Italy 2019 - Spoleto

So the trip from Sulmona to Spoleto was a beast. We want to head through the gorge to Scanno and make our way around and up through Abruzzo National Park north again and catch the main road to Spoleto….beautiful drive and scenery but narrow and windy…we are doing it on the weekend which means that every aggressive young, testosterone jacked car/motorcycle grand prix wannabe is out there and all the safe driving skill in the the world won’t guarantee your safety….all I can say is never again - - I thought that Linda was going to knock herself out with her knee (her knee lifts when she thinks we are gonna get hit)……I think I lost 10 pounds!……but somehow, we arrived safely and headed out to do our laundry then do some sightseeing…..Spoleto is wonderful and the combination of sun, architecture, wine and relaxation takes over quickly…..highlight of our walks was an afternoon gathering near the hotel where we wound up chatting with these very elderly fellows out with their dogs…..Linda was able to convince them that she understood their every word and they were quite sure that this was the case…..maybe knowing the language is not so important…..ahhh! the power of an empathetic smile!!…viva Italia and viva Linda!

saw these guys enroute - crossing the road.....

strange thing was that they crossed then went into a straight line on the other side - no human, dog or other herder...pretty interesting! 

church in the gorge - small because the congregation has a lot of vehicle accidents getting there!!

this would be the little puttputt that is getting us around....

Spoleto Rocca in the distance on the hill...

Spoleto Duomo in the background as we head up to the Rocca (fortress)....

this aqueduct is pretty amazing - several hundred feet tall....

the Rocca is where the city and church are defended....

Linda heads out to a vantage point which also makes a pretty sweet view point....

here come the guards!!

I'm here for the view.....but go ahead and frisk me Commandante!

I would suck at guarding - too busy enjoying the view!

Spoleto Cathedral is definitely beautiful.....

every where you look, there are examples of medieval architecture in pristine condition.....

and inside these incredible structures????....you might ask!

I mean this is under restoration!!

stairs down from the cathedral......

little house on the way.....

believe it or not - this is the view from our balcony at the hotel....

next to this promenade lies a park where Linda charmed this old Italian gentleman so beautifully!!...lots of good human stuff happening.....he had a border collie....so great and attentive (and on a leash).....

that's the look of a man in a piazza waiting for good amatricanna pasta!!

Boom!!!! ok, the Valpolicella is also kicking in!!

typical passageway between piazzas or roads and piazzas or roads.....

ok....I must be here....

less typical Italian town amphitheater........they come in all sizes......

some random house on the walk home from supper......