Medieval Montone

We pushed our bikes out of the stone gates of Cortona with the smell of jasmine leading us out and the sound of bells ringing. We we left the obelisk and piazza Garibaldi behind us, our descent up the mountain was immediate. The climb was gradual and the shade from trees kept the temperature down. I was feeling good. The vineyards became pine forests lined with a deep purple wild lavender on the roadside. We rode in silence apart from the crazy chirping birds. Hardly or car or bike passed us. We then slowly rolled for about 15 km below to the fertile valley below. Tuscany became Umbria and grapes were replaced by corn and newly planted sunflowers. The little towns were just that ...little. Maybe a bar, a handful of houses. As we neared the town of Petrelle, Terence spotted 2 deer running across the field of baby sunflower plants. I wondered whether the farmers would be disappointed by the destruction of plants as the deers bounded through the crop. Petrelle was interesting. Our only reason for the stop was the need for a mid morning espresso. The woman who ran the bar seemed to be the only person around. She followed us in at a snail's pace with her long cigarette hanging out of her mouth. I ordered the usual - uno espresso e uno macchiato. She refused my macchiato as her cigarette remained in position, so I opted for an espresso. Her shiny hair was a wig and her small dog had ADD and couldn't stop jumping up on my legs. Her conversation was limited and she seemed to forget the word 'prego' every time we said thank you (grazie). The next biggish town was Trestina. Our road book had a discrepancy failing to highlight a busy roundabout, so we got lost and confused. We turned around and asked for directions. Back on track, we made our way through light industrial areas of Cornetto and Promano. Thankfully, this part of the ride was short and we soon tucked under the highway and started climbing the hill/mountain to  most of it was in the shade and the whiff of forest was magical. As we left the forest and the road stretched out, the sweat was dripping off my face and the dry heat of the day was in full force. It wahe midday. The views of the fertile valley and surrounding mountains was worth it. We stopped to take photos of the amazing onion crop in flower. We crouched amongst the onions and took happy snaps. The medieval town of Montone is fortified by a stone wall that surrounds the old town. It is perched at approx 500m above sea level and overlooks the green valleys of Umbria. Albergo Fabriccio is just outside the old town and is rather fancy for us. We are treated with a swimming pool. Lunch in Ristorante Del Verziere was fabulous - caprese salad (tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil), pappardelle with Ragu made from rabbit (for me) and a tagliere (I think this is what it's called. It looks like a square-ish spaghetti) with shaved truffles (for Terence). The smell of truffle wafting from Terence's dish was incredible. He was in truffle ('tartufo') heaven! After lunch, we wondered through the narrow, winding medieval streets of Montone. It is truly like stepping back in time. I sometimes feel like we are characters in a fairytale. How can this place be so? How can it be that everyday people live amongst the age old buildings. Every door looks like a secret passage. Every cobblestoned alley tells a story. Everything is quiet apart from the men who are playing an Italian card game in the main piazza. They shout and keep score. Aahhh, the simple pleasures of life ....

Leaving Montepulciano through the mountains into the valley and back up the hill to Cortona

We said our goodbye to Montepulciano as we rolled out of the stone 'porta' (door) and made our passed vineyards and olive groves. Apart from the birds chirping, there was not a sound to be heard. Where are they. My guess is that the locals are still in bed. In the valley we passed fields of wheat, corn and sunflowers. Oh how glorious this place must look when the sunflowers are in full bloom. Of all the fields we cycle by, I only spotted one yellow sunflower greeting the sun above. It was probably the first of the season. The others are perhaps 2 weeks away from showing their yellow faces. We gradually climbed out of the valley only to quickly descend to the beautiful shoreline of Lago Trasimeno (Lake Trasimeno). We ended up on a single lane dirt track skirting our way alongside the lake. I kept checking in with Terece to see if we were on the right path. It just seemed so remote. We stopped in the tiny town/ village of Borghetto to buy some bread and a tomato. The bread was rock hard and god only knows why, but they don't add salt to it so it is super bland. What's going on ...I thought I was in Italy! After Borghetto, we decided to take the extra long extension route starting in Riscovello where the Battle of Trasimeno took place in 217 BC. Hannibal's army defeated an army of Romans. I am relying on Terence for this info as the history stuff just goes over my head. From here we started to climb. I am glad that i suggested a wonder through the lovely town of Tuoro with locals in full swing - chatting in the piazza, gathering outside the pasticceria (where i enjoyed a sugared donut filled with vanilla crema pasticcera and Terence enjoyed a chocolate croissant)and catching up wih friends in the local cafes and bars. The first of 3 climbs was 6 km. The ascent was gradual but the sun was scorching. Thankfully, it is dry heat. At the end of the climb, we stopped for a picnic lunch at the top of the mountain pass in a pine forest. We had the basics - bread, tomato, pecorino cheese and prosciutto. We then rolled down the mountain taking in the beautiful views of the Castello Pierle (Pierle Castle).The obligatory espresso stop was a must in the tiny 'blink and you'll miss it' town of Mercatale. Not to a soul was to be seen. The espresso made little difference to our energy levels as we commenced our second climb. This one was supposed to be 5km but felt like more. It was merciless! I just wanted to stop but the distraction of wildflowers and cherry trees with fruit kept me going.The best part about cycling uphill is the downhill reward. The views we stunning and the rustic farmhouses dotted the mountain side. We stopped at the bottom to sample some maraschino cherries and then joined the core route map to our hotel (Hotel Italia) in Cortona. However, the hills were not finished with us for the day. We had 3 more km before reaching the hill town of Cortona. Yay, the cycling is over and we are now in Cortona. It has a lovely feel with narrow streets lined with shops and cafes. Local flags depicting the local commune (municipality) fly above doorways. We are sipping only the last of our Campari sodas before we start to wonder. The one thing I will remember most about today is the scent of jasmine. It followed us everywhere and greeted us as we arrived in Cortona among many of the smaller towns. Sweet, delicate and subtle. If only could bottle it!!!

Cycling from Montepulciano - La Foce - Bagno Vignoni - Pienza - Montepulciano

We put our detailed ' road book' to the test today. Terence was the map reader with his map startegically placed in a clear map bag on his handlebar. I was the bike computer reader and operator. This proved to be a difficult task as the bike comput has been temperamental - the magnet has been turning around the spoke and not registering any distance or the other bit attached to the frame has moved away from the magnet. Whatever malfunction is going on does not help the situation. Although we think that we may have figured it out. Despite the bike computer hiccup, the rest has been rather smooth sailing. The 'road book' has been quite easy to follow and we managed to get through day 1 without getting lost. We left Montepulciano quite early - 830 am seems to be 'early' in these parts. The sky was blue, air was dry and crisp and sun was shining. We could not have asked for better conditions. Although there is a direct route from Pienza, our road book took us off the beaten track. Soon after we set off we were riding on a gravel road. In Italy they call this 'strada bianca'. As we made our way along the gravel road towards The towns of Cassia and Contignano, we admired the fields that rolled on forever - wildflowers everywhere and windbreaks of cypress trees. It's hard to believe that you ride by castles and farm houses that have been here for almost an eternity. And the locals don't seem to blink an eye. Our first short stop was at Bagno Vignoni - natural thermal springs which is now a hydrotherapy/thermal spa retreat. A local told me that the pools were closed but we still managed to dip our feet in the warm thermal water in what looked like thermal troughs. We sat down with our feet soaking in the sulphur smelling warm water and admired the views of the valley and fortified towns in the distance. We left Bagno Vignoni and made our way to Pienza. The ride was magnificent. The road side red poppies turned into fields of dotted red. Photos cannot capture the scene, so you'll just have to believe me. Yellow canola flowers shower sections of land into what I would describe as a paintbrush that has been dipped in both yellow and green paint. Every farmhouse or agriturismo (farm stay) tells a thousand stories. They look so old and quaint and I wish that I could see what they looked like inside. The church bells are ringing upon our midday arrival in the renaissance town of Pienza - so romantic and so fantasy-like.Pienza is a UNESCO world heritage site with gorgeous cobblestone streets, salumi and pecorino cheese shops everywhere. We were overwhelmed by the smell of cheese. We have a small stash of pecorino that has been coming with us on our outings and tides us over when we are peckish. I enjoy an awesome tipico Italian lunch of panini with prosciutto, cheese and sweet tasting tomato with a macchiato and a apricot filled croissant. I asked for a ricotta filled croissant but they must have heard ' albicocca' rather than 'ricotta'. Oh well :) we chat to a German guy who is also traveling by bike. However, he is doing the hard yards! He has cycled from Germany with all his belongings in panniers. I take my hat off to him! After lunch, we wonder through the charming town, have a little look-see in the shops and take in the views of the Val d'Orcia. We have 22 Km of cycling before we are back in Montepulciano. As we get closer to 'home', we can see it perched up on the hill. It truly is stunning. I admire the old tone from the back of it and I especially love the church that sits in the valley below Montepulciano. I'll have to find out the name .... My eyes are failing me so time for me to call it a day. Tomorrow we are leaving Montepulciano for Cortona. As lame as it sounds, I am tempted to find Frances Mayes house in Cortona. I am reading her book at the moment and I'm thankful for her detailed stories of this magical place. Buona notte x

A warm up cycle to Monticchiello

I awoke this morning to the sound of turtle doves and swallows singing. The sun was shining through the open door sized window. I had to getup although the rest of the town was well and truly sleeping. We met Giacamo, a local who was instructed to introduce us to our bikes and go through the spiel. He seemed pretty casual but assured us that the cycling instructions were very easy to follow. It certainly didn't look like that when we studied them a few weeks ago. After the standard arguments of trying to set the wireless bike computer, we set off for a trial bike ride to Monticchiello. It was a bit scary when we set off as the cars just zipped by. I had to wonder whether we had made the right decision to cycle in Italy. However, as we followed the signs to Monticchiello, the roads became more remote and we were swept away by the Tuscan hills covered in a patchwork quilt of olive groves and vineyards. The area has been drenched by rain in the preceding few weeks, so the countryside is so green and the wildflowers are everywhere - pink, yellow, red, white, lilac. The dandelions are the biggest you have ever seen. Imagine all the wishes that you could make by blowing on just one of them .... Amongst the rolling hills is the odd sprinkle of farmhouse ...stone walls, gravel path lined in lavender bushes and shutters on the windows. After about 8 Km, we see Montichiello in the distance. The old town wall gives it away. We swoop down winding roads and then climb to the gorgeous 13th century medieval village in the heart of the Val d'Orcia, which origins lose themselves in the time. The town is tiny with only a handful of streets. We wonder through as quietly as possible as there is hardly a sound to be heard. A lovely old lady in a linen shop asked in Italian whether we were married. I said no, so she then suggested that we could return for a wedding in the town's church. Typical nonna ...'fancy not being married'. We stopped at the alimentari (corner store) for some bread and then started to make our way back to Montepulciano. Terence suggested that we stop at the of the hill and make our picnic lunch. We had bought a tomato, pecorino and a filetto of cured meat that looked sort of similar to prosciutto. As I focused on cutting the cured meat with the kick ass pocket knife, Terence had something else on his mind. I was about to start eating on my hard crust sandwich when a diamond ring appeared. I jumped out of my skin as was not expecting it. I was fairly sure that it would happen in Italy but my guess was Castellabate on the Cilento coast. Terence felt that it was the perfect setting and wanted to ask me whilst I was doing what I love most - exploring the world by bike. Wow, I am engaged ... feels surreal. Sadly, there is no one here to have a celebratory drink with us but nonetheless we are in our 'local' bar - Terence enjoying a beer and me enjoying rossi vino di Nobile. Sorry for the late posting - my iPad battery went flat yesterday.

Magical Montepulciano

Yesterday was another great day in Rome visiting the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Vatican Museum. The line for the Vatican Museum was fairly smooth sailing compared to memory from 15 years ago. I realize that my memories of Rome from then are very faded as the Vatican Museum and the Cistine Chspel was nothing like I remembered. Or maybe age makesbyou appreciate things more and take in the experience. The 3 highlights for us were experiencing our first stand-up coffee at a bar on Via del Corso and admiring the panoramic views of the entire city of Rome from the Garibaldi Monument. I am hooked on the concept of standing at a bar, ordering your espresso or macchiato (if you dare to have some milk!), sinking it back, standing shoulder to shoulder with a local and listening to all the passionate conversations going on. This has become our routine too ... We left Roma Trastevere this morning by train and made our way out of the city to greener pastures and fields of wild red poppies. The urban landscape soon became farmland and green rolling hills. The tall, cramped apartment buildings became farmhouses with terracotta roofs and old clay-colored rendered walls. The experience was great until the ticket lady arrived and fined us 10 € for not validating our ticket beforehand. So much for making an exception! We arrived in Chiusi and then found the bus to Montepulciano waiting outside. The bus driver seemed to take his time meandering around bends and allowing us to soak in the sheer beauty and lushness of this region. It is so picturesque and all we see is a jigsaw of various shades of green - grape vines perfectly aligned in rows, olive trees laid out in perfect symmetry, cherry trees fruiting, fig trees ready for the ripening. I love this place already!!! After a 20km gently rolling bus ride, we arrive in Montepulciano. The bus driver points up a cliff and indicates that our accommodation is up there. We enter a tunnel and find one lift after another until we get to the top. From there, we walk uphill some more. A sandstone arch lies ahead of us. It has just rained and the place had an airy mystical chill to it. As we walked through, it felt like we were stepping into a medieval fairytale. I cannot describe how breathtaking this place is. It oozes charm and everything is so charmingly old. Terence says that if won the lotto, he would buy a place here. I am not complaining! Like the author Frances Mayes, I can truly understand how her purchase of a 'holiday' home turned into home for the next 20+ years. We have walked the cobblestone streets of the old quarter and with every turn of the head, we are captivated - by the views, the architecture, the grand arched doors with brass handles that tell a story, the gorgeous boutiques, the azaleas and geraniums hanging from window sills, the local characters. It wasn't until we booked Osteria del Conte for dinner (thanks Chris Pearce for the recommendation! I have a reallly good feeling about it) that Terence remembered that it was our 2 year anniversary. Both of us forgot this morning ... doh! And what atruly memorable anniversary! As we walk down little alleys, we are blessed with the most incredible views of the valley below. It is picture perfect Tuscany. In fact, I never realized that it would be this stunning. It is clean and crisp and green, a real contrast to Rome which is grunge, dirty with an element of seediness. Don't get me wrong, I love Rome but this place is heaven. We are now sitting at a local enoteca (wine bar) passing the time and watching the day come to a close. The locals continue to enter the bar and gossip with the staff. We are the only customers so are savouring every second. We are sitting outside at the intersection of 3 narrow streets. The conversation of locals echoes and we privy to it all. Welcome to Italy where no conversation is kept quiet! Until tomorrow ...buona sera xx every second.

Roman Holiday

Relatively speaking, it was smooth sailing (or flying!) to Rome, although it was a close call in connecting with our Singapore to Rome flight. We had to run from our gate and held the plane up as we and our luggage were transferred. Rome Fiumincino airport was a bit of a loose arrangement. We were waived throughout Customs with a 'Go, Go!'. No stamp, no scan, niente!!! Leaving the airport with not a single security check seemed a little odd but nonetheless we made our way to the train station and caught our first regional train to Roma Trastevere. I had forgotten to print directions to our B&B (more like an apartment), so used directions that I had printed to lead us to 'Siciliana Connoleria' ( a store selling yummy sweet ricotta-filled Cannoli). After a short walk from the train station, we arrived at Suites Trastevere, rang the doorbell and Marco let us in indicating 'level 3'. Dragging our luggage up the marble staircase was tougher than expected so we crammed into the wrought iron cage lift with manually operated doors. We ate a second breakfast of pastries and Marco's nonna's chocolate cake and then mapped our Roman walking journey for the day. The start of our exploratory walk was at the Porta Portese flea market which sprawled for blocks and blocks. The roads are closed to allow for the market. In essence, it is stale and stalls selling mostly 'made in China' rubbish but the people seemed robe flocking. If I lived here, I would be buying the antique and mid century furniture. There was plenty on display! As we walked up Viale Trastevere, we admired the old apartment buildings with shutter-framed windows and terracotta pots filled with geraniums hanging from the window ledge. The buildings were showing signs of age but this only added character. The smell of coffee as you walk by is enough to lure you in every time. Little old Italian men sit outside with their espresso to shoot the breeze and 'passa tempo' (pass time). I found it funny that Marco advised us to catch a tram rather than walk, indicating that Romans would not be walking to the city centre. However, before we knew it, we were crossing Ponte Garibaldi (Graibaldi Bridge) to the Jewish Quarter. If you stuck to the main street (Via Arenula), you would have missed the experience. But with a right turn into Via Santa Maria di Planto, we were 'wowed' by the narrow cobblestone street, cafes and people socialising. We stopped for a quick lunch and watched as fathers tried to cope with the whinging toddlers, couples fought and others gesticulated with their hands. After 16 years since blast visit, nothing seems familiar to me. Did I visit the piazzas last time? Campo de Fiori is a lively piazza surrounded by cafes and then filled with a buzzing market in the centre. This was my favorite gathering place. The stalls were mostly produce and food including pasta of a million varieties, formaggio, cold meats (the biggest mortadella we've ever seen - about 3 ft long and 30 cm wide) and the fruit stalls selling cups of juicy cut mixed fruit. Piazza Navona - a lovely piazza with a fountain at it's centre. Art fills it's core and I have to admit that I was tempted by an oil painting of Rome. I'll think about it today. The lane ways surrounding the piazza are truly incredible. Black uneven cobblestones, apartments looming over with either laundry hanging across from an apartment building on one side to an apartment building on the other side. Bright pink bouganvillia sprawls it's way across walls and gives every building a facelift. I love it! Coming back to Rome has been a good thing for me. I don't recall being amazed by the grandeur and age of buildings during my last visit. The Pantheon is truly an incredible building both inside and out. The 9 m wide hole in the cupola allows sun and the other elements to enter the space within. The volume on the pitied of the building are so mammoth. You always 'up' in Rome as so much of the detail is staring at you from above. I am most impressed by the details at the top of the columns. I think these may be called italics. With every turn of a corner, we are in awe and delight - the Fontana di Trevi, the spanish steps with all and sundry sitting, reading, talking and just taking it all in. Our legs were aching but with each step, we came closer to something that could not be missed. And we could not have picked a better way to end our day than with an impromptu stumble upon St Peters Basilica. It wasn't on our list for the day but we were pulled towards it. It was 6.30 pm and so serene and peaceful. We were blessed to experience this scared place with minimal people and quietness. My camera battery was flat so I had no choice but to breathe it in and wonder how this came to creation. The marble statues with the finest detail down to the veins in the hands, the frescoes, the ornate ceilings with gold leaf sculptured flowers, the enormous cupolas. Walking back to Trastevere was tiring but satisfying. What a day! The only drawback so far is the food. Our restaurant recommendation in Trastevere called 'Ivo' was a let down - undercooked gnocchi, sour Ragusa and wine that barely passed as wine. It makes me realize how I am truly spoilt with quality Italian food at home. Today we plan to visit a deli and select a variety of charcuterie for our lunch. Surely we can't go wrong with that. Time to step back in time .... Ciao for now xo

From House Boats to Cliff Tops

We left Fort Cochin along a gravel bumpy road and set for another coastal ride The children were so welcoming as we cycled along the narrow dirt paths. Many were on their way to school and were so excited to greet us. Even the adults give us a 'welcome'. As we cycle south along the coast we pass fishing village after fishing village. Men sit there under shady canopies freeing their fishing nets from tangles. Their nets are super fine and it looks as though it would take an entire day to de-tangle. During one of our drink stops in a buzzing little town, we notice a guy on a motor bike with a giant camera lens pointing in our direction. It turns out that he is a journalist from a local newspaper and is keen to write a story about our trip. Many Keralans cannot understand why we are travelling by bike and the assumption is that we cannot afford to travel by any other means.
As we cycle toward Alleppey, the star5ting point for our backwater boat trip, we are surrounded by canals and waterways. The last 100m of our 60+ km cycle is off road. We carry our bikes down some steps and then straddle the canal. It is simply unreal! We arrive at our final destination with a welcoming fresh grape drink. Our home for the night is a gorgeous thatched hut surrounded by palms and other topical plants along the waterway.
Terence and I decide to take a tuk tuk into the main town of Alleppey. There are few tourists to be seen as this is where the locals shop. We find a couple of cotton shirts for Terence but in typical Indian fashion, one turns out to be polyester ...just what you need when its above 30 degrees Celsius and over 80 % humidity.
We leave Alleppey the next day after stocking up on alcohol for the night. Buying alcohol is quite an experience. The doors to the liquor store opened at 10am but men were waiting in line from at least 9.30am. When we arrived, they ushered us in through another door ...special treatment for foreigners. Beer and spirits of various sizes were stacked on wooden shelves in a cramped space. I grabbed a vanilla vodka for something new and off we went to meet our houseboat. They turned up right in front of our waterfront accommodation. Bikes and all were thrown on the more than comfortable converted rice barges. We spent the next 18 hours cruising the waterways which was nothing but tranquil and relaxing. Locals living by the waterside were observed doing their laundry. Women slap their laundry against the rocks ...not sure how clean the clothes get. It really makes me appreciate my washing machine and even the scrubbing brush which I have been using for hand washing.

The next morning, our bikes are taken off the boats and we set off for our longest and final cycle ride - 104 km in total. Although the sun is beating down and I have signs of prickly heat on my legs, it is well worth it as we hug the coastline. The water is looking bluer and the scene is so idyllic with tropical palm trees, fisherman, fishing nets, canoes and warm, welcoming children. Our lunch stop is out of this world and so off the beaten track. It is at a palm-tree lined beach called Thangassery, located near the city of Kollam (or Quillon). The sand is whiter than what we have seen so far and there are break walls every few hundred metres. The red and white light house in the distance may be the same one that was featured in Terence's latest surf magazine, 'Surfing Life'. Terence is the only one in the group who braves the water and goes for a body bash. Yes, there is surf. In fact, they are perfect surfing waves for me. Lunch is a treat too with mussels, prawns and calamari cooked as dry curries with chapati, pineapple yogurt curries, Porrama (a popular Keralan bread) and more. We certainly haven't gone hungry on this trip.
After enduring extremely hot and humid conditions and negotiating sections of highway (where there is always so much going on), we arrive at Varkala, a small hippie community with an amazing cliff top overlooking Varkala Beach, a great surf beach with a strong rip (not suitable for the beginner swimmer).
Yesterday morning, Terence was approached by a local guy as he checked out the surf. The guy happened to have a surfboard which Terence rented from him for 2 hours. His surf was cut short after snapping the nose of the board. The local guy was not happy, despite the fact that the board had previously been snapped in this spot (as the repair work was evident). After lots of arguing and disappointment, the surf cost Terence about $50 as the guy wanted him to pay for the damage. Despite the disappointing end to the morning, the day ended perfectly with an incredible sunset - a huge red ball setting at the horizon with the breaking waves in the foreground. We were comfortably positioned with our coffees at Cafe Del Mar and couldn't have been more chilled.
Yoga - a journey of finding out 'who you are' - is how may morning started. Four of us sat in a cool room in the upstairs of a building with a breeze coming through. All I could hear was the waves breaking and I could not have picked a more beautiful way to bid farewell to Kerala and India. I now understand why people come here seeing spiritual enlightenment. For me, it was just a taste but I certainly feel calm and light.