Groppodalosio to Filattiera 8/28/23

 

By this time of day, it should be a good afternoon to you all!

Looking out my window before the big storm began.  So, for the first time in all my hiking years (30+), I did not hike due to the weather.  I have hiked many times in rain, even pouring rain, but I do not hike in thunder, and lightning except like yesterday when I got caught in it.  Even that hat has been extremely rare. And it stormed today, big booming thunder and impressive lightning bolts.  And it poured - cats and dogs. This went on all day.  So I went with the luggage and spent the day in a hotel room.  Luckily, the kind people in today's hotel gave me access to my room at 9:00 a.m.

There is always a silver lining to every cloud. Late this afternoon,  I was tired of being couped up, so I got my umbrella out and fought the rain for a short block to a local bar.  There was a group of about eight older gentlemen playing cards.  I sat over in another section of the bar with my glass of sparkling wine, reading my iPad.  They sent me another glass of wine and tried for a second.  They were so funny and nice.  Ever so gentlemanly. As I left, they wished me a good journey.  Thank you, Italy, for making an old broad feel like a young chick! And in such a nice way.

Sometimes, when the server comes to my table, and I am still trying to figure out what the Italian words mean, I just point to something, and wonder what the hell I just ordered.  It paid off in spades tonight.  This was Tris de Testaroli Lunagianesi serveti con olio pesto e sugo di funghi porcini or Lunagiani's pasta with oil, pesto (local sauce made with basil, pinenuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan) and porcini mushroom sauce. I wasn't expecting pasta to look like this.  The only way I can describe the pasta was like a less spongy buckwheat pancake.  It was amazing.  Even though the pesto looked like the after-effect of the cat eating grass, it was scrumptious. I could order this seven nights in a row and never get tired of it. And this was just the first course.  As usual, I skipped the main course.

I did get an ensalata mixto, which is just a side item. And in Italy, it is always served after the main course.

I can't get enough of this lemon sorbetto.  Just the right amount of tang.

I am on hold for tomorrow's hike.  I am just going to wait until morning to see if I get to walk.  Say a prayer.  So, even with stormy weather, I hope your day is half as wonderful as mine!