More from Abruzzo
As promised, here are more images from Carunchio and the surrounding area. Although November is not the most beautiful time to visit this quiet region, it’s still fun to find interesting scenes to capture, like these castle ruins next door to the palazzo, or the snow on the Apennine Mountains to the west.
I made the image above as I was hustling back to the palazzo before the rain (and the dark) caught me. Rain came down in buckets and the wind howled. Frequent strong winds are a factor in local construction, evidenced by the large stones placed on roofs to keep the tiles from blowing off.
One couple in our group seriously considered buying and restoring a local property, #12 below; there were plenty of fixer-uppers to choose from!
Several cats followed us everywhere when we were out and about. This little sweetie was a poser, for sure. She looked pretty well-fed, especially considering she bore no signs of an owner.
The niche on the right above marks the honeymoon suite at the palazzo. Ivy clung to every neglected wall. Below I caught my friend Laura on her solitary trek down the hill.
The sun finally came out for our expedition to Vasto, a little city of 40,000 perched above the Adriatic Sea. Christina, who lives there, gave us a tour before she left us to wander the tiny streets. Supposedly the town was founded by Diomedes in 1300 B.C. In the Middle Ages the area was conquered by the Turks, and the architecture reflects their influence.
A belvedere at the top of the town gives a lovely view of the crescent-shaped beach, and the piazza in the town center serves as a good meeting place.
On another day we motored to Agnone, visiting a cheese-making factory and watching the process. The cheese below is Caciocavallo (which means cheese on horseback!).
Our next stop was the Marinelli bell foundry, which is Italy’s oldest family business, having been established in the 1300s; the Marinellis have owned and operated the foundry continuously since then. The foundry building itself dates from the year 1040. They still use an ancient process involving wax castings (etched with the design) and a brick “false bell.” The Marinellis have created many famous bells that hang all over the world, including one in the United Nations, and they are the official foundry of the Vatican. They have an interesting museum with models showing the steps in the forging process; unfortunately, no photos are allowed in the museum.
Lunch that day was a delicious porchetta sandwich on a crusty roll, very typical of the region. After pizza-making (described in my last post), singing and much merriment, we called it a night and left for Rome the following day. All in all, a great week of cooking, eating, learning and culture with a genial group of people.
What a fabulous visit, full of a little bit of everything and delicious food!