Thursday, March 27, 2025
When we are away for two or three weeks, it’s quite easy to label each post as day one or two, etc. Not in this case! Writing day 59 would seem a bit odd. 
And as I am feeling my way into this, they’re probably won’t be daily updates once things fall into a groove. I’m sure most people aren’t interested in what we might be eating for breakfast every day!
That said, these first few days and probably weeks will be loaded with adjustments and adventure, and that is what we enjoy sharing and appreciate so much the honor of having readers along.
So… Thursday was really our first full wake up to go to bed day, and the jet lag was still present, but not in a huge way. The weather had turned from brilliant sun and exquisite blue skies to overcast with rain. And it was really quite all right. There is just something so wonderful and romantic and mysterious about an ancient city glistening with gentle rain. But we still needed caffiene and found it at the really cute nearby bar.
We had business to take care of, first being finding out how to procure a parking permit for the garage just outside the old city. The general rate is €12 a day, and obviously that could add up very painfully. They offer a monthly permit for only 20 €… Sold!!! It took a drive to the train station, a brief conversation at the wrong window where the kind gentleman guided us to the right office, filling out a very confusing paper, and getting our license plate number entered into the system for easy in and out. It was a good little introduction to the many stories we’ve read of Americans making a move here who deal with literally mountains of impossibly hard to decipher paperwork and bureaucracy. 
Next stop was the modern grocery store called Conad. They really are delightful and the produce, meat, bread, and wine selection always leaves me gasping with delight. While many things here are much more expensive such as gas and power, groceries tend to be much less expensive. We were able to find a few of the household needs on our list, but it’s interesting how many things have to be bought in a specialty store. Anything such as Tylenol or an antihistamine… Find a pharmacy. They do carry a very basic amount of make up, but for the full selection get thee to a Profumeria. I had hoped to find a basic shower curtain since our shower is one of the two sided sort, but no joy on that. I started thinking that most Italian showers either are enclosed or wide open, and a shower curtain might be a rare thing. I already have some ideas of turning a plastic tablecloth Into something usable!
We got our haul back to the apartment, unloaded and set up, then walked around until we saw a restaurant that looked inviting for lunch. Obviously, we are not going to be eating out every single day for lunch and dinner, but for a while, this will be our routine. I am looking forward to hitting the stalls on market day for the fresh produce that is worthy of starring in a fresco, finding where the best butcher is here in town, and cooking in our cozy little kitchen. Oh, and I am going to have to find a small lamp to add to the kitchen. A dimly lit sink and countertop will just not suffice says spoiled me.
We decided taking a nap was reasonable, and it was a good idea. I’m finding as I get older that naps can be your friend sometimes.
Afterwards, we decided to explore the city a bit more and get our inner compasses more aligned. The beauty and complexity of this Italian town amazes us. There are practically as many beautiful towns and villages in this country as there are stars in the sky, but some just seem to bring a meaningful connection more than others. At the moment, we do feel that here and anticipate we will feel it even more as we are packing our bags to leave in June.
Oh my gosh. Dinner was “strepitosa”! So good! We shared the giant tortellone featuring 3 fillings, as well as the stewed cinghiale (wild boar). Washed down with a red from Montefalco – perfect! The owner and waiter were incredibly nice. We’ll return for sure.