Cousin count = 30
So remember yesterday when I mentioned the “journey” versus the “destination” and that my afternoon would most likely be an adventure because I would be with Antonio – well I was correct. The afternoon and evening created great memories of this trip.
We left around 3 p.m. and would be traveling up into the mountains to “Monte Sacro o Gelbison” – Mount Gelbison or Sacred Mountain. I was amazed at how far “up” we would be traveling. In the first picture you can barely see the cross at the top of the mountain (about dead center in the picture). I also zoomed in.
The journey up the mountain was beautiful. It got colder as we drove up which was a wonderful relief as the heat was pretty oppressive at sea level (high 90’s with high humidity). Once at the top we still had to walk up to the very top. The view was great but it was cloudy so I really couldn’t appreciate it totally.
The forest is beautiful as we drove through it. We spent just a short amount of time at the top, due to the clouds then started our journey down. So far a pretty normal outing with Antonio but I knew it wouldn’t stay that way and I was right. As we journeyed down the mountain there in the middle of the road is a cow having lunch. A few feet farther up were two more cows (notice the cow bells).
I was a bit concerned that these cows might be lost (ok you know I am a softy for animals). Right after the cows Antonio takes a hard right on a side path (I won’t call it a road as it sure didn’t look like a road. I thought he was going to see if we could find where the cows belonged (ok, very naïve thought) – yea – I was wrong. We kept driving down this path for some time and just when I thought he lost the transmission in his car we stopped. He gets out of the car and starts to walk. I find out we are looking for some fountain. There are natural springs all throughout the forest and Antonio remembers a fountain. Well we walk, walk and walk some more and no fountain. By now we have walked for 10 minutes at least. We see another couple and ask about the fountain – they don’t know – so we keep walking. You get the picture I am sure – at least 15 minutes into the walk we FINALLY find the fountain. THIS is what we were looking for!!! It was a great laugh.
I will say the walk was beautiful. The forests are peaceful and beautiful.
So we finally get back to the car and return to the main road to complete our journey back home but the adventure is not complete yet. As we are on the main roads back to Caselvelino all of a sudden Antonio drives across the middle line and almost runs over a man walking alongside the road. He stops within inches! I then realize it is a musician friend of his I had met a few times before. Antonio jumps out of the car and gives him a big hug – his friend gets in the car (I’m thinking we are going to give him a ride home but no – we then turn around and go to a cheese shop!) Of I forgot to tell you his friend is barefoot. Even as I write this I am still not sure why he was walking along the road and why he was barefoot. Sometimes things are just too difficult to translate so I am left to wonder. We buy some cheese and then again head back home – stopping to drop off his friend at his car that is parked farther up alongside the road. (still no idea what he was doing). I do find out, from Angela, that we will be having dinner with Antonio at his country place later this evening – that explains the cheese. I also have a feeling that Antonio has invited his friend to join us for dinner as Antonio loves for him to play his music at gatherings. His friend plays quite a few old Italian folk instruments – Zampogna (Italian bagpipes), Organetto –(small accordion) and others and at times dresses in traditional Italian folk costumes.
Well, as if the day hadn’t already provided enough surprises – later in the evening we head to Antonio’s for dinner. We will sit outside where Antonio has built an area especially for parties. As we drive up I hear the familiar music of his friend playing the Zampogna. We have a wonderful dinner, with homemade wine (some of the best I have had so far) and then of course we have to have music and, as I expect, I have to participate. Check out the photos and the short video. I am playing the Triccaballacca. Antonio is not a musician (he can’t keep the beat) but he loves life and does everything with passion. It is infectious!
An amazing day as I expected it would be. I need today just to recuperate – but wait - the soccer match (Euro finals) is tonight!! Mamma mia!
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