Parte Seconda...

Diane took the lead in reserving our hotel room because she had a great experience at Hotel Due Mori, and we trusted she knew what she was talking about.  Let me tell you, it was a fabulous hotel.  Placed just inside the wall of Marostica and less than a five minute walk to the city square, it was quiet, quaint and convenient.  Getting there is another story though, as is always the case when driving in Italy.  

We arrived after dark.  We approached the wall which had a sign that appeared to symbolize "do not enter".  This confused Diane as this was exactly how she went in the first time she visited the city.  So Stacy continued on with Diane saying "It's just right up there on the corner, I can see it."  After seven hours in the car, yeah...the easiest way to get from point A to point B was all we wanted.  We did notice people looking at us, but we just continued on, we were committed now.  As we drove past the front of the hotel, barely scraping by, Diane hops out to get the desk manager, Alberto.  He says, "Yes, that's a one way and you're going the wrong way."  We just laugh not knowing that wasn't the end of the driving adventure.  Stacy attempts to make this TIGHT turn down the street to the parking lot, I think that one ends up being about a three point turn.  But this next turn took the cake as the most insane turn; two inches forward, two inches backward...WATCH THE POLES!  Two inches forward, two inches backward...DON'T BOTTOM OUT!  Two inches forward, two back...CRAP, THERE'S A CAR COMING!  This went on for it seemed like ten minutes.  Probably a lifetime for Stacy who afterward said "I am NOT pulling into that parking lot again."  And as she completed the ordeal and put the car in park, Alberto says to her, "Congratulations, you did it."  During the escapade, his face was the funniest though it just read, "There is no way she's getting that behemoth in here."

Not the entrance we went in, but as you can see not the best place for a minivan... Hotel due Mori on the left, it looks wider than it actually is.

We check in, get all the info on restaurants, Alberto makes us a reservation for the following night at Osteria Madonnetta, a restaurant Hemingway frequented,  and we make our way up.  It is a beautiful hotel with table with various loose teas at the front door in the evenings, a glorious breakfast spread with meats, cheeses, honey, yogurts, beautiful bread, lots of good food, and a small but divine room with wooden beams, beautiful curtains and luxuriously hot water (we don't get really hot water here, at least not in our apartment).

Two wordsWood beams Tea for all!

After a much needed bottle of vino rosso, we head out for some eats.  Diane tells us about a festival Marostica has every two years in the summer where they play a living chess game with real people and horses in costume in front of the castle, complete with fireworks as the finale.  Researching a little more about the event, it has an interesting story behind it.  All of the intrigue we so love:  two suitors, one royal girl, and a high octane chess duel, click to read more.  Anything for a festival, I love the fun traditions here!

The castle

  We walked the courtyard and found a small osteria named L'Angelo e Il Diavolo.  Diane had dined at this one before and was raving about the pumpkin, pear, ricotta ravioli she had.  We were seated very quickly, it was Thursday though.  The restaurant was wall to wall pictures, various knick knacks, and copper kettles, to say there was a lot to look at is a gross understatement.  Both Stacy and Diane ordered the pear ravioli and I, the pizza girl, ordered the Greco pizza.  Feta, olives on an Italian pizza?  How can a girl go wrong?  That is if I miss the part that reads acciuga (anchovy), then it can go wrong.  It was fishy, but not too bad, no I take that back...it was fishy even after I picked them off.  But I still ate it with lots of red wine. Pumpkin, pear, ricotta ravioli...Mamma mia!  

Have to remember the Italian word for anchovies!

Once out the door, I felt the urge to go back inside and talk to the owner (something this introvert rarely does).  So, I did.  I asked him about the NYC marathon Bib I saw and if he was the photographer of tutto le foto.  He said, "Si, si, si."  There must have been something lost in my translation as he posed himself for a picture as I pointed to my camera.  He was very charming and even gave me a disk of his music, a musician too?  These Italians are multifaceted.  

He seemed always ready to have a picture taken.

 After the excitement of our day, we headed back to the hotel to get some much needed beauty rest in preparation for our ceramic adventure in the morning.  But here's a few more from our walk back to the hotel.

Have you ever seen pasta look so designed? I'm a fan of swanky lighting and lights. Grazie amici!!

Mackenzie