Who Needs Everest When You Have Cortona (Tuesday, September 13)

Cortona appears as if the gods spilled a town down a hillside. The town is full of crazy, twisting streets, veering off at impossible angles. It is stunningly beautiful with incredible views over the countryside. The approach roadway is punctuated with two lines of cypress trees. Each tree was planted in memory of local boys who died in World War II. Quite moving!
Jim and I decided to spend the day exploring our local hillside town - Cortona - which is only a ten-minute drive from our villa. Cath and Dave were headed out to drive around Lake Trasimeno; David and Donna stayed behind at the villa for a day of swimming, reading and relaxing.
Jim and I (actually, Jim) decided to climb to the highest point (Fortezza di Girifalco). What was I thinking? And so we began climbing the twisting streets with at least a 10 percent grade. Aaaach! Along the way, we poked our heads in artisans' shops - the coppersmith, the potter, the painter, etc. Those stops were my reprieve, I promise. Up, up, up we climbed. At each turn, Jim would pipe up, "It's becoming more level". My darling husband is a bald-faced liar. The final approach was up a 15 percent grade along a cypress-lined stone path. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! screamed my quads! And finally, we reached the top. Ahhhhhhh! What a view. The views from the watch tower were extraordinary, looking down to the plains below and beyond to Lake Trasimeno. We decided to return the the base of Cortona by following the ancient city wall. Little did we know that that path dropped straight down! The descent was actually more difficult than the climb. High fives between Jim and I. "We did it!"
Via Nazionale is the main street and truly the only one that is flat. It is lined with charming trattorias and some unique artisan's shops. Via Jannelli is one of the most famous streets in Cortona, and has maintained a medieval aappearance that immediately takes you back in time. Old medieval terraced houses built with red brick and wooden beams line the street. Our final stop was Piazza della Repubblica, the heart of Cortona. It is truly the heart of the
town and home to Town Hall and Palazzo de Popolo (Palace of the Captain of the People).
At this moment, the six of us are sitting out on the terrace with the most incredible aromas wafting out of our kitchen. Guisi and her sous chef are cooking up a storm in the kitchen. I'll makenyou all salivate tomorrow with the details.
A demani!