Yesterday morning we left Montepulciano and drove through hills and past farms (and later past the biggest lake I've ever seen) to get to our last walled town: Montefiascone. We found the hotel pretty easily, got some snacks from the market and settled down to rest and have some wine.
The hotel is in another old palazzo, and is nicely done (though not done with the over-the-top opulence seen at Palazzo Squarcialupi). Initially we were met by the... really I don't know what you'd call him, other than sort of the King of the hotel. He presided over the place with a strong air of responsibility and formality. Also, he didn't speak a word of English, nicely balancing my complete ineptitude with Italian. Initially he seemed austere and remote (which we imagined as disapproving), but he helped us move the car to a garage (no small feat getting me to understand how to get it there in the one-way network of alleyways) and also showed us how to get to a restaurant... which later proved to be closed. Anyway, by the time we left this morning we were very fond of him and he was gracing us with a smile here and there... so we were feeling practically cherished. It was all lovely. Here is a picture of our friend Remo, Manager-extraordinaire of the Hotel Urbano V in Montefiascone:
Looking towards the front desk from the bar area where he made a special cup of cappuccino for our breakfast
Our room was nothing spectacular, which is why I will not bore your with pictures of it. However, the toilet was something to behold: rimmed with gold and including the golden seal of the hotel:
I've never seen the likes of something like this, ever!
Here is a picture of Lago di Bracciano, the largest lake I have ever seen; Montefiascone is on the eastern end of it
The lake went on for miles and miles.
Today (Wednesday the 13th) we drove to the airport outside Rome, left the car and took a cab to our downtown location. We are within walking distance of pretty much every major thing to see in Rome except for the Vatican and perhaps the distant seven hills. We took a short walk for a couple of blocks and found these sights:
Temple of Mars
We just had a good dinner at my favorite restaurant... only about two blocks from the hotel. Tomorrow very early we will see the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican.
Until tomorrow............
