Excellent Eggi

In the past two days I visited three spots in Umbria. Spoleto, that has been my hometown for ten years and that I was more or less forced to give up. When I was there, I used to have a fixed routine, starting with the Arco di Druso followed by a coffee at the Piazza del Mercato to chat with the owner, whom I still called `signore` and the formal `lei` even after ten years, while he, undisturbedly, called me `tu.` The Italians have their own opinion about how things should be and it only seemed right this way. After my coffee I used t head for the Duomo with a pause for visitiing the SS paolo e Pietro to admire the splendid fresco´s. I am not going to write anything about the Duomo for each book and every blogger has been going on and on about every detail of it. But don´t leave it for that would be a crime against culture.

After the Duomo I mostly walked the Ponte delle Torri and visited the Rocca Albornoz, or I went straight to the downhill street to visit the nice shops and think what a difference a lot of money could make. Then I used to walk back up to end (all wheezy) at the Angolo Anticho where the owner, Paolo, prepares a wild boar dish that gives the word `divino` a complete different sound.

I hadn´t been in Spoleto for three years and the first disappointment struck me immediately: my coffeebar was gone and the windows were covered with old newspapers. The SS Paolo e Pietro was closed and on my way to the Duomo, the newspapers became familiar. Thank God the Duomo was just the Duomo and beautiful as ever. Unfortunately, the road downhill had only more paperwork than shops to offer. I can only hope they´ve found a better location.

A little frustrated I had lunch at Ristorante Canasta near the Amphiteatre. The lunch was great, by the way.

I have to add that I was feeling a bit poorly, so maybe that affected my impression.

The next day I went to Spello – Splendidissima Colonia Julia and luckily, it still is. It was the Festa dell´ Infiorata on the occasion of Sacrament Sunday and the Procession of Corpus Domini. Also the houses were decorated with flowers, for there was a contest about the nicest balcony, window or `angolo.` From my point of view: there were a lot of competitors.

A good counterpart for the previous day.

My next stop was Eggi. I always considered it a hamlet situated at the beginning of the road to the Valnerina and I passed by a million times without a second thought, because, well, who ever visites Eggi? I did.

I am not a city girl but after Eggi, there´s no hope left I will ever become one. Eggi is a picturesque little village with small, steep alleys, a beautiful church with frescos inside and the remains of an old wall. Against that wall, the – each one off them very nice – inhabitants made lovely spots with fruit trees, vegetables and herbs.

Even the cats in Eggi were all friendly which is always a sign that life is good.

So again.... I am forever lost in the Umbrian countryside...