Basta pasta liao

The only person I could have a relatively unstressed conversation here at Spoleto was with the kind chubby bespectacled sister at the convento. In her calm presence, I could speak comprehensibly and in return she nodded sweetly and understood tutto that I said. This morning, I woke up and decided to leave for Perugia domani because there was nothing much left for me here, so I went to pay her and collect my passaporto in case she was not sinking in her reclined worn armchair in her living room watching a religious programme on TV.

Me: Buongiorno, posso pagare adesso? Perche domani partiro molto presto per Perugia.
Sorella: Si certo. Allora vieni. Ecco, è suo?
Me: Si si, grazie. Eh, numero sei.
S: Tre notti?
Me: Si si. Quanta costa?
S: Ottanta euros (she gave me 10E disconto, so just 80E for 3 nights!). Mi dispiace che non puo avere una stanza con la vista.
Me: Non c'e problema. Tutto bene. Questa è la mia seconda volta qua e mi piace molto. é molto tranquillo e comodo. Grazie. Tornerò la prossima volta!
S: Si, ti ricordi da 2 anni. Dove andrai?
Me: Napoli e partiro da Roma.
S: Che fai?
Me: Sono in pubbliche relazioni. Ho la mia azienda a Spore.
S: Ma che brava!
Me: Grazie (beaming like the roses outside in their bella courtyard)

I did jackshit today, just wandered around the Duomo and ate pranzo at an Osteria dell'Enoteca where the waiter gave me the honourary table for single diners outside under the arco where everyone could see what I was eating. Nice. No pasta per me, grazie. I was molto malosa of the local strangozzi al tartufo which was on every menu here, instead I chomped down on the braciole di maiale (porkchop) and a much needed insalata mista (yummm vegs) washed down with a glass of Merlot (tutto costa 14E). When I was busy writing and photographing the dish, the waiter said 'Che fai? Assagia il braciole subito!' (What are you doing? Eat the porkchop now!) I left him a one euro tip.

That evening at 5.30pm, Aless gave me a personal tour of Spoleto's ancient sections away from the crowds as we nipped into small backlanes and saw the wells where they used to collect acqua. He was so formale and cordiale that it was no longer piacevole. I wondered what's up with him man? Anyway he followed up with an obligatory drive around the outskirts to San Giacomo and then back to Piazza Garibaldi per qualche cocktails at the sempre crowded local bar which I detesto.

Everyone was staring at me like I was naked - maybe they never saw an Asian in their circle before. The waitress was such a bitch and Aless knew it. In some ways italians could be quite xenophobic. Allora I had 2 prosecco and 2 sigarette before caro Alberto drove me in his mini antica Renault to his bella casa in the nearby hills. He's the sweetest and most popular guy in town for everyone would say ciao to him and vice versa. Four of us had pizza and birra outside in his garden under the stars. Era molto tranquillo e un po fresco. Tonight was my last night here and I thanked them for their kind hospitality, wondering if I'd see them again.