Giro nelle Marche

7 agosto
Today, I had a free day, so I took off to explore a little more of the Ascoli Piceno province a little north of here towards Fermo.
Starting out with a picture above Offida I took off on the windy roads to the north towards Cossignano. I was just about there when i saw an indication for Porchia and since I liked their entry in the parade for the Quintana, I took a left and visited that little paese or village 1st. Cute for a drive thru, then on to Montalto and I remembered why I liked that town very much the 1st time I went through a couple of months ago. Then I headed down into the valley with the bigger highway towards Pedaso taking off for Monterubbiano, another cute little town and then to Fermo where they have a famous cathedral dedicated to Mary's Ascension. It was closed as are all things in italy, it seems, between 1230 and 1630, so i contented myself with a couple of photos and a tour of the Piazza del Popolo where in a couple weeks they are hosting the famous Italian singer, Elisa. I had to have a gelato with fragola and limone prior to departing for the highway along the sea and starting at Porto S. Giorgio, I drove through Pedaso, and Cupramarittima before heading back inland towards one of my other favorite towns Ripatransone before returning to Offida. Ripa seems to me to be one of the highest cities in the zone with great views of the sea, the mountains and all the intervening hills. Lots of stuff to see inside the city as well. Back to Nascondiglio before 5 because we have a British couple arriving who are checking on the restructuring project of the home they have purchased in the Marche. I am cooking dinner tonight as Raffaele is in the mountains on a boy scout expedition. It will be totally tomato based with bruschetta, stuffed tomatoes, tomato sorbet and a pasta with roasted tomatoes. Dessert will be Tiramisu without tomatoes, however. Raffa made the tiramisu and claims if he ever finds a chef who makes better tiramisu than he does, he will have to kill him.. Something along the lines of an italian movie. So far, all the chefs in Italy are still alive after the challenges.
Ciao. dds
PS, i couldn't find out the significance of the rooster on top of the cathedral in Fermo. As the winos know, it is the symbol of chianti classico, but no chianti here!