Montefalco and a happy Wilf.

Sunday saw us making good use of the beautiful weather and heading off to the local hilltop town of Montefalco. A trip there lets me buy the papers while the 'font' has a cup of coffee at the bar on the main square. As well as being on a save the planet kick (hence the chemical free home made mosquito repellant that can also double up as a marinade) 'we' are also apparently on a cut down on caffeine routine. I tasted the evil decaffeinated brew that was proffered and instantly went up to the counter and ordered a double espresso. The caffeine free route is one best travelled without me. Like all Italian towns Montefalco was completely devoid of people on the streets at 10.30 am. It felt as though it has just been decimated by some chemical or biological disaster- all the signs of habitation were there but all the people had gone.

The town boasts a new and rather chic hotel on the main square. It is perhaps over designed for our primarily agricultural region but a welcome addition nonetheless. The floors are made of that high gloss white cement that you find in hip hotels in South Beach or West Hollywood. I couldn't but help notice that every visitor left behind a trail of footprints which required the constant attention of some poor young thing with a bucket and mop. No sooner was the floor clean than another tourist would come wandering off the street with dusty size 11 feet and so the process would repeat itself.

Wilf has been down with me at the pool since seven this morning sorting out the pool chemicals. Digby is catching up on his sleep under the kitchen table. For Wilf any trip poolside is an opportunity to pick up a ball and drop it in the water with a satisfying splosh. I am then expected to pick it up and throw it. He then returns to drop it in the water and so on and so on. He never tires.

For the sensitive souls who visit this site I would recommend a blog http://www.29blackstreet.blogspot.com/. It is very beautifully written and the latest post has a rather thought provoking piece of 13th century eastern poetry that we enjoyed - maybe surviving the attack has made us both more grateful for all life brings.

Waiting patiently for a lizard

A stunning start to the day - blue skies, gentlest of breezes, thick dew on the grass,and the sun already giving off warmth. The boyz are absolutely soaked from muzzle to rump after their foraging in the long wet grass. Wilf has now settled down under the olive trees to see if he can pounce on any lizards that are scurrying up and down the tree trunks - he will sit there patiently focused on the task all morning unless called in

When we arrived with our friends at the restaurant in Montefalco last night the waitress told us that there had just been another major earth tremor that had rattled the bottles in the bar. Exactly what you want to hear as you're sitting down to eat. There was another tremor about an hour ago - as we're eighty miles away from Abruzzo it must be really frightening for the poor folk down there. The death toll has risen above 250 but they are still pulling people out of the wreckage.

Montefalco - the charming museum staff

View across the valley and not a soul to be seen on the main street

Montefalco's main square

The museum next to the church of St.Francesco with the welcoming staff

Yesterday afternoon we went with our house guests to Bevagna and Montefalco. Bevagna was looking like the austere architectural gem that it is and we spent too much time in the two Romanesque churches in the main square hunting for recycled Roman fragments that had been incorporated into the buildings during the twelfth century. By the time we got to Montefalco it was quarter to six and we were resigned to missing the amazing frescoes in the deconsecrated church of San Francesco. To our surprise and delight the museum staff on learning that one of our guests was a Professor from Texas ushered us through the museum and into the adjoining church even though it was only fifteen minutes before closing time. They could not have been more welcoming or charming - how wonderful to find people who take such an interest in their work. At this time of year Umbria has the sunshine but is entirely devoid of tourists - what luxury - we were able to stand alone in the church face to face with the amazing Renaissance series of paintings depicting the life of St.Francis. Close up these works by Gozzoli look as fresh and detailed as if newly painted. Montefalco gets a poor write up in the guide books but it is well worth spending a night in the town if you are ever here - it has some truly excellent restaurants on the main street and a wealth of medieval civil and religious architecture.

To Montefalco. Sunglass weather returns.

Montefalco is the sort of town lovers of Italy would like to spend a month in. Its basic industries revolve around twenty or so wineries and a couple of factories that still produce upmarket linens on hand looms. The town boasts a church with world class medieval frescoes, half a dozen reasonable restaurants, one decent hotel, and above all an unspoilt environment that can't have changed much in three hundred years. A visit to a town like Montefalco raises one of the questions about where to live in Italy? Tuscany or Umbria, town or country ? Tuscany undoubtedly has more treasures but Umbria has far fewer tourists and an authenticity that has been lost in its bigger and more popular neighbour.

The weather today was undoubtedly the first day of spring and the first day in months that sunglasses were essential. I always feel a bit self concious wearing sunglasses in January - it's a bit Rodeo Drive - but the sun here, even in winter can be very direct.