Greens and blues

We set off early this morning for a short walk because the weather is too hot for our planned expeditions, however it proved to be a hot and challenging route for me. We were away almost two hours but sadly my Fitbit didn't  record my distance. Too hot for it also, I suspect!

Roadside shrines are a feature of Italy, be it in Rome or in the country. We passed four today.

                     With sign posts like this maybe a quick prayer might be the way to go.

Once off the sealed road we were on a strada bianca, a white road, and these are often pretty treacherous unsealed roads with lots of loose rocks and dust. Something like walking downhill on marbles. Despite having my trekking pole, today I took a dive (or more like the splits), with one leg slipping forward and one going back. A most ungainly ride which resulted in a hole in my pants and a slight skin loss. But a road going down always goes up again so on we strode.

As it is mid summer there are not many flowers around, mainly tough weeds but they do provide some colour. 

After we came out of the forest we walked beside olive groves and farming land where it is a quilt of many colours - ploughed fields, sunflowers, crops, vines, baled hay and even some bison grazing.

Finally we came to the main road back up to Panicale. It is steep and a series of switchbacks so we went left and cut through the foothills of Panicale, I finally staggered out onto the  main road in a state of exhaustion.

 Hail Mary full of Grace, help me get back to my place!

But all is forgiven when we cast our eyes on this magnificent view. Lago Trasimeno is looking cool and inviting in the background, the scene never failing to excite us.

It is a funny thing about the siesta or 'pausa.' In Spain and Italy it is an accepted part of life, but if you have an afternoon nap in Australia you are considered to be getting old.

This evening's music in the piazza was brilliant! I am not a great fan of music but tonight's blues trio, the Mario Donatone Trio, were so entertaining that they kept the crowd involved until nearly midnight. It was a huge crowd, the biggest we have ever seen at these weekly events.

The Trasimeno Blues Festival is running at present and this band is part of their programme, a real bonus for Panicale to have them.

  This photo of the crowded piazza was taken from the FB page of the Borgo Commerciale Naturale di Panicale - with thanks.