La Loggia Siena

... loved. The price was a little high, so I left and looked around a little more, then decided on the highest price I would pay for the purse that I had wanted. I went back and offered, but they said they couldn’t go that low, but countered with a price only 5 euros more than I had wanted to spend- SOLD. Ok I know I said that’s as high as I wanted to go, but 5 euros more isn’t much, and it was Italian leather, made in Florence, and a ...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I spent the morning taking an Italian exam!!! The afternoon was a little more fun, touring Palazzo Pitti with my Art History class.

It was a little strange spending it without everyone but my school put together a little gathering for us. A group of us dined on a typical American Thanksgiving at a local restaurant. We were served Butternut Squash soup with bread, Turkey ...

... life time on this trip already!
Climbed the tower in the main piazza, saw an enormously large pizza and had wild boar sausages for lunch which were a bit gamey but nice.
Went for drinks at Lochness bar and ended up drinking long islands as there wasn't much in the way of wine or beer there.

Hi Everyone!

After an exhausting weekend in Brussels, I was in for yet another treat with cooking classes in Florence. Organized by my school, a group of us met with a chef for some lessons.

We were taught how to prepare typical Tuscan cuisine including Ribollita and Stuffed zucchini-flowers.

Everything was delicious & I look forward to trying these recipes at home!

I'll update you soon,

Siara

... in order to get served. We are not sure what we are eating for dinner tonight but the woman told Robyn the meat she has pointed to was MOOOOOO so we think it is beef!!!

Day 2

Siena is oh so Italian, old history filled town square that is a great place to just sit and enjoy a gelato, so many old buildings to look at. The square is the best we have seen, it is where they hold the horse races, twice a year, as featured on the latest Bond ...

... with the O'Calahans, Orrs, Harpers and Ina. We had a competition where some riders told a story explaining the empty farm houses in the valleys that we rode pass. The evening concluded after dinner when we retired to our rooms.

Italy Day 14

We rose this morning and had breakfast with the Orrs. Today was planned off day with everyone taking a bus into Siena for a day of touring. Kathie and I had a head start from the day before but joined in for the tour also ...

... 7€ demandés (gulp) et constate dans la joie que les deux cycles, lavage et séchge, ne durent que 25 minutes chacun. Je reviens à Esmerald Fields à peine passé 21 heures, un kebab à la main pour soûper (je bouffe mon dernier repas de la journée de plus en plus tard ces temps-ci), et profite une dernière fois de l'Internet gratuit de l'Auberge pour tenter de trouver des indications pour celle de demain à Genova, sans grand succès d'ailleurs... Au pire, je prendrai un taxi.

... until it was time to leave. The next stop was San Gimignano a very small town that at one time had 72 towers only a few remain today. Saverio took us to the best place to get gelato they had the best flavors and they won best gelato 06-07 and 08-09. I got mixed berry but the best flavor was Ti's he got rosemary/raspberry, it tasted amazing. The town is built on a hill top with a great view we went up to the garden and climbed ...

... whilst making our way through Italy and we able to retrieve it once we arrived! It seemed the town was a little to busy for what we thought, but turned out we had bumped into yet another yearly festival, which of course attracted a lot more people! This gave us something to do for the rest the evening and get something to eat (no not pizza this time). The next morning there was not a person in sight nor was there sign of any festival the night before ...

... for the meter maid (if indeed meter maids actually exist here). We pick up our bags and leave Orvieto, taking a minor road over the Umbrian hills. The countryside is lovely, and we are rewarded with all the autumn colours of yellows and reds. Sheep cross the road in front of us, and we motor on past vineyards and ancient farmhouses. Extensive vistas unfold before us, and eventually we espy the hill town of Todi . Just like Orvieto, the ...