Finally arrived in Tuscan heaven
Trip Start
Oct 02, 2010
1
7
24
Trip End
Oct 31, 2010
Where I stayed
Montespertoli, Tuscany, Italy
Saturday, October 9, 2010
My day began with a walk around Spoleto. This place in one direction spills onto the plain, but turn the other way and you feel like you are in the mountains. Capped by a castle on top, churches and constructions cranes covering the hillside. [This place is very used to many tourists]
Our stay in the monastery was simple - the peace much appreciated! It was clean and presentable, and nothing fancy. [The caffe Americano is something I am liking - the Italians call it watered down coffee!]
Then we discovered a transport system of seven escalators and a lift to move you from the valley floor to the castle, all free and open for use. Off we went to ride and then walk around the castle, then to see a Roman built aqueduct. Amazing construction. Wonderful mountain landscape, spanning a deep valley.
Sheree and I make a great navigation and drive team, finding our way from town to town via country roads as well as highways and Autostrades. Our iPhone is working well with maps, aided by more traditional means [paper maps] as well.
Those who love driving [legally], I've particularly enjoyed cruising in our Nissan Micra turbo diesel at 140ks for several hours - it loves this speed! The traffic rules seem to say you drive on the right unless you need to overtake. It’s the same as Australia [only opposite side], except we don’t do it! [Oh I wish we did because it works SO WELL!] Audis, Mercedes and BMWs regularly screamed past doing 160 plus, and it was wonderful!
Sheree and I got off the Autostrade for a time. She wasn’t feeling the best, and so we paused for an hour at Lago Trasimeno [Lake Trasimeno], a large lake in the middle of Italy. It was a sun-filled leisurely walk around the water’s edge, hand in hand chatting away, photographing things and just enjoying the moment. The highlight for us was hearing a group of Aussies enjoying their antipasta, bread and vino. We had just finished our slice of Italian pizza and gelato for lunch at 3pm.
Following our visit to Cortona, a gorgeous tourist-filled place, we slipped into Tuscany, with the countryside changing to those rolling hills, lots of ploughed fields, drying sunflowers, vineyards and houses, villas or the odd castle dotting the landscape. The photos are true… it really does look like paradise!
A quick trip up the A1, onto another freeway skirting Firenza [Florence] and we eventually found our way to our Tuscan villa, Podere Casanova. Sounds romantic and exotic, doesn’t it? Well, IT IS!!! The quietness is profound, the countryside awesome, and we're looking forward to our seven days in paradise.
The day concluded by our host family providing a typical Italian meal, with the pizza oven delivering fresh hot food, the kitchen creating wonderful pastas and other dishes, finished off with a delightful piece of cake [don’t ask me the name, but Sheree's got the recipe] and a shot of homemade Lemoncello - [wow… that stuff will definitely take your breath away but it is used to cleanse the pallette - love those Tuscans!]
You really do need to spend some time here - it is beautiful! The Tuscans are proud of their part of the world and their traditions!
PS Sorry, but NO photos… we don’t have fast internet access, so it will have to wait!
Comments
Just loving this book. Best reading for a while. Keep it coming. XOX