9-24 Francavilla - Old Town??

 Tomorrow we drive across the country of Italy from Pescara to the area around Rome.  We have an Airbnb in Lido Ostia which is just outside Rome and very close to the Rome airport.  It is also very close to some Roman ruins that we will be visiting on Thursday.  So today, Tuesday, is supposed to be a rest day and also packing for the next adventure.

Over the weekend we had found a gelato store we both loved and right next to it a place that sold meat on a stick.  So we were hoping for a "light" lunch and to do a little exploring.  One of the things I wanted to do was to see the "old town - Francavilla" - but I have not been sure at all of how old it is.  The other problem was - how would we get there?  

As I have mentioned before - all the seaside towns up and down this side of the Adriatic have been planned the same way.  At the edge of the sea you have the Lido or beach.  Next is a row of restaurants.  In front of them is a sea of umbrellas and chairs.  On the other side of the restaurants may be a walkway and some times a road.  Next there is either railroad tracks - or if this is enough land an row or two of houses that open up to the sea.  A two story house usually has a good sea view.  And then further inland are the main roads and city streets.  Almost always you access that row of houses every couple of blocks or maybe miles - by going down briefly and then coming up a hill and into the beach area.  Most of the time there is no walking access from  one side to the other.

I knew the old town was supposed to be across the major roads at the Siena Piazza on the seaside.  That was where the gelato and other restaurants were that we wanted to go to today.  All of those places were closed today.  But - just on the other side of the last restaurant was a underground walkway.  Just like going into a metro station.  You go down a bunch of steps - walk a ways and walk up the steps on the other side - and Wallah!  you are in the regular town!  There were several restaurants there - all closed.  And this stairways.

It is hard to see - but at the bottom are tables on the steps - used by the restaurant next door.  All closed.  This photo was taken about 1/2 way up the hill.

At the top we were inundated by parents picking up their kids from the school - yellow building.

From here we could look up to see this church - we knew it was a church because the bells were ringing.

You could still see back to the sea.

We found another stairway that led up to the church.

More view back to the sea.

The side of the church - looks pretty new!

A restaurant in front of the church - closed of-course.

A few streets away I saw some action going on in this building.  Turns out it is a cheese factory with a adjoining store that sold - Cheese!! and a few other things.  We were able to get drinks.  We thought we saw a case full of pizza - turns out it was focaccia with tomatoes on top - and very thick crust.  We are very hungry so decided to get some.  Then asked them to warm it up (using a translation app).  No they could not do that.  Apparently the clerk had called her workmate who came rushing over to ask us in English.  No indeed they could only sell it cold.    We just buy the drinks.  So I asked him - where is the old town.  He takes us out of the store and points back to the church - that is the oldest church.

Back we go.  I see this sign on the side of the church.  If you look close at the date in the middle - this church was dedicated in 2012!!  That is the oldest church in town??

Finally we go around the corner and discover the front of the church.  The way it is facing is very weird - There is a building across the way completely covered in scaffolding.  There is not much space between the buildings.  But let me show you some close-ups - it is actually pretty cool.

I don't have a Biblical reference for this sculpture.  It looks like a lion biting a snake.

No idea what this is supposed to mean.

But this Mother Mary and baby Jesus looks very native American influenced to me.

A side angle to get more of the relief.

And on the right side of the church is a new bell tower.  The plaque below says it is in memorial to someone who died in 2021.

There doesn't seem to be anything else to see so we head down all of the steps!

By the time we get down to the seaside level and go under the underground path again we are starving.  The restaurants we wanted to go to are still closed.  So sad - no last gelato.

But we do find a seaside restaurant open and they invite us it.  There are very few things on the menu - just seafood.  They gave us a huge bag of bread.  Bread is always given to you in a bag of some sort.  This time it was delicious and about 15 or so small pieces.  Which turned out great - as the only vegetables or sides they had was a salad!  I have been eating salads almost every meal!  I finally choose the plate below - which was described as fried fish.

Starting on the left top - a piece of cuttlefish.  On top and bottom random fried white fish.  Bottom left Mantis shrimp and above it octopus tentacles.  Thankfully I can always count on Michael to eat what I don't like.  He said the Octopus was delicious.  The meat of the shrimp was sweet - about enough for one bite.  But both fish were delicious!!  How lucky for me that this dish included two of them.

Michael got seafood pasta - he has said that he can always count on it being delicious.

We were both full - me with fish and bread and Michael with pasta and seafood.  No more walking for us.  We will have left-overs tonight and start packing.  We are both looking forward to see the ocean on the other side of Italy!