today, the mountains were calling ... and we answered. Nick picked up our teeny tiny Fiat 500 rental car that morning and we loaded up with the girls' travel booster seats (so much easier than lugging their huge carseats around!) and plenty of snacks. the weather could not have been more perfect for our drive out east on the highway to the province of Abruzzo. we made a pit stop for coffee and the bathroom at a gas station which offered something for everyone: antiques and collectibles for sale inside, and a brand new playground and covered picnic area outside!
as long as I live, I will never tire of umbrella pines
the Apennine mountain range stretches off in the distance
as we drove on, the roads grew steeper and curvier, leading us alongside the calm waters of a forest green river that reminded me of the topography of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest where I grew up. my meditation on the beauty around me was, of course, interrupted by certain children who shall not be named proclaiming that they were tired of looking out the window and didn't want to see beautiful things. ah well!
these switchbacks were no joke!
finally we reached the mountain resort town of Prati di Tivo, which must be a skier's paradise in winter. we took the cable car up to the top of the mountain. the promise of a breathtaking vista was foiled by fog, but it was still incredible to hike up to the little grotto from where the Maddonina (little Madonna) watches over the mountain. droplets of water condensed from the cold fog onto our hair, and the swaths of cloud blew even more relentlessly against the mountain as the afternoon wore on. Greta was thrilled that her zealous packing of 4 winter hats paid off: she distributed the hats to us to use as gloves!
playing tag with their hats pulled down over their eyes. what could possibly go wrong?
funicular selfie!
I'm not sure we have enough pink
not much of a view, but evocative nonetheless
ringing the bell to signify our prayers
photo credit: Greta (Cece was not feeling it)
"don't worry!! look what I brought!"
back at the base of the mountain, for a quick lunch of pizza al taglio before getting back on the road
on the other side of the mountain, we stopped at the shrine of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, a nineteenth-century clerical student in the Passionist community who died of tuberculosis at age 23 before he was ordained to the priesthood. he is recognized as a saint for his holy life, as well as two miraculous healings attributed to his intercession. he is the patron of students, seminarians, youth, and the province of Abruzzo. every spring, thousands of Italian students come here to pay their respects, and to ask for help passing their year-end exams!
an absolutely huge presepio (nativity) scene that remains in place year round
the girls were about done, so we let them nap in the back of the car while Nick and I took turns visiting the shrine!
our next stop was the tiny hamlet of San Pietro della Ienca, now famous for its medieval church at which Pope John Paul II used to pray during his retreats. he loved to hike and walk here in the Apennine Mountains, where even today the only sound to break the stillness is the occasional muted tone of a cowbell. the first time the pope stopped to pray here, the church was locked, so he and his companions sat outside and lit a fire to keep warm. when the custodian of the church found out about this later, he immediately sent a copy of the key to the Vatican so the Holy Father could let himself in at any time. the sense of peace here is profound, and I can see why he often came here to pray and rest. St. John Paul II, pray for us!
the view from where we parked
the chapel was built in the 13th century as part of a monastic community.
the sweetest little bed and breakfast. alas, all closed up for the season
a not-so-candid photo op
annnnnnd a candid one :D
memorial garden for victims of the 2009 earthquake in central Italy
we walked quietly around the small village, inhaling the fresh mountain air and expecting any minute to see Heidi bounding down the mountain path with a passel of goats. it was truly a refreshing break from the chaos and grime of Rome.
finally, we stepped into the little church to look around and say a prayer.
as the sun started to slip below the mountain peaks, we knew we needed to start back on the long drive home, but it seemed impossible to leave. no wonder Pope John Paul II treasured his time here so much!
finally, we climbed back in the car and started our drive down the mountain with the goal of finding a quick place to eat in the town of Aquila below. unfortunately, we hadn't taken into account that so many restaurants would be closed on Sundays, particularly in the off season. Google searches led us to a few dead ends as I'd peruse a restaurant's website with opening hours clearly stated, only to arrive to find the place dark and locked. just as we were about to give up and plan to buy gas station sandwiches off the highway somewhere, we stumbled upon a street festival with music and food galore! St. Raphael, our patron saint of travel, did it again! the girls had their own little dance party before we drove back home.
we kept getting extra minutes of sunlight as we drove out from the shadow of the mountains
it's not a car commercial... but it could be!
fresh sliced porchetta and other deli meats... yes please!
the Italian version of a food truck
cheers to another successful day exploring together!
the traditional panuozzo di Gragnano sandwich, with sausage, burrata, and sundried tomatoes. heaven!
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