Via Casalini

From Viterbo it was a quick zip down past Rome on the Autostrada. I drove us through the Autopass lane so didn’t get an ‘on’ ticket. This was a problem. When we got off I had to go and get the 48 Euro fine voided… (After being moved on by the Polizei for parking in the wrong place. That’s a bloody laugh.)

That sorted, we headed south down Via Casalini, where the Romans had marched 2000 years ago, and the Germans 64 years ago. Thus we went in reverse direction down one of the routes up which the allies had advanced in ’44. I was quite excited but I'm sure J was less so. Still, when the Abbey hove into view it was quite an impressive sight for both of us.

We went to see the estate agent but of course it was siesta so we had to wait for 3 hours. Never mind, we sampled the coffee (or J did) and the gelati. Both good. Then we went on an orientation drive so J could get the hang of the city. We walked up to the apartment as well and it looked great from the outside. We even had our names on the buzzer already. It is very central (3 buildings from the Information Centre) and to top it off, it is just behind and above the Hotel des Roses which anyone familiar with the battle may know. It would seem that a Kiwi attack must have been launched pretty much from our backyard. Anyway, once the agent opened up and it was all paid for we moved in. First impressions were very good - it's twice the size of our apartment in Bristol, at half the price. If only we could work here...

Pasta for tea (what else) and then we watched a fire across the valley on the hills above San Michele. Sadly we discovered that all was not perfect in our paradise, as the owner's dog barked off and on through the night. (By the way it turns out the real estate agent is the owner.) Did I mention it is hot, hot, hot?