Today started off cool
(Saturday) but it rained and now it is unbelievably hot and humid.
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| Tavernelle,Chianti region |
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| Machiavelli winery |
On Thursday I went on the
commune sponsored tour of Chianti region, only 15 euro and what a fantastic day.
A bit
cool and overcast but fabulous. It was soooo quiet in the country. We did a
tour of two wineries and tasted Chianti
Classico and Chianti Riserva. We had lunch at the first winery - bread,
olive oil, meat, cheeses and some salsas also vin santo to drink for afters –
very, very nice. The second winery was beautiful, it is called Machiavelli and
is the house where he was exiled and where he wrote the Prince - what a
fantastic location and a beautiful winery. We also visited Tavernelle, San
Donato in Poggio and San Casciano. We popped into a couple of extremely ancient
churches, visited a place where they show off artisans’ work, and saw how they
do lace making - they had a display of the lace designs that Ferragamo used for
his shoes. We also visited a little shop where we saw wood carving. The owner
also does restorations. Apparently, he has been doing work for the Pitti Palace Chianti Classico 7.5 euro, which is a good price but I should
have waited and bought the Riserva which was absolutely wonderful at 25 euro.
It was a very long day but a really good one.
Friday I headed off to Pisa Pisa Arno .
The area is quite beautiful with lots of very green grass.
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| Baptistery Pisa |
I only visited the
Cathedrale which is ginormous and took pics of the LTP but didn't climb it. I
had a sandwich and water at a little shop called Canguro – but didn't realise
til I got home. As an Australian, I should have noticed and asked him why he
called it Kangaroo. The train home was also packed.
Saturday - a slow start but a
great day - bought the newspaper La Reppublica and pretended to read it with my
coffee at Caffe Ricchi. Headed off the Palazzo Strozzi for the exhibition - Catherine
and Maria de'Medici: Women in Power, which was really great. It cost 10 euro
but worth it. Next, I found a little erboria (not a chemist but a place that
sells soap, hand cream, etc and where they will make up potions for you). I bought
some soap and hand cream. Then I headed to Palazzo Medici Riccardi to see the
exhibition there – Mugello Culla del Rinascimento. That was truly excellent at
5 euro. They had a computer thingy - you stood in a lighted circle and pointed
and the pictures changed but not for me. No matter what, it just would not
work. I headed off and sat down for lunch at Amor di Vino at the back of the
food markets. I had pappa al pomodoro (tomato soup with bread), escalope limone
and a glass of Lamole di Lamole Chianti Riserva
(which I'm not too sure about, it was nice but didn't taste riserva quality). While
I was lunching I read the ticket from the exhibition and so there was a free
bus tour tomorrow so I went back to Palazzo Medici Riccardi but I have to ring
a number. I hope it is not too late.
After a quick wander around
looking at all the shops I ended up at Santa Croce so walked back past the
Uffizi across the Ponte Vecchio past Palazzo Pitti to my little internet place.
