Relais Parco Fiorito Cortona

... are teeming with families, young people and older folks just walking enjoying the cool weather, hot coffee and all sorts of chocolate products. I even caught a wedding happening on Sunday. We have another two days here and will return to Rome on Wednesday afternoon….just in time for dinner and a full day of touring before heading back hone on Friday morning.

Best to all back home,

Jorge

... paysage est tres beau, comme dans toute la toscane!!

dans les attraction principale , il y avais le duomo, quelque eglies plus modestes, mais chacune avais un petit quelque chose a voir. puis il y a les ruines d'une anciene arena romaine.

From Chianti went south to the Le Crete region. The drive provided us with more quintessential Tuscan scenery. We stayed overnight in Asciano as we could not make it to Montalcino before dark. We had vowed not to drive in the dark as the small windy roads and excessively erratic Italian drivers are not good for our nerves!

... Osteria Gucini Restuarant: Grilled Veal with Shaved Truffle and Hand Rolled Spaghetti with Smoked Ham, Tomatoes and Cream, followed by Pana Cotta. Our first experience with truffles, more smell than taste!
Next morning a 7.00 am departure from the apartment took us on to the Autostrada, this time, north to Firenze Airport.
After a bit of a delay we were on our way to Spain!

... pizzeria where I had delicious lasagna. After lunch we browsed through the many stands. Sample after sample led to some major purchases. It was hard to pass up the various chocolate products when the smell just filled the air. There was everything from chocolate beer to chocolate “pills” to chocolate pasta!!

Heaven.

I’ll update you soon,

Siara

... flags with such pride. There is no money won in this race, just honor. Phil was able to talk with the riggers and lighting folks setting up for the event. We went to market again in Rocco Pilli and made our dinner here at the villa. The place is full this weekend. Our dinner was wonderful outside on the patio and we got it all cleaned up just before the rain! Tomorrow we will set out on another adventure! to be continued

... the fast train from Florence to Figline was so fast that she blew right by Figline and neglected to de-train. Thus she had a nice ride to San Giovanni down the track a few kilometers and got on the next train heading back north. No problem. She bought some reserved tickets for the Galleria Accademia (where David stands around) and the Uffizi -- a huge museum chock full of great art. Reserved tickets are the only way to go because both places can be ...

... at Eurail's expense. Luckily there was a large crowd and everyone was hurried so I passed through and hopped on the train without much issue. It didnt take but 5 minutes until my cabinmates arrived and, in line with my other night train travels, these promised to be another smelly bunch. Lucky for me, there were only 4 of us in a 6 bed car, otherwise it could have been another long smelly night. The lads I shared the cabin with were nice Irish blokes but the catch was that they had ...

... another guy they hung out with in Rome. Spencer just happens to be from Milwaukee. Wisconsin REPRESENT. And Brad, he does that stupid thing with his fingers like you and Pedro always do. He told me it affirms a guy's masculinity (okay, maybe not in those words...). Basically, we all end up rockin' out together that night (June 5), got some Chianti (made in Tuscany in case you don't know), and then we, plus a Bostonian named Frank) hung out all of Tuesday (June ...

... Well, not that near. As I discovered after a couple of hours of strolling along the beautiful little mountainside road in my flip-flops. You come upon the hermitage suddenly, rounding a corner to find a narrow path shooting down towards a clump of long buildings folded tightly together, set in a little hollow of gardens, woods and pond. Signs advise the visitor to maintain sacred silence, that inspiration ...