Sunshine Coast Adventure Part 1

Click to enlarge. Photo taken from the ferry as we left Horseshoe Bay heading towards the Sunshine Coast. Grey skies here but we were hoping for real sunshine when we got there.

As I mentioned in my ABC Wednesday post below, I had three lovely days away on the Sunshine Coast of BC. My friend and I drove from our little village of Ladner (see "Tsawwassen" on the map) through the city of Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay to catch the Langdale ferry to this remote coastal area of BC. The ferry took us into Gibsons where we stopped to look around and have lunch at Molly's Reach, the restaurant. Perhaps one of Gibsons biggest claims to fame is as the site where the long-running TV series The Beachcombers was filmed.

Although the film crews are long gone, Molly's Reach restaurant and the pier (where much of the filming was done) are still there, and several of the cast, notably the late star of the series, Bruno Gerussi, chose to make their homes here. After all, they knew there was more to Gibsons than The Beachcombers.

We drove the lower road into Gibsons and I was so excited to finally see this famous place. Around the bend suddenly appeared the bright yellow facade of Molly's Reach Restaurant and I took a shot right through the windshield of the car. Later, however, I took a "proper" shot and Cathy took a photo of me standing in front. We entered and found a spot near the back of the restaurant that overlooks the marina and studied the menu. It was a day for soup. Hearty soup. So we both had a big bowl (I had the thick, stew-like white clam chowder and Cathy had the thick, stew-like pea soup) and we shared some fantastic sweet potato fries. Yummy!

Then it was time to stroll around to see a bit of the town. After wandering the pier for a few minutes to admire all the boats, we headed into Molly's Lane where we found lots of artistic shops with zany names like the "Waltzing Whippet" and a fence covered in amateur art opposite a more professional fence depicting water, waves, driftwood, and seabirds. You can see a portion of this fence on my ABC post below. There was also fantastic signage showing what you'd find down Molly's Lane.

Click to enlarge and see the names of the shops and services. Which is your favourite?

Then we discovered the Persephone! This was the main character Nick's boat on the show. Read more about the The Beachcombers here. Here are a few shots of the boat. Be sure to click to enlarge, especially the photo of the sign because you should be able to read it.

After that, we decided it was time to head up to Sechelt where we were staying. So off we went and checked into the Bella Beach Inn (don't stay there!) before heading off towards Porpoise Bay.

I'll leave you today with another shot I took from the ferry as we were heading towards Gibsons, but do stay tuned for more photos of our visit to this scenic part of British Columbia.

Click to enlarge. You can see there's blue sky ahead!

ABC Wednesday - Q is for Quaint

Did any of you miss me? Did you notice that I've been away? Well, I missed all of you but I've been away for three days taking photographs on the Sunshine Coast. My friend Cathy and I took the 40-minute ferry to a remote area along the BC coast and explored to our hearts' content. Luckily, we had fabulous weather and I took over 100 photos. This coastline runs about 86 km and offers lots of outdoor recreational adventures like sea kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, hiking, scuba diving, saltwater fishing, beachcombing, and air and boat tours. There are also hundreds of artists, events and gallery exhibits throughout the area. If the artisan is in residence, a purple flag flies above their sign at the side of the road. We saw a few flags out, but this isn't really the season for tourists.

Stay tuned over the next few days for more photos and stories about our adventure. Today, though, for Denise Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday, I thought I'd share some of the quaint pictures I managed to get. It seemed like we'd drive only a few kilometers and I'd be yelling, "Cathy! Pull over! There's a shot!" Thankfully, Cathy is only too happy to oblige.

The first place we stopped was at Molly's Reach Restaurant, the site of the longest running Canadian TV program, The Beachcombers. The area around the restaurant, which is located at the pier in Gibsons, is called Molly's Lane and there's a myriad of artisan shops here. For lunch, I had a big bowl their famous clam chowder soup and had to be rolled out when done.

Here's a shot of part of the fence that runs the length of the lane. It's completely painted in a beach scene, complete with driftwood and sea birds. Here you can sit a spell and watch the tourists and locals alike while enjoying the fresh sea air.

Can you guess what this is?

It's a hydro box painted by a local artist to depict salmon spawning. I found this absolutely fascinating and saw a few other boxes in the area painted, too. Here are a couple more. Click here to read about how this was done.

The following two photos are a good example of my screaming at Cathy, "STOP! There's a shot!" This old bike was at the side of the road by the edge of someone's driveway. The house was quite a ways down a hill and out of sight so this certainly helps if anyone is looking for the address. How could you miss it?

I hope you enjoyed these quaint pictures of life on the Sunshine Coast and will come back for more scenic shots of the area. After all, I guess I should try to drum up tourist business for next summer.

Also, don't forget to check out my other blog called Photologue for more photos.

Local Prank on National News

Yes, by golly, my little corner of the world has gone national! And I'm sure my two daughters are so proud of the school that they graduated from.

A prank that was meant to be funny and to show school spirit ended up with about a dozen senior girls getting into BIG trouble. During half-time, the girls ran across the school's football field wearing nothing but bikini underpants and duct tape around their breasts and sprayed the opposing team with silly string.

Some parents were outraged, but most of the students attending the game thought it was hilarious.

However, the principal had to take a stand and the girls are suffering the consequences. They had previously been warned by the school not to do it, but they went ahead with it anyway. The girls now have to do a variety of things, including sending letters of apology to individuals and coming up with a plan to prevent this type of thing from happening again by working with younger students in the school.

The incident was posted on youtube and made news all the way across the country. Anyone in the USA hear about it?

Well, that's my kids' school for ya.

If you want to see the video and news report, click here on "Underwear-clad Delta girls streak up a storm at high school football game" and click on VIDEO (Eric Rankin reports...) at the top right of the page. Let me know your thoughts.

Where in the World?

I notice that Josie has put up a photo of herself somewhere in our area. So I thought I'd put up mine, too, and even give you a clue.

It was the day after Halloween when Josie spent the night. We had my famous and yummy macaroni and cheese, oven fresh rolls, and salad. Josie had some red wine, but I didn't because I was already humming on prednisone! Dessert was - you guessed it! - Halloween candy that we tossed at each other as we each lay on a sofa in front of the cosy fire!

In the morning, Josie made her famous scrambled eggs au fromage avec des petits oignons rouges and instead of toast we had my homemade (from scratch, I'll have you know) pumpkin loaf. Topped off with fresh coffee and cream, we were sated and ready to head out for the day. And here is where we ended up.

This place is about halfway between where I live and where Josie lives. It's in a completely different city, though. It lies on one of the southern arms of the Fraser River and there tends to be a lot of noise around here. But the noise is an exciting noise and lots of people come to this spot just to watch the skies. So, there you go. Can you guess where we went?

Past, Present, and Future Me

I've been tagged by Anne in Oxfordshire. I normally don't do these memes, but after all the emotions of the past little while over the USA Presidential election, I think I need to just do something silly-ish for a bit. I'm not actually going to "tag" anyone because I'll probably get it wrong as to who enjoys doing these memes. But I hope you enjoy reading a bit about me! Maybe you'll learn something new today. Okay, here we go with six random things about me...

1. When I was a stay-at-home Mom and drove my daughters to their activities and functions, I'd always sing in the car. Now I'm not great at remembering the lyrics, so when I didn't know the words, I'd just sort of hum along or make up my own words. The girls would be absolutely "dying" because I'd do 60's actions to the music (imagine the bumping and grinding and hand movements while trying to steer) and they'd be screaming at me to "STOP!" I used to tell them that at my funeral they could mimic me and tell everyone all about how I enjoyed torturing them in the car. I still hope they do!

2. I love watching TV. I actually plan my evenings around the television shows I enjoy watching. Now, if there's something more exciting for me to do (like blogging or going out with friends) I'd do that. And I certainly wouldn't refuse an invitation out just because "my show" is on. But normally, I watch a few hours during the evening. Shows I enjoy right now are the Law & Order shows, murder mysteries, Grey's Anatomy, CSI (the original only), Without A Trace, and two new ones - Life on Mars and Eleventh Hour. Do you notice that most of these programs have something to do with justice?

3. I love reading, especially historical novels. However, although I have a library card, I don't like taking books out. Every time I do, I inevitably come upon pages with marks or stains and it creeps me out, wondering "What IS that? ICK!" So I buy my books either at bookstores or online and then either take them to a used bookstore to get a bit of money back OR I give them to friends that will enjoy the story. I always ask for books for Christmas gifts - as children, we always received two books each every year.

4. If I could live anywhere in the world outside of Canada, I'd choose England. The people are wonderful, the climate is similar to here, and they speak the same language. I'd love to be able to "hop" over to the continent for a week here or a week there. I'm fascinated by Europe and its history, culture, architecture. However, if I ever get to see Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa I just might choose to live there. The only down side I can imagine is that they drive on the wrong side of the road!

5. If I could start over in life, I'd study photojournalism. Back in the mid to late 60's, girls had basically three choices in life: (a) become a nurse, (b) become a teacher, (c) become a waitress or salesgirl. All of these things were only until you got married because then you stayed at home to take care of the children. I've discovered that I love to travel, I love to write, and I love to take photographs. I'm not necessarily that great in any of these areas, but I'd do it if I were to start over. And yes, I can still do these things, but it's now a hobby whereas I'd make it my life's work if I were to start over.

6. Deep down in my heart I'd like to be totally and unconditionally loved. I can imagine us planning big and little jaunts together, cooking for family and friends, and walking hand in hand through the seasons. We'd laugh and love into our old age and hold weather-worn hands while our great-grandchildren romp at our feet. This is my dream.

Oh, and one other thing. I do enjoy a few of the photography memes because they challenge me to try to come up with something unique each week. I limit myself to three because I don't want blogging to become my "real" life. There's far too much real life to live right now. Blog on!

ABC Wednesday - P is for Prednisone

Last summer, I noticed a strange bruising or burned appearance on one inner knee, one hip, and under one arm. The spots didn't itch, but there was a bit of a burning sensation. I sort of ignored the areas until last month when I noticed I had a few more smaller spots on my torso and the rash was spreading around my waist. I also began to feel considerably more uncomfortable. After checking my diet and thinking about whether I'd changed any soaps, talcs, deodorants, etc. I decided it was time to seek my doctor's advice. First thing he told me to do was to discontinue one of my medications. I did, but no change. So he decided we should do a round of prednisone.

Prednisone is a steroid drug and prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation. It's used to treat many different conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or breathing disorders.

Prednisone is commonly used for several weeks or even months at a time to get a chronic process under control. It is important that the dose be tapered to an every other day schedule once the condition is controlled. The reason for this is that body will recognise these artificial hormones and not produce any of its own. Eventually, the adrenal glands will atrophy so that when the medication is discontinued, the patient will be unable to respond to any stressful situation. By using the medication every other day, this allows the body's own adrenal glands to remain active.

I remember about 25 years ago waking up one morning with giant hives. After using regular types of antihistamines that didn't help, my doctor gave me a shot of adrenaline. That cleared the hives up until the adrenaline wore off and I had to go back for another shot. The hives kept coming back. So I went on a round of prednisone then to get rid of the rash. We never did find out what was the cause.

This time we still don't seem to know the cause, although we do know that rashes are often caused by auto-immune disorders or allergic reactions. I'll be taking prednisone for about another month, gradually tapering off if/when the rash is completely gone. Then I'm not supposed to take any other medications to make sure the rash stays gone.

When I started taking prednisone last week, I was on a fairly high dosage. My body felt like it was in high-speed and I could feel the adrenaline surging through me. Although I was tired to the point of almost crying, I couldn't sleep. Those nasty hot flashes also came back! Thankfully, now on a lower dose, I've been able to sleep the past couple of nights and feel somewhat better.

Prednisone is not a drug to fool around with. It can be dangerous to stop taking it suddenly and should only be taken under the supervision of a medical practitioner. However, the benefits can outweigh the dangers and that's what I'm banking on. I need to have this cleared up soon because I finally have a date for my back surgery - January 13th.

Other "P" words I'd like to honour this week are:

peace - in our world

paradise - for eternity

passion - for life and love

play - with my grandchildren

prayer - for health and healing

patience - during difficult circumstances

and purple pansies that give me profound pleasure.

ABC Wednesday is the brainchild of Denise Nesbitt and you can check out other participants and join in by clicking here.

Last Minute Considerations

Okay, I just had to post this link for today only. Tomorrow, the Americans elect a new President and then it's done.

Here's the link to Glenn Beck's radio program. Take a look at today's topics and browse through. There are a few last minute thoughts to consider and a bit of humour, too.

The whole world will be watching the United States of America tomorrow as history will be made, one way or the other.

May the American people get it right.

How To Dance in the Rain

This was sent to me today by a good friend and I'm supposed to forward it to my friends. I started to do that, but then decided that it's too important a message and I'd like to get it "out there" where everyone possible can read it. It touched my heart and I hope it touches yours, too.

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

Jamie and Madonna

Daughter #1, Jamie, has always adored Madonna and one of her biggest dreams was to see her live in concert. Her dream came true last night when 55,000 adoring fans attended the Queen of Pop's final leg of her tour right her in Vancouver. Born in 1976, Jamie was the perfect age when Madonna rose to fame in the 80's. I remember when Jamie was about 8 or 9 years old, she'd put the boombox on a log in front of the cabin at the lake and turn up the music. She and her little sister would dance around to Madonna's music until they were exhausted. As she got older, she'd buy the Pop Queen's music and eventually her videos, too. I'm not quite sure which ones she has right now, but I can recall her talking about "Like a Virgin," "Material Girl," "Blond Ambition," etc. Jamie's love of Madonna and her music continues to this day and all day yesterday Jamie was so excited about the concert she was going to attend.

I understood from the news media this morning that the concert was fantastic for Madonna fans. She didn't disappoint anyone and Jamie agreed. I popped over this morning for a quick coffee with her and to take Noah his Halloween treat so I heard all about how great the show was and the crowds and the noise and how all the fans seemed to be greeting each other as friends!

I found the above photo of Jamie at age 11 in 1987 when she dressed up as an 80's punk for Halloween. It's been a lifetime since she was dressing like this and dancing on the sand to Madonna's music. She's now a married woman and an excellent mother of two adorable children. Madonna has also gone through a lot of changes. I'm so glad Jamie had a great time last night and that her dream came true. It didn't even matter that she's tired today from lack of sleep after a late night out.

Jamie and her friend Cathy had fantastic floor seats and the following photos from the concert are couresty of Cathy.

OBAMINATION

Congratulations to Obama. From his paid advertisement that aired tonight, it looks like he’s already placed himself in the White House. How presumptuous to appear as though he’s already there with the American flag to one side and a desk with a window behind him.
These will be my last comments on the upcoming election in my neighbouring country – I think. I have a lot of good friends who live in California, Arizona, Utah, New York, Maryland, Iowa, and Florida and we may not all agree on the candidates. But that’s okay – it’s what is great about both the USA and Canada – we’re democracies and we have the right to our opinions. So to Sylvia, Daryl, Mark, and others who are proudly supporting Obama, I apologise if it appears that I offend. That is not my intent. There are a few points that I’d like to make, though.
First, Obama spoke about the money that is being spent in Iraq and questions how many schools, hospitals, and medications that money could buy for the average American. At the same time, he takes the average American’s money to the point that he has more than he needs to spend on his campaign. What did he do with your money? He spent it on a public advertisement that caters to the emotions of the average American - you. Think about it for a minute – he took your money that you scraped to earn. You decided he needed it more than you did. You didn’t take your kids to that movie or that football game or out for ice-cream because you gave it to Obama. How many schools and/or hospitals could have been built with that money? How much medication could have been bought to ease the pain and suffering of those who don’t have any medical coverage? How many shelters could that money have built for the homeless? Or food to feed hungry children?
Next, Obama used regular folks to exemplify the terrible conditions that you average Americans are suffering. Well, I’m sure that the majority of you are not suffering that much. You’re living your average lives like most folks do. We work to pay the bills. We prioritise our needs and if there’s any left over, we get to have some wants. But as an example, Obama uses a Ford employee whose job has been cut in half (difficult, for sure) but at the same time films the entire family eating out at a restaurant. How many of you eat out at a restaurant when you’re complaining of not having enough money to live?
Another couple is now retired with their home entirely paid for and nice looking cars (plural) sitting out front. The husband went back to work for some years to help pay the bills because the wife needs to take quite a few different medications for her arthritis. I don’t mean to appear harsh or unsympathetic, but, isn’t that what we just do? There are no handouts in this world and nobody promised that life would be easy.
This leads me to another point. I keep hearing about how people need to earn enough money to give their children an education. Notice the verb – GIVE. Since when do parents have to give their children an education? The government provides public education for every child in the country. It is the law. If the child wants further education outside of high school graduation, why do the parents have to pay for it? Have they not told their kids to get a job to pay their own way? Surely, all parents want to help their kids out, but they also need to teach their kids that there are no free rides in life. I paid my own way to university by working from the age of 16 (when it was legal to work) and saved my money. I paid for my entire tuition and books, clothing, and residence fees. While living in residence I got a job slopping food on the plates of fellow residents and then worked the entire four months of summer vacation. I didn’t get to go to Florida or California or Hawaii to play during the summer. The summer was for working towards the next term.
I ran into a former student in the local grocery store last week. She is taking a year off to work full time in order to pay for her own education. She doesn’t want to be in debt from government loans. She wants to pay her own way in life. I think she is a credit to her generation. Another former student is now working as an apprentice in plumbing. Sure, he won’t make a lot of money for a while, and although he may not ever be "rich," he’ll be set for life in an honourable profession. Not every child needs higher education. Higher education should be for learning something that will assist people in making a good life for themselves. It could be at a trade school or a local college where they have courses in everything from legal secretary to shoeing horses, to electrician, to dog training. There are too many PhDs working at fast food restaurants because their degree is not worth a dime in everyday life. I know a woman who works on the counter of a delivery company and complains all the time because her PhD in Women’s Studies isn’t appreciated. I must say, however, that it is a shame that a high-school diploma won’t get a young person a decent job these days. Maybe that’s something else that Obama should be looking into – practical education programs.
Okay, the next comment is regarding Obama’s claim to ending the USA’s dependence on mid-East oil. I’ve already made my readers aware of the fact that the USA is not dependent on mid-East oil NOW…Canada is its #1 source of oil! I have not heard Obama refer to Canada ever as an ally or a source of anything for America. Granted, I haven’t heard every speech he’s made, so if anyone has heard him refer to his great northern neighbour, I’d appreciate knowing about it.
Finally, Obama is pandering to the emotions of Americans. He talks about the death of his Mom. Yes, that is sad but we all go through the loss of our parents eventually. And he says that he was formed more by the absence of his father than his presence. Yes, that is also sad, but how many others didn’t or don’t have a parent in their lives yet go on without giving the impression of "Oh, look at poor me!"

Obama is sucking Americans in through style without substance. He’s a great orator but really doesn’t "say" much. His policies border on socialism that would put Canada to shame. His latest public advertisement, paid for by you regular American Joe and Jane, is, in my humble opinion, disgraceful overkill. I hope those of you who get to vote in your wonderful country will think twice and hard before marking your X or pulling that lever or whatever it is you do to choose the president of your country.
And please remember that Canada has a Prime Minister, something that Mr. Obama doesn’t seem to know.

Canada Should Support McCain

Scroll down for ABC Wednesday "O is for Orvieto Caves"

Although I'm sure to get a lot of flack, there are a few reasons why Canadians should be supporting McCain as the next president of the United States of America. You can make fun of his running mate, Sarah Palin, all you want but if Canadians want to safeguard trade relations with the Americans, they should be looking towards McCain.

First, while Obama has openly stated that he'd "renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement (meaning it would be more favourable to the States), McCain knows categorically that Canada is the States' greatest asset in free trading. He'd be much more agreeable to an open border so that imports and exports could cross unhindered. And he has a much better appreciation of the interconnectedness of his nation and ours.

In June, McCain spoke in Ottawa (our nation's capital, for our American friends who didn't know that) where he told the Economic Club of Toronto, "There are many shared interests that require our attention today, and many Canadians here I am very proud to call friends...the strength of that partnership is more vital than ever. The economic community we have founded, together with our alliance and the values we hold in common, have served our people for decades and has served us well. It will fall to the next president to strengthen these ties still further, adding to the security and prosperity of all of North America." Remember, most Canadians live in the corridor running along the border between the two countries, so simple things like cross-border shopping and tourism need to be preserved - for us both.

Second, McCain knows that Canada is America's number 1 largest supplier of oil. He knows that Canada has the second-largest oil reserves in the world and that 60% of the energy produced in Canada is hydroelectric - clean energy. McCain would be more responsive to continuing to import oilsands petroleum than Obama would. These exports factor extensively into Canada's economy.

Third, Canada has just re-elected Stephen Harper, Conservative, to Prime Minister. It would bode well for harmonious relationships between the two countries as both Harper and McCain lean right and are both westerners. And McCain has strongly acknowledged Canada's role in Afghanistan.

Did any of my fellow Canadians know that Obama referred to the "president of Canada" in one of his campaign speeches? That just goes to show how ignorant he is of our country, how it's run, and how important it is to have positive and ethical relationships between us. I think Obama would make a very good president - some day. But that day is not next Tuesday, November 4th, 2008.

Just today, McCain reiterated that he disagrees with the current president on economic policies. "My approach is to get spending under control," McCain said.

Although Canada is typically a more liberal and socialist country, we must take a look at the situation we're all in right now - economically. Isn't it better to elect someone who knows the ropes and Canada, someone who can actually accomplish something right now?

Just my two cents worth, Canadian - and that sure ain't worth much today!

By the way, you might want to check out Josie's current post entitled "Be Careful What You Wish For..."

O is for Orvieto Caves

One of the most fascinating places I visited while in Italy was the ancient Etruscan city of Orvieto. I wrote a bit about it for another ABCW when I did H is for Hieroglyphics. This week I'd like to show you some photos from when we toured deep inside the mountain on which the city sits to see the myriad of caves. Orvieto is an ancient city suspended halfway between heaven and earth and has long kept secret the labyrinth of caves and tunnels hidden in the silent darkness of the cliff. Those who lived on the top of this high plateau dug this hidden labyrinth and left it unaltered for over 2500 years until it was finally unearthed in 1984. Here is a bit of history about the caves along with some of my own photos. I thought it'd be appropriate to show them during Halloween week since it was an extremely eerie place to visit. Be sure to click on the photos to see them larger as you'll then get the full effect. First of all, though, here is a small part of the outside cliff wall of the city, seen one day as we walked down to the necropolis below.

At the heart of the Medieval quarter of Orvieto there is a fascinating underground labyrinth of passages, with caves and archaeological finds, all brought to light relatively recently after centuries of neglect.

Thousands of pigeon roosts were cut in any place with access to the outside world. In some parts today, you can see wine stored here.

The most important structure in this network is certainly the Pozzo della Cava, a vast well, 36 metres deep, hewn out of the tufa rock by order of Pope Clement VII in 1527 to ensure that Orvieto had a constant supply of water in the event of a siege. The Pozzo della Cava was dug between 1528 and 1530 by enlarging a previously existing Etruscan well whose traces are still visible today. In 1646 the well was closed up during the Castro war. With the exception of some mentions in documents that told of bodies being thrown down the well, nothing more was ever heard about it until its rediscovery in 1984. In 1996 the well was emptied of all the debris that had accumulated inside over the centuries and the water supply was once more unblocked.

In 1999 the Orvieto-born researcher Lucio Riccetti found a signed letter by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger proving that the well commissioned by Pope Clement VII was in fact the Pozzo della Cava. The tufa rock extracted during the digging of the cave was partly used to build Palazzo Pucci, which Sangallo was supervising at the time.

In the caves next to the well there are the remains of two ceramic kilns. One is Medieval and includes rooms where the potters worked as well as a number of discarded pots and some interesting tools. The other is a classic Renaissance ‘muffola’ shaped kiln that was used in the 16th century for the so-called ‘third fire’, to obtain the precious lustre of Renaissance ceramic, famous for its golden and ruby-red iridescence. The two kilns were discovered in 1985 and shed a new light on the production of majolica in Orvieto during the 15th and 16th century. This period had in fact previously been considered the dark ages of majolica production in the city.

Some remains of Etruscan tombs have also been unearthed. In one of these, the place where the body was laid to rest is clearly visible. It was adapted during the Middle Ages to house a fulling machine to work and soften wool.Another extremely interesting Etruscan element of the excavations is the cistern, dug out of the rock to house rainwater channelled down from the rooftops above. Its particular form of whitewash is known as cocciopesto and is typical of the last stages of the Etruscan occupation of the city. This cistern also underwent modifications during the Middle Ages when it was incorporated into a passageway leading to a second underground floor used as a cellar to produce and store the much-appreciated Orvieto wine. The two flat surfaces that flank the steps downwards were used to roll the barrels down to the rooms below.Work is still continuing to empty, clean and render safe a series of other caves that will certainly make the visit even richer and more complete. (from here)

I hope you've enjoyed this little tour of a spooky underground ancient world and I highly recommend if you're in the area, go on down and take a look around. You won't be disappointed.