The second day in Cortona started with a walk around the perimeter of the town while waving at old Italian grandmothers who love to smile at people out of their 2nd story windows. While climbing the steep cobbled walk up the hill, I passed a dozen columns containing mosaics of the Stations of the Cross, at the end of which was the lovely Church of Santa Margherita. This 19th century church contains the famous Saint’s remains, visible in mummified form (which was a bit spooky). I made my way back through the maze-like streets of the town to visit the Etruscan Museum, which was huge and most interesting for its display of tomb artifacts and designs. The Etruscans took over this town in the 8th century BC. I bought some bronzes, specially commissioned by the museum, and talked to the shop owner for a while.
My dear neighbors, Norma and George, whose fabulous daughter Jessica had studied abroad in Perugia, recommended an art gallery in town – Marco Nocchia’s – and it was great fun to talk to him, see the Etruscan well that that they discovered when remodeling their 15th century gallery, and learning a bit about Italian art. It was also fun to see, along the little roads, people getting ready for Halloween – a newly celebrated event in Europe.
I returned to Sansepolcro to join the “conversation class” that John arranges for some locals to improve their English, and then we went out for drinks with Maria Vincenzia, a lovely new Italian friend. We went to the bar where she had seen Ralph Fiennes but, alas, he was not there.
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