NOTE: We are now in the hills outside Asti. Hard to post. Pics not in order but you’ll get the overall.
ITALY!! What can I say other than I’m so happy here. But who wouldn’t be? Yesterday we went to Gubbio, a spectacular Umbrian hill town and one of the oldest in the country. It’s the only place where you can see Gothic, Medieval and the Renaissance architecture. We drove through the Apennines to get there, the mountain range that divides the country, East from West and is also the source of most of the rivers in Italy. The road through the mountain winds around onto itself. As you climb higher and higher, the beauty takes your breath away. Then you reach Gubbio with its white marble buildings. We’ve been to so many beautiful hill towns, but Gubbio is definitely one of the most amazing. It even has a Roman amphitheatre right outside the city.
Today, my birthday, we started the next part of our trip. We left Tuscany and La Quiete and drove north to the Piedmont region, where we’ve never been, to Agliano Terme outside of Asti. Yes, it’s another gorgeous hill town. It’s ridiculous already. How can ONE country be this gorgeous?! Being in Italy for my birthday is thrilling. It definitely takes the sting out of adding on another year. And once again, the people have been warm, generous and incredibly hospitable, even though we haven’t put them to test by driving our car over a mini-cliff.


Jess falls in love with our neighbor. How cute are these two?




