Sunday we decided to go with Susan and Gary somewhere. Susan sent an email to check out a town called Monterchi as they had passed it on their way to Abruzzo. I did some research and found a little restaurant that got some nice ink called Trattoria al Travato.

Sunday November 2 was a gorgeous day. Hard to believe it was November. We found the town only about 30 minutes from Umbertide. It is a small hilltop town, but a kind of low hilltop town. Not way, way up like most. We could actually drive right up to the top on a very tiny road. The restaurant sits in the little piazza on the very top of the hill. It is very pretty with plane trees planted all around the edges which softens it. The trees still had most of their bright yellow leaves.

There was only one restaurant and it was ours. Unfortunately we had forgotten to call so all the outside tables (yes is was nice enough to sit outside) were taken. We got seated haphazardly in the enotecca. We got a bottle of wine and chose from the small but good menu. The smells of grilling meat wafting from the kitchen were killing us. So, of course, we ordered way too much food! Still it was great.

The good news was, after the pasta course we got seated outside. So nice. We got two plates of bruschetta to share, we all got house made pastas and all were excellent. And we all got the grilled veal. Superb. It was a very nice lunch.

After lunch we wandered over and found a lovely little jewelry store owned by a very nice young couple. He was a very skilled gold/silversmith. Susan and I bought bracelets. They told a tale that is repeated all over Italy. They want to immigrate to Australia mainly because there is no opportunity for their children in Italy. Very sad to have to move away from all you know, all your family because Italy crushes the small business and families.

We walked up to the bell tower and the ramparts with lovely views.

I laid low all Monday with a cold. It was an odd cold. Came on very suddenly during the night with a searingly sore throat and quickly moved into the sinus and nasal passages. I was stuffed up all day Monday but by bedtime I was no longer stuffed up and got a good night sleep and felt fine today. How weird is that?!

So we proceeded with the plan to go to Orvieto to visit a winery and have lunch. We bought a couple of cases from the winery called Decugnano Dei Barbi. We drove to Orvieto – always a sight up on its tuffa cliffs. The elevators and escalators had no power today! Just our luck. So we hoofed it up about 8 stories. We wandered around town, stopping to get reservations at Il Palomba for lunch. We enjoyed window shopping and stopping in the wine shops and then headed to lunch.

We have been to Il Palomba once before with the Gang o Six (sister, husband, 2 friends and us). I remember it being popular but today they must have turned away as many people as got tables. It was as good as I remembered. We had pastas and secondi. Luther got the lamb and I got the filet with green peppercorn sauce. Both were excellent. Here is a picture of the filet.

For a wine Luther chose Gatto Gatto which means Cat Cat because we have two cats. It was a very nice Orvieto wine.

Also a miracle happened today. when I opened my computer to download my pictures it asked me if I wanted to update my software. I thought a second and then I realized I must be connected to the internet! Sure enough ZyXEL (wifi name) is BACK! Who knows why but I took advantage of it to update the blog with out Luther’s help with the pictures. Who knows how long it will last!?