How do you top a day returning to an era before Christ? You go to the village of Calcata about 20 minutes from Rignano. It’s medieval. Built on a mountain top, sheer cliffs surround ninety percent of the village. There is a castle like gate which serves as the only way in and out. Turns out that today, it’s an artists colony not unlike Monhegan Island near us on the coast of Maine.
Same idea too. The locals, artists, tolerate visitors and tourists because we bring the cash to buy the art. Turns out there are some very creative people who are also rather anti-social. After Calcata, it was off to Bacciano. By the way, our tour guide today is Virgilio. He’s Adrianna’s cousin who lived in Rochester, NY for a few years, so he has some English. Chiara and Lucia came along for the ride too.
There is a castle in Baccianno we toured. Check out the photos, it rocks! Literally, it’s made of rocks and sits on a bluff over looking a lake that’s a former volcano. Not too shabby. For those of you who appreciate the lighter side of the news like PJ, the castle’s recent claim to fame (if you can call it that) was hosting the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Well, at least I can say they have some good taste.
I thought the connection between Frank and Tom was their ability to dance and lip sync in their underwear!!! Shows you what I know!!!