Thursday's downs and ups

Another street scene - this is one of the 3 or 4 main streets. Not only cars, but also buses drive around. The shop on the right hand side is called 'Koala’. It sells ‘artisan products from other country’

I think umbrella man was the gentleman that looks after breakfast. I talked to him for a bit yesterday – there was an ad for Don Matteo on the TV and I told him I had watched it on TV in Australia. The conversation moved onto Inspectore Montalbano and then one of the other guests, an Italian, asked if I had heard of Berlusconi. He probably thinks kangaroos hop down the main streets in Australia. Anyway, if it was him, he would have recognized me and known where I was going.

Today I did a tour of Urbino’s churches. I started with the closest one, which had nothing of note according to the guide books. A diversion. In case you think I am carrying an assortment of guide books with me, I’m not. Before I left home, I scanned books I had borrowed or bought, reduced the images to smallish print and printed double-sided. The plan is to ditch the paper as I go. I could also read the info on Ellebee’s screen. Hopefully I can ditch more than I collect in each place. Back to Chiesa di San Francesca – I walked in and the first thing I saw in this fairly ordinary church ( by Italian old churches standard) was some people lighting a candle. I was suddenly reminded of the several people I know who were visiting Europe when John was sick and told me they had lit candles for him. It was quite moving. I thought, I need something to distract me, so I went to the notice board. Right in front of me was a prayer for people on holiday who were visiting the church. It was in simple Italian – stuff like hoping God would be with the travellers protecting them in their travels etc and then it prayed for the travelers to have renewed ‘il gusto di vivere’ – their zest for life. Eerie stuff. So I sat for a while.

The next place was the duomo where I looked at some paintings, a collection of fine clerical robes and mitres and some intricate old painted manuscripts. Looked at several other churches– mostly in a state of disrepair. Probably why they are not in the guide books.

Lunch was a modest bread roll, tomato (that tasted like a tomato) and a delicious peach sitting in my window alcove at a total cost of €0.90 – about $1.50

In the afternoon I went for a walk to see a church about 2 km outside the walls. It’s main claim to fame is the tombs of the Dukes of Urbino that it houses. I just felt like a walk in the countryside.

This evening I thought I would have an aperitivo before dinner, having decided not to have any wine with dinner. The sooner I get up courage to do a few things it will become easier ( in theory) . I asked the desk lady’s advice about what is a common aperitivo around here. The first few bars were too crowded with smart young things, then the first I tried did not have it then I walked around rehearsing my Italian sentence again and getting up more courage only to be told a second time they did not have it. That was it. I should have asked for something standard like aperol or campari. – not that I’ve had either since I was last in Italy. I went to the restaurant I’ve eaten at before only to find they were not yet open. So I walked around some more. I had a nice dish of passatelli , a local type of pasta.