Back in Partigliano

Rainy patio and soggy woods!

We had a busy weekend. On Friday we spent our last day in Rome making a last stroll through the Centro Storico. On Via Margutta we ran across an outdoor art show. That evening we had our best meal in Rome and it was not even terribly expensive. We felt it was a real shame to make that discovery on our last night there.


It was a fun four weeks but by the end of it we were eager to move on. Saturday morning we bundled up our things, packed up the car and made the drive back to Partigliano.

On Sunday we got up early and drove to a marcia podistica about a 40 minute drive away. With us were our friend (and landlady) Erina and her sister Desi. Her brother Antonio usually drives them but both he and his wife Eni have recently had surgery. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) heavy rain had started overnight and was still falling when we arrived at the start of the walk. Part of the route was flooded so we skipped the actual walking, picked up our premi (participation prizes—pasta, tomato sauce, crème caramel custard and milk) and headed back to Partigliano. Dom and I spent a rather lazy day reading and then heading out to La Fonte for a delicious dinner. It was a nice change after the rather poor but expensive restaurant fare we had in Rome.

Today (November 1) is a holiday in Italy so there was another marcia podistica this morning. The four of us set off again but this time the walk was only about 15-20 minutes away. The weather was still miserable but during the actual time we walked it did not rain too hard. Erina and Desi did the shortest route (3 km.) but Dom and I opted for the 5 km. route. It was a pleasant walk until we headed off through the fields. On section was down a steep hill and it was so muddy and slippery that Dom ended up on his hip. I only avoided that by using my umbrella as a walking stick. Dom finished the walk with mud up to one elbow and I ended up with mud up to my knees. When we arrived home it took two loads of laundry to clean our shoes, track suits, jackets and other clothing.

We have had another quiet day. After breakfast and showers we took naps. Lunch was followed by a drive up the valley to check out the Serchio River. It was running extremely fast, high and muddy as were all the tributaries that run into it. At the dam near Borgo a Mozzano one of the flood gates was partially open and the water below greatly resembled liquid in a blender. On the news we saw that there is heavy flooding in many parts of Italy including parts of the Province of Lucca. A mudslide near Massa killed at least three people and somewhere else a train was stopped on the tracks by another landslide. This weather is supposed to continue for a few more days but for the time being it is not raining right here.