I love days like this! The day dawned perfectly clear with temps in the high 60's today so I headed to the mountains with my husband and 2 good friends who live next door. We started at a winery in Prezza really just to have a destination and pick up some of their reserve wine for presents. Met a friendly woman by our car who offered to walk us to the winery when we asked her for directions. She chatted about her town and it's beautiful mountain surroundings as we walked together. She knocked on the winery's door and introduced us to the owners before waving good-bye. It was one of those warm Italian moments and make me glad to be here.
Sulmona was our next destination, a wonderful town famous for confetti- sugared almonds- given at Italian weddings and as fun gifts any time. The displays were spectacular in front of store after store as we wandered. In a feast for the eyes, individually wrapped confetti candies were displayed in imaginative arrangements - flowers, plants and colorful decorations of all sorts (those are all candies in the photo!). The streets teemed with visitors out to enjoy this lovely place as well as the spectacular day and created such a festive atmosphere. It had that combination of history and humanity that made me vow to come back for a longer visit.
Lunch at Pacentro further up the mountain was next. It's famous for being the home of Madonna's grandparents. We ate at a fabulous slow-food restaurant where we were fussed over and given special samples of their delicious food. The owner sent us out afterward to the town center for a stunning view of the mountains on 3 sides of the town: "I pray that you go and see this magnificent sight!" How could we not? He was so sweet and earnest. He was right- gorgeous wherever I looked. As an added bonus while we were there dozens of cyclists whizzed by in a big cycling team race up and down the steep mountain roads from Sulmona to Pacentro. Cycling is a big sport in Italy so it was fun to see it up close.
It was a full day and I had a full heart at the end of it.
What a delightful day! You sound like you are describing the plot of a lovely Italian movie. Are you sure Fellini wasn't lurking somewhere?
ReplyDeleteLove the photo of the candy arrangements. Unbelievable!
I know, and it happened to me! Sometimes I pinch myself.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. The photos seem not to be working for me. And as I clicked through from my reader, it tried to take me to a non-existent post about reading and learning Italian and I was going to say you're doing all the right things.
ReplyDeleteWait. One photo just showed up - the top one. beautiful. Maybe it's me.
Bunches of blogs I usually visit aren't working right. Where did my (and there) photos go?
ReplyDeleteI've been having the same problem off and on all day.
ReplyDelete