltas peladão em torno da “Fontana dei Pazzi” (Fonte dos loucos) na presença dele (e seguramente de tantas outras pessoas rindo da sua cara). 5- Entao a testemunha tem de te molhar todo com a agua suja da Fonte. 6- No ... read more

Orvieto é famosa pelo vinho, principalmente branco; pelo “Pozzo di San Patrizio”, profundo 62 metros, foi construìdo em 1527 por ordem do Papa Clemente VII, para salvar a cidade nos periodos de seca. Muito interessante principalmente porque existem duas escadas estreitas que contornam internamente o poço em forma de espiral, uma é somente de descida e outra de subida, que evitava encontros disatrosos entre os cavalos e burros que carregavam os contenidores de àgua;pelo Duomo (catedral), de arquitetura externa gotica, construida em marmore branco e preto e repleto de pequenos mosaicos que acompanham cada linha de sua fachada, com remanescencias romanas no seu interior e pelo cemiterio etrusco do século VI a.C., comuns na regiao Umbria. Este especialmente interessante pela sua disposiçao e subdivisao urbanistica, baseada na importancia dos sepultados. Na entrada de cada tumulo esta ... read more

Chapter 11 Goings on in the night Once the Australian chap had switched off the light, it seemed a more comfortable night was indeed possible. Not a word of it! The Japanese started snoring again and two of the stooges kept coming in and out of the room. They were muttering profanities loud enough for the ozzie chap to hear and respond with a giggle. Martin was slowly but surely losing his temper until having gone in and out of the room at least twenty times, they finally did hit the sack and some sleep was achieved. That was until about 5.30am, when the other stooge arose with a torch and started casing the joint. Very shortly afterwards the other two also got up and proceeded to wander around aimlessly. Not knowing what they were up ... read more