Lou bundled up to walk at dawn!/Sagra field
Camigliano vineyard and countryside
Villa near Camigliano/Persimmon tree and villa
Old workers' cottages now local bar/Dom with premi!
Pasta for breakfast/Bikers at Bar Bini
We spent yesterday cleaning the house and tools. It was bright sunshine with a good breeze so I managed to do three loads of wash and actually get them dry. Dom serviced the cutter bar mower and other tools before putting them away for the winter. He also spread some fertilizer around the base of the olive trees. It should be done later in the winter but he was there and so was the fertilizer. It also took both of us to haul the patio table and the TALDI bench into the barn. Most everything we needed to accomplish got done so we ended the day feeling pretty pleased. Later on we met Mary and Orlando at Ristorante La Fonte for a last delicious Italian meal.
Today we got up early and went to one more marcia podistica. This one was located east of Lucca in the town of Camigliano. It was still fairly dark when we arrived at 7 am. It was also COLD—not much above freezing although it was a dry morning so we did not have to worry about ice on the roads. I was bundled up, wearing three layers, my raincoat, a ball cap and gloves!
The partenza (start) was located in what has to be the local sagra (festival) venue. The walled field had several permanent buildings (including one with a large kitchen) along its perimeter, a bandstand and a stone dance floor. Parking was located in an even bigger field beyond the walls. It made us wonder what kind of festival the town has each year and when it is held. We’ll have to look into that.
We were not familiar with the town of Camigliano so it was fun to explore another new area. The terrain around it is rolling hills with a number of large vineyards. The area is close to the town of Montecarlo which is a major wine producing area. There are also many new houses in the area so it looks prosperous. The sun rose but high, thin overcast meant it never got very warm. We kept up a vigorous pace and soon warmed up. Even so it was cold enough that I never took off my hat or gloves.
As we approached the finish we realized that there was a huge, well kept villa located across from the field where we started. The small cottages nearby must once have been the estate workers’ homes. Nowadays they have been renovated and a sign identified a couple of them as the bar/clubhouse for the local gruppo sportivo (sports group). When we finished we picked up our premi (prizes—a bottle of wine each!) and had a little hot tea and toast with olive oil. Pasta with sauce was also available but we passed on that.
On our way home we stopped at Bar Bini in Diecimo for cappuccino and pastry. It is always packed on Sunday mornings but we enjoy being part of the crowd. As I waited outside for Dom to pay I saw a large group of cyclists out for a Sunday ride. They were bundled up as well and pedaling fast to keep warm.
Later in the morning I went to mass at our village church. Afterwards I made frittata for lunch. Then we commenced packing. With 15 liters of olive oil to transport it was difficult keeping our bags below the new British Airways weight limit. We had an allowance of two bags each with a maximum weight each of 23 kilos (50 lbs.). Since each container of olive oil weighs about 5 kilos and measures roughly 12x8x4 inches we soon discovered that taking only three bags was not going to work. In the end we had four bags—two large and two small—plus two carry-on bags. Neither of the large bags was full but it worked.
Late in the afternoon we went up to the village bar for a coffee and to say goodbye to our friends. We spent an enjoyable hour chatting in broken Italian and promising to return in the spring. Tonight we are going for a last pizza at Ristorante Il Mulin della Volpe. Tomorrow we are off to the U.S.
Today we got up early and went to one more marcia podistica. This one was located east of Lucca in the town of Camigliano. It was still fairly dark when we arrived at 7 am. It was also COLD—not much above freezing although it was a dry morning so we did not have to worry about ice on the roads. I was bundled up, wearing three layers, my raincoat, a ball cap and gloves!
The partenza (start) was located in what has to be the local sagra (festival) venue. The walled field had several permanent buildings (including one with a large kitchen) along its perimeter, a bandstand and a stone dance floor. Parking was located in an even bigger field beyond the walls. It made us wonder what kind of festival the town has each year and when it is held. We’ll have to look into that.
We were not familiar with the town of Camigliano so it was fun to explore another new area. The terrain around it is rolling hills with a number of large vineyards. The area is close to the town of Montecarlo which is a major wine producing area. There are also many new houses in the area so it looks prosperous. The sun rose but high, thin overcast meant it never got very warm. We kept up a vigorous pace and soon warmed up. Even so it was cold enough that I never took off my hat or gloves.
As we approached the finish we realized that there was a huge, well kept villa located across from the field where we started. The small cottages nearby must once have been the estate workers’ homes. Nowadays they have been renovated and a sign identified a couple of them as the bar/clubhouse for the local gruppo sportivo (sports group). When we finished we picked up our premi (prizes—a bottle of wine each!) and had a little hot tea and toast with olive oil. Pasta with sauce was also available but we passed on that.
On our way home we stopped at Bar Bini in Diecimo for cappuccino and pastry. It is always packed on Sunday mornings but we enjoy being part of the crowd. As I waited outside for Dom to pay I saw a large group of cyclists out for a Sunday ride. They were bundled up as well and pedaling fast to keep warm.
Later in the morning I went to mass at our village church. Afterwards I made frittata for lunch. Then we commenced packing. With 15 liters of olive oil to transport it was difficult keeping our bags below the new British Airways weight limit. We had an allowance of two bags each with a maximum weight each of 23 kilos (50 lbs.). Since each container of olive oil weighs about 5 kilos and measures roughly 12x8x4 inches we soon discovered that taking only three bags was not going to work. In the end we had four bags—two large and two small—plus two carry-on bags. Neither of the large bags was full but it worked.
Late in the afternoon we went up to the village bar for a coffee and to say goodbye to our friends. We spent an enjoyable hour chatting in broken Italian and promising to return in the spring. Tonight we are going for a last pizza at Ristorante Il Mulin della Volpe. Tomorrow we are off to the U.S.
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