Delicious food and a gift for Yoshi IV

I awake early at the classy San Lucca Palace and, after attending to my beard, make my way down to the restaurant for breakfast. 

This is a truly amazing breakfast. Smoked salmon, salami, ham, beef carpaccio, two melon varieties, yoghurts, foccacia, tomatos, balsamic and olive oil. Oh, and four AMAZING cheeses. Wow. Hotels don't nornally meet expectations. 

Lunch was amazing too. A seafood/clam-esk pasta followed by seared tuna. Restaurant name to be confirmed. Watch this space. We had a wine recommendation (or three) (admittedly I did not sample these)

Coffees mix well with booze here. 

Dinner was back within the city walls and was perfect on every level. The company present was on form, and the host and hostess - they wore many the hats of owners, chefs, service - made the evening truly special. The service was second to none and the food and wine was perfect. 

Note the home made bread. And home made sauces. And home made pasta. And home made gnocci. And I wouldn't be surprised it was home made cuttlery. 

I'll confirm the restaurant names tomorrow. 

To top off the day I walk along the old city walls to visit a Piaggio scooter shop and managed to get a quote for two (of the six) panels I want to replace on Yoshi IV (my Vespa GTS 250 ie), and actually purchase a much needed handle-bar terminatori; this was a 30 minute conversation where retail-staff and customer did not share a common language. It was amusing, and was incredibly effecient. It was an amasingly fruitful chat. I learned about where my scooter serial number resides on the chassis, and am explained and shown the document all scooters in Italy must carry. In return I expound English translations for various scooter components and random words. I get quotes for parts and learn the Italian names for parts I never knew the names of, like terminatori, and:

I also learn my scooter is 'Classico Rossi'. 

Despite the language barrier I feel I communicated better with Serchio Motori (Lucca, Italy) than I do with Motorad on Vivian St (Wellington, New Zealand) back home (sorry guys, I want to like you but you guys took four weeks to charge me $600 for a repair, and as soon as I exited the shop it was obvious you had not worked on her - I want to like you, but screw you too). 

Cassino - a once great town

There's nothing here. 

When we arrived at the train station and hopped in a cab the driver asked "what are you doing here," - without pausing - "visiting the monestary?". That should be a satisfactory indication of the total quantity of attractions in this town; one. There is a catholic monestary. Fantastic in its history, destruction, reconstruction and museum. Grand. 

I'm actually here because my great-uncle half-inched the chalice as he was departing at the end of world war two. Cheeky sod. 

The long walk (1-2 hr based on pace, one way) between Cassino and Monestary is breathtaking. It is an ancient Roman road in terrible condition. Still, one is walking anoungst ancient history, on the same road - potentially some of the same stones - as many people have for the last one to two centuries. Crazy. 

Side note, apparently this hill is riddled with vipers. :/

I was fortunate enough to, whilst relieving myself along this ancient pathway, spy the cross of St Benedict, the patron saint of Europe, a mere 15 meters away. For what it's worth he has the coolest job title I've ever heard. (Way cooler than my job title at least). 

Having formed a strong friendship with Roberto, our taxi driver, we enjoy a tikki tour of the surrounding towns. Along streams, through windy villages, and finally climbing through windy cobbled house-crowded streets to reach the mountain side of olive groves. These spread everywhere. Up there the view was magnificient and the air was sweet; the smell reminded me of sweet, juicy oranges. 

Back home now. Incredible meal en route. Dined at only restaurant in entire town which is decent. More than decent. Incredible. The owner, upon my third request for a glass of wine, politely plonked the entire bottle down and said "now it is yours". 

Atina Cabernet (local-ish), 2006.