To get there from the larger town of Bagnoregio, you need to pay a small fee to cross the little walking bridge you see above. Since there are no other roads in, this bridge services the entire town. The restaurants bring their food in on Vespas! We did have a small tractor pass by us as we squeezed up against the railing (see the tractor below) and it was loaded down with water bottles, but not much more.
To keep Parker’s interest in all of our wanderings, we keep coaxing him on with stories of Castles and Knights. Soldiers and police. On this day, on the bridge, we were storming the castle. The bridge, of course, brought back visions of Shrek and donkey…and a dragon, and there was lava beneath! He loves this stuff.
If I’m honest, I’ve probably walked about 350 miles in the last month or so, and a lot of them with Parker on my back, as you see above. The result? Well, see the picture below, taken on the main road through Civita, after we had climbed the hill and when I was too tired to go on. Parker thought this was so funny. (Truth: William has carried Parker a lot too. And he doesn’t get tired. Thanks, William.)
We were struck by all the seats like the one Bridget’s on all over the town. And when you find one like this in the shade, at the end of long hike up hill, in the hot Etruscan sun, you feel like John Candy in “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”, and so you just sit and say “Lovely… Lovely, lovely.”
And here’s Lindsey, all fit and fabulous. She was a trooper, pushing Anders’ stroller every bit of a 1/2 mile straight up a really steep hill, while Parker stood on the glider board too. Her calves were on fire! Thanks, Lindsey! 
You can’t really blame the people who want to take Anders’ picture while he’s sleeping can you? I mean look at those cheeks.
Seriously, Anders is a big hit around here. He gets more pinches and squishes and squeezes than he has a right to. The Italians love him. “Bellissimo, bellissimo…amore”, they say.
You’ll love this–it’s a true story: one of the waitresses that helped us at lunch in this small town could not get over Anders. She kept getting in his face and loving on him. She wanted to eat him, we think. She even grunted–viscerally–when she held him while we ate, nuzzling his neck, kissing his cheeks, squishing his knees. She took him out of his stroller again after she brought out our dessert. Almost without notice, she grabbed a spoon on the table and dipped it in the chocolate mousse we had ordered. Indicating that she wanted to give this bite to Anders, Bridget immediately jumped into action. Motioning to both of her breasts in turn and then repeating the gesture (yes, William, Lindsey, and I found this odd too), Bridget said clearly and slowly in English, “He Only Nurses Right Now, No Chocolate.” Seeming puzzled, the waitress nevertheless stopped and put the spoon down. Whew. Needless to say, we were relieved, believing that Anders had just survived a “near chocolate experience” at 8 months. But not so fast. Evidently thinking that Bridget’s objection was rooted specifically in the spoon she was using, the waitress proceeded to dip her pointer finger DEEP into OUR chocolate dessert and then quickly slipped it into Anders’ mouth. Bridget immediately succumbed to the vapors and passed out. William began to choke on the water he was drinking. Lindsey fell off the back of her chair. Seeing all of this as in slow-motion, my ears ringing, I just sat stunned, motionless, thinking only that this poor waitress had no idea with whom she was dealing. I was quite sure we were only moments away from an international incident. Do I remember reaching for my passport? Meanwhile, Anders was like, “Sky rockets in flight! Afternoon delight!” and reaching for the waitress’s finger in the not so subtle hope of round two.
OK, I embellished that a bit…in the end, and to her credit, Bridget actually remained fairly calm. She did give that “I’m-laughing-and-smiling-but-I’m-still-pretty-uncomfortable-with-all-this-but-I-can’t-tell-you-because-you’re-Italian-and-I-only-speak-English” sort of look, but I was quite proud of her, nevertheless. After all, it was just our baby sucking chocolate mousse off of a stranger’s pointer finger. We all laughed throughout our dessert about the seeming absurdity of the whole thing. And we really did love that waitress! She was great.
The tractor with a pick-up bed that I mentioned above. Honestly, it’s the only vehicle you’ll see in the town. And it needs a muffler.
This is the restaurant we ate at. Alma Civita. We spent 113 Euros for lunch here, our most expensive meal so far. But this included bread, a bottle of white wine, three or four bottles of water (naturale–not frizzante!), two orders of Caprese salads, one order of bean salad (to die for), five main courses (in my opinion, Parker’s chicken was the best!), and a dessert tray with an assortment of desserts, including the aforementioned chocolate mousse. We thought it one of the best meals we’ve eaten in Italy so far and worth every penny. Delizioso. Probably more than anything else it’s the reason we’re going back in September. Well, that and the prospect of fighting the dragon again, if we can get past the molten lava under the bridge, that is! So, while you’re still able, will you go to Civita?
Oh, my! That story about Anders and the waitress made me laugh out loud. As a germaphobe and a sometimes overprotective mother, I can only imagine what my response would have been! Loved your telling of the story. And props to Bridget for not succumbing to "the vapors" or going off the rails. 🙂
Great post, Steve. Makes me want to visit. Also, your Planes, Trains reference completely wins me over – best.movie.ever. & my family quotes that line about every single day!
he LOVES that movie.
Great post! Steve's telling of the chocolate adventure was just too perfect. I laughed out loud right at my desk – no shame. One day you'll tell Anders that the first time he had chocolate was in Italy. How fun. 🙂
I will definitely read this to my family to get them (more) excited to our next trip to Civita, maybe the dragon part will win them over as history isn't that appealing to them yet. And as I don't do very well with even family members giving our baby chocolate or anything else to eat, I'm impressed, Bridget.
does that bridge, er, swing? i have a feeling it swings.
me i'm a wuss about heights so this deficiency could limit my visits to Civita.
so much better to read the Hunts' ravishing report, i'd bet good money that they all can tolerate moving heights with the eagle eye for distance combined with speed of an F18 pilot.
re the crumbling away of the hilltop town, would that volcanic rock be limestone? it's tragic what post industrial pollution has done/is doing to all the stone cathedrals, aqueducs & outdoor antiquities of europe. Granite is surviving better, evidently, but limestone is at risk from acid rain.
i wrote this a while ago but was too bashful to post it …
i think that among the reasons everyone is so enthralled with the Italian chronicles is the fact that the Hunts turned magically into an italian family, no longer a north american family, the moment their plane touched down in milan. Bridget herself transitioned instantly into a 14th century madonna with cherub, a luminous painting from the early renaissance.
take that shot of Bridget holding Anders while she looks at a train schedule in the railway station. You know how european women usually dress more conservatively than north americans while managing to look more alluring? so there is Bridget wearing a nondescript nothing of a grey tee, a modest mid-calf length black midi, a straw fedora hat … and she looks like a million bucks.
the Hunts are not doing any of the usual tourist activities. Instead they stroll at dusk on the ancient ramparts of a hillside town, exactly like an italian family that has lived among those same stones for a thousand years. The twilight video on the fortified walls is magic.
i imagine people are so thrilled to read the italian adventures because they're seeing italy the way italians live it, they're not seeing a disneyfied tourist experience.
ha, you're too kind. i wish i could say i view us/the whole trip as romantically as you do, but the day to day hustle and bustle of traveling with kids/a family still wins out a lot of the time! i'll keep rereading your comment hoping that i become more italian by doing so though 🙂 and thank you.
Love the way you wrote that, humble pie!
Brilliantly written and so very true!!!!
Only 3 weeks left….Already?!?! Steve is hilarious but at the same time for some reason I can totally picture the whole chocolate scene unfolding before my eyes! With Anders on some kind of chocolate high as well! So did I understand Steve correct your going back next September…as a romantic couple's trip of the Family get-a-way again? Well Bravo to you what an amazing experience for your family! Oh and the picture of Parker and William…..precious!
no no, more than three weeks left! we're just returning to civita for another visit in three weeks(ish).
and not going back next september! where'd you see that?
i love that picture too!
Oh ok I was going to say this is going WAY too fast!!! Maybe I misunderstood Steve but when he said "Probably more than anything else it's the reason we're going back in September." in the last paragraph….Oh isee as I reread it maybe he was jesting because he was talking about fighting a dragon….Forgive me the Smith's over here had a 9 day bout with the Flu lol
Hello! Long-time reader, 1st comment. May in fact be posting this twice, as not comment-board savvy, but wanted to see if you guys knew how topical/on-trend you were? See link to NYT piece today:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/italy-civita-di-bagnoregio-tourism-landslides.html?_r=0&referrer=
wow! thanks for sending that. i loved reading it.
I am very intrigued by Civita's clever use of witches brooms to line the pathway. It looks so nice! Pinterest ain't never seen this.
Third time trying to comment…I have not done it in so long… 🙂
Great post, Steve. First one I've read by one…but it's been a long time since I've read blogs in general to be honest. Your trip looks and sounds amazing- tiring/ but amazing. I love Italy…would go back in a heartbeat.
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