Monday, July 7, 2014

Tuscany!


     
     Tuscany could only be made more fabulous by the addition of our dear friends!  Days spent exploring ancient towns (on purpose) and scenic undulating back roads (on accident) led into nights of plate after plate of raviolis and tagliatelle and many bottles of Brunello, Nero, Nobile and Vernaccia. Most mornings would begin with us, coffee in hand, peering out over the misty Tuscan hills. Nights would end by the outdoor fire pit, watching stars and listening to the boars rooting in the olive orchards.  Oh Tuscany!
View on the way to Volterra.
We spent some time with an amazing alabaster artist and on the way out, we
asked him to suggest a place for lunch.  He said "follow me" and we did...
The menu changes each day and there were exactly four items on the menu
the day we visited so of course we tried them all!













The square in Siena.

Everybody hanging out on the square in Sienna after drinking some mighty
fine cocktails in a little bar with a balcony overlooking the city.
                                                     











 The Piccolomini Library of Siena's Cathedral. 


A sculpture in one of the chapels of Siena's Cathedral.



Outside Siena's Cathedral.
An awesome deli in Siena that slices cured meats on one side and makes
freakishly delicious pizzas on the other.  It's amazing how quickly eating raw
meat from a giant pigs leg (hoof still attached) becomes normal...





  
Vallombrosa,an ancient abbey still inhabited by monks sits just above our agriturismo.
I brought 20 Euros of chocolate from the monks and promptly left it at the rest area on the  highway.
I'm sure right now, as I type, some truck driver is eating my chocolate...

















Dan and Illiana hanging out in a cave near Vallombrosa.

On the path leading around Vallombrosa.




















Agriturismo Petrognano

View from the agriturismo.

Awwww...the good life!

Dani living out his agrarian fantasies...Miss Ann
looking beautiful and humoring Dani.
Lynette and Dave smooching in Volterra.



On the backstreets of Florence, this adorable pup awaits his turn for a portrait...

Apparently photo shoots really take a toll on him

A side street in Siena.

Our beautiful daughter hanging out on one of the many bridges crossing the Arno in Florence.