After a few days of readjusting to American culture and debriefing myself, I have lots of final thoughts about my trip.
Italian Driving: I was definitely worried about this aspect of the trip, but save for my own screw-up on the first day (first HOUR!) of driving, it went pretty well. I love that Italians, despite driving like insane people, really all stick to their "rules of the road" - you travel on the right and pass on the left. And if you want to pass someone, you just do it, you don't give them a dirty look or the finger or a horn. You do NOT travel in the left lane and it's ok to go as slowly as you want in the right lane. I love it. So civilized in a crazy way.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
November 2(-3) Blog
This is the final real blog. This weekend I'll be posting a final entry that has some "last thoughts" if you will.
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I have no idea what time it is because I have no idea where I am: On the plane back. Holy hell 12 hours is a long flight. I've watched 2 movies and an episode of mad men and it's not even half over. I barely got any sleep last night and gave up shortly after 5am. Finished everything packing-wise and caught a taxi from the stand in Piazza della Repubblica. Got to the airport just after 7am, and luckily a café was open so I got a chocolate muffin and my final Italian cappuccino :(
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I have no idea what time it is because I have no idea where I am: On the plane back. Holy hell 12 hours is a long flight. I've watched 2 movies and an episode of mad men and it's not even half over. I barely got any sleep last night and gave up shortly after 5am. Finished everything packing-wise and caught a taxi from the stand in Piazza della Repubblica. Got to the airport just after 7am, and luckily a café was open so I got a chocolate muffin and my final Italian cappuccino :(
Florence November 1 Blog & Pictures
Last sight-seeing day:(
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622622391231/
10:30am: in the B&B in Florence after a bit of a hectic morning. Woke up at 6:15 and finished packing to get ready to take Renee to the Certaldo station and myself to the Florence airport to return the car. Went down to leave just before 6:45am and there was ICE ON THE DAMN CAR. And no scraper, of course. So I turned it on and we had to wait a few minutes. Finally it melted enough and we were on our way. Made it to the Certaldo station without much problem except that I took a wrong turn and drove a little bit into a ZTL so I hope I don't get a ticket for that - I didn't see any cameras in this town.
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622622391231/
10:30am: in the B&B in Florence after a bit of a hectic morning. Woke up at 6:15 and finished packing to get ready to take Renee to the Certaldo station and myself to the Florence airport to return the car. Went down to leave just before 6:45am and there was ICE ON THE DAMN CAR. And no scraper, of course. So I turned it on and we had to wait a few minutes. Finally it melted enough and we were on our way. Made it to the Certaldo station without much problem except that I took a wrong turn and drove a little bit into a ZTL so I hope I don't get a ticket for that - I didn't see any cameras in this town.
October 31 Blog & Pics - Greve, Panzano and tour of an olive frantoio!
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622746453632/
4:45pm: At the farmhouse after our last, fun, beautiful sunny day in Tuscany. Woke up around 6:30am, showered, and we left around 7:30am. Set off for Greve in Chianti along the beautiful country roads and the famous road 222 that goes through Chianti. A pretty easy hour or so drive and we were there. Greve definitely wins the award for most convenient parking lot, which is large and free and just a short level walk from the town center. We had a delicious pastry and cappuccino at a café and found the main square where the weekly market was going on - it was pretty impressive, with mobile pharmacies and clothing and shoe and kitchen stalls, in addition to some food, fruits and veggies, fish, meat, cheese, rotisserie chicken, and much more. I bought a type of olive - Ascalone or something probably not even close to that - that I've never heard of. They're huge and green and fairly mild and delicious indeed. I bought a huge apple to eat and it was also quite tasty. We wandered around a bit. I found a wine shop that advertised new oil and it was in a small .25 liter can, so I bought it because to that point all the olio nuovo we'd seen was in huge glass liter bottles or more. Then across the square there was a little alimentari (mini food market basically) that had oil in a big metal cask. So I bought a quarter liter bottle of that, which was cool because he poured it out into the "amateurish" glass bottle then capped it for me.
So then we went to Lucarelli, which is nothing more than a few houses, and to Panzano, where we went into this neat shop called basically "academy of good taste" (Accademia di Buon Gusto, I believe) - so the guy, dressed all funny in an apron and beret, tell us it's good music, good food, and good art. It was cute because his little daughter was there, asking to taste the local honey and she was shy. He was asking her to say her name in English and was taking pictures of her. He said she only gets to come to the shop with him on weekends. Really special to see this kind of family involvement that is so rare back home. So we're chatting with him a little, and he asks if we want to taste something special that's nonalcoholic. I joked that I didn’t believe him, but what he did was pour out a couple drops of this thick liquid - basically it is the new sangiovese grapes (the ones used to make chianti) that were harvested in September, cooked down into a syrup but not fermented. It tasted kind of like thick liquid figs. A really cool experience that I will probably never get to have again. He told us we must go to the famous butcher's shop, so we did. It was pretty funny. This crazy guy is behind the counter selling tons of good-looking meat, and then all these men are in the butchery eating little snacks on bread and drinking Chianti at about 11:30am. We watched the scene for a few minutes and then left.
I had the bright idea to drive up to this little hamlet called Lamole because I'd heard there was a good restaurant up there for lunch. After the most harrowing 15 minute drive of our whole stay here, circles and circles of really narrow winding roads to the top of a hill, we arrived at noon only to see that the restaurant didn't open til 12:30, and this was a problem because we had to be in San Polo, about a half hour away, by 2pm for the olive oil tour.
So, we drove back down and just decided to go back to Greve for lunch since it's a bigger town and it's on the way. So we went back and went to the main square and ate at Il Portico, a cute little place that had been recommended to me. I had roast chicken and fried potatoes, which was good (even though the chicken was dark meat). It was a nice change. We got a gelato on our way out - I got dark chocolate and chocolate mousse - and headed towards San Polo. We had no idea where in San Polo the frantoio (oil factory) was, so after driving around for a while (and seeing other people painstakingly harvest their olives by hand with a blanket under one tree at a time), it was 2pm so we called our buddy Paolo at Pruneti. We were completely lost, so he said he would meet us in the Center, he would look for our Ford and find us. I was convinced this was never going to work. Luckily he had Renee's number that we had called from, so after about 20 min he calls and says he was there and didn't find us. I tell him we're in front of the Coop supermarket, so he says he drove by there but that he'd be right back. So a few min later he shows up and asks where's the Ford, so we point to it and he says he didn't see it the first time, ha. Surprisingly, he's quite a young guy - I guess I figured someone this excited about his family's oil business would be older since they say it's often hard to get the younger generations involved and excited. So we follow him to the frantoio which was hilariously only a couple minutes down the road - but in a place we never would've found.
So he takes us in and explains how, in adorably broken English, this is a new building they only moved into a couple weeks ago, and how they just started harvesting the olives 2-3 days ago and they just set up the machines and whatnot for this year's harvest and that they'll finish it next spring. He proudly explains how it's a 3rd (I think?) generation business and how he and his dad and grandparents and wife and brother and everyone in the family is involved in the business and that they really specialize in the oil (though we saw saffron too, in the Buon Gusto shop in Panzano). He even more proudly shows us all the different machines, that take apart the olives from the stems, that clean the olives, and finally and most proudly of all, the new high-tech machine to press the olives for oil, that controls the temperature and the air that can ruin the oil, etc. I joked that they don't use the stone mills anymore and I don't know if he realized I was kidding but then he excitedly explained in the best English he could muster how he's been studying how to use the old mill in a way that will still produce good oil. He explained that right now it's too hard to control with the stone mills, and that too much air gets into the oil that way and oxidizes it so the quality's not as good as with the new fancy machine. I mean I love olives and olive oil and all but this is this family's passion and it was amazing how warmly he and his family greeted us in a brand new building that was clearly not open to the public yet.
So he explained that they were still out harvesting the olives in the afternoon and the process of actually crushing them wouldn’t begin for a couple hours, and he said we could stay and wait if we wanted but right then, we could at least taste the oil pressed last night, or we could go to the office and see last year's production and I guess the whole range of what they produce. We said tasting last night's oil was fine so he took us into the temperature controlled room which was FULL of vats of various sizes of different oils. He explained how, unlike most producers, they keep all of the different types of olives separate and make separate oils because they specialize in oil. So first we tasted a lighter kind of oil, which was pretty amazing. Of course he showed us the proper method to taste it. Then we tasted the "normal" production which was so strong it burned going down. It was so green and thick and cloudy, I've never seen anything like it. So of course then we had to buy some. We chose the "lighter" oil, and he got the tins and filled them by hand with a ladle and a funnel. The tins don't even have their labels on it. It was quite reasonable, much less than what I paid for the stuff I bought this morning, which of course I now regret buying. I now have a loooooot of oil to take home :)
He asked if we could stay to see the pressing later but we explained we were staying a bit far (about an hour) and that we were leaving tomorrow morning, and he actually sounded sad. He said we should write to him and he can tell us where to get their oil in the US and that we should come back because after the harvest in the spring they will finish the building and have a tasting room and everything, so hopefully they will start offering real tours and tasting to the public because I think people would enjoy it.
So he introduced us to his brother, the master oilmaker or whatever, and many other members of the family were there. It was really just amazing. There is nothing like it in the US, with people who have this kind of passion for what they do and the product they produce and are willing to just open their doors to these nobodies who don't speak their language who are just interested in what they do. It was really touching and special and I am so honored they were generous enough to share it with us. I will definitely spread the word about this company. We didn't take any pictures or videos b/c it seemed a little inappropriate so that is why I have been so detailed writing all of this, because I never want to forget such a special experience and kind gesture.
So then we headed back to the farmhouse and started packing up. Can't believe these last 2+ weeks have flown by so fast.
9:20pm: back after a lovely last dinner in Tuscany at Antico Desco down the hill. Before we left, the owner was in the sales shop downstairs waiting for us. He was so nice, he joked that he was here during the week but never saw us because we left so early. He asked us all we saw and once we started listing it out and stuff, we realized we really did see quite a lot of the places in this whole area. So we paid the balance and agreed to leave the keys in the same little box where we found them. I promised him I'd write a nice review online so more people might find them. He said no one new was coming to stay, at least not this coming week, so this lovely place will be totally empty for who knows how long, and that makes me sad.
Anyway, at dinner, our waiter tonight was there a week ago when we went on our first night, but if I recall correctly he wasn't there during the week. Anyway, he sat us at the same table, which I feel now is "our" table. He gave us a little aperitif of their white wine and didn't ask if we wanted it, so we presumed it was free (it was). We had the awesome roasted potatoes with the sliced Tuscan beef steak. It was awesome of course. Then we each had a chocolate soufflé for dessert, which was also awesome. We mentioned we were leaving tomorrow so he gave us a booklet that describes the restaurant, farm, and the products they produce. Also, like the other times they took off a bit from the bill because I think they have an arrangement with our agriturismo. I meant to leave a couple euros on the table as a thank you for the things they'd given us the times we went, but I totally forgot. Then again we did eat there 3 times in 8 days and the place is pretty quiet otherwise. Anyway, it was nice to have such a nice place like that such a short drive from where we stayed. If anything, the remoteness of where we stayed was the worst part. Driving in Chianti yesterday and today, I noticed that the distances are much shorter. All the towns in Chianti are about 20 min from each other and Siena and Florence aren't much further. Staying there makes more sense because you just have options when you're a bit tired and maybe don't feel like driving 20, 30, 40, or more minutes after dinner at night on dark roads, etc.
Anyway, can't believe it's the last night in Tuscany in our farmhouse. I'll take Renee to the station in Certaldo so she can get to Pisa for her flight home, then I'll drop the car at the Florence airport and taxi into town for the day. It's a holiday so I figure the city will be super busy or everything will be closed. We'll see.
4:45pm: At the farmhouse after our last, fun, beautiful sunny day in Tuscany. Woke up around 6:30am, showered, and we left around 7:30am. Set off for Greve in Chianti along the beautiful country roads and the famous road 222 that goes through Chianti. A pretty easy hour or so drive and we were there. Greve definitely wins the award for most convenient parking lot, which is large and free and just a short level walk from the town center. We had a delicious pastry and cappuccino at a café and found the main square where the weekly market was going on - it was pretty impressive, with mobile pharmacies and clothing and shoe and kitchen stalls, in addition to some food, fruits and veggies, fish, meat, cheese, rotisserie chicken, and much more. I bought a type of olive - Ascalone or something probably not even close to that - that I've never heard of. They're huge and green and fairly mild and delicious indeed. I bought a huge apple to eat and it was also quite tasty. We wandered around a bit. I found a wine shop that advertised new oil and it was in a small .25 liter can, so I bought it because to that point all the olio nuovo we'd seen was in huge glass liter bottles or more. Then across the square there was a little alimentari (mini food market basically) that had oil in a big metal cask. So I bought a quarter liter bottle of that, which was cool because he poured it out into the "amateurish" glass bottle then capped it for me.
So then we went to Lucarelli, which is nothing more than a few houses, and to Panzano, where we went into this neat shop called basically "academy of good taste" (Accademia di Buon Gusto, I believe) - so the guy, dressed all funny in an apron and beret, tell us it's good music, good food, and good art. It was cute because his little daughter was there, asking to taste the local honey and she was shy. He was asking her to say her name in English and was taking pictures of her. He said she only gets to come to the shop with him on weekends. Really special to see this kind of family involvement that is so rare back home. So we're chatting with him a little, and he asks if we want to taste something special that's nonalcoholic. I joked that I didn’t believe him, but what he did was pour out a couple drops of this thick liquid - basically it is the new sangiovese grapes (the ones used to make chianti) that were harvested in September, cooked down into a syrup but not fermented. It tasted kind of like thick liquid figs. A really cool experience that I will probably never get to have again. He told us we must go to the famous butcher's shop, so we did. It was pretty funny. This crazy guy is behind the counter selling tons of good-looking meat, and then all these men are in the butchery eating little snacks on bread and drinking Chianti at about 11:30am. We watched the scene for a few minutes and then left.
I had the bright idea to drive up to this little hamlet called Lamole because I'd heard there was a good restaurant up there for lunch. After the most harrowing 15 minute drive of our whole stay here, circles and circles of really narrow winding roads to the top of a hill, we arrived at noon only to see that the restaurant didn't open til 12:30, and this was a problem because we had to be in San Polo, about a half hour away, by 2pm for the olive oil tour.
So, we drove back down and just decided to go back to Greve for lunch since it's a bigger town and it's on the way. So we went back and went to the main square and ate at Il Portico, a cute little place that had been recommended to me. I had roast chicken and fried potatoes, which was good (even though the chicken was dark meat). It was a nice change. We got a gelato on our way out - I got dark chocolate and chocolate mousse - and headed towards San Polo. We had no idea where in San Polo the frantoio (oil factory) was, so after driving around for a while (and seeing other people painstakingly harvest their olives by hand with a blanket under one tree at a time), it was 2pm so we called our buddy Paolo at Pruneti. We were completely lost, so he said he would meet us in the Center, he would look for our Ford and find us. I was convinced this was never going to work. Luckily he had Renee's number that we had called from, so after about 20 min he calls and says he was there and didn't find us. I tell him we're in front of the Coop supermarket, so he says he drove by there but that he'd be right back. So a few min later he shows up and asks where's the Ford, so we point to it and he says he didn't see it the first time, ha. Surprisingly, he's quite a young guy - I guess I figured someone this excited about his family's oil business would be older since they say it's often hard to get the younger generations involved and excited. So we follow him to the frantoio which was hilariously only a couple minutes down the road - but in a place we never would've found.
So he takes us in and explains how, in adorably broken English, this is a new building they only moved into a couple weeks ago, and how they just started harvesting the olives 2-3 days ago and they just set up the machines and whatnot for this year's harvest and that they'll finish it next spring. He proudly explains how it's a 3rd (I think?) generation business and how he and his dad and grandparents and wife and brother and everyone in the family is involved in the business and that they really specialize in the oil (though we saw saffron too, in the Buon Gusto shop in Panzano). He even more proudly shows us all the different machines, that take apart the olives from the stems, that clean the olives, and finally and most proudly of all, the new high-tech machine to press the olives for oil, that controls the temperature and the air that can ruin the oil, etc. I joked that they don't use the stone mills anymore and I don't know if he realized I was kidding but then he excitedly explained in the best English he could muster how he's been studying how to use the old mill in a way that will still produce good oil. He explained that right now it's too hard to control with the stone mills, and that too much air gets into the oil that way and oxidizes it so the quality's not as good as with the new fancy machine. I mean I love olives and olive oil and all but this is this family's passion and it was amazing how warmly he and his family greeted us in a brand new building that was clearly not open to the public yet.
So he explained that they were still out harvesting the olives in the afternoon and the process of actually crushing them wouldn’t begin for a couple hours, and he said we could stay and wait if we wanted but right then, we could at least taste the oil pressed last night, or we could go to the office and see last year's production and I guess the whole range of what they produce. We said tasting last night's oil was fine so he took us into the temperature controlled room which was FULL of vats of various sizes of different oils. He explained how, unlike most producers, they keep all of the different types of olives separate and make separate oils because they specialize in oil. So first we tasted a lighter kind of oil, which was pretty amazing. Of course he showed us the proper method to taste it. Then we tasted the "normal" production which was so strong it burned going down. It was so green and thick and cloudy, I've never seen anything like it. So of course then we had to buy some. We chose the "lighter" oil, and he got the tins and filled them by hand with a ladle and a funnel. The tins don't even have their labels on it. It was quite reasonable, much less than what I paid for the stuff I bought this morning, which of course I now regret buying. I now have a loooooot of oil to take home :)
He asked if we could stay to see the pressing later but we explained we were staying a bit far (about an hour) and that we were leaving tomorrow morning, and he actually sounded sad. He said we should write to him and he can tell us where to get their oil in the US and that we should come back because after the harvest in the spring they will finish the building and have a tasting room and everything, so hopefully they will start offering real tours and tasting to the public because I think people would enjoy it.
So he introduced us to his brother, the master oilmaker or whatever, and many other members of the family were there. It was really just amazing. There is nothing like it in the US, with people who have this kind of passion for what they do and the product they produce and are willing to just open their doors to these nobodies who don't speak their language who are just interested in what they do. It was really touching and special and I am so honored they were generous enough to share it with us. I will definitely spread the word about this company. We didn't take any pictures or videos b/c it seemed a little inappropriate so that is why I have been so detailed writing all of this, because I never want to forget such a special experience and kind gesture.
So then we headed back to the farmhouse and started packing up. Can't believe these last 2+ weeks have flown by so fast.
9:20pm: back after a lovely last dinner in Tuscany at Antico Desco down the hill. Before we left, the owner was in the sales shop downstairs waiting for us. He was so nice, he joked that he was here during the week but never saw us because we left so early. He asked us all we saw and once we started listing it out and stuff, we realized we really did see quite a lot of the places in this whole area. So we paid the balance and agreed to leave the keys in the same little box where we found them. I promised him I'd write a nice review online so more people might find them. He said no one new was coming to stay, at least not this coming week, so this lovely place will be totally empty for who knows how long, and that makes me sad.
Anyway, at dinner, our waiter tonight was there a week ago when we went on our first night, but if I recall correctly he wasn't there during the week. Anyway, he sat us at the same table, which I feel now is "our" table. He gave us a little aperitif of their white wine and didn't ask if we wanted it, so we presumed it was free (it was). We had the awesome roasted potatoes with the sliced Tuscan beef steak. It was awesome of course. Then we each had a chocolate soufflé for dessert, which was also awesome. We mentioned we were leaving tomorrow so he gave us a booklet that describes the restaurant, farm, and the products they produce. Also, like the other times they took off a bit from the bill because I think they have an arrangement with our agriturismo. I meant to leave a couple euros on the table as a thank you for the things they'd given us the times we went, but I totally forgot. Then again we did eat there 3 times in 8 days and the place is pretty quiet otherwise. Anyway, it was nice to have such a nice place like that such a short drive from where we stayed. If anything, the remoteness of where we stayed was the worst part. Driving in Chianti yesterday and today, I noticed that the distances are much shorter. All the towns in Chianti are about 20 min from each other and Siena and Florence aren't much further. Staying there makes more sense because you just have options when you're a bit tired and maybe don't feel like driving 20, 30, 40, or more minutes after dinner at night on dark roads, etc.
Anyway, can't believe it's the last night in Tuscany in our farmhouse. I'll take Renee to the station in Certaldo so she can get to Pisa for her flight home, then I'll drop the car at the Florence airport and taxi into town for the day. It's a holiday so I figure the city will be super busy or everything will be closed. We'll see.
October 30 Blog & Pics - Southern Chianti (Gaiole, Brolio, Radda, Castellina)
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622744012816/
7:30am: Slept pretty well last night for once. Better late than never. Got up around 6:30 and put some things into a small wash to last me the final few days of the trip. It is so foggy today - even worse than yesterday. Typical that the last few days we're going to the parts of Tuscany with the most beautiful roads and landscapes and we won't be able to see most of it. We're not leaving til a bit later today because Chianti's closer, so just hoping it will clear out a little as the day goes on.
9:00pm: phew! Back at the farmhouse after quite a long day. Well, when we left this morning at around 8:15 it was not looking very promising. Then as we started heading towards Chianti, the sky basically opened up and blue skies and sunshine poured in!! On the road there, a cop appeared behind me. I was freaking out. The first gas station I saw, I pulled in and we got cappuccini. We ended up driving through Castellina and Radda, the other two towns we'd be visiting later. Because it was sunny there and warming up quickly, we rolled down the windows and thank goodness we did because as we started rolling into Radda, the air actually smelled of wine. I've never experienced anything like it.
Then we made it to gaiole, which is really quite small and took all of… 20 minutes? We decided to detour to Castello di Brolio, one of the biggest wine estates and very important in Italian history because Italy's 2nd prime minister Risacoli's family owns the castle. So we found it and parked at the bottom, then had a llllooooooooooong hike up to the castle. Admission to the gardens and whatnot plus a tour of the new little museum in the castle's tower was 8 euros so we went for it at 11:30. The views from the Castle walls onto the surrounding landscape were absolutely stunning and worth the price (and uphill hike) alone. It was really quite cool because the museum was a little guided tour for about a half hour and it's in the tower of the castle and it's dedicated to Risacoli and the armory they used to use. This guy was into drawing, scientific experiments, obviously politics, and he also basically invented Chianti Classico. We also learned that the noises we're hearing in the morning that sound like fireworks are most likely gunshots to kill the chingiale (wild boar), because the hunting season is right now.
So around noon after the tour, we went down to the wine shop because our tickets for the museum tour gave us a free tasting. So we went for the expensive stuff - 2005 Riserva - which according to the price sheet (if I read it correctly) sells for 234 euros a bottle. I thought it was vile, quite frankly. I'll just never like red wine :(
So then we set off for the next town, Radda, where we found a little very busy place for lunch. I had a panini with prosciutto, cheese of some kind, and black olive paste. It was basically awesome. We wandered around for a little bit but of course at that time pretty much every place is closed for afternoon siesta, so we went back out to the main street where a place advertised bruschetta with NEW OLIVE OIL!!! So I had to try this of course even though I was full. It was, well, awesome. The oil was so peppery and had such an astringent or antiseptic quality that my mouth where I ate it felt a little bit like I put orajel or something on it. Incredible experience, if a bit creepy.
Then we detoured to the Volpaia hamlet, which is cute and all but really kind of remote and boring. So we doubled back and continued to Castellina, the biggest town of the 3 we were going to visit today, and as we exited Radda in that direction, we got the whiff of wine yet again. Still pretty incredible. On the way we stopped at the Montecalvario (or something) etruscan tombs, which are on a little mound with four separate tombs/entrances. Apparently these are very important tombs. There was this case with informational cards, which was nice and all but the tombs had no lighting at all so it was dark in there. Otherwise they were neat. So then we made it to Castellina, which has lots of little wine shops and other types of shops. One was selling bottles of olio nuovo that were in a more manageable size than I'd seen anywhere else to this point. We wandered around the main streets and made it to the gelateria I'd read about at the other far end of town. We both had hot chocolate with gelato for only 2 euros. Mine was with coffee gelato. So of course the rich thick dark chocolate melts the gelato and it became basically a warm mocha drink. It was amazing, so rich. So then we wandered back to town in and out of wine shops and the like and went to the archaeological museum, which was in the main palazzo in the center of town. It had a lot of stuff recovered from etruscan tombs in the area, which was pretty neat, considering how old this stuff is. The nice thing is that it had wonderful explanations that they handed out and put on the items, which all had english explanations too. They even gave us a clipboard with even more information, and it included a questionnaire about the visit to the museum, which I thought was nice.
So then it was about 5pm and we had wanted to stay in Castellina for dinner so we had to kill some time. Across from the museum there was an internet café so we logged in and caught up on some news. I checked my email and luckily the olive place I had written some time ago wrote back today asking if we were still coming tomorrow. Yay!!! So after about 45 min we called him and set up a visit for 2pm tomorrow, so that should be exciting. It's a good thing I held off on the olio nuovo I saw today. So we just wandered around for about an hour, in and out of shops and through the little Coop supermarket in town until it was finally 7 and we picked a pizzeria. We'd had a ton to eat all afternoon so we weren't that hungry. We just split a mixed salad and a pizza and at about 8pm set off back for the farmhouse. Besides being incredibly dark, it was a pretty easy 40 min ride, so that was good.
Northern Chianti tomorrow - cannot believe it's our last day :(
7:30am: Slept pretty well last night for once. Better late than never. Got up around 6:30 and put some things into a small wash to last me the final few days of the trip. It is so foggy today - even worse than yesterday. Typical that the last few days we're going to the parts of Tuscany with the most beautiful roads and landscapes and we won't be able to see most of it. We're not leaving til a bit later today because Chianti's closer, so just hoping it will clear out a little as the day goes on.
9:00pm: phew! Back at the farmhouse after quite a long day. Well, when we left this morning at around 8:15 it was not looking very promising. Then as we started heading towards Chianti, the sky basically opened up and blue skies and sunshine poured in!! On the road there, a cop appeared behind me. I was freaking out. The first gas station I saw, I pulled in and we got cappuccini. We ended up driving through Castellina and Radda, the other two towns we'd be visiting later. Because it was sunny there and warming up quickly, we rolled down the windows and thank goodness we did because as we started rolling into Radda, the air actually smelled of wine. I've never experienced anything like it.
Then we made it to gaiole, which is really quite small and took all of… 20 minutes? We decided to detour to Castello di Brolio, one of the biggest wine estates and very important in Italian history because Italy's 2nd prime minister Risacoli's family owns the castle. So we found it and parked at the bottom, then had a llllooooooooooong hike up to the castle. Admission to the gardens and whatnot plus a tour of the new little museum in the castle's tower was 8 euros so we went for it at 11:30. The views from the Castle walls onto the surrounding landscape were absolutely stunning and worth the price (and uphill hike) alone. It was really quite cool because the museum was a little guided tour for about a half hour and it's in the tower of the castle and it's dedicated to Risacoli and the armory they used to use. This guy was into drawing, scientific experiments, obviously politics, and he also basically invented Chianti Classico. We also learned that the noises we're hearing in the morning that sound like fireworks are most likely gunshots to kill the chingiale (wild boar), because the hunting season is right now.
So around noon after the tour, we went down to the wine shop because our tickets for the museum tour gave us a free tasting. So we went for the expensive stuff - 2005 Riserva - which according to the price sheet (if I read it correctly) sells for 234 euros a bottle. I thought it was vile, quite frankly. I'll just never like red wine :(
So then we set off for the next town, Radda, where we found a little very busy place for lunch. I had a panini with prosciutto, cheese of some kind, and black olive paste. It was basically awesome. We wandered around for a little bit but of course at that time pretty much every place is closed for afternoon siesta, so we went back out to the main street where a place advertised bruschetta with NEW OLIVE OIL!!! So I had to try this of course even though I was full. It was, well, awesome. The oil was so peppery and had such an astringent or antiseptic quality that my mouth where I ate it felt a little bit like I put orajel or something on it. Incredible experience, if a bit creepy.
Then we detoured to the Volpaia hamlet, which is cute and all but really kind of remote and boring. So we doubled back and continued to Castellina, the biggest town of the 3 we were going to visit today, and as we exited Radda in that direction, we got the whiff of wine yet again. Still pretty incredible. On the way we stopped at the Montecalvario (or something) etruscan tombs, which are on a little mound with four separate tombs/entrances. Apparently these are very important tombs. There was this case with informational cards, which was nice and all but the tombs had no lighting at all so it was dark in there. Otherwise they were neat. So then we made it to Castellina, which has lots of little wine shops and other types of shops. One was selling bottles of olio nuovo that were in a more manageable size than I'd seen anywhere else to this point. We wandered around the main streets and made it to the gelateria I'd read about at the other far end of town. We both had hot chocolate with gelato for only 2 euros. Mine was with coffee gelato. So of course the rich thick dark chocolate melts the gelato and it became basically a warm mocha drink. It was amazing, so rich. So then we wandered back to town in and out of wine shops and the like and went to the archaeological museum, which was in the main palazzo in the center of town. It had a lot of stuff recovered from etruscan tombs in the area, which was pretty neat, considering how old this stuff is. The nice thing is that it had wonderful explanations that they handed out and put on the items, which all had english explanations too. They even gave us a clipboard with even more information, and it included a questionnaire about the visit to the museum, which I thought was nice.
So then it was about 5pm and we had wanted to stay in Castellina for dinner so we had to kill some time. Across from the museum there was an internet café so we logged in and caught up on some news. I checked my email and luckily the olive place I had written some time ago wrote back today asking if we were still coming tomorrow. Yay!!! So after about 45 min we called him and set up a visit for 2pm tomorrow, so that should be exciting. It's a good thing I held off on the olio nuovo I saw today. So we just wandered around for about an hour, in and out of shops and through the little Coop supermarket in town until it was finally 7 and we picked a pizzeria. We'd had a ton to eat all afternoon so we weren't that hungry. We just split a mixed salad and a pizza and at about 8pm set off back for the farmhouse. Besides being incredibly dark, it was a pretty easy 40 min ride, so that was good.
Northern Chianti tomorrow - cannot believe it's our last day :(
Thursday, November 5, 2009
October 29 Blogs & Pics - Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622743554940/
6:30am: Sitting on the toilet with feet in the bidet soaking in hot water and I cannot believe there's only a few days left. The sun's rising and it appears it's going to be yet another glorious day. Was worried about weather when that storm for Cinque Terre showed up but other than that one day, it has been pretty amazing weather the whole trip and I guess it's supposed to last the final few days as well. Today, off to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, and maybe some important abbeys along the way.
8:00pm: back at the farmhouse after a long and for some reason frustrating day. It was quite foggy and cloudy most of the day, which was a bit of a bummer considering we were in some of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany. Anyway, this morning we left a little after 7 and stopped on the way for breakfast and gas. Fascinating how these gas stations have full bars with huge espresso machines and fresh pastries. Not bad at all. Then we continued on our way to Montepulciano, which is about an hour and a half from our farmhouse. Arrived shortly after 9 but drove in circles for nearly a half hour trying to find the parking Rick Steves recommended. Finally found it. Montepulciano is really quite cute. Lots of wine shops, but the cool thing is the old cellars - we went into two. Contucci, which was cool, filled with cask after cask, and Ercolani, which was so hardcore it has the name "Subterranean City" and they even provide a map. Walking down through these cool dark cellars filled with huge tanks of wine is more interesting than most museums - and I don’t even like wine. This one had marked rooms and told you that this cellar dated back to about the 13th-15th Centuries, if I recall. The cool thing was near the end as it wound back up to their tasting room, there were some etruscan ruins. I bought a vacuum packed set of 2 1/4 liter olive oil cans - one of their own and one organic one. Yay for vacuum packed cans, no mess getting it home :) Took a different road back to where we parked, which took us by Bottega del Rame (I think?), a coppersmith's shop where everything's handmade in town. Absolutely stunning, gorgeous stuff. What I would not give to have a set of those pots. I bet they cook amazingly well, but I'd hate to use them. Instead I bought a little oil can and a teeny knick-nack. I'd seen this place online before going so I knew what to expect, but the stuff was still absolutely gorgeous (and expensive - but worth it for the craftsmanship!). I think, with the purchase of the oil can, that completes my "must buy" list for Italy except for some more olive oil in Chianti.
So around 11:30am we left and stopped at the Tempio San Biagio - which is incredible from the outside and a bit lame from the inside. We then made our way to Pienza, famous for both pecorino cheese and for being this strange planned renaissance city. Only problem is that the town center was taken over by some kind of filming for a renaissance movie. Oy vey. So meandering past the horse and sheep poop, we made it to the end of town to a restaurant recommended by both Rick Steves and the Blue Guide, and it was quite good indeed. I had homemade pici with mushrooms. There was an older couple next to us who had been to Pienza several times and seemed to always eat there. Even some of the cast from the movie made it down for lunch. It was warm enough to even eat outside! And this place had no cover charge, which is always awesome. Our whole check including water came to 16.50. Can't beat that for incredible handmade, homemade pasta.
Then we wandered around a bit more but unfortunately several of the interesting-looking cheese shops were closed for 'siesta' so we went in a couple and then set off for Montalcino, which is a little bit further.
Arrived there about 2:30pm and found a parking lot. Made our way up to town and wandered around. Besides lots of wine shops and a few pottery shops, this was a ghost town of sorts. We went into one Enoteca that had a "wine card" system - you take the card and it has 50 euros on it, then you stick it in the slot and get a taste of any one of 100 wines you want. Then you just bring the card up to the register and pay for whatever you spent. We tried a rosso from Montalcino, which I thought was truly vile, and a Brunello, which is the really famous wine from this area of course. It was significantly better, but still not something I'd pay 30+ euros a bottle for.
Then here's where the annoyance begins. We were going to head up the Via Cassia - SP2 - which is supposed to be some of the most beautiful scenery in Tuscany (and thus, the world). But trusty GPS (she needs a name) sent us a different way and then we figured we were too far to turn around. We were going to stop at the Monte Oliveto Maggiore Abbey then the town of Asciano. Well, we ended up heading to Asciano a different way. Then we couldn't find proper parking and were going in circles so we were like, forget it. Then we decided to go to Monte Oliveto Maggiore anyway but by then it was almost 5pm so by the time we got there it had closed (at 5pm, naturally). By then the light was fading fast and we were about an hour and a half from the farmhouse. At first we thought, why not go to San Gimignano for dinner. Then we started heading in a "wrong" direction (less direct, really, but not "wrong" per se) and turned around and wasted about 15 min, so it was going to be almost 7 by the time we got to San Gim. So we decided instead to head towards the farmhouse and stop somewhere along the way. Well, we didn't see anywhere, really, nowhere at all (much of this drive is on a bigger road, which was nice, but there's less to stop and do), so we just decided to come back here and have our leftovers for dinner, so that is what we did.
I'm sure part of my crankiness is from being tired so I will try to sleep well tonight (as if I haven't been trying all damn vacation) as we head for Chianti tomorrow and Saturday.
6:30am: Sitting on the toilet with feet in the bidet soaking in hot water and I cannot believe there's only a few days left. The sun's rising and it appears it's going to be yet another glorious day. Was worried about weather when that storm for Cinque Terre showed up but other than that one day, it has been pretty amazing weather the whole trip and I guess it's supposed to last the final few days as well. Today, off to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, and maybe some important abbeys along the way.
8:00pm: back at the farmhouse after a long and for some reason frustrating day. It was quite foggy and cloudy most of the day, which was a bit of a bummer considering we were in some of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany. Anyway, this morning we left a little after 7 and stopped on the way for breakfast and gas. Fascinating how these gas stations have full bars with huge espresso machines and fresh pastries. Not bad at all. Then we continued on our way to Montepulciano, which is about an hour and a half from our farmhouse. Arrived shortly after 9 but drove in circles for nearly a half hour trying to find the parking Rick Steves recommended. Finally found it. Montepulciano is really quite cute. Lots of wine shops, but the cool thing is the old cellars - we went into two. Contucci, which was cool, filled with cask after cask, and Ercolani, which was so hardcore it has the name "Subterranean City" and they even provide a map. Walking down through these cool dark cellars filled with huge tanks of wine is more interesting than most museums - and I don’t even like wine. This one had marked rooms and told you that this cellar dated back to about the 13th-15th Centuries, if I recall. The cool thing was near the end as it wound back up to their tasting room, there were some etruscan ruins. I bought a vacuum packed set of 2 1/4 liter olive oil cans - one of their own and one organic one. Yay for vacuum packed cans, no mess getting it home :) Took a different road back to where we parked, which took us by Bottega del Rame (I think?), a coppersmith's shop where everything's handmade in town. Absolutely stunning, gorgeous stuff. What I would not give to have a set of those pots. I bet they cook amazingly well, but I'd hate to use them. Instead I bought a little oil can and a teeny knick-nack. I'd seen this place online before going so I knew what to expect, but the stuff was still absolutely gorgeous (and expensive - but worth it for the craftsmanship!). I think, with the purchase of the oil can, that completes my "must buy" list for Italy except for some more olive oil in Chianti.
So around 11:30am we left and stopped at the Tempio San Biagio - which is incredible from the outside and a bit lame from the inside. We then made our way to Pienza, famous for both pecorino cheese and for being this strange planned renaissance city. Only problem is that the town center was taken over by some kind of filming for a renaissance movie. Oy vey. So meandering past the horse and sheep poop, we made it to the end of town to a restaurant recommended by both Rick Steves and the Blue Guide, and it was quite good indeed. I had homemade pici with mushrooms. There was an older couple next to us who had been to Pienza several times and seemed to always eat there. Even some of the cast from the movie made it down for lunch. It was warm enough to even eat outside! And this place had no cover charge, which is always awesome. Our whole check including water came to 16.50. Can't beat that for incredible handmade, homemade pasta.
Then we wandered around a bit more but unfortunately several of the interesting-looking cheese shops were closed for 'siesta' so we went in a couple and then set off for Montalcino, which is a little bit further.
Arrived there about 2:30pm and found a parking lot. Made our way up to town and wandered around. Besides lots of wine shops and a few pottery shops, this was a ghost town of sorts. We went into one Enoteca that had a "wine card" system - you take the card and it has 50 euros on it, then you stick it in the slot and get a taste of any one of 100 wines you want. Then you just bring the card up to the register and pay for whatever you spent. We tried a rosso from Montalcino, which I thought was truly vile, and a Brunello, which is the really famous wine from this area of course. It was significantly better, but still not something I'd pay 30+ euros a bottle for.
Then here's where the annoyance begins. We were going to head up the Via Cassia - SP2 - which is supposed to be some of the most beautiful scenery in Tuscany (and thus, the world). But trusty GPS (she needs a name) sent us a different way and then we figured we were too far to turn around. We were going to stop at the Monte Oliveto Maggiore Abbey then the town of Asciano. Well, we ended up heading to Asciano a different way. Then we couldn't find proper parking and were going in circles so we were like, forget it. Then we decided to go to Monte Oliveto Maggiore anyway but by then it was almost 5pm so by the time we got there it had closed (at 5pm, naturally). By then the light was fading fast and we were about an hour and a half from the farmhouse. At first we thought, why not go to San Gimignano for dinner. Then we started heading in a "wrong" direction (less direct, really, but not "wrong" per se) and turned around and wasted about 15 min, so it was going to be almost 7 by the time we got to San Gim. So we decided instead to head towards the farmhouse and stop somewhere along the way. Well, we didn't see anywhere, really, nowhere at all (much of this drive is on a bigger road, which was nice, but there's less to stop and do), so we just decided to come back here and have our leftovers for dinner, so that is what we did.
I'm sure part of my crankiness is from being tired so I will try to sleep well tonight (as if I haven't been trying all damn vacation) as we head for Chianti tomorrow and Saturday.
Parmigiano Cheese Tour Videos Added
Pretty fun to see little snippets of the process, videos at the end of this photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622585466171/
October 28 Blog and Pics: Florence
pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622738271734/
8:00pm: back at the farmhouse after a long but enjoyable day in Florence. Woke up at 6:30am after finally sleeping ok, and we set out for Certaldo station by 6:45. Luckily we'd scoped it all out the day before and knew where to park. Found it today with no problem and hopped on our 7:18 train to Firenze SMN station.
Arrived a bit late because the train just stopped in the middle of nowhere for a while, but finally arrived and set off for the Accademia. Caught breakfast at a bar on the way and made it shortly after 9am. No wait at all, so we went in and saw the David. It was 10 freaking euros because of a mapplethorpe exhibit, as if anyone cares. Instead of the cool video renderings of the David that were there the first time I went, it was a bunch of his photos and drawings. Boooooring. Anyway, we wandered a bit through the musical instruments collection (the permanent one, which was not even remotely as nice as the temporary exhibit I was lucky enough to catch a couple years ago), then we set off for the San Lorenzo area and the Medici chapels. Like 2 years ago, the big chapel of the princes was still under major reconstruction but it is still impressive to see the utter wealth the Medicis possessed. I also love, in Michelangelo's chapel, how the notes he left on some of the back walls behind the altar are still preserved. Most people don't even go back there to see it.
After that, we wandered through the San Lorenzo market and over to the Mercato Centrale, which is a complete wonderland of fruits, vegetables, salamis, meat, fish, cheese, olives, wine and oil, and anything else you can imagine. We spent a good hour walking around there and then set off for the real historical center. I found the Global Refund office and got my measly $22 in tax refund for the jewelry I bought yesterday. I just now have to get it stamped at customs and stick it in the mail from the airport and I am good to go. Went into the Orsanmichelle church and found I Fratellini, a literal sandwich window. They sell about 30 kinds of sandwiches, all 2.50. I got salami and artichoke and it was on a great warm crusty roll. Then we found my beloved Perche No gelateria and got a cup. Then we set off for the amazing and always awesome Ponte Vecchio, where I resisted a strong urge to buy these lovely and delicate 140 euro earrings.
Wandered through the Oltrarno a little bit and then made our way over to Santa Croce. There's a big gold shop there too and I found a pair of earrings almost as lovely that were 89 euros, but she gave me a 15% discount so they were 76. Not sure why, but they are two round circles, one in yellow, and one in white gold. And they have a bit of a diamond cut so they are nice and glittery. Not as lovely as the others, but close enough for half the price. Of course, that brings my earrings haul from this trip to 6 pairs, and I think I will stop here. Usually I am too lazy to change my earrings that often but I guess I will have to start!
Went into Santa Croce, much of which is actually being restored. It's still always interesting to see Michelangelo's and Galileo's and Machiavelli's tombs, among others, and the Leather School is amazing - really top-quality handmade works and you can see many of the craftsmen making items. Too bad a fairly small purse was 330 euros :(
Anyway, just before 4pm, we took a taxi up to Piazzale Michelangelo, because we were hoping to catch a 5:10pm train back to Certaldo. Cost was just under 10 euros but it saved a ton of time. We got there right at the right time as the sun was hitting the city. It's now my third time up there and it still does not get old at all. Took MORE pictures and caught a 4:30 bus down to the station and made it with about 10 min to spare on our 5:10 train.
Had trouble once again getting out of Certaldo back to the farmhouse because the street it wants me to take every time is closed for construction. But after going in a couple circles we finally made it and just had some cold cuts and bread for dinner, simple Italian style eating.
Tomorrow will be a long driving day - more than 3 hours total probably. Still haven't had to fill up the gas tank - it seems like it should get over 800 kilometers per tank, which is pretty darn impressive. Will fill up tomorrow just to be careful and I bet we won't have to do it again!
October 27 Blogs & pics - Volterra and Certaldo
pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622738262886/
7:25am: Slept horribly again, don't know why. Finally got up a little before 7 and took a shower. Looks like it's going to be another glorious day here. I love hearing the sounds of the birds and the owls in the morning. We were going to go to Florence today but decided that since we didn't do much driving yesterday and florence would be a very small driving day, we'd split up the longer driving days, so today we're going to Volterra which is almost an hour away. We're both pretty excited about going here because there's a big alabaster craft community and lots of really fun and interesting looking shops!
7:00pm: Back at the farmhouse, ready to cook dinner! We first set off for Volterra, which took about an hour to get to. Arrived without much problem after driving around a bit to find the correct (convenient) parking garage. Had pastry and cappuccino at a nice café. It was only 1.90 euros for both. Crazy cheap. Then we wandered and found a whole ton of alabaster and other awesome shops. I had taken down the name of a couple interesting-looking ones and we found them and I was in big trouble. One was a handmade jewelry shop with gold and silver things in the etruscan style. I bought a gorgeous ring and little stud earrings. They were just barely the 155 euros needed for a tax refund, but he had never filled out the form so I hope it's right. It looks like he signed it in the wrong place so I hope they give me my money! Anyway, then we found some really beautiful alabaster shops, I bought a couple of butterflies and a hand-painted alabaster magnet (purple!). One had an open showroom around the corner and we saw a guy working hard on something. Alabaster is really cool especially when lit from within. We then found this Vitrium shop, which I'd found on the internet beforehand. They make everything by hand in Volterra with glass. So I bought 2 pairs of silver and glass bead earrings that totaled 18 euros.
Then we went into the Etruscan museum which is one of Italy's biggest. It was sure huge - stuff on 3 floors and in more than 20 rooms. It was pretty amazing to see all the stuff they found.
Then we had lunch at a Pizzeria recommended by Rick Steves a bit off the main tourist avenue. We split a small "torta di ceci" - a round 'cake' of sorts made from chickpea flour that was baked in the wood oven. It was pretty good. Then we each got a pizza, which was probably a huge mistake. I got a regular margherita and it was only about 5.20 euros. Interestingly, the place didn't charge a cover charge, they just had a 10% service charge, so it was pretty darn cheap. Then we used the internet café "Wine and Web" or something for a little while - it was interesting, the computers were above the wine bar/café on a little loft.
Volterra is quite nice - not too touristy, but touristy enough to have nice shops and restaurants featuring local craftsmen and really talented people. The problem with Volterra is all the Twilight stuff - books, calendars, tours, celebrations, souvenirs, etc. Sad.
Then we left and set off for Certaldo, which is near our farmhouse. We wanted to check out the old part of town and also the train station parking situation since we'll need it tomorrow for Florence. I think the GPS took us a circuitous route, but a little less than an hour later and we were there and found a free parking lot just a short walk from the station. We bought our train tickets for Florence tomorrow and found the funicular to get up to the old part of town. 1.20 euros for a return trip. There is only one little main street in the town, which is made entirely of red brick and beautifully preserved. There was a gorgeous ceramic workshop/showroom where I had to buy a little squid figurine just because it was so cute.
Wandered around for maybe a half hour and caught the funicular back down. We decided we weren't that hungry tonight so we'd just cook in and for tomorrow we'd get some stuff to make a sandwich type meal. Asked at the tourist office by the station where the Coop market in Certaldo is and it was only a half km away so we just walked. Got some salami, cheese, bread, etc., and some eggs for the chicken that we'd forgotten to get.
Came back to the farmhouse after getting a teeny bit lost getting out of Certaldo and made our way back where we are now cooking, even though we're still not that hungry from the pizza!
8:30pm: dinner was a decent success. I overcooked the chicken and everything tasted bland without any garlic, but otherwise it was a pretty good Italian feast! And so ends another glorious day in Tuscany. We didn't do too much but again it was nice to be semi-relaxed. Also another successful driving day, yay!
Domanni andiamo a Firenze!
7:25am: Slept horribly again, don't know why. Finally got up a little before 7 and took a shower. Looks like it's going to be another glorious day here. I love hearing the sounds of the birds and the owls in the morning. We were going to go to Florence today but decided that since we didn't do much driving yesterday and florence would be a very small driving day, we'd split up the longer driving days, so today we're going to Volterra which is almost an hour away. We're both pretty excited about going here because there's a big alabaster craft community and lots of really fun and interesting looking shops!
7:00pm: Back at the farmhouse, ready to cook dinner! We first set off for Volterra, which took about an hour to get to. Arrived without much problem after driving around a bit to find the correct (convenient) parking garage. Had pastry and cappuccino at a nice café. It was only 1.90 euros for both. Crazy cheap. Then we wandered and found a whole ton of alabaster and other awesome shops. I had taken down the name of a couple interesting-looking ones and we found them and I was in big trouble. One was a handmade jewelry shop with gold and silver things in the etruscan style. I bought a gorgeous ring and little stud earrings. They were just barely the 155 euros needed for a tax refund, but he had never filled out the form so I hope it's right. It looks like he signed it in the wrong place so I hope they give me my money! Anyway, then we found some really beautiful alabaster shops, I bought a couple of butterflies and a hand-painted alabaster magnet (purple!). One had an open showroom around the corner and we saw a guy working hard on something. Alabaster is really cool especially when lit from within. We then found this Vitrium shop, which I'd found on the internet beforehand. They make everything by hand in Volterra with glass. So I bought 2 pairs of silver and glass bead earrings that totaled 18 euros.
Then we went into the Etruscan museum which is one of Italy's biggest. It was sure huge - stuff on 3 floors and in more than 20 rooms. It was pretty amazing to see all the stuff they found.
Then we had lunch at a Pizzeria recommended by Rick Steves a bit off the main tourist avenue. We split a small "torta di ceci" - a round 'cake' of sorts made from chickpea flour that was baked in the wood oven. It was pretty good. Then we each got a pizza, which was probably a huge mistake. I got a regular margherita and it was only about 5.20 euros. Interestingly, the place didn't charge a cover charge, they just had a 10% service charge, so it was pretty darn cheap. Then we used the internet café "Wine and Web" or something for a little while - it was interesting, the computers were above the wine bar/café on a little loft.
Volterra is quite nice - not too touristy, but touristy enough to have nice shops and restaurants featuring local craftsmen and really talented people. The problem with Volterra is all the Twilight stuff - books, calendars, tours, celebrations, souvenirs, etc. Sad.
Then we left and set off for Certaldo, which is near our farmhouse. We wanted to check out the old part of town and also the train station parking situation since we'll need it tomorrow for Florence. I think the GPS took us a circuitous route, but a little less than an hour later and we were there and found a free parking lot just a short walk from the station. We bought our train tickets for Florence tomorrow and found the funicular to get up to the old part of town. 1.20 euros for a return trip. There is only one little main street in the town, which is made entirely of red brick and beautifully preserved. There was a gorgeous ceramic workshop/showroom where I had to buy a little squid figurine just because it was so cute.
Wandered around for maybe a half hour and caught the funicular back down. We decided we weren't that hungry tonight so we'd just cook in and for tomorrow we'd get some stuff to make a sandwich type meal. Asked at the tourist office by the station where the Coop market in Certaldo is and it was only a half km away so we just walked. Got some salami, cheese, bread, etc., and some eggs for the chicken that we'd forgotten to get.
Came back to the farmhouse after getting a teeny bit lost getting out of Certaldo and made our way back where we are now cooking, even though we're still not that hungry from the pizza!
8:30pm: dinner was a decent success. I overcooked the chicken and everything tasted bland without any garlic, but otherwise it was a pretty good Italian feast! And so ends another glorious day in Tuscany. We didn't do too much but again it was nice to be semi-relaxed. Also another successful driving day, yay!
Domanni andiamo a Firenze!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
October 26 Blogs and Pictures - San Gimignano and Colle di Val d'Elsa
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157622732458140/
6:15pm: In the farmhouse after a fairly relaxing day. Woke up a little before 7:30 after not sleeping too well again :( We did laundry just before 8 - the washer was much smaller than I anticipated! Anyway, it took nearly an hour but since it was so bright and clear we then hung everything on the provided clotheslines and went on our way to San Gimignano around 9.
Got there shortly before 9:30 and found the correct parking spot. Right inside the wall we found a Bar and got a cappuccino and pastry - nutella croissant for me (it was awesome.). Wandered around and in and out of shops, into the gorgeous duomo and just seeing the funky little medieval town. Around noon we went to a pizzeria and got a pizza to eat there. We then set out to find the San Gimignano Coop (supermarket) which we knew was close. After driving around in a few circles we finally found it and picked up some things to cook in tomorrow - fresh pasta, tomatoes, grated cheese, olives, some clementines, olive oil, salt, pancetta cubes, grated parmigiano, etc. We also got necessities like toilet paper and paper towels. Then we set off for Colle di Val D'Elsa, which I wanted to go to mainly b/c it is where 95% of Italy's crystal items are produced. After driving around in circles we found proper parking and made it up to the upper town (there's an upper and a lower). This town is basically a ghost town. We were there in 'siesta' time and mostly everything - including most of the crystal shops - were closed. Managed to find a couple shops with some gorgeous stuff. All I really wanted was a little figurine and finally I found a cute little owl for only 13 euros. We took the elevator down to the lower town and checked out a great gelateria, then went back up and left. Really not much to do in this town. Even the duomo was kind of plain.
We then realized we needed some kind of meat for our cooking in so we went to the HUGE - and I do mean huge - Coop supermarket in Poggibonsi. We got some bread crumbs, chicken, fresh tomatoes, and I got a nail file that actually worked. So now we pretty much have everything we need to make a pretty nice feast tomorrow.
Came back to the farmhouse shortly before 5 and took our mostly dry laundry down and just came back here to relax before going back to Antico Desco for Renee's birthday dinner.
Today was an absolutely glorious day weather-wise, about 20C (around 70F) and literally not a cloud in sight. Hopefully every day will be like this for the rest of the trip!
9:05pm: Went to the restaurant down the street. Had bistecca alla fiorentina that we split, and some roasted potatoes. It was so good. I am so full. It will be hard to eat regular American supermarket beef again. That's all really. Oh, and there was a party of about 6 annoying Americans behind us. The lovely waitress (same as the other night) was trying to explain to them that they had ravioli with pumpkin, so she said "Halloween" and they were like "oh, you have halloween here?" then later they got their food and were trying to figure out if their beans were cannoli beans or cannelini beans. I think I smacked my face at these people at least 10 times. Anyway, I had told the waitress it was Renee's birthday, so after our meal even though we asked for the check, she brought us two pieces of a traditional seasonal dessert made with chestnuts, she said not everyone liked it. It smelled like gingerbread, but tasted like a nearly-tasteless chewy pancake. Not really my thing. It was quite nice of her though, especially since they gave us a small discount again (I presume for their arrangement with our farmhouse). Love this place.
6:15pm: In the farmhouse after a fairly relaxing day. Woke up a little before 7:30 after not sleeping too well again :( We did laundry just before 8 - the washer was much smaller than I anticipated! Anyway, it took nearly an hour but since it was so bright and clear we then hung everything on the provided clotheslines and went on our way to San Gimignano around 9.
Got there shortly before 9:30 and found the correct parking spot. Right inside the wall we found a Bar and got a cappuccino and pastry - nutella croissant for me (it was awesome.). Wandered around and in and out of shops, into the gorgeous duomo and just seeing the funky little medieval town. Around noon we went to a pizzeria and got a pizza to eat there. We then set out to find the San Gimignano Coop (supermarket) which we knew was close. After driving around in a few circles we finally found it and picked up some things to cook in tomorrow - fresh pasta, tomatoes, grated cheese, olives, some clementines, olive oil, salt, pancetta cubes, grated parmigiano, etc. We also got necessities like toilet paper and paper towels. Then we set off for Colle di Val D'Elsa, which I wanted to go to mainly b/c it is where 95% of Italy's crystal items are produced. After driving around in circles we found proper parking and made it up to the upper town (there's an upper and a lower). This town is basically a ghost town. We were there in 'siesta' time and mostly everything - including most of the crystal shops - were closed. Managed to find a couple shops with some gorgeous stuff. All I really wanted was a little figurine and finally I found a cute little owl for only 13 euros. We took the elevator down to the lower town and checked out a great gelateria, then went back up and left. Really not much to do in this town. Even the duomo was kind of plain.
We then realized we needed some kind of meat for our cooking in so we went to the HUGE - and I do mean huge - Coop supermarket in Poggibonsi. We got some bread crumbs, chicken, fresh tomatoes, and I got a nail file that actually worked. So now we pretty much have everything we need to make a pretty nice feast tomorrow.
Came back to the farmhouse shortly before 5 and took our mostly dry laundry down and just came back here to relax before going back to Antico Desco for Renee's birthday dinner.
Today was an absolutely glorious day weather-wise, about 20C (around 70F) and literally not a cloud in sight. Hopefully every day will be like this for the rest of the trip!
9:05pm: Went to the restaurant down the street. Had bistecca alla fiorentina that we split, and some roasted potatoes. It was so good. I am so full. It will be hard to eat regular American supermarket beef again. That's all really. Oh, and there was a party of about 6 annoying Americans behind us. The lovely waitress (same as the other night) was trying to explain to them that they had ravioli with pumpkin, so she said "Halloween" and they were like "oh, you have halloween here?" then later they got their food and were trying to figure out if their beans were cannoli beans or cannelini beans. I think I smacked my face at these people at least 10 times. Anyway, I had told the waitress it was Renee's birthday, so after our meal even though we asked for the check, she brought us two pieces of a traditional seasonal dessert made with chestnuts, she said not everyone liked it. It smelled like gingerbread, but tasted like a nearly-tasteless chewy pancake. Not really my thing. It was quite nice of her though, especially since they gave us a small discount again (I presume for their arrangement with our farmhouse). Love this place.
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