You say Goodbye and We say Hello. June 5th

Today was our last day with Linda. She was going to Rome and we were staying near Fiumicino Airport in order to meet Patty, Kathy, and Amanda early tomorrow morning.  Since Rome is only about 2 1/2 hours from Cortona, we decided to take the entire day to do it and go there on the back roads.
We got an early start after saying goodbye to our wonderful host in Cortona, Paolo.  We stopped about a half hour outside of Cortona for coffee and pastry.  The good life.

 Towns main road

Coffee Italian Style

After waundering and back tracking through Tuscany, we finally got headed in the right direction, if there can be a wrong direction in Tuscany.

One last Tuscan Hill Town

 Stopped at a restaurant along the shore of Lake Bracciano, but they did not open till 1:00 o'clock. Decided not to wait the hour and set off for a city on the meditaranian about 1 1/2 hours away.

Castle in Bracciano

There was a chance that we could get there and lunchtime would be over. Well a wrong turn and we end up high above the lake where there is a restaurant  that is open and has fantastic views of the lake.  Its time for a seafood inspired lunch.

 Above the Lake

 Large Shrimp

 Clams and Mussels

Spaghetti  with octopus 

Back in the car and now we truly are on our way, except for some detour that reroutes us through one last hill town.

We arrive at the airport and say a sad farwell to Linda who is getting a taxi to her hotel in Rome.  Truly a great traveling companion. We find our B&B near the airport after several long drives because of the way airports build their approach roads. We shower, finish the books we are reading and walk around the corner to a pizza shop in the Sports complex next door.  Good pizza and it was nice to watch all the people coming and going there on a Friday night.  Moms and Dads with their kids for soccer. Adults getting ready for soccer and gymnastics and Tek Won Doh.  To bed earlLarge y as tomorrow is a very busy day. Change cars.  Pick people up from their flights. Pick up Mary Ann's  lost bag. And drive to Teggiano, below Naples.