Waiting for Underwear

I’m writing from the apartment as I wait for my clothes to dry. I’m trapped in my pajamas senza (sans) underwear. The washing machine (the size of our old bread bowl) is a mystery to operate. There is no dryer. I just decided to buy detergent and wash clothes in my kitchen sinklet.
The soap read “ Bio Presto a Mano” with a picture of hands and clothes. Seemed a good bet for the job. So, as said wash is drying on my patio I am inside recovering from a crazy sweaty busy and wonderful week.

I taught for David on Tuesday in the infamous “Cave”. Part of the Orvieto underground system for which we have access to an exclusive terraced section of portico’s, bathrooms and a private cave. (going there whenever hot…. So a lot) We have an amazing view of an old abbey that looks like a castle and only have to share it with a few semi-feral cats. (pics of castle and portico tops and me with keys to the cave included here I hope).



Wed was guided tours of Orvieto underground proper, the Duomo, clock tower and historic areas. It turned into a marathon of stair climbing down and up the caves, up and down the clock tower, down and up the caves again. I was, of course, a dripping mess. Still wearing the much-disdained green hat. A stick insect girl in my class was complaining about her thighs all day the next day, so I didn’t feel too bad thinking it was tiring. (Picture of Orvieto Duomo from Clock tower)

Wed evening was an evening of wondrous discovery. A restaurant that serves gluten free pizza!! Really! It even had English translations. It is way off the beaten path of central Orvieto and we have all be wondering how it keeps afloat. Due to the visit of friends and colleagues I have already eaten there 3 times. The restaurant is in a renovated church called San Giovanale and is on the perimeter of the town. (pics of GF pizza, zucchini florets stuffed with ricotta that tasted AMAZING, view from San giovanale)

Thursday was my teach all day day. (I was sooo happy to have it a rare cloudy cool rainy day…keep praying!)
The man who created the Orvieto program, David Soren, called and invited me to lunch for Thursday. I told him I taught from 9-1 and then from 2-6. He then said ok, then we’ll take that hour. Like there aren’t other days we could hook up???!!! Oy!! So from class… run up the hill meet Dr Soren , nice guy, and his wife, pinched serious, not so nice woman. GF lunch of Rabbit in local herbs and grilled vegetables. Very very good. The food alone is ALMOST worth the sweaty hot flash heat…….almost.
After classes I met my friend Maria. She is a Tucson friend who has been living in Lacoste France. She is on a quick tour with her friend Pilar. Ironically, Maria is also friends with another professor here who I never knew until coming here. Here name is D.R. (she has been invaluable as she is fluent in Italian)

Friday was a bit of a sleep in for Maria and Pilar, and then a trip to look for chocolate with nice wrappers for Maria. She makes amazing books from the wrappers. Lunch at another GF safe place where I tried pigeon. (nothing to brag about)
In the afternoon I had arranged a mystery appointment with a local shop owner. In a shop I saw images labeled “litografica originale” after much query if these were indeed original lithographs the girl called the man she said made the images. She said he did “stampe” and would give me a tour of his shop. Not sure if this was some sort of high end Xerox or a true litho/etching establishment I made an appointment for Friday anyway.
Turns out it was a man I had been briefly introduced to named Lamberto who indeed was printing real photo lithos and etchings. He is the man a student of mine printed with last year in Orvieto. Due to language barriers we are all still unclear who has printed what and what is original versus copies. Oh, well, it was a pleasant afternoon on a day that was actually cool and breezy! Hurrah.
(by the way… I have two people who will back up my “looks of disdain” for my green hat, as they too have witnessed the looks)

This morning I got up early in spite of a late night so that I could go to the local weekly market, where bricks of parmagiano reggiano is sold in bricks the size of a large wash tub, fresh vegetables are grown by locals and there are stalls with “porchetta” whole roasted suckling pigs to buy slices by the kilo. While at the cheese stall an old woman came behind me and told me I had a beautiful hat!!! Really!!…. Bella cappella were the words we could understand. I pointed to my whitefish inner arm and she said “si si, Bianca….” And then a bunch of Italian I couldn’t begin to decipher. She made up for all the nasty ones though!

Maria came with me to the market. She has made it her goal to document me here in Orvieto. I just had to buy something from a sweet little lady who has the smallest stall and is so obviously selling from her own garden. She let me taste the cherries she weighed out on an ancient hand held scale that really looked like it was more for show than function. (pic here )
I also bought some of the porchetta. It tastes just like pork roast.

Maria and Pilar left this morning, so I’m on my own for a day or two. (Happily)
And, that is how we arrive back to me here without my underwear waiting for clothes to dry.

(having trouble with the pics in order.... use your imagination.)