This is an attempt to repeat what I wrote for almost an hour last night that just disappeared when I tried to publish!
Jane and Rhoades arrived from Maryland on Monday. They went on a Hop On – Hop Off bus ride with Andy and I headed to the quilt store. When I got there two of my Dear Quilting Sisters were there and we hugged and double cheek kissed! had a short visit and then I went for Chinese lunch and home. Jane brought us two jars of chunky peanut butter in her checked luggage. Rhoades had a 2 pound jar in carryon. TSA took it from him. Read that TSA missed 95% of fake bombs – but by gum…they got the peanut butter! We rested up, had dinner and left today for Orvieto by train. Checked into our convent. A huge place with a beautiful garden and a container garden of many succulents. The view out our window is of the garden, the valley beyond and a castle in the distance. Sister Giovanna said in its peak, the convent had close to 30 sisters in residence. We had lunch on the main drag, walked around a bit. I visited with the lady who made a wonderful bead I bought several years ago…it is a black bead in the style of the Etruscans. She was very pleased I was wearing it and she remembered me. Also stopped by to say hello to the man who made an olive wood box for Evan. Stopped to see Maria Grazie, the lady I buy booties from. She had made several pair for me to give babies their ‘first pair of Italian shoes’! We rested up and went for cocktails about 6pm waiting for our restaurant to open at 7. Went to one recommended as the best seafood in Orvieto. Our mussels were great, grilled tuna, spaghetti with clams, risotto with seafood, grilled swordfish and calamari were all good. I also ordered stuffed sardines…they were not as good as I made in a cooking class in Sicilyn last year. When we got back to the convent, Sister Giovanna took us in hand and showed us where the breakfast room was located. Said it was the choir room for priests years ago and showed us the 300 year old fresco on the wall…probably painted by one of the priests. I hope she will give us a full tour of the convent…it is so big. One chapel off the breakfast room is being renovated, but the church attached to the convent is very nice.
Tomorrow, we have plans for an underground tour to see Etruscan ruins. Thursday and Saturday are market days and that should be fun. There is usually a little bit of everything. Friday starts a weekend Medieval Festival. There are huge banners hanging all over town and bouquets of flowers on the walls tied by long, steaming ribbons. Quite festive looking. Also on Friday, we are doing a walking tour of Orvieto and a tour of the Duomo with a guide. Saturday there is also supposed to be an Arts & Crafts Fair. We will hit all of,this before heading to Bagnorigio for a night. Google,this town and see the bridge we must walk up to get to the town in the clouds. Only about 20 people live there full time and no cars allowed. We are staying one night in a B&B before heading back to Orvieto on Sunday to catch the train to Venice. Orvieto is a beautiful Hill Town with a magnificent Duomo that has the most beautiful mosaic facade in Italy. If you like novels set in Italy, read the true books by Elena diBlassi …1000 Days in Venice, 1000 Days in Tuscany etc. She lives here in Orvieto. Will continue this later…