Russ and Jan's World Cruise: Thursday, April 27, 2023

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Thursday, April 27 - Italy

We are docked in Civitavecchia, Italy. It is the closest port to Rome. Viking’s included tour is a drive around of Rome. We spent a week in 2005 in Rome staying not far from the Coliseum. While we were there, we did a pretty good job of seeing many of the highlights of Rome. So we decided to do something other than Rome today. We’ve joined with two other couples and will be going to 2 villages out in the countryside. One of the other couples made the arrangements, we are pleased to be tagging along.

We are off the ship just after the ship was cleared by local authorities. Our driver is waiting for us with his black Mercedes van. We will be going to Civita di Bagnoregio. Population 11. The city is about 2,500 years old, and is slowly disintegrating. It sits atop a rock outcropping. The only way into the town is via a bridge that was built in 1995. There is a 5€ toll. From the nearby town (also named Bagnoregio) you climb down to the base of the bridge and then using the bridge climb up to the village. The buildings are medieval in construction. We wandered around for a while, had a cup of coffee and then reversed the climb. Getting back to the modern town was harder than getting to the medieval town.

That is going to be some walk.

From the toll booth.

Main gate

Lovely wysteria

It was a lucky thing that we came here first. As we were leaving, there were several hundred kids heading for the medieval town.

Our driver met us and we headed off to our next destination. The countryside is quite pretty right now. Everything is green and lots of flowers blooming. The rapeseed fields are brilliant yellow. Hazelnut orchards, vineyards, olives, and wheat.

Roman aquaduct

Olives

Vineyard

Rapeseed

We arrive in Orvieto, another medieval city. The key feature of this town is it’s duomo or cathedral. It was a WOW! Construction was begun in late 1290 and took almost 3 centuries to be completed. The popes moved to Orvieto from Rome in the mid 12^th century and were centered here until they moved to Avignon, France in 1309. The exterior of the cathedral is amazing. The interior is too! And they have a lovely organ. Someone was giving an organ concert as we were exploring the interior. Beautiful!

This was the view as we stepped out of the car.

Whoa

Then around the corner and you can hardly believe what you are seeing.

So much detail

Inside - light and airy

Beautiful stained glass mixed with panes of onyx

Every capital was different

The altar

Gorgeous organ

The rose window

Just one of the panels on the front exterior

Our view from our lunch spot

The sun had shifted by the time we were ready to leave and highlights all the gold on the front.

The 3 couples reconvened outside and decided it was time for lunch. Our driver had recommended Cantina Foresi to us, and it is right on the square facing the cathedral. We were given kind of a picnic. An excellent white wine, bread with pate, bread with olive oil, (the olive oil was really tasty) a plate of several types of meat, a plate of porchetta, a plate of pecorino cheese, and a mixed salad. It was perfect and required a second bottle of wine. In fact, we bought a bottle of the wine to share with friends on the ship. We were all happy campers and headed off to explore more of the town. Lots of little shops with many featuring beautiful ceramics.

A lovely dry white wine

Russ found a freind to sit with.

As we headed back to the square to meet our driver, we all stopped for some excellent gelato. The perfect treat to compliment our lunch.

A nice drive back through the countryside, returning to our ship a little before 5:00 p.m. An excellent day. We saw something different and was at a pace that was quite relaxing. No hustle bustle.