Family Time in Umbria

Extended land travel when you live on a boat is not as easy as locking a condo door.  We have to find a weather safe, secure and reasonably priced marina for Milly.  And then prepare her for an absence of TLC for however long our trip.  Prep increases with length of travel.  No matter how long the trip lines securing her and fenders buffering her topsides need to be just right for tide, currents, swell and winds from any direction.  It's helpful to be at the dock for a few days prior to departure to study her movement through at least a 24 hour period with, hopefully, a variety of wind directions.  So apart from when we're in a marina anyway for Mediterranean winters, we have not opted for overnight land travel.  There's so much to see that does not require it, that there is really no need.

However, a family reunion was arranged in Umbria, Italy.  And who can resist a special holiday with ones we love in a beautiful location!  We were already tied up in an unreasonably priced but secure and safe marina in Athens to see Tom's regatta which made the timing easy.  Off we went to Rome - by air.  And then to a villa on an Umbrian hilltop surrounded by lush, green hills - which got greener as the week went by due to an almost continuous drizzle.

The rear of the villa with five bedrooms and plenty of sitting places was perfect.  On a dirt lane, overlooking green rolling hills patchworked with fields and woods.

Old farmhouse converted to villa from the front.  

And then there was the infinity pool and pool house, a new addition to the property last year.  And the stereotypical cyprus.

Cocktails poolside the first evening when it was warm and sunny - the only poolside cocktails we had.

The "annex" with the 6th bedroom etc.  Very lovely!

Tom and Mikaela among the daisies, broom and iris on the side lawn.  Mikaela with daisy chain in hand.

It was so wonderful to spend relaxed time with my darling daughter.

Oops, more bubbly.

Our last evening when the sun appeared.  

Three cars allowed everyone to do what they wished during the day, whether touring, walking, hiking the nearby mountain or relaxing at the villa.  Evenings were spent being absolutely spoiled by a chef who made lovely four course meals with copious wine, having done all the shopping and cleaning up the detritus left behind.

The nearest hilltop town square, Chiusi.  Not so nice modern development at the bottom of the hill but sweet, small old town on the hill top....

....with the usual green view.

A Italian deli equivalent full of everything wild boar plus other delicacies in Orvieto, a lovely hilltop town.  Gid and Em charmed the gentleman at the counter to feed us plenty of tastes.  And then they purchased.

A special utensil that was pushed into the centre of this guy's homemade goat cheese to give us a taste.  

Mimi looking happy despite the boar looking over her shoulder!

Spying the Orvieto cathedral through the damp, narrow street.  

And then entering the square where it towers.  The front is painted with frescoes like we'd never seen before on the outside of a cathedral as well as intricate and incredibly detailed carvings between the doors.  Much more pleasing than the zebra-striped remainder of the building.  

The well at Orvieto on the edge of the hilltop completed in 1537 to supply water in the event of a siege. It is 53 m deep with a base diameter of 13 m.  We walked 248 steps down (and up).  Donkeys taking the water up and then returning down via two ramp double helix so they were unobstructed in both directions. Seventy windows provided light all the way down.  Remarkable! 

We didn't explore a wet Perugia very thoroughly but had a great local lunch.

Raymond and Liz window shopping.

A glorious day at Assisi with Gid, Em and Liz.

From the castle overlooking Assisi and the valley below.

Confessions are always good before marriage

And then a hike up the local mountain, Mt. Cetona, 1146m with Tom and Mikaela.  They speed walked.  Peter and I didn't.

On the way down.  Glorious view.  The top was cloud covered. 

It was a wonderful week, catching up with family, congratulating Em and Gid on their engagement, and meeting Tom's girlfriend who he bravely brought along.  A complete success.   I think everyone is hoping for another reunion sometime soon.  Where will it be?