Day 5, first full day in Cortona,

Cortona is our adopted Italian home town. It is the town that called us to Italy in 1999 and to which we have returned 10 times in 11 trips. We know people here now. We even know some dogs here. We have friends. We have watched as the town has become a destination. We have seen the crowd grow and the businesses change but there is something about the feel of this town that is absolutely comfortable for us. Today we just wander around and enjoy being back. The weekend tourists are gone, the streets are open and welcoming.

We visit the Etruscan Museum to see a special exhibit called Seduzione Etruscan. It is our big excursion of the day. It is an exhibit in conjunction with The British Museum focusing on the British fascination with and contribution to the rediscovery of the Etruscans starting in the late 1700s. I am fascinated by the workmanship of the Etruscan artifacts going back to 600 bc or so. Being a “maker” of things, I can’t imagine the skills and patience it took to fashion things out of metal and stone with such intricate detail with the tools and techniques that they had at the time… mind boggling.

There is also a 17^th century strong box at this museum. Being the something of a gear head that I am, for years I have thought the lock mechanism on the thing is one of the most elegant pieces of mechanical work I have ever seen. I know, I’m a goober.

Then we got lost and couldn’t finds our way out of the Museum. Sheesh. We’ve driven the back roads of Italy from the Swiss border to the southern shores of Sicily and we get lost in a stinkin’ museum.

The rest of the say was spent wandering around town, eating gelato and soaking in the Tuscan sunlight and ambiance. Our friend Jeanette recommended a new restaurant that specializes on wood grilled food. When we got there they were having a grand opening party. They invited us in to show us the new place and then offered us wine and a huge buffet. It was reeeealy yummy. Roast pork, salmon, sausages… lots of prosciutto with shaved cantaloupe, fresh fruit and cheese. We just hung out and enjoyed the buffet and called it dinner! And, it was free! A gelato in the Piazza Signorelli and sunset in the Piazza del Duomo overlooking the valley.

Home. Cortona.