Day 10

We left Orvieto knowing there was much more we could have seen and, to that extent, I felt a little melancholic; however, it was time to head back to Rome and, the next day, fly home. In the morning we walked around Orvieto some more but as it was Monday the museums were closed. I had especially wanted to see the Etruscan art that had been discovered, sometimes accidentally by homeowners whose floors had collapsed into the caves below. Instead, we bought a few things, took a few more pictures and had lunch at the bed & breakfast where we’d stayed.

We had bruschetti that was excellent followed by the best minestrone soup I have ever eaten. It was so good we took pictures of us eating it. Afterwards, full and warm in the belly, we took the afternoon train to Rome.

In the evening we walked around the Trestevere section of Rome, going in and out of shops, looking for last minute presents and generally wandering around. One shop keeper, in response to our question, directed us to the da Oliveria ristorante for supper. On a whim in this charming little ristorante on the edge of the Ponte Sisto, we decided to have, in addition to salad and mixed bruschetti, the roast suckling pig. What we got was a knuckle, with little meat and a lot of gristle. The meal was well-prepared and presented but…. While finishing the chocolate ice cream torte and our glasses of wine, it started raining. It was certainly not a glorious ending to an otherwise, really good though strange kind of meal

Dodging rain falling in torrents from terracotta rooftops and puddles formed on cobblestone streets, we made our way back to the hotel and asked for a six a.m. wake up.

Now, sitting in an airplane nine hours later, with one more hour to go before we land in New York, the vacation is sliding into a memory. We’re now talking about the last hour getting to Boston, then the cab ride home and returning to work. There’s the dog to be gotten, the cats to pick up, food to be purchased. Life returns to normal.

I like traveling. It has its ups and downs but, all in all, being on the road is a nice place to be.