Sheltering in Senigallia

Safe from storms and tempests ... they are now subsiding, and we have braved it out for five days on Stroemhella in the marina of Senigallia, just north of Ancona on the east coast of Italy. We had planned to go on to Ancona but a)all was full because of a regatta this week and b) the sea and the winds were so wild I was very happy to stay put...
As it turned out, Senigallia is a charming small citta, with very ancient origins and some impressive buildings from the 14th century onwards. A splendid fortress, the Rocca Roveresce, built by a powerful member of the Delle Rovere family. We toured this building, which had a temporary show of pottery a la faence (or majolica), thought to have been made locally, in Pesaro or nearby.

There seems to have been  considerable inter-marrying of the big families, we keep bumping into the Montefalcos and the Malatestas... Interesting story connected with the duomo, which one of the Delle Rovere (or was it a Malatesta?) had pulled down in the fifteenth century because he needed to place his shore-guarding fortress at that point... Where might is right...

As the wild winds raged we explored the town and discovered a very fine market, open daily in the mornings, where local farmers set up their stalls on the ancient Roman forum. Excellent fresh fruit and veg, and of course everywhere scrumptious gelati and the ubiquitoes caffe. We also had a most tasty aperitivo one day at 6 p.m., the appropriate hour, sitting under the porticos that border Senigallia's river. And we found a small shop that sold wine from a local cooperative, excellent Marche Sangiovese, Prosecco and others, so we bought a stash and stored it in our boat's wine cellar.
I am trying to drink wine only at the weekends (that makes Fridays, Sats and Suns) but this is not always easy. For instance, last night we enjoyed a very fine paella at the Lega Navale (along with about fifty other Senigallese) and part of the fixed menu was a half-litre carafe of wine. We chose sparkling white. Very good...

However, we get so much exercise, walking everywhere and not to mention balancing on the bouncing barque whilst cooking the meals, as well as climbing on and off over the pulpit (I perform this with great balletic elegance of course) that I am feeling pretty fit and have to tick off all this bouncing as one of the pros of the boatish life!

David is doing extensive planning of the boat's wiring: he wants to renew the entire system. VERY intricate ... one day I spent a couple of hours reading out his lists while he checked what I read out, grovelling in the bowels of the engine room... I am very impressed. But it is very tiring work.
From time to time I think about the world beyond and we read the miserable news in the local Italian papers. This is not exhilirating!!

We make plans for the rest of the year, and on the whole are just happy to be here in the Marche... On Sunday or Monday we sail down to Ancona and so slowly towards Bari and our winter resting place.