Deruta & Orvieto

Our first stop today was a family-owned pottery shop in Deruta. Everything was so beautiful I wanted to buy it all.

 

 

 

 

 

Next we went to a family-run winery, Tenuta Le Velette, for a tasting and lunch.

 

 

Before the tasting we were shown the ancient caves beneath the estate. First excavated by the Etruscans and later expanded by Franciscan monks, there is a large network of caves accessed by a narrow set of stairs in the old kitchen. There are still stacks of wine bottles in niches along the tunnel.

 

 

 

 

Those things hanging down from the ceiling are roots from a tree growing above the caves.

 

A lovely lunch was set out for us with dishes paired with each of the four wines we tasted, two whites, a red, and a desert wine.

 

 

The view of Orvieto from the estate was excellent.

 

 

After checking into our hotel in Orvieto, we explored the cathedral. WOW!

 

 

 

 

 

The inside was pretty impressive too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These next pictures are from Luca Signorelli’s lavishly frescoed Chapel of San Brizio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Assisi

Today we visited Assisi, the hometown of St Francis. The old town is on the top of the hill and the newer areas are below it.

 

 

We first stopped at Santa Maria degli Angeli church in the newer part of town.

 

 

Then went up to the old town.

 

 

 

 

We toured the Basilica of St Francis but unfortunately no photographs were allowed inside. So here are some exterior shots that I took. The interior shots are from post cards.

 

 

 

Here are the post cards.

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite scene. The guide said there are many paintings of the Last Supper but this is the only one that shows the cleanup crew (look in the lower left hand corner).

 

 

We spent the late afternoon with a local farmer, Sergio, and his specially-trained dog, Rocko, hunting for one of the area's specialties: the truffle.

 

 

Truffles form symbiotic relationships with the roots of several tree species including birch, poplar, oak, and beech trees. 30 years ago Sergio planted trees whose roots had been innoculated with the truffle spores. Rocko has been in training for 18 months to find them. When he smells one he starts to dig it up. Sergio has to get to the truffle before Rocko eats it.

 

 

Members of our group kept an eye on Rocko's progress.

 

 

He is very good at his job.

 

 

We all returned to Sergio's house where his wife, Eva, and two friends made a multi-dish meal for us featuring the truffles. Afterward they entertained us with a few rousing Italian songs.

 

 

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Montone

Our hotel today is in the hill town of Montone in the Umbria region.

 

 

We were lucky enough to get the room with the balcony in the upper left of the photo.

This is a picture of the hotel courtyard from above.

 

 

These are some photos from around the town of Montone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the roof of a well.

 

 

And these are cute chimney covers as seen from our room.

 

 

This is one of the views from the town.

 

 

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