Road to L’Aquila
DAY 13: 15th September: L’Aquila:
EARTHQUAKES MAKE US CHANGE OUR ROUTE:
Because of very recent earthquakes in Norcia and surrounding hilltop villages, we decided to change our original very scenic journey. (We would be missing out the treasures of Urbino. Also the beauty and history of Sassoferrato, which had certainly looked great on Google Images). We decided we must steer well clear of those areas in or close to the disaster zone. The populations and rescuers would not welcome holidaymakers cluttering up the roads, and we certainly did not want to be seen as gawping at the residents’ misfortunes.
FROM MOUNTAIN TO FOREST – A SUDDEN RISE IN TEMPERATURE
But the road we chose instead was also truly spectacular. It started off amongst mountains when we were driving at first through a frosty and misty landscape. The car indicator read 12 degrees Celsius. It gradually warmed up as we slowly descended through thick and beautiful forest.
Here Were Bandits…
Presently we were in a gently undulating green clearing, with most unusual ‘humps’. They suggested prehistoric graves beneath, such as you find all around Stonehenge, back in England. Our road narrowed almost to a track – it even had wild grass growing down the middle. We were delighted to come across a roadside stop, which proved to be more than a café – it had rooms for hire, and Graham learned while sharing a very good coffee with a guest, that these are taken by hunters.
‘The woods are full of boar and some deer, as well as smaller animals,’ he was told, as they admired an eagle soaring overhead, and – ‘Not so long ago there were bandit tribes in those forests, who would come down and raid the homesteads on the plains.’
TWO MINOR DISAPPOINTMENTS
I so hoped we could stop off at Bagno di Romagno which sounded historically interesting; but it was at the start of the day’s journey, so I backed down.
The next town – Citta di Castello (City of the Castle) sounded romantic. It was a sore disappointment; 1950’s/60’smodern and drab – perhaps it was a rebuild after an earthquake. So we pushed on to Spoleto, which we had visited before, passing views of lakes and more distant mountains. By this time we were hungry and stopped at a roadside garage. I remember we bought ciabattas at the pasticceria attached to the place. Across a field was an old farmhouse that is so typical of Umbria that Graham took a photo.
SPOLETO
We had a little walk around Spoleto. (I remember re-visiting the smallish Roman amphitheatre, next to a very attractive old building), but this time it wasn’t open so we had to peer through the railings.
It is a pretty town – on a rise, but not what you could call a real hilltop, like so many others in Italy.
We by-passed Terni, which we well-remembered for its charms, and had to content ourselves with distant views of Rieti, perched on a hill deep amongst green-clad mountains. You can’t stop everywhere! (Though I’d love to – I’m insatiable, when it comes to travelling).
PRESSING ON:
By then, we wanted to press on with our journey. L’Aquila would be our last stop before Grottole. To save money we booked rooms in a farmhouse there for the next seven weeks. Here Graham could research for his next novel, set in nearby Matera.
HAD WE COME TO THE WRONG ADDRESS?
We were baffled at first to find our B&B address was an apartment block, and we ‘shared’ a flat with unseen guests in another room. It was evidently using an empty new build after the devastating earthquake in 2009. There was great language confusion at first, but Rosina, our hostess, showed endless patience and good humour.
A GREAT WELCOME – GREAT b&b
The room was charming; very clean, with a large, comfortable bed. Great shower, and 3 good-sized towels each, nice toiletries – and we were asked what we wanted for breakfast! Italians don’t ‘do’ breakfast, so she had amassed a great selection of homemade cakes and breads for us. We had enjoyed a great meal the previous evening at a Trattoria she’d recommended just down the road: but only after Graham took a million pictures of the spectacular sunset over the mountains.
http://www.aquariumbnb.altervista.org/
Off the next morning to start the next chapter, and main purpose in our big adventure:
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
Thanks to Google maps – All other images have been taken by Graham using an Olympus VR-370.
