Civitavecchia on Easter Monday was a wonderful spring day. The sun was shining, there was a light breeze, and I only needed a light jacket. You could smell spring in the air, and everyone was out enjoying the holiday.
Easter Monday is a holiday in Italy, so many places were closed (not the souvenir shops and cafes, though!). I chose to take a cooking class on a farm outside of town. It was a lovely 20-minute ride into the countryside to Poggio Nebbia Farm, a bed and breakfast farm atop a hillside with rolling fields of green wheat blowing in the sunshine.
Our guide was a cute young girl named Isabella, so full of cheer and happiness. I found out along the way that this was her first excursion as a guide; she usually did the ticketing and check-in. She did a wonderful job, her English was quite good, and I wish her a long career as a guide. My friend mentioned that jobs are hard to come by for young people, so they are usually very excited when they can secure one.
In a beautiful restaurant with large windows looking over the countryside we made pasta – tagliatelle all’uovo – and our host and teacher Anna said mine was the best color, best rolled out, and best cut. I LOVE being the best at something! We also made dessert, a sort of apple turnover – puff pastry filled with cream and cooked apples.
Our lunch was the pasta we made with a Ragu di Manzo, and Saccottino with Apple and Cream for dessert. It was fun and easy and the food turned out delicious - I can’t wait to cook it at home with the recipes she gave us along with our diplomas.
I found HUGE dogs and cats in residence; they must grow them big out here in the country. The dog was so funny. I leaned down to scratch him, and he didn’t even open his eyes. I smoothed the hair back from his face and said, are you going to wake up? Nothing. I scratched his nose. Nothing. Then I did the magic trick and rubbed his ear. He leaned in hard to get that itchy spot. Most all dogs LOVE to have their ears rubbed. But he didn’t open his eyes. Later, he moved to in front of the restaurant door. When I tried to go out the door he wouldn’t move, so I could only open the door halfway and slide out. Everyone else did the same. He was not moving.
I made a quick stroll around the property for pictures and to work off some of the delicious lunch and then we headed back to the port.
Once we got back to the ship, I met up with my friend again, this time on the west side of Italy. We walked through the old city, sat in a café enjoying some gelato, and caught up more. I am excited to keep in touch.
And then I sailed away, onto the next adventure.
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