7 Search Results for ""vineyard walk""

• Cooling our heels in Cape Town

  • From: Sridevi
  • Description:

    The first half of our 2 week vacation to South Africa is described in another blog:  http://affiliate.kickapps.com/_Howzit-from-South-Africa/blog/168943/21864.html
     

    Cape Town reminded me so much of San Francisco – the corporate skyscrapers in the foreground with the mountains/bay in the background, the winelands, the fickle weather, and an island prison nearby.  We stayed at a lovely B&B at the foot of Table Mountain.  It was a 10 minute walk to a Hop On Hop Off (Ho Ho) bus stop, which was an inexpensive way to get familiar with the city’s layout & major attractions. 

     

    First destination in Cape Town was to get to the top of Table Mountain, which is always hit or miss because of the rolling fog.  We experienced the infamous 'tablecloth' for ourselves and then headed to Camps Bay.  And didn’t leave until bedtime.  You didn’t know which scene to admire more.  Out in front of you was the sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean and fine white sand under your feet.  Behind you were colorful and enviable homes and B&Bs sprinkled across the base of rolling mountains and bright blue skies.  We eventually got up to check out the happening strip of restaurants and bars.  Fave restaurant and lounge was Blues, recommended by our friend, Emile.

     

    Of the 27 years Mr. Nelson Mandela spent in prison, 18 of them were at Robben Island with many other political prisoners.  Mandela wrote the manuscript for his book, “Long Walk to Freedom,” in prison, and smuggled it out with a fellow prisoner who was released and took the manuscript to the UK.  The book was published while Mandela was still in prison.  The best part of the tour was the tour guide, Mr. Itemeleng Makwela, who was a political prisoner at Robben Island in the 1980s.  He told us he was found guilty of smuggling weapons for the anti-apartheid struggle, so you know he’s someone you should take seriously but he looks like someone’s grandpa whom you want to hug.  But his age proved to be misleading.  When he went off on the situation in the neighboring country of Zimbabwe and called for Mugabe’s resignation, you knew he has plenty of fight still in him.

     

    At this point, we only had two days left so we spent one in the Winelands.  We had lunch at Fairview, which is known for their cheese as much as their wine.  Definitely recommend it.  Then we raced off to the Cabriere vineyard, which is known for champagne.  Excellent tour on the history of champagne-making as well as the vineyard’s facilities.  As for the champagne, yum!  It was too expensive to ship a case to the US but at least we were able to enjoy a bottle of wine with every dinner!

     

    On our last full day in Cape Town, we road tripped to see the penguins.  The penguin colony is an hour south of Cape Town at Boulders beach.  Because it is January, it is breeding season and the African penguins were on land finding places to nest.  They were all over the place, like ants, just like “March of the Penguins.”  They are cute, especially when they waddle across the beach, or when they are bonding with their life partners by picking bugs off of each other.  But the one thing I wasn’t expecting was how badly they smelled.  Wow. Deodorant anyone?

     

    If you're a soccer fan, you know that the next World Cup is being hosted in South Africa in 2010.  And South Africa is counting on those fans to show up so they have digital billboards all over announcing the number of days til D-day, and there is construction going on in both Jo’burg and CT.  It would be so cool to come back then but I’m also glad that we did our trip without the overwhelming crowds.

     

    Tips for traveling to South Africa:  Anyone interested in going to South Africa from the US should consider the direct flights from Washington-Dulles to Jo’burg (14 hours) on South African Airways.  We planned the trip with the assistance of a travel agent, Celeste, from Above & Beyond, who set us up on the safari and the B&B in Cape Town.  Her email is celeste.wilson@abroadbeyond.com.  If you want to bring back wine, check into the US customs limits before you go.  We were told 3 bottles per person was allowed in the luggage by people at Duty Free but we don’t know if that is accurate.  As the tour books recommend, avoid taking trains and buses for safety reasons.  When you want a taxi, ask the hotel or restaurant to call one for you.  And lastly, bring extra camera batteries and memory cards.  You’ll need them!

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  • 9 months ago
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• That's Amore: Our Italian Adv

  • From: blairherzog
  • Description:

    To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of our first date, my husband and I took a trip we'd long talked about but never gotten around to planning - a journey to Italy.  It was difficult deciding which areas of Italy to see, but we finally chose the Cinque Terre, Tuscany, and Rome.  To say our trip surpassed my wildest dreams would be an understatement.  Welcome to our Italian adventure!

    The Charming Cinque Terre

    After flying into Milan, it took several trains to reach the Cinque Terre (which means Five Lands), but it was completely worth venturing off the beaten path to visit this quaint, charming, and friendly coastal area of Italy.  The Cinque Terre consists of five small hillside towns that each looks like it's literally spilling into the ocean.  The towns have all been in existence since Medieval times and have the ancient lookout towers and historic stone churches to prove it.  The shops are quaint, the people are friendly, and the views are breathtaking.  We especially enjoyed just roaming the streets, as well as the twisting stairs and alleyways (which also qualify as streets in a place as old as the towns of the Cinque Terre,) taking pictures of lovely archways and windows, and watching the locals hanging their laundry out as they conversed from window to window.

    Getting Around the Cinque Terre

    Don't expect taxis here, and whatever you do, don't plan on renting a car.  In the Cinque Terre, there are three options: trains, hiking, and boats (although boats may not be available year round.)  Oceanside trails passing through olive groves and terraced vineyards connect the five towns of Monterossa, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore and are a lovely way to travel - but be warned, the trails get progressively more difficult the farther north you go.  So, based on your hiking ability, we advise hiking between the more southern towns and taking the train between the northern towns.  We used the low-priced Cinque Terre Treno Card, which admits you to both the trails and the trains.  And we sometimes found the train schedules difficult to follow in the Cinque Terre, so when arriving at the station, we advise asking a clerk when the next train to your destination is due.  Overall, the trains are a pretty easy way to hop between the towns if you choose not to hike or tire of it.

    Where To Stay in the Cinque Terre

    We chose to make the town of Manarola our home base.  It's the least touristy of the towns and we found our hotel, the Ca' d'Andrean simple but perfect for our stay.  It's a steep walk up the hill with luggage, but worth it for the view of lemon trees and terraced hillside gardens out our shuttered window each morning.  The staff here was especially helpful in mapping out future parts of our trip.  For nice, clean accommodations, we highly recommend the Hotel Ca' d'Andrean.

    While Manarola was our favorite, when we visit the Cinque Terre again, we will gladly consider staying in any of the other towns.

     

    Highlights of our Time in the Cinque Terre

     

    We found something truly unique and delightful at every turn in the Cinque Terre, so it's hard to narrow it down, but here are a few faves:

    1. The quaint, bustling Riomaggiore waterfront
    2. The especially charming Medieval streets of Corniglia (pronounced Cornelia, by the way)
    3. The view of Vernazza from the trail leading to Monterosso
    4. The ancient monastery high atop Monterosso

    Cinque Terre Fun Facts

    1. Cat lovers rejoice: Cats are plentiful in the Cinque Terre - you will see them everywhere you go, including on the trails.
    2. Residents of the Cinque Terre towns are more likely to own a boat than a car.
    3. Before the 20th century, each town was so isolated that most people married residents of their own tiny community.

    Finding Romance in the Cinque Terre

    Romance was pretty much everywhere here, but here are a few tips for romantic moments with your significant other:

    1. Look out over the Mediterranean by moonlight from Manarola's "vineyard walk."
    2. Dine on Vernazza's waterfront Piazza Marconi
    3. Stroll between Manarola and Riomaggiore on the wide promenade of the Via dell'Amore - the "walk of love."

    If you want to stop and smell the roses - or the sweet scents of lemon trees and lavender in the air - schedule some time for the Cinque Terre in your trip to Italy. We spent only two and a half days there and wished we'd had more time to simply soak up the slow-paced seaside charm of this traditional slice of Italy. Italian charm at its best.

    Under the Tuscan Sun

    From the Cinque Terre, we took the train to LaSpezia, where we rented a car. Warning: Driving a car in any sizable Italian city is a challenge when you can't read the signs and don't know the general rules and customs of the road. But once you get out of the city into more rural areas, driving is fine.

    Our plan to drive through Tuscany, hitting as many hill towns as possible along the way, worked out well. We spent two days meandering the twisting roads across rolling gold and green hills, stopping to soak up Medieval history along the way. It was amazing to be driving along and suddenly see an ancient fortified city appear in the distance.

    Where to Stay in Tuscany

    We made our home base at the Castel Bigossi, a lovely thousand-year-old castle in the heart of Tuscany near the fort town of Monteriggioni. It was off the beaten path, but we enjoyed the drive through the countryside, dotted with still more historic towns, each time we returned there. The exterior and grounds of the Castel Bigossi were lovely - the perfect Tuscan postcard - and the staff was friendly, talkative, and helpful. The interior was an unusual mix of modernity (spiral staircases and an elevator) and history (ancient wood beams on the ceiling of our bedroom) and all the rooms in the castel are spacious suites - more room than we needed, but we didn't mind. This would be a great place to stay for a longer visit than the two nights we spent there.

    Other thoughts on accommodations: Tuscany also boasts many agriturismos - these are working farms that also provide bed-and-breakfast type accommodations. And if you're more of a city person, all the hill towns offer rooms, as well.

    Getting Around Tuscany by Car

    Like I said above, once you're away from traffic, driving is a breeze, but be warned: Italian street signs and American street signs differ greatly. In Italy, roads are not marked with any sort of name or number, so it's hard to tell where you are most of the time, even when following a map. You are instead guided by arrows that point the way to the nearest town in any direction, and these tend to appear in groups at the frequent roundabouts.

    Also, be prepared for crazy drivers who will merrily pass on blind curves and motorcycle riders who consider it perfectly acceptable to pass between two cars without a lane. Our advice: Drive safely and normally, but be on guard.

    Medieval Hill towns Aplenty

    The Tuscan landscape is dotted with lots of Medieval hill towns, each with its own personality. Meandering through these places was fascinating not only because we were walking streets and seeing buildings that have been there for nearly a thousand years, but also because these are all still thriving communities where people live and work. Wandering the stone streets and piazzas, I expected to see knights in shining armor come riding up on horseback any minute.

    It would be difficult to see all the hill towns in the region (yes, there are that many,) so we picked a few that sounded especially appealing based on guidebooks and advice from our hotel staff. A few of our favorites were:

    1. Montepulciano: This is a must for wine-lovers, but even without being into wine, we enjoyed the Medieval sights here a great deal. We spent time hanging out at the large Piazza Grande with its unfinished Duomo, built around 1600.
    2. San Gimignano: Fabulous Medieval architecture, including fourteen remaining watch towers, some dating from the 10th century. And if that's not enough for you, this town also boasts the World's Best Gelato in 2006, 2007, and 2008 at the Pluripremaia Geleteria
    3. Montalcino: What made Montalcino outstanding for us was the fabulous castle-like fortezza (that's a fort) built in the 14th century. Dark clouds looming overhead while we were there made it appear particularly eerie.

    Note: As hill towns go, Siena is the largest in the region and pretty much considered a must-see. Personally, we were disappointed by how modern and commercialized even the historic part of town is (Foot Lockers and other American mall-type stores lined the stone streets.) But it's still worth a stop for the stunning Duomo, dating from 1215, and the huge Piazza Il Campo where a wild, no-rules horse race is run every July and August.

    But Back to the Rolling Tuscan Hillsides

     

    We made a small project out of locating some of the best-known postcard views of Tuscany's cypress-lined roads - a task made more difficult by the lack of road signs. However, before leaving home, we Googled on the topic and found other travelers' notes on how to reach some of these scenic spots. Finding them felt like a special victory! But with or without them, we came home with countless pictures of fields teeming with red poppies, villas flanked by vineyards, and some lovely cypress-lined roads we stumbled across on our own.

    Note: As we traveled the winding roads that criss-cross Tuscany, we were kept company by the abundance of American music on the radio - everything from Dionne Warwick to Bruce Springsteen to Green Day.

    Finding Romance in Tuscany

    Romance is pretty easy to find in Tuscany, too, but here are some recommendations:

    1. Enjoy in the stunning view from the walls of Montepulciano over a glass of their famous wine.
    2. Stroll the quiet town of Volterra after dark.
    3. Take a lazy drive along cypress-lined roads, delighting in fields of wild poppies, Italian villas, and ancient fortresses.

    Tuscany is a must-see for those who enjoy lovely, rolling landscapes. The rich Medieval history and striking hill towns are wonderful perks to this region teeming with romantic ambience.

    All Roads Lead to Rome

    All roads may lead to Rome, but here's a tip: leave your rental car at the airport and take the train into the city. Even that was a bit of a challenge - remember, Italians don't seem to value signage as much as we do in America - but it was still by far the best choice.

    You can look at Rome in two ways: it's a zoo or it's a party. Choose the party attitude and you'll have a much better time. This large, busy city seemed to have as many pedestrians as cars, and it was usually unclear who had the right of way, especially on small streets left over from older times.

    Getting Around Rome

    To walk or take the train around town? It's a toss-up. Rome is a walking city, but things are often farther away than they appear and you can put many a mile on your sneakers by day's end. On the other hand, some of the subway terminals were confusing to navigate and had broken ticket machines, or they were far enough out of the way that it just seemed simpler to walk.

    The streets are confusing - remember, this is a very old city, full of twists and turns. Our advice: Follow the signs toward major landmarks and don't be frustrated if you get lost. On one particular evening, after listening to street musicians for a while at the popular Piazza Navonna, we started the twisting trek toward our hotel, following signs and making good progress - we thought - until, about fifteen minutes later, we emerged right back onto the Piazza Navonna. We just looked at each other and cracked up laughing.

    Where to Stay

    We made our home in Rome the LaResidenzia Hotel, near the Via Venetta, a major thoroughfare. Despite the fact that two lap dance clubs sit directly across the street from the hotel, we were very happy with our choice - which is to say we never really saw any traffic at the clubs and they seemed very quiet. Like our other Italian accommodations, the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Sitting areas in the lobby were spacious and elegant, our room was nice with lots of storage and a turn-down service, and a pretty good breakfast buffet was included in the price of the room.

    Ancient Rome - Walking Through History

    If you're a history lover, this is why you're here. We loved the Colesseum and the Forum, as well as Palatine Hill (where many Roman rulers built their palaces.) Our advice: It's worth it to pay for the tours here. Not only do you get good, interesting information along the way, if you enter with a tour, you bypass the long lines to get in.

    We spent a couple of hours roaming around the Colesseum, and more time outside, just taking pictures and enjoying the ambience of the area. As this was a sight I'd only dreamed of seeing, it felt almost surreal to actually be there. I had the same reaction to the Roman Forum and enjoyed knowing I was walking the same paths Julius Caesar and so many other historic figures had traveled. I found myself wanting to take a picture at every step to be sure I captured it all, and I truly felt the impact of being in the cradle of modern Western civilization.

    Roaming Around Rome

    Of course, there's much more to see here than just the ancient ruins. We enjoyed sitting on the Spanish steps, hanging out at the Trevi Fountain, touring the Pantheon (an amazing piece of ancient architecture,) and taking in the views from the Victor Immanuel Monument (although not as famous as some stops in Rome, you can't miss it on your way to the Colesseum - it's an enormous building that looks like a giant wedding cake.)

    Rome is filled with countless piazzas - or town squares - both great and small, and each has it's own personality. Some are large, sporting numerous cafes, shops, fountains, and street artists, while others are smaller and less busy. It was fun to be walking along a narrow street and suddenly exit into another new piazza and see what it had to offer.

    Adventures at the Vatican

    How many people can say they've been kicked out of St. Peter's Basilica? I don't know, but we are now among that number. More to come on that in a moment.

    First, some facts. This is another place where it's wise to pay extra and enter with a tour group - it cut our wait considerably and we truly got a lot out of the tour. Also, you must where clothing that covers your shoulders and knees to be admitted to St. Peter's Basilica.

    Our tour covered St. Peter's Square, the Basilica, and the Vatican museum, including the Sistine Chapel. Upon entering the Basilica, we'd barely gotten started when an angry man approached our tour guide and began yelling at her in Italian. She reported that we were being thrown out because he didn't believe we were a real tour group and that she'd bring us back later. Weird but true, and we never did really understand what happened there. But on with the show.

    We were, honestly, a little let down by the Sistine Chapel, which I'd long looked forward to seeing. It's an amazing piece of art, yes, but the ceiling is higher than I'd envisioned, so it's really pretty difficult to see. The whole room was packed with people craning their necks to try to take it in, which made everyone prone to bumping into each other. Plus you can't take pictures (understandable) and you can't talk (less understandable.)

    After the chapel, it was back to the church, but we had to pretend we were not a tour group. (Again, confusing, I know.) But we enjoyed the un-tour of the basilica and were taken aback by the scope and size. Particularly notable items in the church: the famous Pieta by Michelangelo, the enormous canopy marking the (official but who knows) burial spot of St. Peter, and a statue of St. Peter to which, tradition holds, one should hold onto the toe, make three wishes, and they will come true.

    One nice thing about being kicked out of St. Peter's Basilica: when we returned, hours had passed, and the sun shone through small windows in the dome, casting a heavenly glow on the floor, which made for amazing photos.

    A Few Tips for Your Time in Rome

    1. You can sit on Roman ruins in the Forum and Colesseum - they are so plentiful that they are literally set about to be used like park benches - but whatever you do, don't sit on the ground near the Trevi Fountain (policemen blew a loud whistle in my ear for this and looked at me as if I'd knowingly committed a heinous crime.) And definitely don't sit anywhere inside the Victor Immanuel Monument, where you will also be firmly chastised by a whistle-wielding guard.
    2. Hungry for a taste of home? McDonald's are everywhere in Rome, and we happened to visit what might be the fanciest one on earth - a two-story affair complete with marble stairs, replicas of famous Roman statues, and a separate gelato bar, dessert bar, and breakfast bar in addition to the normal counter.
    3. Need to use the bathroom? In Rome - and everywhere else in Italy - it's wise to carry some toilet paper or (as I opted for) individually packaged Wet Ones. Toilet paper just isn't a hot commodity there. And be prepared to find yourself squatting over a hole in the ground - which, oddly enough (to us Americans anyway,) usually come complete with fiberglass inserts around the hole, so that it's not dirty, but it's quite awkward and just makes you ask: Why? In Rome, we often took advantage of McDonald's bathrooms - they weren't the cleanest, but we knew we'd at least get a commode.
    4. Want to drink a Coke? Your best bet - again - is McDonald's. At gelato shops or bars (in Italy, a bar is what we think of as a quickie mart crossed with a snack stand or deli) you'll usually pay the equivalent of $3 or $4 for a 20 ounce bottle, and should you be unfortunate enough to be thirsty near the ancient sites, you may pay up to $8 at a portable concession stand.

    Finding Romance in Rome

    Rome is busier and a bit more challenging in ways, but you still need not look far for romance here:

    1. Toss a coin over your shoulder in the Trevi Fountain and it's said you will return to Rome.
    2. Share a bicycle built for two at the city's largest park, the Villa Borghese
    3. Share a bottle of wine on the Spanish Steps, then stroll the city as dusk turns to night. The Forum and Colesseum are particularly striking to behold at nightfall.

    Ah, Rome. Two-thousand years of history and culture and architecture. It's a lot to take in, but it would be a crime to visit Italy without fully embracing it's exciting, bustling capital.

    Ciao!

    We travel a lot, but our trip to Italy was truly the romantic adventure of a lifetime.

    Final tip: Take your time exploring romantic Italy, and eat a lot of gelato because it's just not as good at home, no matter what anyone says.

     

     

     

     

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  • 1 year ago
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• Picturesque Manarola

  • From: blairherzog
  • Description:
    The picturesque town of Manarola was our home base in the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre means "Five Lands" and is comprised of five small towns near the Italian Riviera. These towns, which have been spilling down the mountainsides since Medieval times, are small communities that give a taste of traditional Italian life. Above the towns, the hillsides are terraced with grapevines and lemon trees. We stayed in Manarola, the least touristy of the towns, and loved it. Everywhere we went in this area, the fresh air was filled with sweet scents.
  • 1 year ago
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• Southern Tuscany - - For the L

  • From: georgewbrown
  • Description:

     

    [Continued from Part 1 . . . .]

    That's right, I haven't described the place we are staying. Just below the city, in the middle of several hectacres of Brunello vineyard, we found a three apartment building, constructed completely of rock and completely renovated with all the comforts of home. I think even the bed was made of rock. We had a large bedroom, bathroom and combination kitchen / dining room. It was furnished with huge, beautiful antiques. Just out the front door was a pea gravel patio with bistro table and chairs, looking out for miles and miles across the valley below. They had just finished the harvest but the vines still had a few grapes, sweet as the wine itself (yep, we tasted them - - hope they were organic). They had chickens as well. Yep, we were right at home. Despite the language barrier, we quickly became friends with Nonna. One morning, I heard a knock on the door, finding her standing there with a small cake she baked us. All I knew was to say "Gratzie" about 423 times (Paulette get out of the bathroom and come talk!) That cake became breakfast, together with cafe latte, most mornings. We gave her flowers before leaving. I think she liked us . . .

    You know, I just realized I missed a day. I will try to figure that out later. Anyway, back to dinner - - Wednesday, out last day in Montelcino. Leave it to my wife to have a dinner party in Italy, inviting an Italian to dinner (or at least a Vancouver Italian). Salami, parmesan, white beans, pasta with tomato sauce and wine. Boy, she can cook. We sat around, true Italian style, talking till late in the night. Lisa is now a true friend - - even on Facebook!

    Ah hah! The missed day . . . . Sienna! We actually went to Sienna Monday and Cortona Tuesday - - - just bump the Montalcino days forward in your head. I thinks that is why I didn't want to drive all the way to Cortona, too much driving. Anyway, Sienna was about an hour. Though it is a really, really touristy town, there is a reason. The main piazza is huge, the Piazza del Campo, lined with a few shops and tons of restaurants. We had to park a ways away and walk through small streets lined in incredibly old buildings to get there. I cannot imagine the look on my face when we stepped into the piazza. Again, hopefully, my pictures can tell the story. We walked around, went to the Duomo (Cathedral) and settled into lunch and tourist watching (our favorite pastime as long as wine is involved). Massive groups filed in, following their leader who held a flag raised aloft as identification. All nationalities - - this is truly a tourist oriented town. But, at the same time, annually the Piazza Del Campo is filled with people, covered in dirt and a horse race is run where today there are tables for us to eat and watch tourists. I don't know the full history but suffice it to say, this is a popular and historic race (a little older that the Kentucky Derby I should say). While eating lunch, a gentleman wanders by poking fun at the tourists, squirting them with water, tickling their heads with combs and brushes (always turning just as they realized it and acting completely non-chalant), blowing whistles at them and generally making good fun of them. Ends up P remembers this guy from 5 years ago in the same place. The tourists, oblivious to his antics, have to wonder why all those seated and eating are cracking up at the spectacle. Well worth the couple of euros everyone threw in his hat. I am just amazed no one has ever punched him - - - perhaps they have!

    Thursday, off to Radda in Chianti. The Chianti region, makers of another of my favorite wines. P stayed here 5 years ago with her family. We had nowhere to stay. Now, I shall mention, we had speculated on returning to a place we stayed last year in the Piemonte. We contacted them to find no availability due to the "high season". Did I mention we had nowhere to stay? We park wander into this very, very small town and search out the tourist office (all towns seem to have one) for a map and suggestion. Next thing you know, we are at lunch in a small bar where we end up staying two nights in a room right above us. Great place, cool view of town, again though, bed made out of rocks, steel, spikes, whatever medieval torture devise fits best in your mind here. While eating, I fretted about our car which was parked in an hour space. By hour space, I mean that you set this little cardboard clock like dial, showing the time you arrived and place it on your dashboard. An hour later, you may receive a ticket. Simple but cool, huh???? Anyway, a space opened up right out the window and therefore a story or so below the bar - - - perfect place for us to carry in our suitcases. So, I grabbed the keys and ran for the car (it’s the only way she let me touch them). Finally, I get to drive - - - wrong way down a one way street, quick u-turn and bam, in the space. Only one person yelling what I presume to be "you cannot go that way" in Italian. Simultaneously, another two spaces open and a kind hearted local takes one, or both, by parking right in the middle of the two to which my wife, well into lunches' liter of red, leans out the window using international sign language to say "__itch, pick a space" (sorry about the language, but its accurate), not realizing I already had a space. I shall mention here that that 90 seconds behind the wheel comprised the total time allotted to me during 11 days in Italy. Boy, sure am glad I paid for that international driver's permit before heading over there - - money well spent! Anyway, that sweet local girl struggling with her parking luckily came to the same bar for her lunch . . . . ironic isn't it. Fortunately for P, I faced her while P had her back to her. Italians glare really, really well. After lunch we went to the house P's family had rented 5 years ago - - - seriously, a church, not a house. She said there was a wedding there while they were staying. It was amazingly cool and gorgeous of course.

    Dinner that night was a highlight again, a restaurant P went to 5 years ago in the middle of a vineyard. Very nice. They started us with a glass of Prosecco. I am still not entirely sure exactly how Italians eat their dinner, nor their lunch for that matter. Every menu for every meal has appetizers, primi (first course), secondo (second course), side dishes, and desserts. Of course espresso is a given. By the way, order an espresso lungo or longo (I never figured out which). But, they draw it out longer so it’s not quite so strong and has more liquid to enjoy. Italians seem to always put massive quantities of sugar in theirs. I think I prefer black. (Don't they say once you have had it . . . . .) Anyway, back to meals. Primi courses are pastas or risottos. These are quite filling and rarely have meat. Still, a meal unto themselves. Secondo tends to be just meat - - I guess being why they offer veggies and other sides. Appetizers, crostini, bruschette, among others, are often too tempting to skip. All I know is that if they order one of each with every meal, they would be fatter than Americans! So, we each had a pasta and a secondo as well, followed with espresso and a shared desert. I had veal (yes, I know and I am sorry - - not really - - it was too good to feel bad). It literally melted in your mouth. The service, the food, the company - - - good night.

     

    Friday, Firenza, here we come! This is a massive city with a massive traffic and parking problem. I am not sure how, but Paulette managed to find the one parking deck with a market right outside. We skipped the stuffed pig and went straight to antique linens (oh joy!). Finally, off to the historic center of town. With no map, P heads for the river (maybe she should navigate after all . . .) We finally got there, after walking about 25 block out of our way (okay, no she shouldn't). I did work up an appetite! Florence is amazing; the buildings are so old and so historic, it’s a little difficult to fathom. We only had a day so we had to pick carefully, first stop, tickets to see David, Michelangelo's masterpiece. We gotta give Uncle Ed props here (a little urban vernacular for the uninitiated). He found out years ago that the masses stand in the blazing sun for hours to get in. The rest, us included, walk up to a ticket window across town, pick a time and are handed a ticket for the grand additional cost of 4 euros each, about $11.00. Then, at your time, you simply walk up to the Accademia, past the sweating, irritable throngs and straight into the building. Go Uncle Eddie - - you rock! The art there is amazing, paintings almost 1,000 years old with lots of angels and cherubs - - really amazing stuff. There are even several unfinished carvings showing various stages of Michelangelo's progress and technique. But then, you walk into the main hall and there is David, schlong and all. We have all seen pictures, maybe years ago in high school. But, I now understand the majesty and why P insisted we come (the schlong). I expected life size. He is actually about about15 feet tall, solid white marble and over 500 years old. His head, hands and feet are larger in proportion to the body. And, well, you know what they say about guys with big hands and feet - - - (yes now I know why P wanted to see it, err, I mean, him, again). He really looks like he could just step off the pedestal and walk over to you. Amazingly, he actually was outside in a piazza until about 130 years ago. His feet and shoulders show wear but this is the most amazing piece of art I have ever seen (sorry Smithsonians). We also visited the Duomo. It is the single largest church I have ever seen. I cannot imagine the cost to construct it today. But, one observation is that it could really use a good pressure washing. I have never seen so much dirt and grime in my life. I guess 1,000 years worth is a lot of dirt! That night, we ate back at our bar, grazing one dish at a time from several hours watching locals congregate for wine, espresso or a bite to eat. P's assistant asked us to bring her a little Italian man back. We did. She has a 5 inch statue of David, anatomically correct David, to snuggle up to at night. Sleep well Susan . . .

    Saturday was a whirlwind day. We left Radda for San Gimignano - - - again a town not high on my list but at the top for Paulette due to the vino bianco (white wine) produced there. The town is really high on a hill and has massively tall towers - - 14 of them. These are all that remain of the once 70 plus such towers. You will have to see the pictures. Parking is atrocious as there is none in town and people fight to park along the streets. We lucked into a good one and walked into the walled town, wandering amongst the tourists. Another aside, when parking in lots and issued a ticket upon entry, you must insert that ticket into the "Pay Here" machine, pay and received the now validated ticket. That ticket is then inserted in the machine at the exit so that the arm raises and you drive onward. P was nice enough to explain this to the two rather grouchy Americans (and not very thankful I might add) who tried about 1,823 times to insert their unpaid ticket into the machine to exit all while 432 cars sat "patiently" behind them. (Okay, artistic license again but they were damn annoying - - glad I had P to figure things like this out) In San Gimignano, there are lots of shops and restaurants - - very touristy. But, for some reason, this place struck a chord in me. I want to return. We wandered the town, had a wonderful lunch and found a shop of handmade clothes sold by the mother of the designer. Paulette, upon much deliberation, ended up with a very expensive dress but one that is too cool for words (hello boot camp). It will get much wear this holiday season so you will see pictures if nothing else. We contemplate having a pattern made from it and selling these things. (Hey it ain't patented here so back off!) The designs of all her clothes were amazing. The fun part is that P needed the ladies' help to put it on and tie it. We will see how I do in her place! Leaving there, we headed to Pisa, getting there as the majority of the crowds were already gone. I couldn't be that close and not see the tower. Unfortunately, a couple of levels had scaffolding around them. It is still difficult to understand how the tower doesn't fall over. Also, that thing is over 1,000 years. Though it was great to see, the best part was the people taking pictures, angling just so it looks like they are holding the tower up - - - yes, we did the same. (I still think its dorky honey) Also, I love the boxers with the "leaning tower" printed on the front . . . slightly more class than the boxers with David's, um, his, um, well, you know printed on the front. Then, on to the Italian Riviera. We were hoping to make the northern Cinque Terre before stopping. We didn't. Of note, the Italian Riviera shuts down October 1st - - - as in the hotels cut their lights off, shutter their windows and close down - - not good for finding a room. Finally we did. Not a bad place as long as you don't want shower doors. Maybe they were fixing them and replaced only one? Anyway, lets hope no one was in the room beneath us or they shared our shower with us (oh, kinky). Even there we managed to find a great place for dinner. Then, we sat on the roof of the building so I could smoke a Cohiba (Cuban of course). Figures, my one cigar the entire trip, dry as the Sahara or at least it was until I tossed it into the water. So much for smoking (Yes, I know, I shouldn't smoke. I am like Clinton, I don't inhale - - now where is that blue dress). Better beds though, more gravel than rocks. Imagine for a moment, if you would, Panama City, before the 30 story high rises, full of 1920's hotels - - cool and grotesque all at once. I can not imagine it in June. I don't want to imagine it in August when the entire country shuts down and goes on vacation to the coast. But, I would love to come back and see it in May! Yes, I am a sucker for all things Italian.

    Final day, Sunday the 12th. Back on the road, up to Monterosso, the northern most town in the Cinque Terre, the five cliff towns on the coast (we stayed in Vernazza last year). But first, a walk on the beach - - odd how warm it was on an October morning. Several people were walking their dogs and a few were lying out. But, the highlight was a sailboat grounded on the beach. Even though it had been there for some time, P tried to push it to the water and take a sail . . . well, we at least have pictures. On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again . . . .

    Now, my question is, "Why wouldn't my wife let me drive in Italy?" I think I know the answer. Actually anyone that knows me and has experienced European drivers will know the answer - - - I would be too good at it. Let me explain. I have decided that Italy never wins a war (at least without our help) because they have an inherited inability to comply with rules. If you are in a church that says no photos during the Gregorian chant, invariably, an Italian is snapping a photo. David? No photos allowed - - - of course unless you are Italian. It’s your heritage. It’s your right. Driving is even worse. They have speed limits, or at least so the signs indicate. But, I have it on good authority that no one ever gets pulled over for speeding. Instead, Italians have devised a brilliant system to deter speeding. They install speed cameras everywhere, autostradas (highways), back roads, small towns, everywhere. You drive by, it clocks you and snaps a photo (I did see a few with trash cans or bushes conveniently just in front of the camera portion) Many a tourist has flown down a road unknowingly racking up tickets only to be greeted with extra charges by the car rental company a few weeks after return - - it really can add to the cost of a trip. However, once you have gotten to know the lay of the land, these are easy enough to avoid - - - they politely post massive signs just before each speed camera to tell you such a camera is just ahead! Yes, Italians have it right, not just a random warning that we may use radar, may use laser, may have a speed camera, they actually tell you "SLOW DOWN IDIOT OR YOU WILL GET A TICKET!" Now, if I just could read Italian . . . . So, here is how it goes, you are on an Autostrada, doing oh, about 160 in a 90. Luckily, unless there is heavy traffic, no one stays in the left lane. If you get caught there, you must, and I repeat, must have one eye on the car you are passing and five eyes on the rear view mirror (neat, six eyes). Otherwise you will not notice the Ferrari bearing down on you. In my wife's case, you freak out, turn on your blinker and try to punch the gas of your Peugeot (Push-go) as she calls it, while heavily sweating and praying the Ferrari doesn't shoot you or run you off the road. In all honesty though, traffic works great. You get in the left hand lane only to pass and do so very quickly so as not to inconvenience those driving faster. So, the speed cameras - - - again, going 160 in a 90, sign for speed camera, slam on brakes and pass camera doing 90. 25 meters later? Punch the gas and do 180 for a while to make up for the inconvenient decrease in speed. So, why can't I drive in Italy? Cause I would pass the Ferrari and make all those prideful Italians feel inferior as a result of my superior driving ability. Don't want be ungrateful for the great vacation they are allowing us to take. Plus, we would get everywhere entirely too fast leaving excess time for sightseeing, enjoying wine, etc. Yes, we couldn't have that now could we? (Seriously honey, can I drive a little next year??????) Anyway, you think the cars are bad, well they are. I love a country that has a hand on the wheel and a finger on the hazard lights. When you hit those inevitable times of slamming the brakes, you quickly hit the hazards to kindly alert those around you. What, you say the brake lights would warn those behind? Maybe for your average American. But, in Italy, drafting is an art. You are morally (maybe legally) obligated to actually touch the bumper of the car in front of you until you have the opportunity to pass. By opportunity, I don't mean to imply a passing lane or anything crazy as such. I simply mean a ninety degree hair turn going up a mountain with a truck, bicycle and two old people walking along the side of the road and coming the other way - - - perfect opportunity to pass. Hey, could I have my bumper back? I think it’s stuck to the front of your car! Oh yeah, the motorcycles. I really would love to know the death rate. First off, it is bad enough that they consider the emergency lane as designed solely for them (and get quite mad when cars have the audacity to use it - - - which happens frequently as well), they actually seem to think it perfectly acceptable to pass between cars. Literally, you are driving side by side with another car, boom, motorcycle coming in-between you, with a passenger on back no doubt. I still don't know how we have mirrors left on our car. Oh yeah, stop lights are also only an opportunity for motorcycles to take their true birthright and move to the front of the line of traffic. Not only to they go between you, they actually cut in front of you, going perpendicular to traffic, getting mad if you pulled too close to the vehicle in front to allow them to cross in front of you. You think driving a motorcycle in America is bad . . . . . . . how do they survive? So, needless to say, I was allotted only my 90 seconds of driving and we arrived everywhere much later than necessary without use of the proper driving techniques.

    Anyway, back on the road, last day, to the Cinque Terre? Why? Beach glass. Yes, more valued than gold or platinum (but not San Gimignano dresses). There is nothing like picking up trash from the sea to complete a trip to a far away country. Yes, we do plan trips based upon the expected quality of the beach glass - - or at least P does. By the way, in case you are not initiated, beach glass is old fragments of glass that end up in the sea, worn by the waves and colored by the salt, they turn into beautiful pieces of art, just waiting on some beaches to be collected by my wife. Why the Cinque Terre? Old, rocky coasts and we found a ton last year. The drive to Monterosso is anything but easy. First through a small town on the coast inundated with tourists and lacking even a 2 inch gap in which a park (and not even officially part of the Cinque Terre). Then along a valley, up a mountain, along the mountain and back down the other side of the mountain. (Did you know Italy is so mountainous????) Then, park, halfway up the mountain, and walk down. Wait till you see the parking job P did - - - 45 degree incline, maybe a total of 10 inches to spare between the length of our car and the width of the parking space, parallel parking, with a stick shift. Of course I will not mention the U-turn in the middle of the road with the multitude of aforementioned motorcycles bearing down on us, telling us, in international sign language, that we are number one - - - that is what they were saying, right? Yelling encouragement in Italian that we couldn't quite understand (didn't want to understand). Anyway, the parking was masterful. How you fit in such a small space under such conditions, with a clutch and don't even bump either car . . . impressive. Once we walked down the hill, P immediately found a rack of clothes to try on. Nope, no beach glass there. We wandered the streets for a while before deciding to grab lunch - - two of the largest salads you have ever laid your eyes on. Literally, people walked by asking what we were eating so they could order the same. Then, down to the water. Not much of a beach though. But wait, a tunnel, through the mountain to the other side with a glorious beach awaiting us. So, I take off shoes and socks, roll up my jeans and walk on the largely rock beach, pebbles near the water. Not much beach glass to find but, of the crowd on the beach, several ladies were clearly "European" if you catch my drift. Problem is, most "European" sunbathers tend to be 60+ and not the most fit of ladies. So, as novel as it is to take note of their sunbathing, it really is like watching a train wreck. You don't want to watch but you cannot quite take your eyes off. No supermodels in Monterosso that day! A glance at my watch and time to head back. Of course, we had to make the obligatory stop in some 127 shops on our way out (or was that 128). Then that hill. Did I mention we had parked up the hill? Let’s say I no longer had a shirt on by the time we reached the car - - - yes, slow train wreck. Then, out of the space (again, didn't even bump the other cars), up the mountain, over the mountain and on to Milan, two hours away. Right? Not so fast, road construction and the closing of a lane change that whole dynamic of no one driving in the left lane except to pass. So, two and a half hours of bumper to bumper traffic later (hey, how you like driving that stick shift now honey????), we arrive at our hotel 15 km from the airport.

     

    Not great but not bad. We do have shower doors this time and I believe the bed is made from steel rather than rocks - - a definite improvement. On to dinner. We wandered into town, a few blocks away. McDonald's? Haven't really seen any of these. Nah, not our last meal. Let's see, bar, bar, bar, bar, restaurant anywhere? Nope! Finally, we head back toward the hotel for dreaded hotel food. But wait, what light through yonder door shines as masses of people walk in (not great for the service)? A restaurant. Food, at last. Actually this was a great dinner, salad, a pizza for me and pasta almantriccia (don't check my spelling for that one) for P. We are supposed to share but I think she likes her dish more than my pizza. Desert? Fruits of the forest with a scoop of ice cream. Now, that hit the spot! Was there a meal I had without espresso? Don't think so. Back to the hotel for packing - - not an easy task. First, check the flight. Finally, somewhere with internet. Midweek, we checked and 40+ seats were available in coach, only one in business. Paulette was first on the list, I was forth. Looks like I am eating crackers while she sucks done Pinot Noir with her filet. Shoot, more people have listed. P still first, me still fourth - - now picture me doing the running man, midnight, tired, in our hotel in Italy - - - 6 business class seats available. Pinot for me???? We will see. We actually had three suitcases on the trip over, one for each of us and a carryon with a few things for each in case our luggage was lost (a sometime casualty for the stand-by traveler). But, I packed a collapsible duffle in my suit case. First, antique wine bottle - - - cattycorner in the carryon. Ain't no one touching my prize. Dirty clothes and shoes in the duffle. Two large suitcases left, 18 bottles of wine to back. With memories of losing a bottle of white in transit last year (yeah, remember getting called up to the airport counter to be told our suitcase was "leaking"?), we packed carefully. Jeans on bottom, pants lining the sides, wine, some boxed, some wrapped in socks, in the middle, polar fleece over the top. Weight, dead on I would say. God, you don't want to have to try and re-pack in the airport if the weight is off. Zip them up and off to sleep. Wait, no wake up call (not that nice of a hotel), no alarm clock, we don't have a travel alarm (Christmas is coming up you know) and just my little blackberry - - which still is on Georgia time and shuts off from 11:00 pm until 6 am  - - to wake us up. Did I set it right, will we wake up, is the car going to get towed? Bed of steel. Yep, I slept really well.

    To the airport. First a bite of breakfast at the hotel. Do not, I repeat, do not, order American coffee in Europe. Stick to the espresso or cappuccino. In the car, only 15 km to go. No repeat of the autobahn and Stuttgart this year . . . . . . . . suspense building . . . . . . . . . okay, it took us about 10 minutes to get there. No mishaps, until . . . . suspense building . . . . P thought she turned in the wrong place at the airport. I will give her credit. It is difficult to find "car rental return" in Italian. Back out to the road??? No, not when you can do a U-turn just before entering the parking lot (more people telling us we are number one), then back out on the road. Oh, wait, that was the right place. OPPS! Into the airport, on the plane, both in first class. I think I will start with the Sauvignon Blanc - - after that champagne of course. Yeah, I know, it’s only 10:30 in the morning but its 4:30 am in Georgia and I never really went to sleep anyway. Let’s just say I am out partying late. After all, it’s not like I have to go to work tomorrow . . . . . or do I??????

    Yeah, Italy was cool . . . 

     

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• Southern Tuscany - - For the L

  • From: georgewbrown
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    So, Ashley is again to blame. She made the inevitable mistake of asking how Italy was. That is not a simple yes/no, good/bad answer. Eleven days is a long time, another continent, a wild adventure and a gorgeous wife deserve their due credit. I actually started this yesterday, didn't finish, and completed it today. I think I am in a better mood, better rested today because I like my writing better. Its long - - I am sorry. Bear with me as it gets better . . . . .

     Italy was amazing, as you would expect it to be. But, this year, I think we got a better feel for it than last year, for the towns, the people, what we like and what we don't. We claim we will not go there next year. Not that we don't like it, in fact the exact opposite, but the world is large and time is limited . . . . we will see.

     We left Thursday, slipping away from work to catch the 5:00 flight out of Atlanta. By slipping away, I mean P dragging me and me cowering so my office would not know how much time I was taking. Not only had all of the Friday flights filled up, but we didn't even get to fly to Italy. Instead, we flew to Zurich, Switzerland. For several reasons, I was okay with this: first, new stamp for my passport - - yes, I am becoming one of those people who "collects" stamps - - - funny. the customs officer waved us through without a stamp. I pouted. P on the other hand just asked if he would stamp out passports (it is the law, isn't it????). Now why didn't I think of that? Second, picking up our rental car in Zurich means we paid in Swiss Francs - - a much better exchange rate than Euros. Third, we flew business class (why isn't this first class anymore?). The flight, ah, the flight, lets see, start with a glass of champagne, then, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to accompany the bowls of warmed nuts (no peanuts in there either - - - just the good stuff - - well except for that brazil nut). Then, a filet with béarnaise sauce, green beans and potatoes. Of course, a Pinot Noir to accompany the filet. Then, an ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and nuts while watching a movie (I cannot remember which because there were so many to choose from) on our individual television screens. I wonder what those in the back of the plane were watching and eating . . . Oh yeah, did I mention the multiple breakfast options as we fly over France. I selected the Mimosa - - breakfast of champions (to honor the French of course). Boy, I love business class.

    Anyway, Paulette conned our doctor into giving us a prescription for Ambien to try and help us sleep. It’s tough to do on a plane. I say conned, but I think she actually just called his office, said "I think we are supposed to say we are having trouble sleeping or something. But, we really just want to sleep on a plane. Will you prescribe us drugs?" She is kind of straight forward with customs officers and doctors - - - not so much with lawyers. He did. My wife is good, maybe too good (do I give in like that so easily????) So, a little afraid, we each took half a pill. Paulette zonked. I slept, restlessly for maybe 3 hours - - maybe. So, we leave Atlanta at 5:00 p.m., sleep 3 hours, fly 8 1/2 hours and get of the plane in Zurich at 8:30 in the morning. Hmmm, just lost some time in there, didn't we? So, off to the car rental place. We got a little Renault - - kind of cool actually. But, in line to sign the paperwork, I hand over my credit card and Paulette gives them her name as the driver (not good in Chip's brain). I say, "Shouldn’t that be in my name????". She says no. Okay, no. Why not? Oh, you made the reservation. I guess that trumps like, paying for the whole trip, doesn't it? Anyway, off we go (Paulette driving). Next issue, we left our good Michelin maps at home. So we are using Eurocar's map to try and get from Switzerland to Italy, me navigating, Paulette driving (and navigating too - - - if you don't like my navigating, let me drive and I will let you navigate . . . .). ANYWAY, the drive goes well, no mishaps until we get past Milan and decide, largely based upon my snoring and the drool slowly dribbling from the corner of Paulette's mouth, that it is time to stop for lunch, some air and a little walking around to wake up. Hint, when overly tired and hungry, one tends to be irritable . . . only compounded by running over curbs in parking lots (and nearly old Italian men). Did I mention P was driving? That being said, we found a great little lunch spot, struggled mightily with out limited Italian and had a nice lunch. Other than massive traffic around Firenza (Florence - no, it’s not called Florence in Italy), the drive was thereafter uneventful. But, the traffic ran us behind and I sent us down the wrong road (see I should drive and she should navigate). By dark, my cell phone rings and it’s the lady who owns the Agritourism place where we are staying wanting to know where we are (cannot wait to see the cost of answering that phone call). She speaks very little English and lives at their nearby winery. Her mother, who lives at the Agritourism, speaks no English. Paulette, I know you are driving but here, talk to this woman. I cannot understand a word she says. Five minutes later, my keen eye spots the mailbox for which we are looking (chock one up to Mr. Navigator) and we are there. After brief introductions (me Chip, you something I cannot pronounce) we drive 1 minute into town, drool on ourselves a lot, have dinner and crash into deep slumber.

    Saturday, we get up at a descent hour and think we are going to Arezzo for one of the largest antique markets in the area (by we, I mean my wife. I navigate, she directs). Somehow, nonna (grandmother), manages to let Paulette know the market is actually Sunday. Since it is a 2 hour drive to Arezzo, we are thrilled to not go. We end up going into Montalcino where we will be spending 6 days. This is your classic Italian hilltop town with a medieval walled fortress and several bell towers. The streets are all stone and so narrow that one car can barely drive through. Yes, I am in heaven. We find a bar for an espresso, the life-blood of Italians, and wander around town. The fortress is really cool, we get to climb to the top of one of the towers (where of course we meet people and stand talking for like 3 days) and can see for miles in all directions. The hills in southern Tuscany are different than the Piemonte (Piedmont) area we visited last year. This is Brunello region, Brunello di Montalcino being one of the most expensive and best wines in the world. Looking out, you see hills of grape vines and equally, hills plowed under, ready for planting next spring. Whatever they grow was harvested already and tilled under. Imagine fields of dark brown, alternating with fields of grape vines, stretching a far as you can see, appearing to be tilled to at least three feet. If you stepped in, you might sink in this rich soil - - just like quick sand. Good place to hide a body, say of the driver who won't let the navigator drive. But, I digress. The grape vines, though mostly harvested, were beautiful as well, slowly changing from green to gold and amber red, seemingly before our eyes as though to click by the days we were there. One thing about Montalcino, it was great, but its notoriety for Brunello brings with it unwanted consequences. The aforementioned fortress, is now an Enoteca, those notorious wine bars springing up all over Italy (cluttering might be a better description), offering light lunches, wine tasting and an expanse of wine for tourists to purchase, conveniently (annoyingly) boxed in two's and three's for the low, low price of . . . . . Anyway, a fortress turned into an Enoteca, tragic in my opinion. Now if that weren't one of the 501,203 Enotecas in Montalcino (population of about 500 - - so what is that ratio????) the town might have been perfect. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, I would not likely go back. But, I enjoyed it.

    Now, the highlight of Saturday . . . . . the owner of the Agritourism place managed to tell us (okay, Paulette - - - I don't think I ever understood a word she said) about a "festival" in nearby Camigliano, a celebration of the harvest. This would mainly be locals as it is a very small town. So, in the car at 7:00 and off we go (slightly dragging still from jet lag . . . and enough wine already that my 97th espresso of the day cannot overcome). Down the big road, to the right, more pot holes than road (was that a even a road by definition?), finally to a "town", maybe fifteen houses, a few buildings, okay a few more but tiny even by Italian, in the middle of nowhere, please God don't let these be cannibals, standards. Surprisingly, there are many cars so we park and walk, wandering until we come upon tents set out, a dance floor, workers milling around cooking food and many, many wine bottles being opened. But, very, very few people and apparently no one who spoke English. Back to that whole being tired and hungry leads to irritability. Now add that to me - - not being know for enjoying standing around with absolutely no earthly idea how to communicate with these people or what I am doing. I am not sure how long we waited nor how many people Paulette asked "parli ingles?" These people were not highly educated, more the farmers from the community. I stood there saying to myself, trying to smile in that, I want to go eat and to bed, way, that my wife will make this evening the highlight of our trip. I know she will. I was not disappointed. Finally, one old man pointed Paulette to Lisa "angel in blue jeans" Annicchiarico (yeah, try to say that last name). Lisa is from Vancouver though her parents are from Italy. She moved to Montalcino 6 years ago and, more importantly, speaks English better than I do, at least when drooling from the corner of my mouth from fatigue, hunger and boredom. Turns out, you needed tickets and reservations. But, as most non-Americans are (sorry, but it is true), they opened their collective arms and welcomed us in (or snook us in depending on your vantage point). The food that night was made by the people in the town. They had been cooking for two days non-stop. Lisa had a hand in the ragu (by the way, did you know classic ragu has liver????? YUCK!!!!!!!!! But tastes darn good!).  We had tagliatelle with ragu, grilled chicken and (drum roll please) Tuscan white beans with garlic, sage and olive oil (maybe my new favorite food - - in fact P made some last night). The food was amazingly cheap (even as the Euro exchanged at $1.39 - - - better than the $1.54 when we decided on Italy- - worse than the $1.34 today) and even more amazingly good. Oh, that wine being opened, yeah, we made a dent. After eating, there was a disco (dance, not Bee Gees and other cheesy '70s music). But, Italians don't eat till late and start to dance even later. So, how to pass the time, okay, another bottle of wine, a couple of glasses of muscato (dessert wine as sweet as honey) and, because I was freezing (yeah, October evening in Italy are very cool - guess I didn't need that swimsuit after all dear) P went to some dude in German military clothes (more on him later) to order two grappa. What is grappa? Imagine grain alcohol made from grape skins, leaves and stems - - heck the neighborhood cat might be crushed in there. Anyway, one sip, searching the ground for my left eye which popped out from the intensity, and three guys start clearing everyone out of the disco. Apparently, you had to have a 5 Euro ticket to get in which they politely accepted from us and left us as the only people there. Guess it was easier to leave us than try to communicate we had to leave, only to turn around and walk right back in. Soon, multitudes crowded in. Where they came from, I have no idea. But, imagine a couple of hundred white people dancing to '80s American music - - - and me being one of the better dancers! (Yeah, ouch!!!!!!!) But, by about 1:30 am, both my eyes had fallen out, P had finished my grappa and chugged hers, so, we climbed in the car to drive back to Montalcino. By the way, when driving "under those circumstances" it is wise not to let the person who chugged grappa drive. Even better the "chugger" should refrain from having her bright lights one (highly illegal) when passing THREE carabinieri - - that's like state troopers or at least cops with really, really big guns. I will not mention who was driving. But we made it home . . . I think. I do know that I woke up in bed the next morning. In the long run, P pulled it off, dragging me to the middle of nowhere, tired, irritable and against my desire, and making it the best night of our trip. But, don't quit reading just because this was the highlight. We still have David's wiener to tantalize you . . .

    Speaking of beds, in case you haven't been to Italy, or Europe for that matter, they could use a few Serta mattresses. I think my desk would be more comfortable to sleep on and my computer might make a better pillow. These guys would think of a '70s sofa bed as luxurious. Seriously, I think by the time we left Montalcino, I needed back surgery or at least a chiropractor.

    Sunday, bright and early - - okay, not so early, we left for Arrezo. Leave it to the stupid navigator (I won't tell you who was navigating but it wasn't the same person driving the night before), but, we almost ended up in Prague. To my, I mean the navigator's defense, Italian maps don't bother show things like roads or names for the few roads they do show. Roads sometimes have numbers. But, if the maps don't show the numbers, what good are they? (Quit snickering dear - - we didn't get lost too many times). So, you end up stumbling from one town to the next navigating towards the next town between you and your destination - - leading to a lot of zigzagging. (Kids, Big Ben, Parliament - - - please tell me your remember National Lampoon's European Vacation - - we sure did). In the hill country, this is compounded by roads going back and forth to climb mountains and my constant screaming of "STOP - - - I want to take a photo!" Anyway, we finally arrive in Arezzo. The antique dealers are spread throughout the city - a rather large city at that, centered on the main piazza. P finds several old glass wine stoppers that are really cool. Meanwhile, I focus on several old wine bottles to complement my purchase from last year in France. I try to haggle (difficult when venders say numbers so quickly that you have to have them write them down) on one of three large bottles. Not wanting a repeat of last year's bottle between my legs for the 10 hour flight home, I decide to continue looking rather than plop down 35 Euro (why doesn't this keyboard have a "Euro" key?????). Up the hill, we find three slightly smaller, magnum sized green bottles, one with an old ceramic stopper. P asks the price (I still cannot remember how to ask in Italian. Spanish yes, Italian, well, that is one of the reasons I took her along). 10 euros. 10? Yes, 10. Could you write that down? Him waiving a 10 Euro note - - somewhat annoyed or annoyingly. Really, 10???? So much for bartering . . . . its mine!!!! (and home intact I might add). Wait a minute, when did that parking meter expire??? Oh yeah, we do need to look at EVERY single piece of jewelry between here and there. So, we get to the car with no ticket (despite the jewelry) and start homeward only to find a festival in a town we passed through on the way. I am not sure how, but since we passed through earlier in the day, thousands have arrived, a ferris wheel is erected and I think a small roller coaster was installed. Parking is car to car for miles. So, what do we do? Make a space and head toward the festival!

     

    Now, by festival, I really mean market combined with amusement park. These were the highlight of our trip to France last year. I am not sure why, but, this was not a highlight. Imagine a very, very bad flea market in the darkest hills of Georgia - - - they sell the same crap, down to the bootleg CDs and DVDs. But, the Italians supplement it with underwear, lingerie and so many people, you cannot walk through the booths without first being intimate with everyone around you. My height, abnormal by Italian standards, serves me well. One fun thing they have is what I like to call the "meat trucks". Trucks designed with one entire side that opens, lined with cold cases and have meats of all descriptions - - like a traveling butcher. I remember these in France, but Italian meat trucks have porchetta, basically an entire pig stuffed with herbs, spices and pig parts (yeah, don't ask but I don't think the pig had a tongue any more), cooked and thinly sliced for sandwiches. Italians seems to think this is the best thing since salami and eat them like crazy despite the well place pig head right next to their sandwich. P almost gagged, seriously. (We the pigs eyes still there or included in the stuffing and I won't even go there with it's innards) So, we skipped the porchetta and got a salami then bailed out due to the massive crowd. Luckily, upon our return to town, we managed the last table in a restaurant we tried to get in Friday night (sorry dude, we were first). Dinner was amazing: a liter of house red and three courses of heaven on a plate. For the life of me, I cannot remember what we ate (honey, notebook next trip please). But, it was incredible. Then to bed. By the way, if Italy is so romantic, why don't we . . . . never mind, I remember, jet lag.

    Monday, still in Montalcino. But, today we are off to Cortona. University of Georgia has a study abroad program in Cortona complete with its own campus. This actually turned me off a bit despite my reading "Under the Tuscan Sun" (completely different from the movie by the way - - - READ THE BOOK!), centered in Cortona. But, P's mom highly recommended it. So, off we go. Again, I suggest, a detour to Montapulciano (one of my favorite wines) or that we stop in any of the 30 assorted hill top towns we pass through on the drive. But, my wife, believing in her mom and being much wiser that I, drives onward (no, I have not touched the driver's seat yet). Luckily, we had a couple of friends who spent the summer in Cortona. Their suggestions? Gelato at Coccoa, the one and only one, gelateria (we were forbidden from eating Gelato anywhere else in Italy - - strong endorsement), lunch at one of two restaurants (we skipped the four hour, 150 Euro, 15 course meal) and a 30 minute walking tour. First lunch. Above the main piazza, Il Loggiata, used to be the fish market but now is a restaurant. It overlooks the piazza and 14th century main hall and was ideal for lunch. As I later found out reading my book, Frances Mayes ate there often. Its fun reading a book about where you have been - - - I guess why Jenean so strongly recommended the town and the book. Before shopping, we decided to take the walking tour, out of town, through a gorgeous tree lined park looking out across the valley far below us to a lake disappearing amongst the hills (yeah, it was a pretty walk, level too), around the tennis courts (clay Mom) and up the "hill" past Bramsole, Mayes' now infamous house and up to a church on top of the hill. Funny, we knew we were to pass Bramsole. But, which house? It’s not like they posted a billboard saying, here is the house Mayes wrote about. I was trying to remember the description from the book. The, round a turn - - - there she was. No doubt about it. Oh yeah, on the way, a small bar was recommended to us. Being that we were exercising and all, we stopped for a biere (beer). Eleven or so old men were gathered around a table on the patio, four playing cards, 7 telling them how to do it. (Why not a second deck of cards and game? I guess its more fun to watch and complain) And, a dog - little dog, guarding the entry. Literally, remember the dog from Men in Black (come on, Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith - you remember)? It stood in front of the door with this incredulous look. P tried to reason with it. As good as her Italian was becoming, it didn't work. I stepped over (there is beer in there you know) and she joined me. We sat, watching the men, them watching us, scratching little Mr. Incredulous' backside.

    Now, remember that 30 minute walk? I have never been accused of walking slowly, but that walk took a good two hours, bare minimum. We took one shortcut as the road switched back and forth . . . leading to little more that scrapes and a nice walk down a gravel road to get back to the road we had just left - - - maybe P should not navigate after all . . . .  P ended up with at least 22 Band-Aids on her feet later that night (artistic right to exaggerate noted). But, the "church" at the top of the hill was amazing. First, we were there completely alone (except the monk P was convinced was crouched in hiding, watching us, ready to leap at my slightest move towards my camera). Filled with magnificent frescoes and 10 - 12 paintings from the 1400's, this place was beyond description . . . . at least until we got to the alter, a convenient resting place for a 600 year old saint who used to wander the streets of Cortona beating herself and refusing to eat so she could feel Christ's suffering (no comment Paulette!) Now, when I say, "resting place", I mean, she is there - literally, in glass, right in front of you, kind of like a porchetta but not being made into a sandwich (am I going to Hell for that one????). Catholics are freaky, so say the least but a 600 year old dead body in a glass box??? Come on now! So, back to Cortona. The path back down to the city was constructed entirely of rock and so steep, I thought I might trip and end up about 1,500 meters down. The amazing thing is the old people we passed on their way up. It struck me, these Italians, as religious as they are, climb that hill for every church service. You will have to see the pictures hopefully to understand. No wonder they are in such good shape. So several hours into our 30 minute walk, we arrive back in the main piazza. The good news, drum roll please, my wife is too tired to shop!!!!! So gelato at Coccoa, lemon for me, white mint for Paulette (okay, hers was better so I ate a lot of it). Back to the car and release the hounds - - - our aching feet! (What is that smell?) An aside here. As we walked, seeing each house, looking for Mayes' house Bramsole, I tried to remember the description from the book. We later learned she had sold the house due to the notoriety achieved by the book. But, when we came around a turn, I had no trouble emphatically stating that was Bramsole. It leapt from the book at me and only continues to do so as I continued reading the next few days. I hope the movie (thanks Martha) does some justice to Cortona and the house. If I were to live in Italy, it might have to be Cortona - - a magical and amazing city. That night, we met Lisa for dinner. She took us to her favorite local place. Restaurants charge a coperto or cover charge in Italy - - basically for bread and the right to buy their food. We learned that night that really, the coperto doesn't apply to locals or their guests. Dinner again, was amazing.

     

    Tuesday came and we met Lisa again, this time to see the abbey of Sant'Antimo and hear the monks' Gregorian chants. This abbey is a highlight of the area, first built around 1000 when Charlemagne was traveling and his men became sick. He promised God he would build a church if they got better. They did. Presto, thousand year old church. But, the best is the chanting. This is one of the only, if not the only, churches in Italy where monks chant daily. It was pretty cool and the architecture of the church was inspiring. After the monks, interestingly - one looked out of place, wearing what in my brain was a white sweat suit while the others wore traditional robes, a choral tourist group gathered in the front and sang. Ends up, men can go and stay there while on spiritual journeys - - - hmmm, not to fond of Catholic priests these days, think I will just visit. For lunch, we broke down and went to an Enoteca. To out delight, the food was amazing. We struggled through ordering in Italian. Then, after lunch, I decided to try a flight of 5 Brunellos. The server quickly broke into perfect English to tell us all about the wines . . . . making us practice our Italian I see. Later that day, Lisa took us on another adventure as we drove back towards Camigliano. Turns out, it wasn't exactly a dead end road. There is a several mile long gravel dead end road off of it, leading to a wonderful vineyard owned and run by none other than the guy in a German uniform who gave P the grappa Saturday night . . . small world. Of course, he speaks no English but makes pretty darn good wine. Lisa translated for me (P by this time is fluent in Italian). We bought a few bottles of both Brunello and Rosso di Montelcino and avoided the grappa. We did take a wrong turn on the way, going down another road that ended at an amazing old abandoned farm house on top of a hill, looking out for miles across valleys and other hills. I think P made an offer on that (great, another house). That night, we had Lisa over to "our" place for dinner.

    Until part 2 . . . .

     

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• The Red Balloon

  • From: lolofrango
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    Have you ever see the French film The Red Balloon? It's a classic from the 1950's and well worth a viewing—it's on Netflix. Anyway, it takes place in Montmartre an area, quartier, in Paris, near where I am staying at my friend's apartment. I took a walk in the hilly district, heading towards the Musee de Montmartre, I was curious about the Absinthe and Music Hall culture of this infamous area. It's a great walking district, full of ancient staircases, (featured in the film) stunning views and, alas, too many tourists. I stumbled across a small urban vineyard and OF COURSE some well known Cabaret/Music Hall spots made famous by the Bohemian crowd of the 19th and 20th century including Toulouse L'Autrec. The day was humid, with bursts of sunlight, Paris living up to it's nickname as 'The City of Light'. I stopped for a $5 coffee at the base of the majestic Sacre Coeur having negotiated the gauntlet of Africans selling Eiffel Tower key chains and trinkets. Oddly enough for the first time in my life I actually do want to buy one for my boys who are so entranced by the structure (I couldn't bring myself to part with the nearly $10 they were asking for a 32-inch high rendition of the tower). I descended further and was asked by an old lady to help her open her door. It must be said French doors, locks, keys, entrances are quite challenging. She was a bit disoriented, but of course I would help her with her shopping and the door. It was a classic scene, sad really, trying to stay living independently as she always has. I carried her groceries upstairs to her modest apartment thinking how lucky she was she asked me and not some sinister opportunist. I got her safely inside and told her she should open her windows and drink a lot of water; there was a terrrible heat wave here in 2005 and many seniors expired as AC or 'clim', short for 'climatisation' is NOT common. She thanked me profusely and I continued on my way... down the hill when I saw this lost red balloon bouncing through traffic—I had to take a picture; very poignant! I headed towards the Gustave Moreau museum in the 9th arrondissment, a museum my friend highly recommended. I passed by Rue D'Aumale, a street where I had stayed in a Chambre de Bonne (Maid's Quarters) of a high school friend, more than 20 years ago. I got to the small museum at 12:25—Arrgh the museum closed for lunch from 12:30-14:00—just my luck... off to TATI the French 'Target', the only shopping I will allow myself!

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• Our Honeymoon in Italy - June

  • From: ktmae55
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    We went to Italy on our Honeymoon. We were married in Detroit so we first flew to Chicago and then on to Pisa, via Madrid. Over the years I have developed a pretty intense fear or flying so I took two xanax, a sleeping pill and, upon waking mid-way through the flight, had a few small sips of wine. We arrive in Pisa around 10 the next morning and waited about an hour for the train to Manarola.

    We shared a pizza and a pint of beer – our first official meal on the honeymoon! Then we boarded the train to Manarola. After about an hour, the terrain began getting hillier. We went through a very long tunnel and suddenly came out to a beautiful view – a near sheer drop off of a cliff down to the sparkling blue Ligurian Sea. We got off the train in Manarola and followed the directions up, up, up to the near top of the seaside cliff and found our cute little hotel – Arpaui. It was actually more of an apartment – just a place with 4 separate rooms and a terrace that faced the sea. No front desk or room service and the woman who let us in didn't live there and spoke hardly any English. But we managed to communicate with gestures, paid her the 200 euros for 3 nights, and then settled in.

    Our view was amazing – a picture perfect scene. Once we looked down out of our window and saw the clear blue sea and people jumping into it off the rocks we got a second wind, threw on our suits and ran down to the water. We found a small lagoon area off to the side of town where the water was calm and clear. Dan jumped in first, while I stood there afraid. Finally the voice in my head said "you are on your honeymoon, now jump!". I did. The water was cold but it was so refreshing after the long travel. We drew a crowd splashing around and eventually were joined by some boys from Chicago who had been traveling around for the last 3 months. We took turns jumping off the rocks while enjoying the beautiful scenery around us.

    After we washed up we headed into town for dinner. We ate at a little bistro where the waitress spoke English and we were served complimentary pesto crostini to start. Cinque Terre is famous for its pesto, which is said to have originated here along with foccaccia. I bought a jar to bring home (and now wish I would have bought 10!) I had the pesto gnocchi and Dan had the swordfish pasta, both of which were delicious. We finished up with some gelato and then retreated to our beautiful deck to watch the sunset and talk to some Australians who were in the room next to us. We woke up at 4am and peeked outside our window which looked out into the sea, and saw the lights of the other towns. It looked so magical and almost surreal. I just kept saying that I couldn’t believe we were actually there.

    

    After sleeping a bit more, we went into town for breakfast of café (espresso) and nutella pastry and then set out to do the hike. There are 5 towns, 3 to the north of ours and one to the south. We hiked north to the first town of Corniglia - easy until we hit the stairs. Corniglia is up off the sea so it was about 400 stairs up to the town. I thought I was dying. Then we did the very difficult hike on to Vernazza which took us about 2 hours. There were all these “super hikers” on the trail with hiking sticks – I hated them.

    Halfway between the two towns there was a bar so we stopped for a beer (and I wondered how that guy gets to work each day!) and then had some yummy lunch of pesto foccaccia in the town of Vernazza. We were really tired so we took the train to the next and north-most town of Monterosso. Monterosso is the beach resort town – they have more expensive hotels and they are the only town with a beach. While we were there it started to rain so we took the train back to our town. The other towns were nice, but we loved Manarola and are so glad we stayed there.

    When we got back to Manarola the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining again. Exhausted after the hike we swam for a bit, then washed up and then went to dinner. This time our waiter spoke no English, but somehow we managed to order wine and mussels (a first for me but again I wanted to try something new and I was so glad I did). Then we struck up a conversation with 2 Italian women who spoke English. They helped me order the sea bass with the head and skin removed. Dan ordered lasagna. My fish came, but it still had the head and skin on and unfortunately our friends had already left. I was grossed out but Dan removed it and it was so good - worth the trouble of cleaning it ourselves. Dan's lasagna was also the best lasagna we've ever had - the sauce was so light and the pasta layers were so thin. For dessert we had the best tiramisu either of us have had. That meal still lingers in my memory for being so amazing.

    After dinner we headed across the street to the bar. On our way in we met two women from Chicago. They had struck up a conversation with 2 Italians, one of which was the owner of the bar. He pulled out his guitar and played while one of the women sang and soon it turned into a full blown sing-a-long with us, the Italian men, the 2 Chicago women, 3 girls from Ireland, a local couple from Manarola, the bartender, and later our waiter from dinner all singing along to U2, Beatles, Billy Joel, and other American classics.

    

    They also treated us to a traditional Manarola song that was just beautiful. The bar was supposed to close at 10, but the owner closed the doors and let us stay until about 11:30. On they way out we were told to be very quiet. They said if you are too loud in the streets late at night, the locals will pour water on your head out their windows. Dan and I walked (quietly) down to our hidden lagoon and then decided to take a midnight swim.

    The next morning we were a bit hung over so we just wandered around Manarola, took the walk to the one south town of Riomaggiore (a very short, easy flat walk). While we were on the walk we saw a tour group and heard this rather large German woman say indignantly "I did not pay all this money to walk around looking at rocks!!!" which became a running joke of the trip . Then we took the train back north to Monterosso and the boat back to Manarola to get a view of the towns from the water. Upon arrival we learned there is no dock in Manarola – the boat pulls up to the rocks and a ladder is extended with wheels on the end of it. Whenever a wave hit the ladder bobbed up and down on its wheels on the rocks. It was slightly scary exciting the boat! For dinner we hit the local market for some buffalo mozzarella, pesto bianco and a few more slices of the local foccaccia (it was addicting). We ate it up on our veranda, watched the sunset, and then went to bed early.

    The next day we said good bye to Manarola. I was so sad to leave. I could have spent the whole honeymoon there. I love it's laid back vibe, friendly fun people, great food, and wonderful views. Dan and I really want to go back there and stay for at least a week!

    We took an early morning train from Manarola and got into Florence around 11am. We stored our bags at the train station and wandered around Florence. We stayed near the train station and saw most of the tourist sights. We also wandered a market and fell in love with this amazing piece of leather luggage. After a light pizza lunch we took the bus 20 minutes into the countryside to our B &B – La Limonaia. Apparently, if you call ahead Guilio will come get you from the bus stop, but we walked. It is not a far walk at all, but it was difficult with luggage and I was starting to get worried that this B &B was a bad idea. We were out of breath when we arrived, but once we saw the place we knew we had made the right choice – it was so cute and had a great view of the Tuscan countryside.

    Christina, one of the owners, showed us around the place. It was very charming and what you would expect of a traditional Tuscan villa. It was very old - apparently Galileo had lived there briefly! She told us her friend Cristian was coming around 7 to talk to us about wine and we would have our aperitif at that time. We booked the 4 day honeymoon package so it was included in our stay. We assumed aperitif meant a glass of wine and maybe some cheese. We were so wrong! Around 7 we entered the wine bar and met Guilio and Cristian, who is a sommelier and a cellar master for Fattoria le Sorgenti vineyards, where we would do the wine tour on our trip . Also, he was really cute! I felt bad thinking that on my honeymoon, but there was no denying Cristian was one hot Italian! We were given a printed listing of our itinerary for the next 3 days. We enjoyed some mini sandwiches and some grissini (breadsticks) with proscuitto and talked to Cristian about the wine. All was delicious and we assumed that was it for the night. Wrong again. After Cristian left, we moved to a table for more wine and several courses - a Tuscan cold quiche (pretty good), some marinated veggies and artichokes, tuna stuffed peppers with sun dried tomatoes (not for me), and my favorite, some goat cheese topped with the most amazing herbs and some of Guilio's olive oil (soooo yummy). Then we had some Vin Santo (sweet dessert wine) with chocolate chip cake and then some port wine from Sardinia. After that we certainly didn't need to go out to eat as we had planned, so we went for a short walk around the countryside.

    The next morning we woke up to a huge breakfast spread of cakes, fruits, cheese, meat, breads, muffins, coffee and juice. We had a bit of time to relax afterwards and get ready for our cooking class with Donatella. Donatella (Christina called her “Mama”) spoke no English so Christina had to translate. We learned how to make the pasta dough and roll it out. It was so fun. I had a hard time mixing but was really good at rolling it out, and Dan was the opposite. So I guess we make a good team – he mixes I roll. Then we made ricotta and spinach ravioli and some tagliatelle. We also made the sauce for each - tomato for the tagliatelle and butter and sage for the ravioli. We sat down and were served an aperitif and wine, then each pasta course, then more Vin Santo and some biscotti for dipping. All was very delicious and I can't believe how simple it was.

    Then we changed and got ready for our spice tour with Pierre. We were picked up and driven to his farm and walked around learning about the herbs that he grows. It was interesting but I have never really been into cooking with herbs and spices so I zoned out a bit at times. Dan loved it, but city girl that I am; I wasn't as enthused about the many flies and birds flying around me. I tried to not act like I was miserable and afterwards Dan said "sorry you had to deal with that" and I said I was trying not to let him notice and he said "I just know you. Bugs and dirt aren't really your thing". But after the tour, we sat down to sample the many herbs and herb/salt blends with some wine and cheese. This part was definately “my thing”! Wow, they were so good so we bought 5 jars of various blends for only 19 Euro. I had been converted and now I can't wait to cook with all the herbs and spices!

    That night, we were on our own for dinner so Guilio drove us into his small town to a beautiful restaurant that had a terrace overlooking the countryside. We had crostini, salad, wine, potatoes, steak and ravioli for only 50 euros. We shared a cab home with the other couple who was staying there who was also on their honeymoon and also from Chicago!

    The next morning we were up early for another great breakfast, this time with an omelet of cheese and those delicious herbs as well and then off to the wine tour. Guilio drove us, the other couple, 3 girls from Florence, and Cristian around the vineyard for a tour of the grounds and some wine education. We also met the owner of the vineyard who was out working in the field. After the tour, it was time for the vineyard lunch. After the lunch, we got dropped off in Florence for the afternoon. We got some more lunch, just a snack really, and went back to find the leather luggage that I had wanted. We haggled a bit on the price and were able to get it at a really good deal and now I have a beautiful Italian carry-on! We were both tired by about 6 so came back to the inn to get ready for our special private candlelit vineyard dinner.

    This was the highlight of the trip !!!! Guilio drove us up to the top of the vineyard hills, overlooking all of the Fattoria le Sorgenti vineyards where we could see Florence in the distance. We pulled up and at the top of the hill, under a tree was a table set with candles just for us. Cristian and (I can't remember his name!) the vineyard owner's son were there manning the grill. Cristian poured us some sparkling chardonnay and we had bread and olive oil, tomato crostini, and a salad topped with olive oil and some of Pierre's herbs. I was in ecstasy.

    

    Then came the meat - the best lemon grilled chicken I have ever had, along with sausage, ribs, and pork, and enough to feed 4 people easily! All served with the vineyard's award-winning Scirus wine. The best wine I have ever had in my entire life! We really enjoyed talking to Cristian, but the men also gave us ample time alone to enjoy the sunset and then we had more wine and some yummy chocolate cannoli for dessert. It was one of the most romantic and memorable experiences of my life! We were served wine by the man who made it, our food was cooked at the vineyard by the owner's son, and the food was seasoned with the herbs of the man we met the day before! I felt like it was a dream, all this was just for us?! It made me feel like we were millionaires, when actually we had only paid $250 per night for the entire package!

    The next day we slept in and then had more wonderful breakfast, chatting with Christina about life, Italy, Tuscany, politics, and more. One of my favorite things about staying at La Limonaia was talking with Guilio and Christina. They are such warm hearted amazing people. They have such pride for their country and for what they do. They have created such an amazing place. They also do a bunch of other tours – a truffle hunt, pizza making class, cheese making, etc.

    We spent our final day in Tuscany doing some shopping. I got a 5 Euro pashmina and Dan got 5 Euro sunglasses. I bought a really cute dress and a jacket at Zara for 100 Euro. Then we headed back to the inn to rest up for our final dinner. At 7, other couple joined us for dinner in the wine bar. We had pecorino cheese served with saffron honey and then, ecstasy – some more cheese served with truffle infused honey. Oh my god!!!! Guilio agreed to sell us two jars after we could not stop raving about it. Then we had a cold bread soup (actually pretty good), veal with tomato sauce and some artichokes (tasty), and a really good Brunello wine. For dessert it was a fantastic chocolate chip gelato cake and some sweet port-like wine.

    The next morning we sadly said good bye to La Limonaia and to Guilio and Christina. This is an amazing special place and these are such welcoming people. This is another place that we really want to come back to!

    The next morning we took the train to Venice. We got off the train in front of the Grand Canal and got so excited! We quickly realized however, that our map to the hotel was completely useless. We argued and bickered and wandered aimlessly and asked for directions and took wrong turns and sweated and groused for about an hour before finally finding our B & B, tucked in a courtyard off a square, down a narrow twisty alley, over a bridge about a 5 minute walk from the Rialto bBidge. Then our B & B was up 4 flights of narrow, winding stairs. By the time we arrived we were drenched in sweat and cranky. This was our least favorite B &B. the host weren't all the friendly to us and to get to the hotel portion, we had to walk in their house which was very odd and uncomfortable. We got checked in and showered and changed and set out around 4 to get some food.

    

    Venice is odd. It's beautiful and amazing but it’s also hot and crowded and the people are kind of rude (when you have 70,000 residents against 11 million tourists per year I suppose you get cranky) and it was much dirtier that I expected. There was trash on the ground and in the canals and there was a lot of graffiti.

    As soon as we left the hotel we got lost. We found a square to sit and have a beer and a slice of pizza for 3 Euro. We quickly found out that if you are willing to stand and eat, or maybe eat outside walking or sitting on the ground you can get food really cheaply. But if you want to sit and eat, expect to pay a fortune. After the pizza and beer we wandered some more, stopping at bars along the way for a prosecco for me and "spritz" for Dan. The spritz is white wine, soda, and campari and most places charge 1 Euro for a glass. Finally we stumbled (almost literally after all those spritzes and processos) into a cichetti bar. Cichetti is like Italian small plates. We asked for cichetti for 2 and got 2 HUGE plates of bread, veggies, meats, and cheeses for 22 Euro. We pigged out and then decided to walk around some more, since we had no idea where our hotel was. Then we randomly found it all of a sudden! In Venice there are signs everywhere pointing the way to either the Rialto or San Marco so Dan decided to go to Rialto and find our way from there to our hotel. He figured no matter where we were in Venice we could find Rialto and from there we could find our hotel. So we did that, and on the way back to our hotel we found a crepe shop and got a delicious nutella and gelato stuffed crepe for 3 Euro.

    The next morning we had a light breakfast at the B &B and then set out to explore Venice. I had just read "City of Falling Angels" and wanted to find some landmarks from the book so we found the Santa Maria Della Salute church, the Fenice opera house, and then just walked around San Marco and various neighborhoods of the island. We of course got lost a lot again but it was fun. We had some pizza, fries (we had a craving!) and wine for 27 Euro for lunch (so much because we sat at a table. They charge a cover charge of 1 -2 Euro per person but then you don't tip. Also they charge for water – sometimes as much as 4 Euro! Our pizza was 11 Euro, the fries were 5, wine was 7, water was 2, and cover was 2) and then we headed home and took a nap and a shower.

    Around 5 we got up for more prosecco, spritz, and cichetti. This time we found a string of cichetti bars and ordered per piece instead of just saying a plate for 2. Over the course of 3 hours we had some mini sandwiches, some deep fried potato balls, a deep fried crab claw, and lots of cheese and proscuitto and lots to drink, and spent about 40 Euro having a great time in all these little bars where we were the only people speaking English. Then somehow we took a wrong turn and ended up on the side of the island we had never been on. It’s funny in Venice how you can be surrounded by tourists and then one wrong turn down a narrow twisty street and you are completely alone. There was NO ONE around and we even saw a parking lot with cars! You know you are lost in Venice when you find the place where the cars are! Then luckily we found another bar, had another drink, and got directions back to Rialto. By this time it was 11 and everything was closing so we stopped by the crepe place for more dessert and then headed home.

    The next morning we had breakfast and then set out to figure out how we would get to the airport in the morning. We went back to the train station to the tourist office and ended up buying a 24 hour transportation pass. To get the most of it, we hopped on a water bus (the only kind there is on the island) and went to Murano, the island famous for it’s beautiful blown glass. We walked around and looked at the glass shops and bought some glass wine stoppers and then had lunch. Gnocchi in cheese sauce for me and mushroom ravioli for Dan with a bottle of water, for 19 Euro. Then we went back to the B & B and took a looooong nap. All this walking was really tiring us out! We got up at 5 and went down for a slice of pizza and a spritz, did some window shopping at Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, and all the other super pricey stores. Then we stumbled upon an amazing little pastry shop. We had a prosecco and spritz with some free bar munchies and then had 2 mini dessert pastries that were soooo yummy. It was our pre-dinner dessert. Then we wandered for about an hour trying to decide where to eat. I wanted fish and Dan wanted lasagna but we didn't want to spend more than 50 euros on food and wine. When you get wine in a bar it is 1-2 euros per glass. If you can find "house wine" it is less than 10 Euro for a liter. But all the nice sit-down dinner places only have it by the bottle for 15 Euro or more, plus 4 Euro for water, and 4 Euro for cover change. That's over 20 Euro and you haven't even ordered food yet!!!

    We finally found a place that seemed reasonable and ordered a 7 Euro bottle of wine and 2 Euro bottle of water (I swear my Venice water bill was about 50 Euro and we did not budget for that!!!) and Dan ordered a 7 Euro salad. Dan ordered a taglioline with white veal ragu and I ordered swordfish with fried zucchini flowers. Dan's pasta was good, but not 18 Euro worth of good. The zucchini flowers were actually good, but I knew as soon as I saw my 20 Euro swordfish that I was not going to like it. It was all black parts and when I cut into it, it was very raw, even red in some parts. YUCK. We waited and waited for our waiter to come back. Finally a different waiter came back to take Dan's now empty pasta bowl. He was about to take mine when I pointed out that I didn't eat any of it. He got our waiter who came and asked what the problem was. I tried to explain that it was raw and he said that fish should be medium and I said yes but not raw. And that is didn't taste very fresh – it was fishier than swordfish should be. He got very mad and took the plate away and next thing we know the Italian speaking owner of the store comes out to our table holding the GIANT raw fish on a plate screaming "fresca" at us and waving the plate around. We didn't know what to do so we just kept saying that we didn't like it. Then the waiter came and took away our bread and put down the bill, a polite way of kicking us out I suppose. What we should have done was stormed out, but instead we paid the 60 Euro bill and then I went and got a 2 Euro slice of pizza. I was soooo mad. I was embarrassed and frustrated and Venice had taken its toll on me and I started crying. So we decided not to go to San Marco for a drink, or to take a 100 Euro gondola ride and instead went back to the crepe place and took it bad to the room where Dan cheered me up with impressions of the fat German tourist (I did not pay all this money, to have a fish waived in my face!)

    We were up the next morning at 5 to get to the airport, fly 2 hours to Madrid and then fly home. I took more xanax and sleeping pill so it all went by very quickly. Overall it was a wonderful honeymoon. Manarola was magical, and Tuscany was amazing with such wonderful people. Venice was neat to see, but it wasn't my favorite place. I think I would go back to Venice at some point, but I am in no rush. I would like to see it in winter when it is very quiet as it was beautiful when no one was around at 5am. I would also lower my expectations and not plan to have a “fancy” meal. Venice is not known as a culinary destination, yet because of the crowds they can afford to charge a lot. We tried to avoid the touristy places on the Grand Canal but I think we got much better food for our money and had much more fun when we just ate at the cichetti counters with the locals.

     

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