Summer in Italy

Took the train to Spello yesterday. We did not miss our stop (see last Sunday's adventure to Assisi). This little hill town is known for its flower festival thingamajig. Sorry, I think its referred to as fiori d'italia or something like that. They take these beautiful dried flowers and lay them in incredibly intricate patterns on the street. It is a little like the street painting festival in San Rafael, only with flowers. We were not in Spello to see the flower festival, but saw postcards with photos. Amazing. Climbed up, up, up the hill town and sat overlooking a valley while having cold drinks and ice creams. Then headed down, down, down and took the train back.

All this in less than 2 hours.

I've hated mosquitos all my life. They enjoy feasting on me and, well, quite frankly that annoys me to no end. I get big welts from those tiny things. Foligno has a lot of them. I must have 50-60 bites on my body right now. 9 on right hand, 14 on right shoulder and arm-- this just to give you an idea about what my body looks and feels like. I've got 2 or 3 on my neck and several on my face--this area seems to be least affected. My legs are a disaster. 3am seems to be the worst time for me--all the itches start itching at once. I have a calamine type lotion sitting on the headboard of my bed. I feel absolutely pathetic. I keep wanting to feel like I'm glowing here in Italy--instead, I look at my arms and I'm shocked by the large round welts. I'm hoping that it looks much worse from my vantage point. These mosquitos are soooo tiny also. I've just spent the past 2 hours trying to get these guys over my bed. They are quick and little.

Okay. Sorry. Enough about biting, monstrous, annoying, hideous insects.

A quick word about each of the photos below--

photo of my bedroom. Ella in Spello - going up. Max's newest obsession - Gormiti - Italian monsters. Getting a hug at a cafe. Old men talking. Biking back from the pool. As always, click on photo to enlarge...


		Monday, July 9
	Took the train to Spello yesterday. We did not miss our stop (see last Sunday's adventure to Assisi). This little hill town is known for its flower festival thingamajig. Sorry, I think its referred to as fiori d'italia or something like that. They take these beautiful dried flowers and lay them in incredibly intricate patterns on the street. It is a little like the street painting festival in San Rafael, only with flowers. We were not in Spello to see the flower festival, but saw postcards with photos. Amazing. Climbed up, up, up the hill town and sat overlooking a valley while having cold drinks and ice creams. Then headed down, down, down and took the train back. All this in less than 2 hours. I've hated mosquitos all my life. They enjoy feasting on me and, well, quite frankly that annoys me to no end. I get big welts from those tiny things. Foligno has a lot of them. I must have 50-60 bites on my body right now. 9 on right hand, 14 on right shoulder and arm-- this just to give you an idea about what my body looks and feels like. I've got 2 or 3 on my neck and several on my face--this area seems to be least affected. My legs are a disaster. 3am seems to be the worst time for me--all the itches start itching at once. I have a calamine type lotion sitting on the headboard of my bed. I feel absolutely pathetic. I keep wanting to feel like I'm glowing here in Italy--instead, I look at my arms and I'm shocked by the large round welts. I'm hoping that it looks much worse from my vantage point. These mosquitos are soooo tiny also. I've just spent the past 2 hours trying to get these guys over my bed. They are quick and little. Okay. Sorry. Enough about biting, monstrous, annoying, hideous insects. A quick word about each of the photos below-- photo of my bedroom. Ella in Spello - going up. Max's newest obsession - Gormiti - Italian monsters. Getting a hug at a cafe. Old men talking. Biking back from the pool. As always, click on photo to enlarge...