First of all, Orvieto is weird. It is a hill town, and the train station (and the rest of civilization) is at the bottom of a hill. So they have a very cool Funiculare opposite the train station to drag you up the hill. I have riden the one in Quebec City, so this isn't new, but it's cool. Except yesterday it was broken when I arrived. So they sent one of the little inter-city shuttle buses to drive people up there. About a million of us crammed into this thing - about three paternity suits will follow due to the crowding - and we're swinging around switchbacks like tarzan on wheels.
Then, I've noticed this place near my hotel...
I'm not sure what it means. Closest I can guess is "Here We Wear Pasta."
Then, there's the hotel. It's not bad, but the bathroom is a disaster. I've never stayed at a hotel where I couldn't pour a glass of water before, but the water coming out of the sink was warm. It would not run cold no matter how long I ran the tap (yes, I tried changing to what I thought was hot - and it was).
So imagine my surprise this morning when the shower was freezing - and I DO mean freezing. I can stand a cool shower, but this was so cold that I skipped hair conditioner.
The shower itself is the smallest I have ever seen - about 2 feet square, with these awful folded sliding doors that don't. It was so small that I had to leave the doors open, otherwise I couldn't get my arms up to soap myself. See???
Then I had to dry my hair. The gizmo below is an alleged hair dryer. It blows about 4 mighty watts, and you have to hold it by the little nozzle above the hose. When it finally heats up, you burn yourself every time you brush against the hose. I gave up on my hair and pretended I was homeless. And I note that I did not get my bottom pinched once today.
So. Today I was off to Bagnoregio and Civita, two hill towns, by bus at 8 am. The weather looked nice when I started out, but a half hour later when we pulled in to Bagnoregio, it was overcast.
Now, you have to walk through Bagnoregio to a bridge and, as I had read, WALK across to Civita or use a mule. So you can imagine my delight when I saw this sign, since it had started raining like hell.
I had already walked quite a ways in, and it was getting steep. Cars had been passing me, so I figured that they were also driving over there. (I also noticed that my neighbour Jalynn's very agressive Silver Lace Vine has made its way across the Atlantic.)
So, I waited under an umbrella for the bus. When he came by, I stood at the side of the road with my hands together, pleading for him to pick me up. Which he did. I bought my ticket and sat down, and the 4 yentas on the bus gave me the fish eye. The driver backed out, turned around and drove off the way he came. AWAY from Civita.
Now, it was important for them to think I knew what I was doing. So I sat there, proud of the fact that for 70 cents, I was sitting down out of the rain. When he got to the parking lot where I had arrived from Orvieto, he tried to convince me that I needed to get out. I explained that I was going to Civita. He managed to convey that I HAD been at Civita.
Turns out, if I had walked another 25 feet around the corner, I would have seen this...
So he drove me back, and by then it had stopped raining.
Ta Daaaaa!
So the trudging began. And it was over in about 5 minutes - it's not as bad a walk as it looks like.
Except it started to rain again half way over. And my coat isn't quite waterproof.
It's a great view, but it would have been nice to get a drive over in the rain.
Then, just as I got to the top, this little fucker showed up.
Ah, well, it was a pretty town. Eventually the skies cleared.
When I was nearly all the way back, I spotted this critter feeding. Malingering bitch!
Bagnoregio also has its charms.
I'm drying out, and treating my cold with lemon. Gelato (duh!)
On to Siena tomorrow. Ciao!
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