Post: From NY to Rome to Foligno in one long day

Over three million people arrive in Rome’s Fiumicino airport this month. I bet I am the happiest.

Traveling to Italy has been at the top of my wish list for my whole life. It is surprising that it’s taken so long, but we’ve had so many trips of opportunity for one reason or another that those have taken priority. In addition, it’s only as retirees that we can look at the world and just pick a place to go and not worry about work.

So this is it! Our first trip to Italy. Our first week or so is a hiking trip followed by Rome, Florence and Venice, rather quickly but it’s a start.

We stay the week in Umbria in a small town called Foligno. It’s claim to fame (other than having me, the happiest visitor to Italy this month, stay) is that Dante’s inferno was first published here. Umbria is also the home of St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Benedict. It is reputed to have the happiest people in all of Italy, with a lower level of stress than other areas. It is called the Green Heart of Italy.

I’m very tired, of course, after being on the go for over 37 hours, the way of things when getting to another continent. I want to record first impressions though.

• The anachronism of the very old right next to the very modern is hard to get used to. Here is a photo of what I mean:

• I’ve been instructed to eat gelato every day by more than one person. It was the first thing we ate this afternoon. A conno piccolo (but it really wasn’t that piccolo) of chocolate and hazelnut. The shop keeper was very patient in making me understand that even a piccolo can and should have two flavors.

• No surprise, but even a snack is really beautiful and delicious. Eat what’s in season and what is the specialty of the region when possible. This advice works everywhere in the world, but Italy is so lucky to have such great fresh produce, as well as centuries of caring to get those ingredients to a plate in fine form.

• Elm trees grow here! Dutch elm disease did take European elms so I am not sure what the story is with these trees. But for the first time in my life I’ve seen a street lined with elms and it was just so pretty. A cool and comforting sight, somehow speaking to ancient ancestor molecules in my DNA that said, “This is a safe haven.” A street like this would definitely contribute to the contentment of Foligno’s residents.

• Siesta time is real. We are not here during busy tourist season and when strolling around in the afternoon saw few people and mostly closed shops. (But not Gelateria Crispini, and amen to that.)

We’re here as participants on a Road Scholar trip and so far are so impressed. We have 33 (!) people on our tour, although we’ll split into three groups by hiking preference each day. Every one of the group is really interesting, well travelled, thoughtful and enthusiastic.