Pescina

Hello everybody!  Taryn has asked me to jump in and actually do a post all on my own, so here we go!  Also a picture is worth a thousand words so you’ll have read a million words by the time you’re done with this post. 

On Saturday we started our authentic Italian experience with an Italian icon.  Yes of course I’m talking about the FIAT 500! A plucky little car: Top speed of 220 km/h, three doors, adored by men and irresistible to women.  The other interesting feature was it had a manual transmission.  Having not driven a manual since I was 16, and only for about three hours those ten years ago, we knew this was going to be a special experience. 

However the one thing that did not come with this particular perfect automobile was a GPS.  Yes we stared down the road with little more than a map of the major highways of Italy.  This meant it was difficult to get out of Rome, so difficult in fact… we couldn’t do it.  Luckily when I stopped at a local gas station to get a map or directions (or if no one spoke English a gelato) the gentleman there was kind enough to actually have us follow him onto the highway.  With that we were quickly and efficiently on our way.

Above are some of the sights you will find while driving the ‘autostradas’ of Italy.  Moslty beautiful hill side towns with the majority of them having their own little castle.  Very exciting and postcard worthy stuff.  You’ll also see a lot of what is seen below.  When people want to drive out of their mind fast they get in the left lane and turn on their left turn signal.  This lets the other drives know to get the heck out of the way.

We got to Pescina late after getting side tracked trying to leave Rome.  When we arrived we had still not figured out how to put it in reverse, but Walter one of my Uncles brother-in-laws showed us that you had to lift the leather part of the…. Well it’s all rather confusing, but we parked the perfect automobile and had arrived!!  My Uncle’s house is just above where I am standing in the photo.

And just in time for lunch.  We ate Tortellini, peas, veal cutlet, apricots, cake, and finished with coffee and other digestives.  Here is a photo of us slowly slipping into a food coma.

 We took a walk around town to wake us back up.

Here is my Uncles old house where he grew up.  Missing is the photo of his church where there is an actual mummified saint in a glass tomb!

Here is a view of what he refers to as ‘old’ Pescina.

There is a church at the top of the hill and the Stations of the Cross are on the outside leading up the path to the church.  Here you could also see the old castle.

There is a fountain by the church where you could have a drink of water.  Uncle Rosano referred to this as the cleanest and freshest water in the whole town… needless to say we all had to have a drink.  Taryn may have gotten some water in places other than her mouth.

After all that walking we got back to the Di Nicola family house just in time for dinner.  The menu was as follows: salad, peas, fresh mozzarella, sausage, pizza, fresh prosciutto, apricots, with wine and coffee to finish.  I think there was even some leftover cake too.  We took another post meal celebration photo.

That night in one of the neighboring towns was celebrating the patron saint of their town, Saint Benedict.  They had set up a band next to the town square so people could dance and party and along the street were vendors of all kinds.

It was a great ending to a great day (although a little challenging at first) and we then went back to the Di Nicola house to sleep.  Thanks to everyone who made our stay so memorable and enjoyable.  Hope you enjoyed my foray into blogging, see you all soon.