"Venturing Out Once Again"
Trip Start
Jun 06, 2008
1
12
18
Trip End
Jun 24, 2008
Chiusdino,
Tuscany,
Italy
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
From here begins our rambling drive through the countryside, including one non-paved "road" through the Italian version of a National Forest that goes on long enough to make us concerned as to when we're going to find the next restroom to relieve our bladders. Not 5 minutes later, we've come to a major thoroughfare, and our fears are dispelled. Dave and I saw incredibly beautiful country, and marveled at how all those ancient towns got built perched up on the hills like they are. Vineyards and olive groves are everywhere, with the occasional livestock and other crops. Tuscany's just like we heard it is - very similar geographically to our Texas hill country.
When we got home, the day was still sunny and warm, so I decided to rinse out a few clothes (no automatic washer and dryer here, thank goodness!). Like washing your car, hanging clothes out on the line must be a recipe for rain. They hadn't been out but 30 minutes or so, when the skies opened up and Dave, bless his heart, braved the deluge to bring the laundry back inside. Thus the 2nd bedroom got turned into a makeshift drying area, so we don't have to endure damp clothes draped all over the place. Wish we didn't have to go out in the rain, but it's late enough to find a "real" meal now, so off we go.
Fortunately, we find a ristorante not too far, and Dave can get off these crazy, wet roads. The first thing we notice is the projection TV with the pre-game patter for the Italy-France soccer match blown up on the wall - looks like we're in for a noisy evening! We're not about to go back out in the rain in search for a more serene ambiance, plus it smells too good - this'll do. DH and I both forgot our phrase books, so our waiter took off first thing to find someone with a smattering of English, and somehow our meal got ordered with very little idea of what we were going to wind up with. You'd think by now I would remember what most of the menu items are, but no... Of course it was all delicious; we got caught up in the game with everyone else, and had a great time. Another memorable experience in Nonna and Boppa's Italian Adventure!
