Mountain greenery

14th September 2025

With Stephen away it was all quiet on the home front – almost as quiet as at MICAM which was looking decidedly empty when Stephen arrived for the day from Bologna. Maybe changing the timing of the fair was not such a good idea on the part of the organisers.

One thing that did come out of the day was discovering the reason why all the hotels in Milan were at a premium, it being the weekend of the Italian Grand Prix. The exorbitant prices were the reason Stephen had decided to travel to and fro from Bologna for the two days, it working out so much cheaper and it being a more pleasant city to stay in, and the train calling at the exhibition centre’s station made it almost as easy as using Milan’s infrastructure.  

It seems, though, that it’s the end of an era in one aspect of Bolognese life thanks to the populist government of Meloni. Despite Stephen racing to the cannabis shop for my order of hard sweets and gummy bears, it was closed when he arrived there on Sunday afternoon. Maybe he was too early, he thought, but when he raced there again on Monday evening it was still closed - not because he was too late this time, but because it was closed, full stop. Undaunted, he tried again the next day, when he had a bit more time, making a tour of the city but drew a blank with all the other CBD shops. A small group of youths, sitting taking things easy, if you get my drift, outside one of them tried to be helpful, saying that the only place he’d get what he was looking for was from a dealer -  though sidling up and whispering, “Hey mister, got any gummy bears?” out of the side of your mouth might not be the best thing for your street cred when hanging with your homies.

It wasn’t all bad news, though. As usual, Stephen caught the evening train home on Wednesday so he could do his recce of shop windows, during which he came across a Hey Dudes pop-up shop and spied, on display, a pair just perfect for me with 30% off. It was, as they say, a no-brainer, especially as really they didn’t cost me anything. I’d given Stephen some ready cash for my (now) banned goodies so he was able to use some of that to buy the shoes. And he was just in time, as the shop, which had been open since the spring, was due to close the next day – presumably because they too are morally and politically corrupting.

Wednesday was also a bit of red-letter day, not just because Stephen was back in the bosom of his family, and not because he had my new shoes with him, but because it was a rainy day sandwiched between all the sunny ones. And why was that a cause for celebration? Because I was able to wear my new waterproof jacket for the first time, looking much to advantage while remaining as dry as a bone.

Stephen felt obliged to show his face at the office on Thursday seeing as he would be away again on Friday, this time for our short break in Monte Conero and Peggy’s trial at the kennels. They open for entries and exits twice a day, and as the morning slot is 11.00 to 12.00, we had enough time for Stephen to have his hair cut before loading the car with suitcase, dogs and all their paraphernalia and setting off, first call the kennels.

Harry was very excited when we arrived and Peggy seemed more than happy, as she tends to be if he’s around, when the nice lady opened the gate to let them into the grassed exercise area while we saw to the necessaries. They were still there when we left five minutes later, looking up from their nosing around to see us drive away apparently unconcerned. 

We didn’t head straight to the hotel, it being a bit early for check in and besides, we thought an hour or two in Ancona for lunch and a spot of shopping (by which I mean Scout to augment my autumn wardrobe) would be a good idea. It was, mainly. The car park was a bit of a challenge, with its constricted spiral concrete ramp and tight parking spaces but Scout did not disappoint. I managed to narrow it down to two shirts, two t-shirts, a jumper and two pairs of socks. Stephen left with nothing, though I did offer to treat him several times.

After a very acceptable light lunch we, and many colonial cousins from a recently arrived cruise ship, passed through the Zara store that time forgot. It hurts me to say that the Ancona branch seemed more like an everything-must-go outlet than a major international fashion retailer. You would, though, be very disappointed if we had come away bagless, and I did find a casual short-sleeved shirt on the final reductions rail. I wouldn’t worry for Zara, though, as the cruiser contingent more than made up for me, but you have to worry about the taste of anyone whose idea of a holiday is spending time on the many-decked monstrosity we saw in the harbour as we left.

Our taste, of course, is not in doubt, as evinced when we walked into the courtyard of the Monteconero, all pale stone and complete with an old church dating back to its days as an abbey. It had become cloudy as we drove up from Ancona, but still warm enough for us to snatch an hour or so by the pool after checking in and being shown to our upgraded and recently refurbished room in the annexe to the other side of the courtyard from the main hotel. The only hiccup was that the smart  air conditioner wasn’t all that clever as it didn’t work. The nice man on reception was somewhat sceptical till he came across and saw for himself that we weren’t being stupid when he couldn’t get the small white panel to light up either. Just as well we didn’t need it.

Yesterday was perfect weather, sunny and warm but not too hot. After breakfast, we took a stroll along the path behind the hotel and through the wooded hillside, but turned back before too long when it became obvious I needed something more substantial on my feet than my new Hey Dudes, but at least it cleared our consciences that we’d shown willing and were able to devote the rest of the day, apart from a lunch break, to lounging by the pool.

That was as exciting as it got for us, but there was no lack of a stir in the hotel itself with two wedding ceremonies in the church, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon, as well as a somewhat raucous reception. It’s an interesting insight to the Italian mentality that the service and the reception have to be in two different locations, and if they can be far apart and difficult to get to, so much the better.

The reception was over in good time to free up the dining room for hotel guests to have dinner. We ate there both evenings, and very, very good it was too. The food was excellent, both meat and seafood (bit lacking in vegetarian options), and the wine was most acceptable. Friday, we had a bottle of Gewürztraminer (again) but yesterday we had a very fine Montepulciano produced by the winery, Umani Ronchi, that owns the hotel – not a label I’ve noticed at Coal in MSP, unfortunately.

Check out today was by 10.00, which was fine as on Sundays the kennels are only open in the morning and so we wanted to be there just after 11.00. Harry was as excited as he’d been on Friday – not to see us but because he couldn’t wait to get out into the main area and see what was happening. Peggy seemed a little unsure, old memories, maybe, but was fine in the car and seemed very happy to be back at what she must now know is her home – and we were equally as, if not more, happy to see her trot around the garden and the house, checking everything was in order.