13 July

I am welcomed to Todi with compliments, wine, and ketchup flavored potato chips

Today I took the high speed train to Firenze, then a local train to Orvieto.

From there, I took a taxi -- I was worried that would be impossible on a Sunday evening, but it was so easy; the first and only driver at the cab stand took me for the going rate (100 euro), so long as I paid in cash. He even spoke decent English, so we chatted the entire way to Todi. Then, after letting the driver go because I couldn't remember how to get into the old city, which is a maze of one-way streets, and wandering around haplessly for a few minutes, I had a hasty drink with the host's mother and her husband, an almost identical replica of the husband of my last Airbnb host -- tiny, quiet, courtly, incurious.

Within the space of an hour, two people told me I was an attractive woman, both the cab driver and the host's mother. This is something I NEVER hear, so I'm definitely going to like it here despite the cab driver's deep skepticism.

"Valerie," he said, "if I were to give you advice, and of course it's too late, it would be not to buy but to rent for a while. You know? Just to see if the atmosphere suits you."

I pointed out to him that everyone from Orvieto hates Todi, and everyone from Todi hates Orvieto.

He couldn't deny the truth of that.

I am happy to be here. It rained today, and cold air is pouring in the windows. Lovely.

For those interested in such things, it cost $2500 to fly over with the dog, take the train from Paris to Orvieto, pay for a couple really expensive cab rides, and stay in two decent hotels.

Here's the view from the Airbnb's private garden. It's pretty much the same as the view from my own apartment. I'll walk over there tomorrow.