Conca dei Marini

13 October

So today I checkout of touristville and head for the hills to the Villa I have rented just below the Village of "Conca  dei Marini".  Shit what have I got myself into, I can barely speak English how am I going to survive hanging with the true locals who speak there  own dialect. Anyhow it is raining now for the second day and I meet Gianluca, who gives me the keys to the house and drops me off.

I'm told there is a store 10 minutes up the road in the village where i can buy fresh local provisions. So  after walking in the rain up a winding road that can comfortable fit a small Fiat 500,myself and an unloaded donkey, I arrive at the convenience store overflowing with food you can only see on a "Jamie Oliver Italy" cooking show. Fumbling my way through unfamiliar labels and unfamiliar purchasing protocols, i secure ground coffee, fresh crunchy bread, tomatoes that beg the question " where the hell are those evil bastards at Woolworth's hiding these baby's" ,cold meats and my favorite cheese from last years Sicilian experience " Pecorino Siciliano" (or Picurinu Sicilianu in Sicilian) A sheep's cheese mad from ewes milk with a little Chilli added for punch. I return to my "Flash Villa" only getting lost the one time, looking very much like the loaded donkey I mentioned earlier. I spend the afternoon admiring my diggs and working out some basic functionality's. It's 8.00pm and I'm washed and am sporting the best rugged Australian look I can muster, so up the hill I march determined to get into this new experience and take myself for another solo romantic evening at the one and only restaurant at the top of the hill.

"My mother, dear God this is good", (Mio caro dio madre questo è bono).

The bar has just been raised again as far as incredible food goes on this jouney. I've started tonight with a cold beer followed by "Spaghetti of seven  flavours" (Spaghetti di sette  sapori) . Al Dente home made Pasta of course, local tomatoes, garlic, fennel, basil, parsley and god knows what else, it's not my intension to insult the chief with my lack of culinary knowledge in describing this simple but perfectly balanced dish, however I I'm working with limited material here! Second course "My God"(Mio Dio), I've run out of superlatives and I've only been here 10 minutes, it's going to be a long night folks.

I have ordered a local dish of Squid with potatoes that is baked with tomatoes and I have accompanied this with a mixed green salad  (Insalata verde mista) that is so fresh I can still hear the lettuce trying to chat up the pomegranate's.

To be honest, i have had great food before, however I've never experienced food of this quality before and it's a humbling experience for a somewhat semi worldly guy that grew up in Far North Queensland. Oh and yes I'm continuing my non allegiance to White wine with Sea Food and am loving the local Rossi wine. The only Wifi available is at this restaurant so I hope you appreciate the lengths I go to to send you this Blogg, chances are I'm going to put back on all the weight I lost during my hard slog in the Camino.

Sacred Jewels