Here I am in Perugia

5 o'clock Tuesday morning and I have worked out how to use the coffee machine. What a long long two days it has been. My flights were terrific and apart from a slightly boring 3.5 hour layover in Dubai and a couple of very minor dizzy spells but I hope I am good to go. One of the hostesses on my Dubai-Rome flight gave me a gorgeous yellow rose which I then passed on to my driver to Perugia. The cost was a tad more than expected but...I'm on holidays, aren't I? Plus, I'm very glad I wasn't on the bus or trying to get up the many escalators to the apartment in the drenching rain. The weather..very humid and hot at Rome airport then torrential rain and lightning on the drive to Perugia. 

Eva, the apartment owner, met us at Piazza Cavallotti and we followed her the 50 or so metres to via della Gabbia. Eva is stunningly gorgeous and young and very helpful! The apartment is fabulous, though small, with 3.5 downfalls: one of them a real possibility of downfall - the stairs, just outside my bedroom doorframe immediately to the left - with being a bit dizzy when I get out of bed I have to seriously watch I don't topple down them. The shower is ever so wussy, no pressure at all..but hey after 24 hours it was still blissful. The wifi signal is minimal, so not too sure whether I'll be able to upload photos, they may have to be added at home. And then there is the lift - a glass box that you unlock then hold down the button until you arrive 4 floors later - came up with the suitcases and will go down again with them but apart from that it will be climbing six flights every time I come and go, so I'll hopefully be amazingly trim and fit. Oh, the view is to die for from my rain-soaked terrazzo. When awake, the bed is super firm as are the pillows, but I obviously slept well. I unpacked and then went shopping for the usual bathroom necessities and some food. Crashed early Monday evening, about 10pm, after 'dinner' at home - fresh bread roll, prosciutto freshly sliced from a ginormous leg by a butcher with a heavy hand - not once did his etto make 100g for any customer - truffle pecorino and some rather nice grapes. 

I have had a little wander around town, done some shopping, forgetting one of the most important  items on my list - soap. Why I thought I didn't have room in the luggage for one small cake of soap, I'll never know. I've been to my local bar twice pre and post shopping, so they will recognise me in the future. I used my Italian a couple of times and did okay except made a silly agreement mistake, as soon as it was out of my mouth I realised but just moved on. And I learnt a valuable lesson through a seriously unhappy checkout chick - you empty your basket, they DO NOT. But I've done the plastic gloves, weighing and pricing my own frutta...no problema.

Today is some shopping, forgotten items from yesterday, find a postbox to post Loretta's birthday postcard, and then explore, get lost, whatever and finally.....book at Da Cesarino for dinner - literally across the Piazza.

So, farewell for the time being from a still tired but very happy camper domiciled in Perugia. Hope you are all fit and well.