Thursday, January 8, 2009

Sofia among the nuns

Concerned that Sofia might be feeling under-appreciated, we took her to visit Maria's colleagues at work. She seemed as curious about them as they were about her.
As soon as she turns 16, I'm getting her one of these outfits to wear outside of the house.

Spoleto

On a very cold and wet New Year's Day, or as it is more poetically known locally, Capodanno, Spoleto is still beautiful and evocative - even if it seems to be suffering from a hangover.
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Norcia, Umbria

Simone and Marzia took us to Norcia, in Umbria, for New Year's Eve. This lovely, sleepy town is famous for two reasons; it's the birthplace of Sts. Benedict and Scholastica (the brother and sister duo), and it has really fantastic, hearty food. Saint Benedict's statue, below, seemed to be posing with a very bright Venus and crescent moon on New Year's Eve.
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In a nearby village

We stayed in an old farmhouse near Norcia, with Simone and Marzia. The house was part of an ancient village which is now mostly deserted; in fact only a religious hermit and one couple live close by. About half of the dozen or so structures in the village are now completely abondoned. Some are crumbling to ruins. In Simone's family's place - where we stayed - the lowest floor of three, which used to be a place for the animals, is now the kitchen and living room. We feasted there until the early hours of the New Year on the beautiful local food. We cooked just about everything in the fireplace, even the pasta. . . It was freezing outside and only a little warmer inside, thus Fede's wardrobe. She was wearing nine layers on top.
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Christmas Day

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'Twas the night before Christmas. . .

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