After all the rain yesterday, we awake to a thick mist over Great Barrington which clears to a beautiful warm day. The local grower's market is on every Saturday so we check it out and admire all the superb local produce. On the way back we notice a huge French style castle with extensive grounds which wouldn't look out of place in the Loire Valley. It is just up the road from where we are staying. We inquire at the info centre nearby and find out that it is the John Dewey Academy, a therapeutic college prep boarding school for troubled adolescents. A year at this establishment costs $88,000 + extra for tuition & other incidentals! There are only 25 - 30 students and the success rate of students gaining college entry is 98%. I hope these kids are eternally grateful to their parents for paying these huge fees to set them on the straight & narrow. Feel like buying the place? You only need $12,500,000 recently reduced from $15,000,000.

Today our drive takes us to the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut. We think we are in England with the rolling green hills, Victorian mansions and many horse studs. Some of the best foliage colours we have seen so far. We set the GPS so that our routes are the shortest, not the fastest, to the various towns along the way. This way we drive down country lanes and dirt roads of great beauty although sometimes a bit scary with us not knowing whether or not we are on proper roads. We see a little bit of wildlife eg squirrels, a turkey and a deer, fortunately no bears! We stop at the antique specialist town of Litchfield where we have a picnic lunch in the park . This appears to be a scene of amusement to some locals as picnics aren't the way of life here. Neither is finding a public loo! We resort to the town hall which has its election registry open for late registrations and find some restrooms there. I guess the locals all eat out and use the facilities at the restaurants. Coffee break time now and we head for the only cafe in town which makes capuccinos. I think we are the first for a long time to order some as the lady working there has a real problem finding the correct cups, then completely mucks up the frothing and the milk goes everywhere. She starts again and eventually we are presented with our coffees in cups with non-matching saucers and milk spilt into them. I'm starting to think perhaps we should just drink what the locals drink! It would be less hassle.

The Gypsy Joynt Cafe is again our venue for dinner tonight. A bluegrass band, the Spurs are the entertainment for tonight and the place is packed. We have to sit at the stainless steel bar right in front of the performing band. Such foot tapping music is hard to resist and it wasn't long before people were up dancing including us. The crowd was predominantly 40+ but there were also a few youngies and kids too all having a ball. Remembering the size of the pasta bowls from the other night, after our drinks served in jars, we order a 10" Oh Josephine pizza which was absolutely yummy and more than enough for us .... provolone, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, onions & avodado. Check out their fun website at www.gypsyjoyntcafe.net and if you ever come this way, it is a must.