I was happy to find Pamela eating her breakfast on the patio so we could have a little visit before we left.  She and Johnny were heading into town to do a big pici making demonstration and we were on the road again.  We really could have stayed and stayed but…

parting shot of Poggio Etrusco and the view.

On to Ravenna.  The drive took a bit longer than expected because of 2 long detours up into the mountain roads.  Hairpin turns aside, the scenenry was beautiful with lots of trees in full white bloom in the Northern Appenines.

taken from the car

We stopped for a quick roadside piadina.  I think of them as Italian quesadillas.

We found the recommended parking lot and walked about 200 yards to our B&B for the next 2 nights.  Checked into the Galla Placidia B&B and we both felt exhausted but Ravenna was calling so we headed out to find the “i” place–the Tourist Information office.  We checked out a small produce market and found the spot to get a map and info.

A group was practicing on a stage in Piazza Popolo.  Tomorrow is a big holiday, April 25, Liberation Day so I think it was for that.  We walked by this funny wall:

We went to the post office to pay our parking ticket and to buy our passes for all of the mosaic churches.  San Giovanni Battista is not on the tour but we popped in there.  They have a huge—like as big as about 3 or 4 ping pong tables—presepe/nativity scene of a whole village set up, from Naples.  You can push a button and get sound effects and music. Ken thought the woman figure in front looked like Barbara Bush.

Back to the B&B for a bit of rest and figure out dinner.  I called Antica Botega di Felice for a reservation and it was a good thing because they were full after us.

Dinner we very good.  We shared a little zucchini “flan” with a super rich parmigiano sauce.   We each got our own pasta dish.  Mine was green cappelletti (like tortellini with a thicker pasta) with mortadella and cheese sauce.  Ken had the the typical white cappelletti with sausage and wine sauce.  There was plenty of nutmeg in the fillings and while Ken’s was homey and earthy, mine was rich and cheesey.  We drank a bottle of sangiovese wine from around here, Romagna.  And we shared a big salad.

So glad to walk home after dinner, holding hands with my great driver, husband.   Ravenna, in this small center is quite charming!