Thursday, May 28 – Alba/Bra

Having had long days and late nights all week, we were tired! Uccio, the owner of the magnificent house we stayed in all week, was our host for the day, being that his club, the Bra club, was in charge. They let us sleep in. Then we saw Alba with Giova, the woman who had joined us for dinner our first night staying in Castagnito. A tour guide by profession (usually to Libya and Egypt and Middle Eastern countries) she was a great person to sight see with. We strolled around seeing remaining Roman bits, churches, and shops.


Italian flags lining an Alba shopping street.


Ancient and modern mix inside a church.

Next we moved onto the Gastro University in Polentia. Before lunch we walked through the town, which is built on and around a Roman ampitheatre. The roads curve around and radiate from the center, former performance arena where there are now just gardens and yards. The buildings have visible bits of the Roman structure as bases and bricks in the walls. They were built on and using the ampitheatre. Neat and unique!

Hanging out with Giova by our bus, in Pollentia.


The houses curved around, following the ancient ampitheatre foundations.

The garden in the what was the center of the ampitheatre.

Lunch was at a restaurant run by the Gastro University and Slow Foods. Delicious and perfectly presented (and fresh, local “slow food” ingredients). Carmen, an American and Slow Foods employee, joined us at lunch with information on the food. Although they didn’t eat with us, some Rotarians dropped by to say hello as well. We glanced in a magnificent wine cellar / collection. It is collecting the wines of Italy, by region.

Slow Foods asparagus.

The Slow Foods restaurant.

There were a couple of hours before the evening event. Instead of a club meeting, the Bra club was coming to Uccio’s house for a BBQ/potluck. An informal and less tiring option than an official meeting. The food was delicious and the company wonderful, and it was a very nice change to have a regular ol’ potluck! (well, as “regular” as an Iowan can call a potluck/BBQ held where you can walk 20 feet and be watching the sunset over an entire Italian landscape laid at your feet).

Gianni keeps the grill stoked.

Uccio grills away.


Members of the Bra Rotary Club at the potluck.


Jim and Carmen's Italian husband enjoy beer sampling.

Evening over the Castagnito landscape.

Sunset and silhouettes - with Monviso on the horizon.

Carmen, Kelli, and Ruth enjoy the sunset.

The GSE team and Bra Rotarians.