Italy 2026 part 4

I’ve wanted to dine at Pasticceria Pinelli since I saw this place, with a tiny Roman arch’d patio with 8 tiny tables near the outdoor bookstalls. Cappuccino, chocolate roll, iced mini baguette. On a side street,⁴ but plenty of people watching even at 830am.

The Slavic couple, in transit to their witness protection program location, noticed me sketching. The man angrily got up to leave and spoke curtly to his wife, and left with the rolling suitcase. Her face went distant, used to ignoring his moods but after a moment she got up and followed him. #fictionnotfiction #danbrowninferno

The sounds of a jackhammer from behind breaks the morning. As one, we cafe-sitters frown and turn around. Cappuccino time is sacred.
Now it’s 915am and theres a milling, pacing horde waiting for tables to clear. I finish my plein air and go.

Bookstall
Piazzetta del Libro, directly behind

It’s amazing how many Italian conversations can be completed with just “ah, si si si, gracie”. Also I keep forgetting how to say good day (buon Giorno) and good night (buona sera)

Today is my last chance for a bike ride on the city walls. I went to the place the Orange County people recommended. Insultingly, they wouldn’t let the old lady rent the nice light carbon fiber bike for 20e/hr. Basically because he thinks I’ll damage it. How insulting. So why list it then. Guess I don’t have enough spandex on. This situation is not worth my energy. Got the old lady bike, altho I should have walked out.
It’s a beautiful day on the wall. Slow Travel rules dictate that I take that interesting side road which led me to a small walled aqueduct running below street level! and I followed it thru town, from Porta di San Jacopo, down Via del Fosso, to Baluardo San Colombano. Then spent too much time trying get a self portrait of myself in the roadway safety mirror. Lol

The tourist bike was very front heavy and kept falling over when stationary. At one point the chain f*ckin fell off. WTH – how? But I was NEVER going back to that shop to ask them to put the chain back on. But there’s always a convenience store around for a soda and baby wipes.

Other than this, the walled city has been a dream to bike around, on the elevated walls and on the street.

In return for not strangling the bike rental guy, I treated myself to a sidewalk lunch at “In Pasta – Cibo e Convivio” that Ive had my eye on. Homemade ricotta ravioli in lemon and honey sauce sprinkled with pistachio. Highly recommended. Plus a macchiato.

Spent the afternoon sketching around town and waiting for the Volto Santo to start. I want to see the procession from Piazza San Michele, the most picturesque Piazza in town, even tho my hotel actually fronts the procession and I would be able to see it from my room (how boring). Need to get to the watching location around 6pm (2hr in advance) says the internet. This thing will obviously be taking over the whole tiny walled city tonight! Dinner will be catch as catch can tonight! Probably gelato!

Can you believe that they are lighting each of the 20k procession candles that decorate the city walls, BY HAND, with a Bic lighter. (In all fairness they have multiple trucks). After having placed them all there…by hand. This is crying out for The Clapper

The Luminaria de Santa Croce processional is beautiful and moving and showcases religious and non religious community support groups plus a small marching band and a small percussion group. Half the town was in the (long) parade and the other half of town was watching it. I’m not sure the actual crucifix was in the procession, it looks to be quite large. San Michele was the right place to be, better lit and better looking than the Plaza Napoleon near my hotel. San Michele’s belltower rang continuously for almost an hour while the cross was in motion.