The big clean up in Belluno
We’re still here: N46.13781 E12.21433
Weather: hot and humid with a storm on the way.
I learned a valuable lesson yesterday – always go out looking presentable as you never know who you might meet. Lately all four of us (me, J, Charlie and Dave) had gone a bit skanky. We’d started to stretch the time between showers and for me a hat meant I could last an extra day before washing my hair and Dave had a thin layer of dirt all over him. So, to meet a hero after 3 days of not showering and in the same clothes you’d worn for the last two days on a mountain side was not good. We were parked on a major wonk on the mountain and were running low on water for showers, so when we got down to the valley I put on my woolly hat – well it was cold and raining. Of course by the time we met Mr Cavendish it was hot so the hat was off and he was stalked by me with greasy hat hair, not a good look. Fortunately the media cameras paid more attention to Charlie than J or I – and we spotted this picture on a US cycling website.
The caption reads – A fan holds his pet dog as Team Sky’s Mark Cavendish of Britain waits for the start of the 149-km Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia (Image copyright REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo)
So this morning it was operation de-skank. Big long showers all round (apart from Charlie the media star who avoided the whole thing by pretending to sleep in his bed) and a couple of hours cleaning Dave from top to bottom. We all feel so much better for it. Just need a campsite now with a laundry so the seat covers can be made white again.
Once that was done we took the escalator up into the town. Tourist information was at the top so we nipped in and got a map with some info on Belluno. It’s been inhabited since the 5th Century BC and in it’s time it’s been Roman, French, part of the Hapsberg empire and German (twice). Coming from an island all this border changing still seems very odd to me. The town and it’s outskirts also boast 270 fountains and has some really beautiful old buildings.
As we walked out of the tourist office we were greeted by a large open space surrounded by magnificent buildings, and a wonderful aroma – roast chicken. Our first walk around the town was very short as the smell was driving us mad, we needed chicken and we needed it now. So a trip back to the chicken wagon and €7 later we’re back down the escalators and sat in Dave scoffing the tastiest chicken either us have ever had. We don’t know what magic that man worked on it, but it was wonderful.
The view from tourist office, loads of beautiful old buildings here
The cathedral
The cloud brought relief from the heat of the sun by the time we headed back into the town for walk two. We went through the park at the back of the car park we’re in and walked up the road instead of the escalator. Quite a few places were closed as it was still lunchtime (12.30 – 3.30pm!) but we walked around the streets admiring the buildings and the views of the Dolomites to the north and west of us.
It’s not just Nottingham where people meet by the lions!
Haunting memorial to four resistance fighters killed in 1944
Escalator and stairs to town from car park
Back down the steps this time and we’re chilling out in nice clean Dave. It’s Friday night so we’re planning a trip up into town for a bite to eat – we haven’t had a nice evening meal out in Italy yet and with Venice promising to be stupidly expensive this is our chance to sample some of the food we’ve been reading about.
Tight rope walking practice in park
Lazy people this way
Have a great weekend everyone, hope the sun is shining.
Ju x
Charlie’s famous!! Love it x
He’s taking it in his stride. In other words, he’s asleep and snoring. I’m awake as some Italian ladies appear to be having a heated argument outside Dave. They’re probably just discussing the weather. I wish I’d paid attention in Italian class.
Charlie and j were even clearly visible at the start of the stage today, bet when you started your tour, you never thought you would be hanging with champion athletes and appearing on t telly ?!
Hi Richard! Excellent, I was totally bemused and trying to look nonchalant while holding a struggling pooch. He tends to avoid the limelight. As for us, it all feels like a wonderful dream.
Looks to me Cav was trying the Charlie ‘bored look’
Cav’s perfected it from what we saw. Ju did manage to get a little smile out of him when she asked if he’d cheered up from the stage before (he’d tweeted out he was fed up). It was fleeting though, as soon as he saw Charlie’s dispassionate visage he was back into Iceman mode!