The people of Torre Orsina are wonderful. Many know us by name. Their daily routine is one that we easily fell in step with. At 9.00 the bar opens for business and people meander in for a caffé. Without fail someone will ask us if they can buy us a caffé or cappuccino, or in my case, a Diet Coke. Fabiana may also make a cappuccino Genovese. This is a cappuccino made in one of the small caffé cups. It costs less that your standard cappuccino and the name reflects the stereotype that those from Genoa are cheap – having arms much too short to reach down into their pockets. Conversation seems to begin with the weather. Will it be freddo or caldo today? We will also be asked if we slept well the previous night.
Our trip to Italy was uneventful. Cinzia’s good friend, Trish, drove us to the airport Wednesday morning. We arrived in Roma, via Atlanta, Thursday morning and made our way to Torre Orsina; first by train to Terni and then by bus to Torre Orsina. We’re staying at Elda’s home as we did in 2011. The first true night of the annual Festa wasn’t until Friday, so we enjoyed dinner at Elda’s. We’ve eaten with her for most lunches and dinners.
During this year’s festa they have added something new since our last trip in 2011 – a palio. You may be familiar with the famous palio in Siena where jockeys from each region of the town race horses around their unique seashell-shaped piazza. In Torre Orsina they will race falcons.
Cinzia has managed to pack everything into 2 suit cases, 1 roll-aboard, and 2 shoulder bags. This is 1 fewer roll-aboard than when we traveled in 2011. That should make it a lot easier. Some of the Italian train stations only offer stairs, and carrying too much luggage up and down those stairs, and on and off those trains, can wear you out quickly.
It's been 3 years since our last trip to Italy. In one week we'll be headed back. We know a little better about what to expect this go around, but there will be enough unknowns to make us just a bit anxious. Our itinerary is detailed in the Contact Info link on the homepage. Our 16 weeks are basically broken out thusly: 3 weeks in Torre Orsina, 4 weeks in Senigallia, and 9 weeks in Bologna. Seeing family and friends in Torre Orsina and participating in their annual festa will be better than in 2011 when we knew few townspeople and had no idea what to expect during the festa. Now we're ready. Neither of us have been to Senigallia and have only heard of the town from a friend of a friend who is the commander of Italy's version of the Air Force Thunderbirds. This resort town promises to have great seafood and offers what one might imagine as a stereotypical Euro-chic beach experience. While we've been to Bologna before, living in this university town surrounded by their amazing cuisine and miles of porticos will allow us to better know the town and its people.
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