Finally had a chance to sit down for more than 5 mins, so here goes.
Day 1
We left Paris for Florence on Sunday Morning (April 4). I had a very nice Florentine seated next to me and she gave me all the news about Florence. Small town with small town mentality, she said. She helped us navigate the airport and showed us where to grab a taxi. She was like our own guide. Not that the airport there is so difficult, it was just really nice of her to help us along, so we weren't bumbling around.
Taxi to the hotel was interesting. I didn't think that anyone could drive more crazy than the Parisians! Thank goodness the public transportation, i.e. busses, taxies, etc., have their own lane!
When we arrived at the "Hotel", we were a bit surprised, as it looked nothing like it did in the brochure. (Must have taken the pics when it was brand new and with a fisheye lense!) Anyway, the guy behind the desk was not very friendly, but who cares!? We had to make two trips for the luggage, not because we had so much (1 largish suitcase, empty, reserved for souvies and new clothes, and 3 small pull bags, the kind that fit into the overhead on planes), but because the lift was so small. Room enough for 2 people or one person and a bag! But who cares, eh?
We get inside the room, and at first glance it was charming. Dirty, but charming. Soaring ceiling, with huge windows draped with heavy satin. There was a large bed and 2 twins that had just been set inside the room. The bathroom was smaller than any I've seen on cruise ships. The toilet leaked all over the floor. The carpet was stained in multiple places in front of the bathroom, and I don't mean like something that wouldn't come out, but like they had just mopped it up and left it to dry. The bedspreads were in the same condition as the carpet. The drapes, upon closer inspection were barely attatched to the wall. The "furniture", very 80's formica, looked like it had never seen a wet rag, much less soap. Then there was the smell from the bathroom. Vinegar! Phew! But were only sleeping there right?
Off we go to catch our bus tour through Florence. After asking the gentleman behind the desk, and searching for an hour, we found the departure point. The tour was amazing! We went to Fiesole first. We had the most amazing guide. He had such a great accent and was very knowledgable. We got to stroll through Fiesole, and got a great view of Florence. Met a very nice lady on the bus. She was retired military and was "getting her life back together." She asked us about our hotel, and when we told here, she just rolled her eyes, and said we'd be better off in a hostle. So of course, I'm thinking (and I know this is not right, but I'm being honest ) loser! And we sort of avoided her for the rest of the tour.
The pinnacle of the bus tour was when we got to go to the Uffizi! I had no Idea what this tour was, as my TA just handed me a package with our travel vouchers, not 1 week before we left. I thought it was going to just take us through Florence, but we went to Santa Croche, and saw tombs of several renaissance men, and had a wonderful tour in the Uffizi. Right as the Gallery was closing, we looked down from a 3rd story window and witnessed a most amazing sight. There were throngs of people gathered around in the Piazza della Signoria (This is the place where the "Bonfire of the Vanities" took place, when the Dominican friar Savonarola denounced all that the Medici had done, and all the wealth that had been accumulated, and had a huge fire in the square, burning all sorts of items. Boticceli even threw some of his paintings into the fire! Ironically, Savonarola was, himself, burned in that very Piazza, as a heretic). As we watched, who should come walking through the steet but Jesus! All beautiful in his brilliant red robe. Surrounding him were his apostles and followers. What we were witnessing was a re-inactment of the Passion of The Christ! It was amazing. We were being watched by a Uffizi guard. I'm sure it was his job to usher us out of the building, but he let us stay and watch and even let us take pictures, though it was strictly forbidden to do so in the gallery. It was one of those moments where you fell like you have been blessed. We dined in the rooftop cafe and then headed home. We walked back to our hotel, and had a wonderful time. One reflection on this tour was how amazing it was threading our way through the very narrow streets of Florence in a huge tour bus! I mean, there were times when I wasn't sure the mirrors on the bus would clear the buildings!
Back to the hotel to get some dinner. Big surprise! The hotel "restaurant" is only opened for breakfast! Thank goodness there was a different man behind the front desk. Very helpful. He directed us to a great Grotto just down the street where we dined on the most amazing food, and wine. The kids loved it and were introduced to the joys of Tiramisu. DH and I had amazing prosciutto and olive antipasti, and pici with a simple red sauce. The service was impeccable.
After dinner, we needed to do some laundry. (I told you I didn't over pack. 4 days worth of clothes, and I had planned on doing laundry on the day we changed locations.) OOPSIE! Not only was it Sunday, it was Palm Sunday! We were lucky to have found a place to eat, but the laundry was definately closed. UGH! We were going to Sienna and San Gimignano at 7:00 am the next morning! What was I going to do? I was smart enough to pack extra socks and undies for everyone, but DH will not ever wear the same pair of pants or shirt for more than one day! There I was, with all his shirts and pants in the Bathtub! Yes siree! Doing laundry in the Hotel bathtub! The next morning, DH wore clean, but damp clothes.
O well! Off to sleep! 12:30 a.m.! There was a party going on outside my door. Dozens of Italian high school seniors! Drunk, loud and pounding on every door in the building. Screaming, yelling laughing! Good thing I had a Grappa before bed, as it didn't really bother me until about 2. The party lasted until 3:30!
Day 2
We went down for breakfast at about 6:00. No breakfast until 7! We needed to be on the bus by 7:45! I was at least able to talk the kichen lady out of some coffee. We came back down and thought we would just have to get something quick. Quick was all they had. Continental breakfast! "But we paid for an American breakfast!" Sorry. Continental breakfast, from 7 till 9:30. Luckily, I had brought protien bars from home for on the plane, and we brought those along on the bus in case we got hungry. We stopped at the front desk to ask if the teenagers would be there again that night. (hoping for an excuse to check out and get our $$, which was pre-paid through our TA, refunded)The kind gentleman throws up his arms in one of those great Italian gestures and say no. Behind us were the only other Americans in the hotel besides us, very angrily checking out.
The trip to Sienna was beautiful! I didn't really like our tour guide though. She was just not very enthusiastic. We got to Sienna and went on a guided tour. Saw the Duomo and has a Sienese guide, who was very nice. After the guided portion of the tour, we had lunch in tha basement of some amazing medieval building. Ribollita, pecorino cheese, prosciutto, pici, bread and olive oil! Oh and wine! The town was packed with people. Lots and lots of student groups. It was hard to get a feel for the town with all those people there. The Piazza del Campo was a sea of people. Then we supposedly had free time, but our tour guide let things get out of hand, and we never really got a chance to shop. She said not to worry. San Gimignano has the same stuff. Great! A tourist trap, I'm thinking.
San Gimignano was amazing! It is so old! Unfortunately, we only had time for some amazing gelato, and a trip to the wine store, where we purchased some amazing 1997 chianti classico riserve, and a highly prized 1997 brunello. We also picked up some grappa and olive oil. DD purchased a beautiful plate and DH and I spotted a handmade tile with a "gallo negro" on it. It now sits framed on the wall above our bar. We really loved San Gimignano, and need to go back, as two hours is not enough time to do anything but buy memories.
When we returned to Florence, we went back to the Grotto for dinner, and then to the laundry. We had the best time doing the laundry. DH and I had split a bottle and a half of wine, so we were very mello, and the kids had fun watching all the evening festivities. We were done with the wash in about an hour fifteen, then back to the hotel for a grappa and some sleep.
12:30 a.m.! Nooooooo! Not another party! You see, the Italians who kept us up all night the previous night did leave. This was an entirely new group! Thank God for Grappa!
Day 3
We decided to forgo the continental breakfast supplied by the Hotel and ate breakfast in a bar. Really. A full sevice bar. The food was good, and the coffee was incredible. The bill came to 24 Euro, and all I had was a 50. The bartender couldn't change it, so he gives his Beck's drinking (It is 9:00a.m. after all!
) patron my 50 and tells him to go get change. Great! There goes my 50 euro, I'm thinking! Well, he did come back with my change and all was well.
We had to go to the tour office to make a change in one of our tours. You see, you may have figured out that our TA didn't really have a very good feel for what we wanted out of this trip. She basically gave us a package she had arranged for another couple a few months ago. Well, one of the tours we wanted to take was a trip through Chianti. She did schedule this and gave us "open vouchers," which means you can go whenever you want. Not exactly. The tour she booked us on was Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Not only that, but when I called to get a place on the bus, the tour company would not reserve our seats over the phone, we had to take it (the voucher) or fax it to their office! We also could not do the Monday trip, as Monday was passed, and Wednesday would have been next to impossible, as we were leaving at 5 a.m. Thursday, to go home, and the tour didn't end until 8 p.m. There is a different Chianti tour on Tuesday. It is longer and you go to a Castle winery and have dinner in another castle. Why didn't my TA ask us about this one? Well, we were very lucky to have found some wonderful people who were willing to make this happen for us. They took the voucher for the other tour and applied it to the new and improved tour, (that and an extra 124 euro), and we were scheduled to leave at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.
That didn't leave us with much time to sight see, so we shopped instead!
We went all over the city, looking for souvies and maybe a leather coat and boots for me. We wandered into a paper store where DD and DS purchased some beautiful marbled paper, and some really cool glass fountain pens. I purchased a Wine tasting book, to take with me to Chianti. The lady who ran the store was a lovely lady from Miami! She gave me a beautiful day planner as a gift. I don't use it as a planner, but a journal.
Then we went in and out of every leather shop and stall we could find. Tuesday is shopping day in Florence, and their open air markets are awsome! I finally found a beautiful jacket, and the owner was so nice. He selected the jacket for me and told me why it was for me. What a salesman eh? Who cares? No it's not a Ferregamo, or Prada or Gucci or any of the many many Florentine designers. It was made in Florence by Florentines, and it is soft and beautiful and it makes me happy. The kids were crazed and ready to eat, so we grabbed lunch in a great little cafe, and then headed back to catch the bus to Chianti.
I'm sorry. Ihave have to stop here. I just got a call that my sisters mom passed away, and i need ti catch my breath and deal with this. I'll try to finsh this on Monday.
OK. I'm back.
Our trip to Chianti was the best! We had a wonderful guide who pointed out all sorts of linteresting things along the way. Monastaries, Cotto factories, Medici country homes. She told us about the legend of the Gallo Negro, and all sorts of wine and olive growing stories.
We got to the Castello il Palagio, where we went on a tour of their cellars, as well as their oil pressing facilities. We decided the Italians keep all the really good wine for themselves.
After that, we got to tour the castle. This is a private residence castle, not a community castle. It was magnificent! It has been in the same family ever since.
After the castle tour, we had a wine tasting. Yummy! When we first sat down, we were all quiet and minding our manners. There were 8 at our table, but 2 of us were my DS and DD. While DS did have a sip of wine, (and really enjoyed it!
) we were really 6 wine drinkers. After 4 bottles of wine, we all became much friendlier and much louder. What fun. We were then able to purchase wine and oil to take home, which we did. After leaving the castello, we travelled to a beautiful village and visited an 11th century romanesque church. OMG! It was surreal. It was not ornate, but beautiful in its simplicity. As I went through the church, a smell overtook me. It was rosemary, which grows like shrubs there. They were all in bloom with beautiful purple flowers that lent a sweetness to the air unlike anything I have ever experienced. I know God was there and he smells like rosemary in bloom. I wish I could have a scratch and sniff postcard of that church!
After leaving San Leolino (The Church) we went on to Castellina in Chianti. Paradise! This was once a community type castle, but is now a town with a covered street that surrounds it. It was incredible. Some great wine producers have their base in Castellina. One of my favorites is Rocco de Macie. It was very cool to come home and realize I had actually been to where one of my favorite wines was produced. (I never put 2 and 2 together untill I had gotten home.) We bought some excellent olive oil and balsamic vinegar while we were there.
It was now time to go to dinner in yet another castle! It was a community castle, as well, and we ate in a trattoria inside the castle walls. The food was excellent, and the company was very nice. We sat at a table with a woman who was travelling alone. She was Cuban, and very nice. We were all discussing our hotel arrangements (most of us were American), and of course my kids had to chime in about the abhorrent conditions we were living in. DS mentioned the smell of vinegar in the bathroom. While our American compatriots looked on in disgust, the Cuban lady told us that that was the old way of washing linens. In vinegar. Seems the water was often not too clean, so they rinsed everything in boiling vinegar. She convinced my kids at least, that this was the preferred method. Anyway, it was a great time, and we got back to Motel Hell around 11 pm. Grabbed a gappa and waited for the din, which did not disappoint. 12:30 on the nosie!
Day 4
When we woke up this morning, the Hotel was in shambles! The mister fix its were out in droves, pulling out broken furniture, plastering holes and mopping up floors. One more night is all we have in this awful place! We decided to skip the hotel breakfast again and left early to do some more shopping. We went all over Florence looking for boots for me. We had breakfast in the Oltrarno. Spent time shopping the Ponte Veccio, and headed back to the Piazza della Signoria to look at some of the street artists work, and just look around. We were not having any luck with the boots, and the kids were getting crabby, so we headed back to the hotel. When we got there, I asked a lady at the front desk where to go for boots, and she directed me right across the stree to the train station, where there is a small collection of shops. Can you believe it? Right under my nose! Anyway, we got the boots, took them back to the room and headed out for the Grand Finale of our trip, a visit to the Accademia, and Michelangalo's DAVID.
I was prepared for the worst, as on our trip to Sienna, a lady from Boston had expressed her disappointment with the DAVID. She said it was being restored and it was covered with scaffolding and it wasn't worth the 3 hour wait to get in. But one can't go to Florence and not see the DAVID. On our way, it began to rain, then pour, then thunder and lightning, so we did what any normal American would do. We ducked inside a Mc Donalds for lunch! Blech! We waited for the rain to stop, but it didn't so we braved the cold rain. Poor DH did not wear a jacket, and was miserable. We got lost trying to find the place. I just kept looking for the huge line we had seen days before. Finally, we found the line, though the rain had dissuaded many of the hopeful, and the line was quite short. We were lucky enough to be sheltered by the overhang on the building, so we didn't get terribly wet. Street vendors were selling umbrellas, but we were convinced it would stop raining. Pretty soon we came to a place where there was no overhang, ad DH broke down and bought an umbrella. Of course it stopped raining not 30 seconds after the guy disappeared with our $$, but it was a small price to pay. The rain had stopped. Right about the time we got back under the overhang, it started again! But we were only moments away from getting in. While we were waiting, we got to talking with a group of kids who worked for Princess Cruise Line. They were a nice bunch. One of them had just the week before quit DCL. It was really fun talking to him. He knew everybody on the Magic. He used to run the bingo games, and he looked kind of like brad pitt. Anyway they were great.
Finally, we get inside, purchase our tickets, and head to see DAVID. As I turned the corner into the Gallery, I almost fainted. There he was, all 16 beautiful feet of him, bathed in sunlight, without any scaffolding! It took a second for the miracle to register, and I was completely lost. The rain had stopped and not only that, but the sun was out. The sky window above was spilling sunlight all over him, which is how Michelangelo wanted him to be viewed, in natural light. I wondered why that wicked lady in Sienna told us not to waste our time, when I realized there was a wall about 5 feet tall surrounding the base and behind the wall was all the scaffolding. Why it was down on that day was nothing short of a miracle to me. I must have looked at him for an hour. Mucsles, veins, arms, legs, feet, hands, slingshot, stone. I walked to the farthest point to his left, so he could look at me, but since he is so much taller than I am, he looked right past me. The goose bumps didn't leave me all day and I still get them when I think of it. It was so worth the wait and the rain and even Mc Donalds.
When I finally tore myself away, we had another blessing. The rain had driven most out of the city centre, and we were able to get into the Baptistery. That, too, was incredible. The ceiling, while no Sistine Chaple, was exquisit. Just beautiful.
We went back to the hotel, and packed up to go home. Then we went to our favorite little grotto for dinner, and went to bed early, as we needed to get up at 4 am. I went down to get my "medication" (grappa), and the Ogre behind the desk refused to pour me one! He was watching a fight or something on TV. He didn't want to take the info for a wake up call either, despite the fact that we had unsolicited wake-up calls every morning at 7, all four days prior! Man was I hot! I pouted all the way back up to my room and went to sleep. MERCY! There were no kids in the hall that night. Nope. They were parked outside my window! That party only lasted untill 2:30 though.
The flight home was very nice, but the 6 hour layover in Atlanta was murder! We went form Admirals Club to Crown Room, looking for some peace and quiet. I can't imagine how miserable we would have been if not for that. We arrived home at 11 pm after having been up since 9pm the night before, for a total travel time of 26 hours. Thank goodness the next day was Good Friday and we all got to sleep in!
Reflections
I loved Italy! I felt like I was home. The hotel notwithstanding, it was the best vacation I have ever had. (I may have negleted to mention that I paid $1200 for the priviledge of not sleeping, and bathing with smelly towels, and on the last night I found crusties on my blanket! Thank goodness it was on the last night. I don't think I could have handled it 4 nights in a row. My TA actually had the nerve to say that that must have been why it was so "affordable!" Remember the nice lady on the bus, the loser? She was right about us being better off in a hostle. Instad of a 3 star hotel we were promised, what we got was more like a 2 star youth hostle!) I was never tired, despite the partying kids. I had an incredible mental vacation, and was flooded with culture and faith of every imaginable kind.
Something I noticed there that I don't see here. They put a great emphasis on The Virgin. I find that very refreshing. She is such a symbol of hope and inspiration, but also of sacrifice and true love.
Their faith is permeated by their lives, not the other way around. One cannot separate them from it. It is more than they are. They are not judgemental, like so many others here, and elsewhere. Whether you share their faith or not, is not important to them. They treat everyone the same, regardless of how you reflect their faith. They are true Christians, placing great emphasis on following the teachings of Christ, not on fearing God. They live the Golden Rule. They belive that God is merciful and compassionate and they do not feel the need to judge others, as they see that as God's domain, and to do so would be sacriledge. And yet, they are just people with all the faults and failings that come with being human. It was a very good feeling.
We are trying to figure out when we will go back and if we will take the kids. DS did not want to go. He voted for Hawaii, and yet he is the one who had the greatest appreciation for the Florentines and their ways. He wants to move there.
As far as DD goes, (after all, this trip was her birthday gift) well, it took her some time to digest. She is now beginning to talk about it and reflect on it all and it seems that our trip was a success for all. Even DH, whom I figured would be somewhat bored or have a been there, done that, attitude (He went there with his parents when he was about DD's age) saw things through a whole new perspective and said he was surprised, as well, at how much differently he saw things as an adult. (I think it was the wine!
) We will certainly return.
Since I've been home I have read and watched Under the Tuscan Sun. Two comlpetely different stories, but worth the time, if nothing more than to, in some small way, re-live my Tuscan vacation.
Day 1
We left Paris for Florence on Sunday Morning (April 4). I had a very nice Florentine seated next to me and she gave me all the news about Florence. Small town with small town mentality, she said. She helped us navigate the airport and showed us where to grab a taxi. She was like our own guide. Not that the airport there is so difficult, it was just really nice of her to help us along, so we weren't bumbling around.
Taxi to the hotel was interesting. I didn't think that anyone could drive more crazy than the Parisians! Thank goodness the public transportation, i.e. busses, taxies, etc., have their own lane!
When we arrived at the "Hotel", we were a bit surprised, as it looked nothing like it did in the brochure. (Must have taken the pics when it was brand new and with a fisheye lense!) Anyway, the guy behind the desk was not very friendly, but who cares!? We had to make two trips for the luggage, not because we had so much (1 largish suitcase, empty, reserved for souvies and new clothes, and 3 small pull bags, the kind that fit into the overhead on planes), but because the lift was so small. Room enough for 2 people or one person and a bag! But who cares, eh?
We get inside the room, and at first glance it was charming. Dirty, but charming. Soaring ceiling, with huge windows draped with heavy satin. There was a large bed and 2 twins that had just been set inside the room. The bathroom was smaller than any I've seen on cruise ships. The toilet leaked all over the floor. The carpet was stained in multiple places in front of the bathroom, and I don't mean like something that wouldn't come out, but like they had just mopped it up and left it to dry. The bedspreads were in the same condition as the carpet. The drapes, upon closer inspection were barely attatched to the wall. The "furniture", very 80's formica, looked like it had never seen a wet rag, much less soap. Then there was the smell from the bathroom. Vinegar! Phew! But were only sleeping there right?
Off we go to catch our bus tour through Florence. After asking the gentleman behind the desk, and searching for an hour, we found the departure point. The tour was amazing! We went to Fiesole first. We had the most amazing guide. He had such a great accent and was very knowledgable. We got to stroll through Fiesole, and got a great view of Florence. Met a very nice lady on the bus. She was retired military and was "getting her life back together." She asked us about our hotel, and when we told here, she just rolled her eyes, and said we'd be better off in a hostle. So of course, I'm thinking (and I know this is not right, but I'm being honest ) loser! And we sort of avoided her for the rest of the tour.
The pinnacle of the bus tour was when we got to go to the Uffizi! I had no Idea what this tour was, as my TA just handed me a package with our travel vouchers, not 1 week before we left. I thought it was going to just take us through Florence, but we went to Santa Croche, and saw tombs of several renaissance men, and had a wonderful tour in the Uffizi. Right as the Gallery was closing, we looked down from a 3rd story window and witnessed a most amazing sight. There were throngs of people gathered around in the Piazza della Signoria (This is the place where the "Bonfire of the Vanities" took place, when the Dominican friar Savonarola denounced all that the Medici had done, and all the wealth that had been accumulated, and had a huge fire in the square, burning all sorts of items. Boticceli even threw some of his paintings into the fire! Ironically, Savonarola was, himself, burned in that very Piazza, as a heretic). As we watched, who should come walking through the steet but Jesus! All beautiful in his brilliant red robe. Surrounding him were his apostles and followers. What we were witnessing was a re-inactment of the Passion of The Christ! It was amazing. We were being watched by a Uffizi guard. I'm sure it was his job to usher us out of the building, but he let us stay and watch and even let us take pictures, though it was strictly forbidden to do so in the gallery. It was one of those moments where you fell like you have been blessed. We dined in the rooftop cafe and then headed home. We walked back to our hotel, and had a wonderful time. One reflection on this tour was how amazing it was threading our way through the very narrow streets of Florence in a huge tour bus! I mean, there were times when I wasn't sure the mirrors on the bus would clear the buildings!
Back to the hotel to get some dinner. Big surprise! The hotel "restaurant" is only opened for breakfast! Thank goodness there was a different man behind the front desk. Very helpful. He directed us to a great Grotto just down the street where we dined on the most amazing food, and wine. The kids loved it and were introduced to the joys of Tiramisu. DH and I had amazing prosciutto and olive antipasti, and pici with a simple red sauce. The service was impeccable.
After dinner, we needed to do some laundry. (I told you I didn't over pack. 4 days worth of clothes, and I had planned on doing laundry on the day we changed locations.) OOPSIE! Not only was it Sunday, it was Palm Sunday! We were lucky to have found a place to eat, but the laundry was definately closed. UGH! We were going to Sienna and San Gimignano at 7:00 am the next morning! What was I going to do? I was smart enough to pack extra socks and undies for everyone, but DH will not ever wear the same pair of pants or shirt for more than one day! There I was, with all his shirts and pants in the Bathtub! Yes siree! Doing laundry in the Hotel bathtub! The next morning, DH wore clean, but damp clothes.
O well! Off to sleep! 12:30 a.m.! There was a party going on outside my door. Dozens of Italian high school seniors! Drunk, loud and pounding on every door in the building. Screaming, yelling laughing! Good thing I had a Grappa before bed, as it didn't really bother me until about 2. The party lasted until 3:30!
Day 2
We went down for breakfast at about 6:00. No breakfast until 7! We needed to be on the bus by 7:45! I was at least able to talk the kichen lady out of some coffee. We came back down and thought we would just have to get something quick. Quick was all they had. Continental breakfast! "But we paid for an American breakfast!" Sorry. Continental breakfast, from 7 till 9:30. Luckily, I had brought protien bars from home for on the plane, and we brought those along on the bus in case we got hungry. We stopped at the front desk to ask if the teenagers would be there again that night. (hoping for an excuse to check out and get our $$, which was pre-paid through our TA, refunded)The kind gentleman throws up his arms in one of those great Italian gestures and say no. Behind us were the only other Americans in the hotel besides us, very angrily checking out.
The trip to Sienna was beautiful! I didn't really like our tour guide though. She was just not very enthusiastic. We got to Sienna and went on a guided tour. Saw the Duomo and has a Sienese guide, who was very nice. After the guided portion of the tour, we had lunch in tha basement of some amazing medieval building. Ribollita, pecorino cheese, prosciutto, pici, bread and olive oil! Oh and wine! The town was packed with people. Lots and lots of student groups. It was hard to get a feel for the town with all those people there. The Piazza del Campo was a sea of people. Then we supposedly had free time, but our tour guide let things get out of hand, and we never really got a chance to shop. She said not to worry. San Gimignano has the same stuff. Great! A tourist trap, I'm thinking.
San Gimignano was amazing! It is so old! Unfortunately, we only had time for some amazing gelato, and a trip to the wine store, where we purchased some amazing 1997 chianti classico riserve, and a highly prized 1997 brunello. We also picked up some grappa and olive oil. DD purchased a beautiful plate and DH and I spotted a handmade tile with a "gallo negro" on it. It now sits framed on the wall above our bar. We really loved San Gimignano, and need to go back, as two hours is not enough time to do anything but buy memories.
When we returned to Florence, we went back to the Grotto for dinner, and then to the laundry. We had the best time doing the laundry. DH and I had split a bottle and a half of wine, so we were very mello, and the kids had fun watching all the evening festivities. We were done with the wash in about an hour fifteen, then back to the hotel for a grappa and some sleep.
12:30 a.m.! Nooooooo! Not another party! You see, the Italians who kept us up all night the previous night did leave. This was an entirely new group! Thank God for Grappa!
Day 3
We decided to forgo the continental breakfast supplied by the Hotel and ate breakfast in a bar. Really. A full sevice bar. The food was good, and the coffee was incredible. The bill came to 24 Euro, and all I had was a 50. The bartender couldn't change it, so he gives his Beck's drinking (It is 9:00a.m. after all!
) patron my 50 and tells him to go get change. Great! There goes my 50 euro, I'm thinking! Well, he did come back with my change and all was well.We had to go to the tour office to make a change in one of our tours. You see, you may have figured out that our TA didn't really have a very good feel for what we wanted out of this trip. She basically gave us a package she had arranged for another couple a few months ago. Well, one of the tours we wanted to take was a trip through Chianti. She did schedule this and gave us "open vouchers," which means you can go whenever you want. Not exactly. The tour she booked us on was Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Not only that, but when I called to get a place on the bus, the tour company would not reserve our seats over the phone, we had to take it (the voucher) or fax it to their office! We also could not do the Monday trip, as Monday was passed, and Wednesday would have been next to impossible, as we were leaving at 5 a.m. Thursday, to go home, and the tour didn't end until 8 p.m. There is a different Chianti tour on Tuesday. It is longer and you go to a Castle winery and have dinner in another castle. Why didn't my TA ask us about this one? Well, we were very lucky to have found some wonderful people who were willing to make this happen for us. They took the voucher for the other tour and applied it to the new and improved tour, (that and an extra 124 euro), and we were scheduled to leave at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.
That didn't leave us with much time to sight see, so we shopped instead!
We went all over the city, looking for souvies and maybe a leather coat and boots for me. We wandered into a paper store where DD and DS purchased some beautiful marbled paper, and some really cool glass fountain pens. I purchased a Wine tasting book, to take with me to Chianti. The lady who ran the store was a lovely lady from Miami! She gave me a beautiful day planner as a gift. I don't use it as a planner, but a journal.Then we went in and out of every leather shop and stall we could find. Tuesday is shopping day in Florence, and their open air markets are awsome! I finally found a beautiful jacket, and the owner was so nice. He selected the jacket for me and told me why it was for me. What a salesman eh? Who cares? No it's not a Ferregamo, or Prada or Gucci or any of the many many Florentine designers. It was made in Florence by Florentines, and it is soft and beautiful and it makes me happy. The kids were crazed and ready to eat, so we grabbed lunch in a great little cafe, and then headed back to catch the bus to Chianti.
I'm sorry. Ihave have to stop here. I just got a call that my sisters mom passed away, and i need ti catch my breath and deal with this. I'll try to finsh this on Monday.
OK. I'm back.
Our trip to Chianti was the best! We had a wonderful guide who pointed out all sorts of linteresting things along the way. Monastaries, Cotto factories, Medici country homes. She told us about the legend of the Gallo Negro, and all sorts of wine and olive growing stories.
We got to the Castello il Palagio, where we went on a tour of their cellars, as well as their oil pressing facilities. We decided the Italians keep all the really good wine for themselves.
After that, we got to tour the castle. This is a private residence castle, not a community castle. It was magnificent! It has been in the same family ever since.
After the castle tour, we had a wine tasting. Yummy! When we first sat down, we were all quiet and minding our manners. There were 8 at our table, but 2 of us were my DS and DD. While DS did have a sip of wine, (and really enjoyed it!
) we were really 6 wine drinkers. After 4 bottles of wine, we all became much friendlier and much louder. What fun. We were then able to purchase wine and oil to take home, which we did. After leaving the castello, we travelled to a beautiful village and visited an 11th century romanesque church. OMG! It was surreal. It was not ornate, but beautiful in its simplicity. As I went through the church, a smell overtook me. It was rosemary, which grows like shrubs there. They were all in bloom with beautiful purple flowers that lent a sweetness to the air unlike anything I have ever experienced. I know God was there and he smells like rosemary in bloom. I wish I could have a scratch and sniff postcard of that church! After leaving San Leolino (The Church) we went on to Castellina in Chianti. Paradise! This was once a community type castle, but is now a town with a covered street that surrounds it. It was incredible. Some great wine producers have their base in Castellina. One of my favorites is Rocco de Macie. It was very cool to come home and realize I had actually been to where one of my favorite wines was produced. (I never put 2 and 2 together untill I had gotten home.) We bought some excellent olive oil and balsamic vinegar while we were there.
It was now time to go to dinner in yet another castle! It was a community castle, as well, and we ate in a trattoria inside the castle walls. The food was excellent, and the company was very nice. We sat at a table with a woman who was travelling alone. She was Cuban, and very nice. We were all discussing our hotel arrangements (most of us were American), and of course my kids had to chime in about the abhorrent conditions we were living in. DS mentioned the smell of vinegar in the bathroom. While our American compatriots looked on in disgust, the Cuban lady told us that that was the old way of washing linens. In vinegar. Seems the water was often not too clean, so they rinsed everything in boiling vinegar. She convinced my kids at least, that this was the preferred method. Anyway, it was a great time, and we got back to Motel Hell around 11 pm. Grabbed a gappa and waited for the din, which did not disappoint. 12:30 on the nosie!
Day 4
When we woke up this morning, the Hotel was in shambles! The mister fix its were out in droves, pulling out broken furniture, plastering holes and mopping up floors. One more night is all we have in this awful place! We decided to skip the hotel breakfast again and left early to do some more shopping. We went all over Florence looking for boots for me. We had breakfast in the Oltrarno. Spent time shopping the Ponte Veccio, and headed back to the Piazza della Signoria to look at some of the street artists work, and just look around. We were not having any luck with the boots, and the kids were getting crabby, so we headed back to the hotel. When we got there, I asked a lady at the front desk where to go for boots, and she directed me right across the stree to the train station, where there is a small collection of shops. Can you believe it? Right under my nose! Anyway, we got the boots, took them back to the room and headed out for the Grand Finale of our trip, a visit to the Accademia, and Michelangalo's DAVID.
I was prepared for the worst, as on our trip to Sienna, a lady from Boston had expressed her disappointment with the DAVID. She said it was being restored and it was covered with scaffolding and it wasn't worth the 3 hour wait to get in. But one can't go to Florence and not see the DAVID. On our way, it began to rain, then pour, then thunder and lightning, so we did what any normal American would do. We ducked inside a Mc Donalds for lunch! Blech! We waited for the rain to stop, but it didn't so we braved the cold rain. Poor DH did not wear a jacket, and was miserable. We got lost trying to find the place. I just kept looking for the huge line we had seen days before. Finally, we found the line, though the rain had dissuaded many of the hopeful, and the line was quite short. We were lucky enough to be sheltered by the overhang on the building, so we didn't get terribly wet. Street vendors were selling umbrellas, but we were convinced it would stop raining. Pretty soon we came to a place where there was no overhang, ad DH broke down and bought an umbrella. Of course it stopped raining not 30 seconds after the guy disappeared with our $$, but it was a small price to pay. The rain had stopped. Right about the time we got back under the overhang, it started again! But we were only moments away from getting in. While we were waiting, we got to talking with a group of kids who worked for Princess Cruise Line. They were a nice bunch. One of them had just the week before quit DCL. It was really fun talking to him. He knew everybody on the Magic. He used to run the bingo games, and he looked kind of like brad pitt. Anyway they were great.
Finally, we get inside, purchase our tickets, and head to see DAVID. As I turned the corner into the Gallery, I almost fainted. There he was, all 16 beautiful feet of him, bathed in sunlight, without any scaffolding! It took a second for the miracle to register, and I was completely lost. The rain had stopped and not only that, but the sun was out. The sky window above was spilling sunlight all over him, which is how Michelangelo wanted him to be viewed, in natural light. I wondered why that wicked lady in Sienna told us not to waste our time, when I realized there was a wall about 5 feet tall surrounding the base and behind the wall was all the scaffolding. Why it was down on that day was nothing short of a miracle to me. I must have looked at him for an hour. Mucsles, veins, arms, legs, feet, hands, slingshot, stone. I walked to the farthest point to his left, so he could look at me, but since he is so much taller than I am, he looked right past me. The goose bumps didn't leave me all day and I still get them when I think of it. It was so worth the wait and the rain and even Mc Donalds.
When I finally tore myself away, we had another blessing. The rain had driven most out of the city centre, and we were able to get into the Baptistery. That, too, was incredible. The ceiling, while no Sistine Chaple, was exquisit. Just beautiful.
We went back to the hotel, and packed up to go home. Then we went to our favorite little grotto for dinner, and went to bed early, as we needed to get up at 4 am. I went down to get my "medication" (grappa), and the Ogre behind the desk refused to pour me one! He was watching a fight or something on TV. He didn't want to take the info for a wake up call either, despite the fact that we had unsolicited wake-up calls every morning at 7, all four days prior! Man was I hot! I pouted all the way back up to my room and went to sleep. MERCY! There were no kids in the hall that night. Nope. They were parked outside my window! That party only lasted untill 2:30 though.
The flight home was very nice, but the 6 hour layover in Atlanta was murder! We went form Admirals Club to Crown Room, looking for some peace and quiet. I can't imagine how miserable we would have been if not for that. We arrived home at 11 pm after having been up since 9pm the night before, for a total travel time of 26 hours. Thank goodness the next day was Good Friday and we all got to sleep in!
Reflections
I loved Italy! I felt like I was home. The hotel notwithstanding, it was the best vacation I have ever had. (I may have negleted to mention that I paid $1200 for the priviledge of not sleeping, and bathing with smelly towels, and on the last night I found crusties on my blanket! Thank goodness it was on the last night. I don't think I could have handled it 4 nights in a row. My TA actually had the nerve to say that that must have been why it was so "affordable!" Remember the nice lady on the bus, the loser? She was right about us being better off in a hostle. Instad of a 3 star hotel we were promised, what we got was more like a 2 star youth hostle!) I was never tired, despite the partying kids. I had an incredible mental vacation, and was flooded with culture and faith of every imaginable kind.
Something I noticed there that I don't see here. They put a great emphasis on The Virgin. I find that very refreshing. She is such a symbol of hope and inspiration, but also of sacrifice and true love.
Their faith is permeated by their lives, not the other way around. One cannot separate them from it. It is more than they are. They are not judgemental, like so many others here, and elsewhere. Whether you share their faith or not, is not important to them. They treat everyone the same, regardless of how you reflect their faith. They are true Christians, placing great emphasis on following the teachings of Christ, not on fearing God. They live the Golden Rule. They belive that God is merciful and compassionate and they do not feel the need to judge others, as they see that as God's domain, and to do so would be sacriledge. And yet, they are just people with all the faults and failings that come with being human. It was a very good feeling.
We are trying to figure out when we will go back and if we will take the kids. DS did not want to go. He voted for Hawaii, and yet he is the one who had the greatest appreciation for the Florentines and their ways. He wants to move there.
As far as DD goes, (after all, this trip was her birthday gift) well, it took her some time to digest. She is now beginning to talk about it and reflect on it all and it seems that our trip was a success for all. Even DH, whom I figured would be somewhat bored or have a been there, done that, attitude (He went there with his parents when he was about DD's age) saw things through a whole new perspective and said he was surprised, as well, at how much differently he saw things as an adult. (I think it was the wine!
) We will certainly return.Since I've been home I have read and watched Under the Tuscan Sun. Two comlpetely different stories, but worth the time, if nothing more than to, in some small way, re-live my Tuscan vacation.
