Rubber Slippers In Italy

Castrovalva to Anversa degli Abruzzi (AQ) - Our studio rental was located in the near-deserted hamlet of Castrovalva (fans of dutch artist Escher may be familiar with his lithographic depiction ). The hamlet's proximity to Gole di Sagittario, a WWF-designated gorge and natural preserve, presented us a well-trodden loop trail which led down the mountain to a natural oasis created by the Sagittario river below, and to neighboring Anversa degli Abruzzi before circling back. The river hosts an environment which nourishes a microclimate of flora and fauna that will appeal to nature lovers and photographers -- it seemed quite like a miniature Eden in the middle of all that sheer rock cliffs and rugged mountain tops. Yellow star marks define our path. We are such map fanatics that I've taken the liberty of scanning this one to give an idea of what can be done in 3 - 3½ hours if you're in Castrovalva or Anversa. It seems a lot of people think that you can't get down to ...

Where else would you expect to dine than at the Taverna del Lupo and anyplace else that had marketing smarts to add wolf to the name of their establishment. Out of the four restaurants that we visited - two with lupo and two without - these three are worth mentioning. All are located in the center of Gubbio. *** Taverna del Lupo lives up to the hype despite a lack of photos. Tartufi / truffles unabashedly used on the menu. Left : Sfogliatina del Lupo con tartufo    Right : Frittatina gentile con lamelle di tartufo Via Ansidei 21, lunch and dinner, reservations suggested, major credit cards, closed Monday **½ Enoteca/Wine Bar “La Madia di Giuseppe” was discovered by chance when I picked up the glossy ad flyer at our hotel's front desk. This is a great “chill” place to unwind and discuss everything from the state of affairs to how Maddie will take to her new doxie brother (we are picking him up this Saturday!). Something about the casual ease of this wine bar urg...

Another couple on the road traveling in classic style. Take two winter-weary adults and a feisty westie and what do you have? Aside from three compatible road companions, you've got a setting where the urgent yen for dining and hiking prompts the travelin' trio on a sightseeing tour of Italy's central and southern regions. Since April 25th and May 1st were holidays in close proximity, we turned them into one extended week to visit Umbria, Abruzzo and Molise. With the weather being ideal spring conditions (wonderfully sunny, with just a slight nip to the air), all that was required were light pieces of clothing enabling us to layer like an onion. Packed to the gills with hiking gear, a plug-in refrigerated cooler for the goodies, and our Slow Food guidebook, we set off for the place where St. Francis befriended the big bad wolf. Focusing on the highlights for each region, I'll be covering a slew of topics within the next two weeks. Umbria is breathtakingly gorgeous...

Oh no no no, the pointy-eared canine looking over the back seat is not that particular wolf in question but in reality is what will be staring at me from the rearview mirror for much of today. I'm not at the pc as I'm taking advantage of blogger's scheduled-to-publish feature which is the most useful option yet. I find it easier to write on several subjects at one go, and with this new tool of having posts self-publish on a specific day and time, updating is suddenly, what's the word here, liberating? Chalk up another one for freedom to do other things. Like.. like... taking pictures of your dog in the car. Speaking of freedom, today's date marks the liberation of Italy from Nazi occupation and fascist rule, making it a major holiday for the whole country. This means vacation time, and we're off for some hiking, dining and wolf tavern experiences, and naturally, sagra/festa events in Umbria and Abruzzo, squeezing in time for Molise if there's a chanc...

On the trails again! Most of the hikes we've done wouldn't be as easily accessible without the convenience of a car, so I'm glad to include this one if public transport is your only means of reaching Como. The hike can be planned as an all-day itinerary which includes a return trip by boat to Como but we're saving that for another day when spring arrives. The trail actually begins in Brunate , a small town perched high above the lake, and is quickly reached by way of the Como-Brunate funicular railway within walking distance from the Como train station. Yesterday was a 60-minute walk to a small chapel located about halfway on the route. It offers a discreet view of the lake and there are several benches to sit for a spell before heading back. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy your time in this famous part of Italy. Upon arrival in Brunate (less than 10 minutes), follow the steps down to the main road and head right; it'll take about 15 minutes to get to the star...

Introbio (province of Lecco) - " ...while passing through the Troggia valley, the saint became thirsty, and like Moses, split a rock with a blow from his walking stick, causing fresh water to miraculously flow through the crevices. " Even if it's the sort of thing that spawns legend, it wasn't like I was dead set on finding the spot where San Carlo performed a miracle with a mere ka-thunk! to stone. Rather instead, it was an opportunity to experience the first part of a trail which promised a pleasant hike even in winter. This initial trek took us from Introbio to the midway point of Ponte dei Ladri (bridge of thieves) which crosses the Troggia river. The bridge is much more recognizable as the last parking area for those wanting to get a headstart on the trail to higher altitude mountain huts which are further along the way (Tavecchia, Bocca di Biandino, and Madonna della Neve). Only authorized vehicles are allowed to continue from then on. See google maps . ...

Flashback: Passo di Pertüs . Incredible to think that only two months ago when we were enjoying fall foliage, at this altitude the populated lowland views of Lecco could clearly be seen for miles around. Yet on this afternoon excursion in the snow, all that was plainly visible were clouds. Thick, poofy bunches of it! A cotton candy layer which hovered over the entire province it would seem, shielding inhabitants below from the rays of a bright winter sun. An ecomuseum in the woods I was surprised to see the trail updated with particulars in its ecomuseum. Part of this open-air museum includes structures used in the past to trap migrating birds. Rather clever I'll admit, but to get the gist of how it was done, large signboards render detail on the way these strategically positioned snares did the job. With the placement of nets among the trees, birds flying through a path were thereby easily caught without too much fuss. This horseshoe shape so aptly named ròccolo (trap) e...

To unknowing eyes these veiled peaks could easily be construed as Mystery Mountain, but speaking just for myself, the Resegone at close range is, in a word, staggering . With perfect fall weather this past Saturday, we packed 'nduja sandwiches, a couple of granola bars and set out on trail #11 which leads through Valle della Gallavessa towards the Resegone. This particular path commences at the end of the road from the secluded village of Erve (559 meters) and zigzags upwards at a steady pace, reaching the southern foot of Resegone and Rifugio Monzesi in about 2-2½ hours (1173 meters). The peak, or la vetta , reaches a height of 1875 meters (6151 feet) — we'll gladly leave that 2 hour climb to the maniacs. The trail marker labels #11 as facile (easy). Easy my butt! For goats perhaps, as the difference between beginning and end amounts to 614 meters. That's 2014 feet fyi . A cardiovascular exercise on the way up, and a real workout for the calves on the return tr...

If you look closely in the background to the left of Maddie, you'll see a rock formation with what appears to be a hole in the center. This is the Porta di Prada , the door of Prada even if it doesn't have anything to do with the elite label in italian fashion. This beautiful work of nature and many a lofty view is what makes the trek to Rifugio Bietti (and others further on) a popular itinerary for outdoor enthusiasts like us. The panorama is absolutely breathtaking at the height of 1719+ meters (5586+ feet), and although those figures may seem daunting to the unmotivated, the easy trail is acceptable for all ages and begins from an altitude of around 4715 feet. If I had to name one excursion for anyone planning a hiking vacation in the northern lakes region, this one is it. At a mere 3-3½ hours roundtrip, it's a piece of cake. We completed this hike last Sunday after a month off due to Sicily & elsewhere and let me tell you, my body hurt like HECK the next m...