Venice

Beyond words! Just look at the photos!
I love limoncello! I love the canals and bridges and streets, narrow with a surprise view around every corner. I love a late dinner in the square outside on the verandah when we are reading about frost in Calgary. I love water taxis and gondoliers. I love the wine. I am kind of liking retirement so far......

Cooking with Katia in Il Vacario

Only a few minutes from San Gimigiano this rustic inn offers cooking classes from beginners (me) to advanced (someone else). There were also two American couples from Syracuse NY to share this experience. It has to be a highlight. We made our own pasta and tasted young, medium and aged peccarini cheese. The trick is to use sweet to accompany sharp. Med had a small spread of orange marmalade and sharp - honey and freshly grated nutmeg. A salad using squishy bread (ask us if you want to know more), bruchetta, sautéed chicken with prosciutto, all accompanied by excellent wines and topped with cappuccino. Now we need clients to practice with when we get home. Any takers? Lovely relaxing evening on the hilltop overlooking San Gimigiano. Did you know roosters crow in the afternoon?

Siena

Not a long drive to old 12 C walled city of Siena but it was an adventure to locate the parking once we arrived. Anita was extremely patient and I was extremely thankful she was at the wheel. But it was all worth it just to see the Duomo (cathedral) and to lunch and people watch in the Piazza del Campo. The Piazza is the site of a medieval horse race that pits 10 of the 17 districts of Siena twice a year in a viciously competitive race through the city. Then the winning district spends the remaining part of the year celebrating. It was a great day and we celebrated with wine, the house specialty, rabbit in white wine sauce, pork medallions and an array of Italian desserts in tasting portions. Perfecto!

Volterra

Took a fabulous twisty motorcycle road from hotel Sovestro to Volterra, a walled fortress from 9th C bc. It had 25,000 people under the Etruscans and was an advanced city based on trading and alabaster and alum (used for dyes).
The Etruscan tombs are still being uncovered and reveal well preserved artifacts that depict life from that time. A very advanced civilization but obviously in exceptional shape as they daily climbed the thousands of stairs (I don't think we are exaggerating at all). Later the Romans came and they built an amazing coliseum here. After their downfall the medieval folks used this site as a midden to dump their garbage and it was only uncovered in the 1950's. In the museum there is an amazing collection of actual artifacts from Volterra's history. I made Anita see them all (again). We had prosciutto on focaccia and cheap but fabulous house white and a marocchino caffe in the central square. Lovely day. Tom Tom (gps) works well here and we did not have to turn around once! Right now we are looking out our patio doors by the pool and watching the lightening storm. Perfect timing.