On to the Country - July 16

Jill: Out the door at 6:30 for the Nice airport. Our flight on Blue Panorama (which Todd kept calling "Blue Hawaiian") was on time and short. The Rome airport was super busy, especially the car rental areas, but we managed to get our car, fit our luggage inside (hooray for small miracles!), and start out for our new destination of Citta Della Pieve in Umbria.



Arriving in Rome




Getting our car (the kids have a lot of questions about whether we know what to do or where to go or what to do if we don't know what to do. I think it's been great for them to see that you don't always know what to do but there are always signs and people to ask and you just figure it out.)

Getting our of the airport was a little chaotic but not too bad, and since we weren't directly in Rome we didn't have to navigate anything too tricky. We expected about a two-hour drive and weren't able to check in until after 3:00 so we had a little time on our hands. We decided to stop for lunch in Orvieto, a little hill town we had planned to visit while we're here so it worked out perfectly.

Orvieto was a charming town with winding roads, little cafes and some shops here and there. Most of the stores were closed for the day but the cafes and ice cream shops were open. Once we got to the end of town, the views onto the valley below were amazing.

Pics from Orvieto:






























We then continued on and found our way to the villa we rented with the help of "Sebastian the interpreter" who works for Jacopo, the owner of this house and the larger villa next-door which shares the property (each has its own pool!). It's a stone house, rustic in design but modern in all the right places. Sebastian and Jacopo were both do friendly we felt right at home. We learned Sebastian has ten donkeys, some goats, cats and dogs. When he heard Emmy gasp with excitement he immediately said we could come see them anytime, so I'm sure that will be one of our outings! When I asked about snakes in the area (cuz you know how I am), Sebatian said that there are beautiful green snakes, and with his arms "about this long," and they're very fast because the fast ones are not poisonous. He went on to say, "we do have vipers in the tall grass, which are slower, but if you wear good shoes and stomp loudly they'll scurry away." So far Emmy hasn't had any takers on her lizard hunting excursions! I'm guessing we'll stick with the groomed areas of the yard. :)



Our house

When we had talked with kids about the various places we'd be staying and he highlights of each places, at the beach, in the city, in the country with it's own pool, etc., Davis had excitedly ask if he could jump in the pool with his clothes on. And he's been talking about it along the way. So, when Sebastian and Jacopo left, guess what.......




We drove into town for dinner (writing the streets as we went so we could find our way back) and there seemed to be some sort of horse exhibition going on. We were all pretty tired, so didn't stay long, we just had dinner and came back home, closing all the windows doors.




A park we found on the way to town

Over the day we heard more English than we have the whole trip, especially Americans, and many at the Rome airport and even in Orvieto. It is weird to think we had become accustomed to not hearing it!

Tomorrow, a quiet day by the pool and maybe a walking into town.




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Location:Citta Della Pieve