A real surprise, along the road that was supposed to be for another destination, on a hot and muggy mid-September day. It is one of those experiences that make a day full and satisfying. A microcosm of history, nature, and hydraulic engineering. It's a pity that the caves and the hermitage were closed, but there is still plenty to visit and enjoy. There were a boy and a girl taking shelter from the heat, sitting around a small table in the shade of a house. I asked where to find a bar to get a coffee. The boy replied that the bars were all closed, but if I was okay with it, he would make it himself with a moka pot, for everyone. I drank a good coffee while we chatted pleasantly about the history and paper mills of Pale, a town that has not actually recovered since the 1997 earthquake. These are the kinds of experiences that remain among life's pleasant memories. The small but unforgettable joys.















