Saturday 5 September - Ceriana

Up moderately early again to what seems like a cooler day. Hopefully it will stay that way, as yesterday was back to being properly hot again. 

Breakfasted then took off down the hill to the swimming hole, to climb the track just behind it. We’d been told it takes 3 hours up, though we think it doesn’t really go anywhere special. A bit of trouble working out quite where it went for the first couple of hundred metres, as there were lots of little side tracks, but few of the red and white paintmarks that denote official paths. Once we had got up a bit, it was plain enough to follow. Lovely views back to Ceriana, so we now have a better understanding of the town’s layout. Our rooms are only 2 levels below the absolute crown of the town, and our square is the highest public place in town. The track was a bit messy at times with a lot of blackberry and other foliage across it. The blackberry is well in season, but unfortunately, the fruit is remarkably tasteless.

Up initially through scrub and smallish trees, then a large area of ruined olives, with dead tops and unkempt scraggly new growth lower down. I wonder if they have been frost casualties, and since left untended. Later on came to an area of well-tended olives, and what a difference. Much bushier and healthier. Two men weed-eating below them as we passed through. We’d been going up for an hour plus, when we decided we need to stop and turn round in order to get our bread for lunch. Explored an old ruined building for a little, had a drink and turned around. The workers had obviously had a break in the meantime, as there were wine stains in their glasses. Wine is very much part of everyday life here.

Karen and Sally had a swim in the piscina on the way past, while I thought better of it and cooled down without recourse to the freezing water (though they assured me it was fine). I peeled off to the grocer for our lunchtime bread, which was a bit of a mission. 12 noon must be when the women collect the ingredients for dinner, as the shop was crowded and t took quite some time before it was my turn. There is no rush to get customers sorted. Everything takes place gently and with plenty of talking. No problemo.

Great laughs from the assorted grannies who inhabit our square before lunch and dinner as Sally and I appeared from one of the three alleys into the piazza and turned the wrong way to our doorway. They are a very cheery, welcoming lot. Always get a big wave and buon giorno/sera.

Had a typical siesta afternoon of reading, naps, diary and work. Some posters had advertised an evening of danzante e gastronomica but after taking repeated trips out to check the main square, we found that it had been ruled out on the few posters that had it, so ate more chesses, crackers and the extra we had cooked the previous night. The danzante e gastronimica  on the 13^th is still there on the posters.