After a lousy included breakfast of melba toast and coffee, we journeyed around town for some touristy type sight seeing. The Nuevo Cathedral near the centre of town has this great black and white striped brick design that we like the look of so we head there. It’s really good looking from the outside and full of frescos painted all over the wall by famous and even unknown graffiti artists from back in the day.
Let’s talk lunch. An amazing salumeria hosted by two massive jolly men make a super baguette for us with many slices of salami and about a quarter kilo of vine wrapped pecorino cheese. Why spend money on tickets to see ancient art when you can spend twenty euros on a sandwich?
The day was getting on and we needed to get to a train to go to Grosetto. The journey scenery is full of tiny little towns plotted all over the hills, surrounded by olive and grape fields.
Grosetto has a tiny round town centre surrounded by a pretty average larger town. We head to the centre for some pasta and have an amazing truffle gnocci and cheapo vino.
This place seems to be lived in mostly by young families and all the kids are out playing in the piazza near our restaurant. Pretty entertaining watching one particular kid kick a football into a baby’s face. Great antics for all. We did however, leave the camera at the hotel so instead of Grosetto you get to look at Plisskin...
Just enough time left in the night to watch Escape from New York. Classic.
You need to hear the Greatest intro theme ever... Synth joy!
Tuesday...
We wanted to get out of this little town pretty quick in the morning so it was breakfast vouchers from the hotel then off to the train station after some ‘vintage feel’ photos of street lamps and an old man’s beautiful bike.
The train ride towards Orbetello was very pretty with plenty of ocean side views. Once off the train we got on the bikes to ride over towards the port for the ferry to Isola del Giglio. Only a short ride but it was great going along one of the three long, thin bridge type roads that connect the port area to the mainland.
Crazy hills up and town around the Monte Argentario area were so draining and we quickly found a place to stay in the town of Porto Santo Stefano, in a lovely pension on top of yet another hill.
Off to market for a quick shop then onto the beach for a bottle of red and the first Bean Bag Salad. (Onions, avocado and a can of cannellini beans shaken in a plastic bag with dressing.) Ace.
There be a storm a brewin’, over them there mountains. So we pack up dinner and head to where the storm ain’t and get gelato. Back to the pension to get a good rest in for the early ferry in the morning.
