Where the Bridges are Stone

Today’s Big Plan was to get out of the apartment before nightfall and take a hike around Colletta. There are walking trails all through the hills, with helpful maps and directional signs, so it seemed like a doable activity for a hikeophobe like me.

Man, is it ever beautiful around here! I headed down the hill from the village proper and crossed over the river on a stone bridge:

Over the Stone Bridge

The trail looped around and back up the other side of the valley, across the river from the village. Once I got to the highest point of the trail, the views got really amazing:

View of Colletta

From there I continued up the valley, gradually heading back down towards the road, where I encountered another stone bridge:

Stone Bridge

…and some views of Colletta from the bottom up:

View of Colletta View of Colletta

The trail varied from well-groomed and almost flat to grass-covered and steep, and the degree of hill-climbing involved saw me just grazing up against my “fitness level” (such as it is). But it was good to get out and see some of the countryside and get a sense of the “neighbourhood.” If I can keep this up every day I will return home with much stronger knees if nothing else.

Comments

Rob L.'s picture
Rob L. on November 28, 2006 - 17:02 Permalink

Is there anyone else there? So far, I have not detected any evidence of other humans being present. It’s like The Shining! Careful… all work and no fun makes Peter a dull boy.

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on November 28, 2006 - 17:05 Permalink

You’re living in the Shire!

Alan's picture
Alan on November 28, 2006 - 18:37 Permalink

The Shire has other people.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on November 28, 2006 - 18:40 Permalink

There are scant few people around, and that’s why you don’t see them in my photos. I *did* pass a man cutting the lawn on the terraces during my hike, and I said Buon Giorno to two groups of people on the road back to the village. I passed an interesting group of men running a portable sawmill, but I was afraid if I said hello to them they might accidentally cut someone’s arm off. The olive harvest starts Friday, and with it comes promises of “many people.”

Marian's picture
Marian on November 28, 2006 - 21:29 Permalink

It looks very nice.