Abruzzo

So we travelled to Abruzzo via the geographic heart of Italy, staying a night en route in Terni, which is near Narni. Narni is apparently the inspiration for the Chronicles of Narnia , there being a whole underground world there.

That night we chose a hotel on spec and whilst it was clean and comfortable enough there was no facility to get a hot drink anywhere in the hotel. How I hate that, and particularly then as I was taking the antihistamines and still had hay fever so was dry and in need of lots of hot drinks……………….. the things you don’t realise when you are travelling!!

We went to a very curious restaurant for dinner that night which was walking distance from the hotel. We were the only people there and it was clearly a restaurant in their front room, they being a man and his wife and their teenage son who did not like having to leave the room as he was watching TV there.

They spoke no English, which was surprising really, as they are near a big tourist attraction, a popular waterfall. Anyway, they were very pleased to have us there and we played it safe with the menu having their recommendation of grilled trout, which was OK.

We hightailed it out the next morning heading into the Appenines , our destination Santo Stefano Di Sessanio, a previously abandoned walled village on a hill top. There is a huge project here to revitalise the whole village and many of the houses and apartments are now holiday houses. We are staying in a hotel which has a commitment to authenticity in its restoration. So we are staying in a dark, cave like room with roughly plastered walls, massive roof beams and an original ancient fireplace. There are new en suite bathrooms in each room and the flavour is most definitely rustic.

Unfortunately many things just don’t work properly and we had to swap rooms as the water was just tepid and no amount of adjustment improved it.

I don’t think the hotel really works but the location is brilliant and it is good to stay in one of the walled villages and really get a feel for it. This one took some damage in the 2006 earthquake and there is a lot of work being done here by the government, as well as the private renovations.

It is within the Gran Sasso National Park and we have walked the meadows, surrounded by snow capped mountain peaks. There is still snow on the ground and the grass in dull and brown , but it is stunning. The ground must be jam packed full of moles as their mounds and tracks are just everywhere.

Flowers are blooming, among them the saffron crocus. There are swathes of them. Beautiful. They are used in local cooking, as you can imagine.

We have seen some different birds here at long last , disturbing some ground nest builders on our walks.

After a long walk yesterday we dropped in to a hotel in the small village outside the walls for a drink, We felt like celebrating as we had reached the peak we were aiming for and also Jock had not lost his phone and wallet, as appeared might be the case. They were in fact in the car all along (travel brain). So we also felt like celebrating.

We asked if we could take our Prosecco outside and the man insisted on finding us a sunny spot on the other side of the house. When you buy a drink here you always receive some food with them, either from a collection on the bar, if you stand there, or brought to your table. He brought us warm bread drizzled with olive oil, some large green olives and some hard tasty cheese. HEAVEN.

We so liked the place and the people , again a family , that we went back for dinner and were not disappointed. I had home made ravioli filled with ricotta and herbs and served with a cream and saffron sauce. It really was divine. Jock had a lamb sauce on home made pasta, which he also found excellent.

We haven’t been having a lot of desserts but thought we should try theirs, and had a tiramisu and tart di limone, also both very good. The room was warm and inviting, the music good, the people charming. The Dad just kept talking away in Italian . His son spoke pretty good English. So the Mum and son do the cooking and they had a local young woman waitressing. We were so keen we decided to go back for lunch today after a last walk in the hills.

We had the special of the day, pasta with mushrooms and once again it was just delicious. We followed it with a local fried cheese, something like haloumi , but from goats milk and served with grilled vegetables, zucchini and eggplant of course.

They had asked us to come at 1pm to beat the crowd, and sure enough, it was packed. I asked the son where they all come from and he said they are all Italian and are from everywhere as they “come to make walk”. It was a gorgeous sunny day and maybe the first time since winter that they have been able to get up to the park?

Anyway, we could not talk much today as they were too busy but I told the son that it was the best restaurant experience we have had so far in Italy. He said he was happy for this and to tell all my Australian friends to come and visit, so, now you have an invitation. It is called Locanda Il Palazzo. They have rooms as well, come and stay!

We have seen lots of dogs here and nearly all of them are mostly Maremma , which is the guardian dog used for sheep and cattle. This is shepherd and Maremma country here. The Maremma dogs round the village are mostly old , all overweight, and all given to lying in the sun , sound asleep, even if it is on the road.

If you get up close they will, to a dog, raise their paw for you to pat their belly, but they won’t move. Being a dog tragic I have enjoyed them a lot.

Tomorrow we head for the coast in Epuglia, to friends of our musician friend Salvatore. It’s a long drive and we might try a motorway for the first time. We have been sticking to back roads, but the time might have come. Wish us luck.

Prosecco in the sun.