Ambrosia Stitches

We have lived in Udine for eight months now and we never get bored of taking in the mountain views.  Much of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia is flat. So flat! Flat iron flat. Pancake flat. You can see for miles and then all of a sudden the mountain simply erupt onto the landscape. There is very little graduation, there are few gently rolling hills – it is either flat or mountainous! All of this does contribute to some pretty stunning scenery.

I took this picture of the Southern Alps (and my little brother) back in October in a little town called Artegna – one of the few elevated spots before you reach the mountains. I have posted very few pictures of the views here because I really don’t think my very limited photography skills ever do them justice.

We stumbled on another place with stunning views last week.  San Daniele del Friuli is famous for Prosecco and Prosciutto so when we happened to be driving past close to lunchtime we decided to stop to eat.  The lunch was great and the vista was an unexpected, but very welcome, addition.

If you visit Veneto or Friuli, I recommend you try San Daniele ham (prosciutto). Coming from England I was familiar with Parma ham but our Italian friends all tell us to always opt for the locally produced prosciutto wherever you happen to be. I see no reason to argue with them!

Whilst we were in San Daniele I took this picture of a hanging basket. For me it encapsulates much of the Italian way of thinking.  Firstly, everyone loves their window boxes and hanging baskets and now Spring is here they are adding stunning shots of colour everywhere we go.  Italians also love to make their surroundings as attractive as possible and hide anything unsightly.  This was a small opening at the side of a house where all of the things like the electricity metre were kept. The entrance way was kept as small as possible so the ugly pipes and boxes were hidden as much as possible.  Then a hanging basket had been added to make the area prettier.  Anyone needing to access the gas metre would have to step over the geranium pot, remove the hanging basket and bend double – but it all looks pretty!

I can’t help but admire this attention to detail and it does mean that there is always something pretty to look at….in addition to the mountain views!