Mercogliano, Avellino (Italy)

We relaxed a little today. It has been a whirlwind of a trip for Nicky - she left on the 26th and hasn't stopped since! We went out in the afternoon and drove around in areas that look like vineyards - maybe where Fiano di Avellino comes from... We looked for some lunch during the reposa - nothing was open. Eventually found a small deli that was open and we used my little Italian dictionary to get some meat, cheese and bread. We made our own little sandwiches (I don't think Nicky was happy with the selection). Before dark we visited an old monastery - complete with 1000 year old library. The tour guide had to get special permission for Nicky to enter the all male community. He told us that this monastery made the first limoncello and that everyone else has stolen the idea since (hmmmm....). It started to snow around 1900 and Nicky shopped for leather gloves and a hat (ended up with a leather jacket, too...). Dinner was at a family restaurant recommended by the hotel. Luckily, we had parked the car, since the roads were soon a mess with black ice. We struggled up the hill on foot and found that the restaurant was like a parish hall set up for a huge banquet. Food lined a 100 foot wall on tables - every Italian thing you could ever want! We sat down at a table and soon were talking to some college age waiters. I told them about Grammy's family and they said they knew both Ippolitos and Festas - they were out of town today, we were told. After a very fulfilling buffet-style meal, we were enjoying the ambiance when the manager came out to tell us that the storm had gotten so bad that we was going to close. However, he said we (his "good friends") could stay as long as we joined his family with a glass (or two or three) of limoncello. We stayed for many hours and told stories of Vincenzo and Rosina and our homes in America. Everyone was very friendly and treated us like family. Spent another good night in the Titino Green Park Hotel.  I don't think I could beat tonight's dinner - ever!!!