No time to waste on weekends, we caught the 11.41am treno to Orvieto, switching trains at T. Cortona in Toscana. It was a good one and half hour ride to this medievale città perched on top of an imposing sharp tufa platform which was the remnant of a volcano. We opted for the more interessante and faster way to get up i.e the funicular or cable railway, commonly found at towns with steep slopes. The sky was heavy with dark clouds and the wind sent us hurrying down the main street Corso Cavour, where most shops were closed on domenica.
Kiasu, we checked out the menus of 4 ristoranti before deciding on La Grotta, a charming trattoria housed in a former stable. I couldn't resist the pappardelle alla cinghiale and recommended the handmade pasta with carciofi (artichokes) to L, so I could try it too. Hehe. Poi we shared the secondo - piccione all'olive - half a pigeon smothered and cooked in a lipsmacking black olive paste. There were also the contorni (sides) of fagiolini, bietola (chard) and pepperoni served with an organic olive oil. A must is the local specialità , Orvieto Classico, vino bianco to complement the meal (57e).
Per fortuna, the sky held up so we hurried to the Duomo, THE landmark-icon of Orvieto - founded by Pope Nicholas IV in 1290. The splendida horizontal-white-n-grey marbled cathedral took more than 300 years to complete and reminded me of the Duomo in Siena. Infatti it seemed like a close copy, perhaps because the architect-sculptor is Sienese. Inside one is drawn to the vetrata (stained glass windows) and famed frescoes di Luca Signorelli. Outside we gawked at the bas-reliefs and statues adorning the Gothic-italian style building.
Orvieto also offers a tunnel of ancient underground caves which were used as cellars or workshops, plus two pozzi (wells) which were masterpieces of Roman engineering but we didn't have time and just glimpsed at Sant' Andrea and its imposing 12-sided bell tower before the downpour arrived.
We did have time to stop and shoot these 2 cutie pies at a souvenir shop. L is always the first to spot them, he has an eye for details while I see the big picture. The shopkeeper said they are not his but yet he feeds them. Poor guy didn't realise the 2 female cats have adopted him. One was very docile and let him carry her and pat her belly affectionately. (See the foto, she's even looking at the camera! So cute! So far I have at least 5 great cat foto for the exhibition next year.)
We managed to catch the treno back and didn't validate the biglietto again. Evil laugh. This way we could exchange it for another trip. I was already looking forward to the next festa da Michele on venerdi, where everyone would be bringing a national dish (me doing chicken curry lah). Naturalmente I was the party instigatore; sempre the event coordinator. I've already bought some Hello Kitty party hats and thought of a charade (italian words of course!) so we could get brilli and giggly!
No time to waste on weekends, we caught the 11.41am treno to Orvieto, switching trains at T. Cortona in Toscana. It was a good one and half hour ride to this medievale città perched on top of an imposing sharp tufa platform which was the remnant of a volcano. We opted for the more interessante and faster way to get up i.e the funicular or cable railway, commonly found at towns with steep slopes. The sky was heavy with dark clouds and the wind sent us hurrying down the main street Corso Cavour, where most shops were closed on domenica.
Kiasu, we checked out the menus of 4 ristoranti before deciding on La Grotta, a charming trattoria housed in a former stable. I couldn't resist the pappardelle alla cinghiale and recommended the handmade pasta with carciofi (artichokes) to L, so I could try it too. Hehe. Poi we shared the secondo - piccione all'olive - half a pigeon smothered and cooked in a lipsmacking black olive paste. There were also the contorni (sides) of fagiolini, bietola (chard) and pepperoni served with an organic olive oil. A must is the local specialità , Orvieto Classico, vino bianco to complement the meal (57e). 
Per fortuna, the sky held up so we hurried to the Duomo, THE landmark-icon of Orvieto - founded by Pope Nicholas IV in 1290. The splendida horizontal-white-n-grey marbled cathedral took more than 300 years to complete and reminded me of the Duomo in Siena. Infatti it seemed like a close copy, perhaps because the architect-sculptor is Sienese. Inside one is drawn to the vetrata (stained glass windows) and famed frescoes di Luca Signorelli. Outside we gawked at the bas-reliefs and statues adorning the Gothic-italian style building. 
Orvieto also offers a tunnel of ancient underground caves which were used as cellars or workshops, plus two pozzi (wells) which were masterpieces of Roman engineering but we didn't have time and just glimpsed at Sant' Andrea and its imposing 12-sided bell tower before the downpour arrived. 
We did have time to stop and shoot these 2 cutie pies at a souvenir shop. L is always the first to spot them, he has an eye for details while I see the big picture. The shopkeeper said they are not his but yet he feeds them. Poor guy didn't realise the 2 female cats have adopted him. One was very docile and let him carry her and pat her belly affectionately. (See the foto, she's even looking at the camera! So cute! So far I have at least 5 great cat foto for the exhibition next year.) 
We managed to catch the treno back and didn't validate the biglietto again. Evil laugh. This way we could exchange it for another trip. I was already looking forward to the next festa da Michele on venerdi, where everyone would be bringing a national dish (me doing chicken curry lah). Naturalmente I was the party instigatore; sempre the event coordinator. I've already bought some Hello Kitty party hats and thought of a charade (italian words of course!) so we could get brilli and giggly!
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