Colle San Paolo and suit cases

The time comes when you just have to make those big decisions; who will carry the ceramics in their suitcase, do we really need those souvenir brochures and maps, can we do this without crying. Kel's big decision is will he drink one bottle of wine tomorrow or can he take two home in the case!

Left-overs never tasted so good. Prosciutto (o.k. so we bought some more!), pecorino and honey, sweet little tomatoes, olives and my favourite croccanti.

Every hill seems have some sort of ancient fortification or monastery and one in particular has been capturing our imagination. On Sunday we had a conversation with an old man named Mario (conversation might be too strong a word) and Kel asked about that particular hill. From his reply we caught the names Colle San Paolo and Colle Calzolaro. Today we drove through Tavernelle to Colle San Paolo where the old fortress is now part of a farm and close by is a very interesting church. It is historically interesting with artworks and a crypt, it also has three nuns who live there, but most interesting was that this little church in a relatively remote rural community should have such restoration works. A young priest was preparing to paint a Madonna on the ambo frontal, we wondered if he had done all the paintings on the ceiling.

The views from up on the Colle were superb.

Colle Calzolaro is a very small hamlet but so cute. Amongst the very old buildings that were falling into ruin were homes proudly displaying a fiesta of flowers at their doors.

We had planned to go to our favourite restaurant Il Gallo nel Pozzo on our last night but they will not be open so we went tonight. Simone and Lorena have a wonderful restaurant, the food is so good - I will never forget the gigli pasta with truffles. I have had it three times and it has been magnificent every time.