Arrivederci Sulmona and Porta dei Parchi Visit

Today we packed up our bags and said arrivederci to Sulmona as we drove out of town for our 2-3 hour drive to Rome. Here is a final photo just before leaving Sulmona:

But, we didn't say good-by to Abruzzo quite yet and spent about 4 hour in Anversa degli Abruzzo at La Porta dei Parchi which is a bioagriturismo or organic/sustainable sheep farm in the mountains. A couple has been running this farm for about 50 years. The woman who was our host, is originally from Florence and came to Abruzzo to study biomedicinal plants. She met her husband and decided to run an organic and self-sustainable farm raising sheep and making cheese.

Let's start with some breathtaking views from the farm and the blooming wisteria everywhere! The views were spectacular so I have to add a bunch of photos here!

And the wisteria blooms:

We visited their sheep and baby lambs that Michael took a few photos of but my asthma wouldn't allow me to venture in for any length of breathing time. I actually did run in holding my breath to just take a peek and then out again! They are very cute with their Yoda ears!

We then walked the farm and saw their pigs and piglets as well as some really friendly puppies that I fell in love with.

The next stop was their cheese making area that they make on a daily basis to sell.

And then we went to another building where we were able to make our own small pecorino cheese to take with us and finally, a delicious cheese and sheep cured meat plate that we enjoyed with homemade bread.

After lunch we had the opportunity to visit their shop where I bought a saffron preserved pecorino that is vacuum packed that I am bringing with us to Marche to share with my sister Elena and brother-in-law, John when they arrive from Venice on Friday!

By then it was 2pm and we reboarded our trusty bus and finished our journey to Rome where we are staying tonight at an airport hotel. Tomorrow, we will take the shuttle to the airport and pick up our rental car to drive to Le Marche and check into our rental farm house for the next week. I am so hoping that their wisteria are in bloom when we arrive!

Here is a photo of our farmhouse and what I am hoping it looks like tomorrow!