The Italian Job

Joyce, Terry, Mum, Dad, Sue and I all headed off to Heathrow airport early on Monday to catch our flight to Rome. After much pissing about at the Hertz desk (we’ll try Avis next time), we finally got our two hire cars and were on the way to Bolsena in the north of Lazio near the borders of Umbria and Tuscany.
 
Those Italian drivers are absolutely nuts (reminds me of driving in NZ). Driving down the motorway at a respectable speed (and still being overtaken) you had to be careful when approaching a junction as it seems the Italians don’t so much merge onto the road as invade!
 
We still managed to make it to our destination without any major incident. We were staying at the Agriturismo La Riserva Montebello , which was not just a wonderful hotel but a working farm as well (aptly growing Olives and Kiwi fruit). The bonus of staying at this place was that they provided sumptuous four course evening meals of the finest foods. It was not by accident that we came here as Joyce and Terry had been here before and were eager return.
 
Being avid fans of everything Italian, Joyce and Terry have been to Italy many times (Sue and I tagged along on one of these occasions) and so they new the best places to visit. We were out and about every day and managed to see some great places including, Orvieto (the last Etruscan city-state to be defeated by the Romans), Montepulciano (a wonderful hill town of fine food and wine), Monte Castello Di Vibio (with a lovely small theatre – reputed to be the worlds smallest at 99 seats), Saturnia (with its natural hot springs forming pools and terraces before running into the stream). We also visited the ancient and almost deserted town of Civita Di Bagnoregio (on the top of a hill and only accessible by foot – or moped), the incredibly moving Abbazia Di Sant’Antimo (a lovely Abbey in a picturesque valley). We also spent some time at Bolsena itself (where the Etruscans recamped to after their defeat at Orvieto) and on one of the islands in the lake (the largest volcanic created lake in the country).
 
The weather was so hot that we had to adopt the way of the Romans and take a break in the afternoons (one day it was around 40 degrees C). Luckily the hotel had its own pool where we could cool down after our days out before setting to the serious task of eating and drinking.
 
Ah! That’s the life.
 
All too soon it was over and we were back in blighty. We back to work and Mum and Dad back on another plane this time for the long journey back down under.