The Bronze age village of Sutri has a very long history as you can see by my first words. The unusual caves they lived in; the amphitheatre they built; and so much more lay the foundation for this still serene and intimate town. We threaded our way up the meandering central silent street to the main Piazza. With the most beautiful fountain in it’s centre, this communal part of every village invited silence, and that’s very difficult when there are 30 people eating at an osteria and a dozen at a bar.
The most delightful elderly couple put up with our concerns as at each enquiry they invited us in to their upstairs apartment reeking of antiquity. Back down the ample marble staircase to our place with our also large breakfast prepared for tomorrow in our kitchen, we relaxed, after I pretended to be a local and nonchalantly hung the washing again on a line overhanging the street – I’m in heaven!
On our way out in the dark we used our torches to look for walking signs and to explore a couple of the caves, the early birds the only sound. Another gorgeous walk as we intermittently crossed minor traffic roads where our torch flashes again were a good solution to a longer life.
A white dog again but not rounding up sheep, just cars, as he/she walked down the dangerous side of the road. I went to the nearest property and pressed their intercom, saying in poor Italian: “Cane blanco”. “Arrive” came back with a female voice as the huge gate drew itself back into the garden. I couldn’t ‘arrive’ because the just as large Mansion was about 1/2km down the white gravel road, and 2 massive Alsatians sauntered out as though they were going to handcuff me. Being a bit dog savvy I didn’t run, and as the gate was closing, they went back which made the gates open again and out they came again, and then….. I’m sure she thought I was saying her cane was out when it wasn’t but when gates opened it was, and then………… Sadly I had to leave the shepherd dog to its fate.
This was all too much for us, so we took time out in a park by a river and let the vertebrae just do their normal job. Our Dutch friend Phillip (who is walking for pleasure) sat with us, bringing his brand new Italian friend (discovering the regions around his home – Milano) with him. We now have an interpreter through to Rome, a room reserver and a guide – thank you Hermano. A fun time was had with these two convivial middle aged men as we had a snack by the little wooden bridge over the river.
The little bit older Swiss couple joined us as we reached our second last night on the track. In the Piazza we ate lunch and had a long discussion. The Swiss man said (without any sense of ego) that the Swiss and Dutch rail services are the best in the world – the Dutchman thought the Swiss were best. They all agreed that Europe was a great place to live and their were only small differences. The Swiss man said the Germans weren’t their closest friends. The Italian man nearly choked on his panini when I said even red wines had screw tops in Australia, and nearly fell off his chair when I said we take our own wine to a restaurant. They all agreed that northern Europe is unaffordable so find a friend there first.
A long day today but surprisingly one of the few where it was free of any discomfort at all.
