Tues 9th Alba DAY 17

Duomom in Alba - empty piazza

HURRAY! We've broken through the 3,000 mile barrier and arrived in Albe, North Italy. Our B 'b B has the fastest talking woman so far who rattled off her instructions and then finished her flourish with a questioning 'Capice?' with raised eyebrows and firm stare.... I asked her to repeat some little bits for me, which she did, but seems a bit cross that I was so slow and that I didn't get it first time. I hope I got everything right as she seems the sort not to suffer fools lightly. Jolly nice room, though - self catering...er....breakfast is in the fridge which IS cold this time: our last two hotels have had hot fridges - which rather spoils the point of having beer and champagne in ready to sell 'cos no-one would ever use their offerings.

As usual, when one goes for a walk, the afternoons are pretty well deserted by people who are sleeping/siesta-ing after lunch. Everything closes at about 1pm and then re-opens at 4.30ish when it is always noticeably cooler. Pic on the left shows one of the main piazzas at about 3pm.

Alba - night time at 10.30 ish

......and then here'a street in mid-flow AFTER we'd had our evening meal. It is 10.30pm (quite late for us) and we've never seen so many pushchairs and babies: there were FIVE in a row at one point and we had to flatten ourselves against the wall to allow the baby-army with their determined drivers through. Actually lots of the prams were empty and the babes toddling round entertaining everyone - quite sweet really but OUR children were always in bed as soon as we could get them there!

Alba is a very pretty town but we had to walk and walk to find somewhere to eat. Each restaurant had a DJ set up outside who blasted the punter, and anyone else who happened to be walking past, with loud pumping music. Actually it was quite fun in a way, but we only found two places that suited us. First one was VERY expensive so, after a cursory flip through their menu, we escaped and went walking again. Debbie had taglialioni (very thin pasta) with Black Truffles and lashings of butter: great pasta but the truffles seemed pointless and quite hard and tastless. Rob had Frazziolini (sorry, can't remember how to spell it) which was delicious with little octopus, clams and other sea creatures and a yummy tomato sauce.

Alba - spire in the afternoon sunshine

Then back home for an early night (mmmmh.... rather mucked that up tonight) ready for the return to Fance and the first half of the Napoleon Route......biker's paradise apparently but you'll know what we think tomorrow night!