Santa Lucia and A Very Old Goat
Oct. 3rd, 2010 03:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mythicalgirlOur second full day in Italy was just as sunny and splendid as the first. We were truly blessed with fabulous weather - after Saturday it didn't rain again until Friday evening! Monday was a quiet day with no major trips planned so we decided to explore the surrounding area. C- took Dad and I on a walk around Santa Lucia and the surrounding countryside. We ended up making a big circle that took us to the local cemetery, the orchard, on a path just off the train tracks, and back through Budoia and finally home. The weather was lovely and there were no bugs to speak of, which made for a wonderful walk.
Our first stop was the local cemetery. I'm sure taking pictures was rude to the dead and their families but I did it anyway. I love the crypts and tombs, the sculpture, the pictures of the deceased, the flowers. It was a very peaceful place with a real sense of history. And little lizards running all over the place.
I especially liked this one:
From the cemetery we continued further our of town to the local orchard where we found row after row of apple trees, grape vines and one very old goat. C- wasn't able to tell us his name but he was happy to see us. It looked like some people had tossed apples in for him but poor thing is so old he's lost most of his teeth so he wasn't able to eat them. We hadn't brought any food but that didn't seem to bother him - he was still happy to see us and very friendly. And look at those horns!
And these grapes! We arrived right as the grape harvest was starting so most of the vines were heavy with grapes the first few days we were there. As the week progressed I saw fewer and fewer grapes waiting to be harvested.
From the orchard we made a wide circle around the east side of town to end up to the north. From there we walked home through Budoia and Santa Lucia. While we didn't pass many people those we did were friendly, saying buongiorno. The afternoon was spent hanging around the kitchen at home, fixing lunch and talking. When T- got home from work we went back out for a hike up into hills and through the woods.
After a brief walk through Santa Lucia we were at the base of steep hill. We hiked up the path and I am happy to say I made it up! At the top is the local church whose bells started chiming while we were up there. It was very loud! After that was another, steeper hill. At this point I wasn't so sure about this hiking idea. Still I made it up without falling down or stepping on any of the orange slugs that were all over the place. I wish I'd gotten a picture of one but I was trying too hard to breathe. Hiking and sinus infections make for no air! Eventually the trail evened out and we started a nice walk through the woods, heading into a vally. It was really lovely and amazingly few bugs. I expected to be eaten alive by mosquitoes but nothing bothered me. Eventually we made it to the base of the valley where we found our bridge had been washed out by the recent rains. We crossed although I will freely admit that I was terrified to do so. The bridge was at a sharp angle and all I could think of was that one of my knees was going to give out or an ankle was going to snap. Luckily I made it across - and then soon made it back across as we had to turn around and go back as it was too muddy to continue. After that when we came to a fork and had to decide if we went back on the trail or through town I made the call of going through town. My legs were tired and I was ready for relatively flat pavement. It was lovely back in the woods and I'm proud of myself for doing it. It is a real testament to how hard I've worked at the gym that I was able to do the hike without my legs hurting or having major problems with my knees.
The washout:
Back in the woods:
After the walk we had a nice dinner then Dad, C- and I packed our overnight bags and prepared to spend the next couple of days in Venice!
Our first stop was the local cemetery. I'm sure taking pictures was rude to the dead and their families but I did it anyway. I love the crypts and tombs, the sculpture, the pictures of the deceased, the flowers. It was a very peaceful place with a real sense of history. And little lizards running all over the place.
I especially liked this one:
From the cemetery we continued further our of town to the local orchard where we found row after row of apple trees, grape vines and one very old goat. C- wasn't able to tell us his name but he was happy to see us. It looked like some people had tossed apples in for him but poor thing is so old he's lost most of his teeth so he wasn't able to eat them. We hadn't brought any food but that didn't seem to bother him - he was still happy to see us and very friendly. And look at those horns!
And these grapes! We arrived right as the grape harvest was starting so most of the vines were heavy with grapes the first few days we were there. As the week progressed I saw fewer and fewer grapes waiting to be harvested.
From the orchard we made a wide circle around the east side of town to end up to the north. From there we walked home through Budoia and Santa Lucia. While we didn't pass many people those we did were friendly, saying buongiorno. The afternoon was spent hanging around the kitchen at home, fixing lunch and talking. When T- got home from work we went back out for a hike up into hills and through the woods.
After a brief walk through Santa Lucia we were at the base of steep hill. We hiked up the path and I am happy to say I made it up! At the top is the local church whose bells started chiming while we were up there. It was very loud! After that was another, steeper hill. At this point I wasn't so sure about this hiking idea. Still I made it up without falling down or stepping on any of the orange slugs that were all over the place. I wish I'd gotten a picture of one but I was trying too hard to breathe. Hiking and sinus infections make for no air! Eventually the trail evened out and we started a nice walk through the woods, heading into a vally. It was really lovely and amazingly few bugs. I expected to be eaten alive by mosquitoes but nothing bothered me. Eventually we made it to the base of the valley where we found our bridge had been washed out by the recent rains. We crossed although I will freely admit that I was terrified to do so. The bridge was at a sharp angle and all I could think of was that one of my knees was going to give out or an ankle was going to snap. Luckily I made it across - and then soon made it back across as we had to turn around and go back as it was too muddy to continue. After that when we came to a fork and had to decide if we went back on the trail or through town I made the call of going through town. My legs were tired and I was ready for relatively flat pavement. It was lovely back in the woods and I'm proud of myself for doing it. It is a real testament to how hard I've worked at the gym that I was able to do the hike without my legs hurting or having major problems with my knees.
The washout:
Back in the woods:
After the walk we had a nice dinner then Dad, C- and I packed our overnight bags and prepared to spend the next couple of days in Venice!
