There was an option for some extra miles on the morning portion of the ride, so we all took it. The first part was mostly uphill - though the effort was rewarded with wonderful views and a truly wonderful long, gently winding downhill stretch. All of us wanted to do that downhill over and over again! Instead, we faced another uphill before reaching the town we stopped in for lunch.
The town was a small hilltop town (you could walk around the entire town in just a few minutes) and the restuarant had a nice outdoor patio where we all gathered. I had a spicy pasta which I liked and the house wine was a bit better than average. Was that thunder in the distance?
The ride back started with a downhill, though not as nice as the one in the morning and then a steep, but short uphill that was rather tough after the meal. Shortly after the hill I lost David, Jennifer and Ted, but had soon caught others that left lunch before us. Then it started to rain. Not too hard at first, just enough to wet the road. But, then we were back in the pine forest which is a dirt trail so I'm starting to get a bit muddy at this point. To make matters worse, the 8 pages of instructions is starting to take its toll - people are becoming less and less confident they are going the right way. At times I pass people coming from the direction I'm heading. I decide to press on anyway in hopes that its the right way. I made a few wrong turns, but luckily when the distances were short so they were easy to correct. There was one 5km+ stretch through the pine forest that was making me very nervous, but it turned out I was heading the right way.
As I exit the forest, the rain is really coming down (on the positive side, the mud is being washed away). Claudio is in Cecina guiding people to the gelato of the day - at this point I'm soaked and a bit cold so I pass on the gelato and continue to think about getting into the shower at the hotel.
The rain lets up as I reach the hotel - maybe it would have been better to have the gelato and wait out the rain afterall! In any case, it was good to be dry & warm again. As others arrive and share their stories, it sounds like everyone had an eventful day. Ted, David & Jennifer were riding with Luigi (the guide in training) and they ended up getting lost a few times - but they did stop for the gelato!
Saturday, May 06, 2006
VBT Van Support
A little bit later in the ride, we exit a bike trail in a pine forest that we have been riding in and find the VBT van waiting for us (again, proving we are still headed the right way). The van is much more than a place to refill your water bottle - its filled with fruit, cookies and other goodies. Its quite an impressive spread - and very different to have this available in the middle of a ride!
As we continue the ride, I find out David also works in software at a company called Ab Initio. It turns out there is a bit of overlap as a number of folks from Merrill interviewed there when the Merrill office closed. It was fun to have a bit of shop talk while riding through Tusdany!
As we continue the ride, I find out David also works in software at a company called Ab Initio. It turns out there is a bit of overlap as a number of folks from Merrill interviewed there when the Merrill office closed. It was fun to have a bit of shop talk while riding through Tusdany!
Biking - Day 2, Morning
Today the real biking begins. The daily routine that's established today ends up being mostly the same for the remainder of the biking days. Here's a typical day:
- 7am wake up
- 8am breakfast
- 8:30am - briefing on local history, where we will be biking and a detailed review of the instructions for the days ride at
- 10am - morning riding
- 1pm - lunch, exploration of town of the day
- 2:30pm - gelato of the day
- 4-5pm - return to (or arrive at) hotel
- 6pm - shower, prepare for dinner
- 7pm - event or other gathering
- 7:30-8pm - dinner
After last nights dinner, it was nice to see breakfast was a bit more ordinary. It was still buffet with plenty to choose from, but it was much easier to show restraint and eat normally. Today's ride is a loop - we will end at the same hotel we are starting from. At least that's the plan. There are 8 pages(!) of directions. They are good about highlighting which turns are tricky - but with that many turns, it will definitely be interesting.
Ted and I ride with David and Jennifer - a couple from Newton, MA that are also strong riders (they did 3 loops the prior day). It takes a little bit to get into the rythym of the ride - there's a desire to talk to get to know one another, but with turns coming sometimes every 100 meters on unfamiliar roads, its often difficult to do so. Shortly into the ride, we stop at an old Roman bridge - the first true Roman ruin I've seen (also good as this means we are definitely going the right way).
- 7am wake up
- 8am breakfast
- 8:30am - briefing on local history, where we will be biking and a detailed review of the instructions for the days ride at
- 10am - morning riding
- 1pm - lunch, exploration of town of the day
- 2:30pm - gelato of the day
- 4-5pm - return to (or arrive at) hotel
- 6pm - shower, prepare for dinner
- 7pm - event or other gathering
- 7:30-8pm - dinner
After last nights dinner, it was nice to see breakfast was a bit more ordinary. It was still buffet with plenty to choose from, but it was much easier to show restraint and eat normally. Today's ride is a loop - we will end at the same hotel we are starting from. At least that's the plan. There are 8 pages(!) of directions. They are good about highlighting which turns are tricky - but with that many turns, it will definitely be interesting.
Ted and I ride with David and Jennifer - a couple from Newton, MA that are also strong riders (they did 3 loops the prior day). It takes a little bit to get into the rythym of the ride - there's a desire to talk to get to know one another, but with turns coming sometimes every 100 meters on unfamiliar roads, its often difficult to do so. Shortly into the ride, we stop at an old Roman bridge - the first true Roman ruin I've seen (also good as this means we are definitely going the right way).
Florence Day 4/Biking Day 1 (transfer day)
Its the last day in Florence - the bus picks us up at noon, so there is still time for some exploration. Florence is a wonderful city to just wander about - its not that large and it seems every street holds wonderful views, wonderful stores, wonderful cafes or all of the above. We head to Scuola del Cuoio (the leather school of Florence, http://www.leatherschool.com/) which is in the monestary of Santa Croce. As you enter, there are a row of desks where a number of people are actively making leather goods by hand - quite interesting to watch. Given the pictures on the wall, many stars and politicians have also watched in the past. They sell what they make on site, but the prices are quite high - it was difficult to find a few items of reasonable cost to bring home.
We were close to the food market I tried to visit yesterday, so we stopped in. This was definitely a local market - clothing was being sold in bins for as low as 1 or 2 euro and there were plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Its said this is where the restaurant owners shop in the morning prior to setting the menus for the night. As time was getting short, we had to rush a bit - I still needed to stop at the other market (needed to buy some more Amedi chocolate) prior to catching the bus at the hotel.
We pack our bags, head down to the rather small lobby and along with about 13 others, we wait. About half the people had arrived the day before (not taking advantage of the extra days in Florence), with one couple having their luggage lost by Air France along the way. It seems that all those that did arrive early for the extra days were all given the wrong information about which day to meet for the bus - with one couple trying to actually checkout. Noon approaches with no sign of the guides. Given the general confusion of the prior days, suspicion is growing on how well organized VBT really is.
A bit before noon the guides (Franco, Claudio and Luigi) arrive, though at the time it wasn't clear whether they were the guides or just drivers hired to take us to the next location. They quickly come in, give us luggage tags, take the tagged luggage out to a van and get us loaded on a bus. It seems that all of this happens in about 5 minutes. Claudio and Luigi (a guide in training, this being his very first tour) leave in the van with the luggage and Franco joins us as we drive a short distance to the train station to pick-up 4 others that are doing "land only" meaning they arranged there own travel. 2 of the 4 were quickly located. After about 15 minutes, Franco finds out the others will meet us at the hotel, so we are on our way again. Its about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but Franco has brought along all kinds of fruit, water, cookies and chocolate. We were all quite content and Franco proved to be very easy going and humerous with some minor commentary along the journey.
The hotel is an agritourismo which means its a working farm that also has a hotel. Its quite nice - the rooms are in a few different buildings with olive trees and vineyards only a few yards away. We settle in quickly as we need to change into our bike gear for a general orientation and our first ride. This ride is only about 9 miles - primarly used to make sure everyone's comfortable with the bikes and how to use the cue sheets that tell us when / where to turn. Ted & I ride together and he proves to be a very able rider - we both ride at a fairly good pace and circle the route twice before returning to the hotel.
After the ride, there's some time to shower and change for a welcome reception and dinner. During the mingling I chat with two sisters and their husbands - it turns out there's a slight chance of a relation going back to Duffy's in Ireland (will check if the names surface in any of Mathilde's notes when I return). We were also treated to the salted fried dough and a few other appetizers along with one of the wines made by the owner of the hotel.
Dinner followed. Wow! It started with an anti-pasta buffet that was absolutely amazing. Lots of mushroom dishes, pepper dishers, tomato & mozerella, sliced meats and cheeses, breads and many other choices including a whole octopus (you slice off how much you want). All was very good and there was plenty available for second helpings (no - I didn't try the octopus). Dinner itself was a pasta dish followed by a breaded veal, both enjoyable.
Then there was desert. WOW! Another huge buffet with many, many choices (and no octopus!). The tiramisu was my favorite (though the strawberries were very good as well) and again, plenty available for seconds.
We were close to the food market I tried to visit yesterday, so we stopped in. This was definitely a local market - clothing was being sold in bins for as low as 1 or 2 euro and there were plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Its said this is where the restaurant owners shop in the morning prior to setting the menus for the night. As time was getting short, we had to rush a bit - I still needed to stop at the other market (needed to buy some more Amedi chocolate) prior to catching the bus at the hotel.
We pack our bags, head down to the rather small lobby and along with about 13 others, we wait. About half the people had arrived the day before (not taking advantage of the extra days in Florence), with one couple having their luggage lost by Air France along the way. It seems that all those that did arrive early for the extra days were all given the wrong information about which day to meet for the bus - with one couple trying to actually checkout. Noon approaches with no sign of the guides. Given the general confusion of the prior days, suspicion is growing on how well organized VBT really is.
A bit before noon the guides (Franco, Claudio and Luigi) arrive, though at the time it wasn't clear whether they were the guides or just drivers hired to take us to the next location. They quickly come in, give us luggage tags, take the tagged luggage out to a van and get us loaded on a bus. It seems that all of this happens in about 5 minutes. Claudio and Luigi (a guide in training, this being his very first tour) leave in the van with the luggage and Franco joins us as we drive a short distance to the train station to pick-up 4 others that are doing "land only" meaning they arranged there own travel. 2 of the 4 were quickly located. After about 15 minutes, Franco finds out the others will meet us at the hotel, so we are on our way again. Its about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but Franco has brought along all kinds of fruit, water, cookies and chocolate. We were all quite content and Franco proved to be very easy going and humerous with some minor commentary along the journey.
The hotel is an agritourismo which means its a working farm that also has a hotel. Its quite nice - the rooms are in a few different buildings with olive trees and vineyards only a few yards away. We settle in quickly as we need to change into our bike gear for a general orientation and our first ride. This ride is only about 9 miles - primarly used to make sure everyone's comfortable with the bikes and how to use the cue sheets that tell us when / where to turn. Ted & I ride together and he proves to be a very able rider - we both ride at a fairly good pace and circle the route twice before returning to the hotel.
After the ride, there's some time to shower and change for a welcome reception and dinner. During the mingling I chat with two sisters and their husbands - it turns out there's a slight chance of a relation going back to Duffy's in Ireland (will check if the names surface in any of Mathilde's notes when I return). We were also treated to the salted fried dough and a few other appetizers along with one of the wines made by the owner of the hotel.
Dinner followed. Wow! It started with an anti-pasta buffet that was absolutely amazing. Lots of mushroom dishes, pepper dishers, tomato & mozerella, sliced meats and cheeses, breads and many other choices including a whole octopus (you slice off how much you want). All was very good and there was plenty available for second helpings (no - I didn't try the octopus). Dinner itself was a pasta dish followed by a breaded veal, both enjoyable.
Then there was desert. WOW! Another huge buffet with many, many choices (and no octopus!). The tiramisu was my favorite (though the strawberries were very good as well) and again, plenty available for seconds.
Florence - Day 3, Afternoon
The guide for the Ufizi was much easier to hear and took us on a chronological tour of some works. For me, it was interesting to see the technical progression in the works - the change from wood to canvas, the change in subject matter and the change in paints that allowed brighter, more vivid works. There are many famous works here, and the tour included stops in front all of them. After the tour, we took a coffee on the outdoor cafe that sits above the Loggia dei Lanzi (an outdoor area next to the Piazza Del Signoria with a lot of famous sculptures). Unfortunately, there was only limited time to wander the remainder of the museum after the tour and we had to pass through the Da Vinci exhibit at a very fast pace - though I did get to see several of his notebooks, complete with drawings in the margins.
With the late lunch, niether of us was hungry for dinner, so we settled on another night in the hotel bar with a bottle of Vin Santo (a local dessert wine). Dipping biscotti in the wine was a wonderful treat. It was here I was able to capture details of the first days in Florence (posted earlier) - but without any Internet, I could not send them out. A brief journey out for a pint of Guinness at a nearby Irish bar while Milan played Arsenal in a soccer match ended the night.
With the late lunch, niether of us was hungry for dinner, so we settled on another night in the hotel bar with a bottle of Vin Santo (a local dessert wine). Dipping biscotti in the wine was a wonderful treat. It was here I was able to capture details of the first days in Florence (posted earlier) - but without any Internet, I could not send them out. A brief journey out for a pint of Guinness at a nearby Irish bar while Milan played Arsenal in a soccer match ended the night.
Florence - Day 3, Lunch
Lunch was at an outdoor pizzeria in the Piazza Della Republica where we had pizza and beer. The pizza wasn't great, but it did taste better the more you ate.
Florence - Day 3, Morning
I head out early to ensure a good spot in line to climb to the top of the duomo. I'm actually out early enough that I have time to head to a food market only to find its closed due to the holiday (Liberation Day in Italy). I return back to the duomo prior to opening with a spot near the front of the line. One thing I hate about Europe is how people don't respect one anothers place in line - you literally have to defend you're spot or others will soon be standing beside you and then in front of you. The climb first takes you to a walkway within the dome where you get a great view of the inside of the church (which, upon greater reflection still just looks like the inside of a church - perhaps I've seen a few too many churches over the years to be impressed) and a close up view of the fresco on the dome cieling. The next part of the climb is interesting as it snakes its way in between the inner and outer domes (there are actually 2 domes, one within the other) before ending at a landing that wraps around the top of the spire outside the church. Given its only a few hundred feet from the tower we climbed the first day, the views are very similar - only now with morning light instead of afternoon.
From here, it's back to the Pitti Palace. On the way, I pass the Ufizi - the line is incredible! Good thing we paid a bit extra for the guided tour with guaranteed admission. Fortunately, the line at the Pitti Palace was small and I was able to get a ticket and get inside rather quickly. The rooms in the palace are filled with art - lots and lots of art. As one of the guidebooks said, the arrangements are sometimes more about matching colors in the paintings or hanging all of the round ones together, etc. This made it hard to spot which works were more important than the others (it didn't help that I was looking at the wrong page of the guidebook). I found the inlaid tables to be the most impressive part of the collection. There were many and the designs were incredible. For example, one was a still life of shells - it had a specked reddish marble as background on which a number of of shells were created from other stones, complete with shadows and shading where appropriate. Quite amazing that the artist had the patience to find the proper colors to make it all work. On leaving the palace, the line had grown quite large - good thing I got there when I did. Now, off to the Academie to meet Ted and see Michaelangelo's David.
It's getting close to the start of the tour, but no sign of Ted (who has the receipt for the tour). A bit later he arrives - turns out he got delayed by a parade crossing - part of the Liberation celebration no doubt! Another huge line waiting to get in, but the guided tour grants us direct admission. The guide was good, but it was difficult to hear her as the museum was a bit loud. The statue was truly quite impressive - and this is after having seen at least 2 full size copies in other parts of the city. Its difficult to describe why it inspires admiration, but it truly is a "must see". There are a handful of other paintings and statues in the museum (including many plaster models from which marble carvings were made), but David is definitely the main draw.
We have a number of hours before the tour of the Ufizi starts, so we wander the streets shopping - starting with another stroll through the open market (no major purchases on this pass!). We enter a pottery store where the father makes the pottery and the son runs the store selling it. After a bit of conversation - the son being incredibly engaging in describing the process in which the pottery is made as well as helpful in selecting pieces and explaining shipping options, we both end up getting a piece that will be shipped to the US.
From here, it's back to the Pitti Palace. On the way, I pass the Ufizi - the line is incredible! Good thing we paid a bit extra for the guided tour with guaranteed admission. Fortunately, the line at the Pitti Palace was small and I was able to get a ticket and get inside rather quickly. The rooms in the palace are filled with art - lots and lots of art. As one of the guidebooks said, the arrangements are sometimes more about matching colors in the paintings or hanging all of the round ones together, etc. This made it hard to spot which works were more important than the others (it didn't help that I was looking at the wrong page of the guidebook). I found the inlaid tables to be the most impressive part of the collection. There were many and the designs were incredible. For example, one was a still life of shells - it had a specked reddish marble as background on which a number of of shells were created from other stones, complete with shadows and shading where appropriate. Quite amazing that the artist had the patience to find the proper colors to make it all work. On leaving the palace, the line had grown quite large - good thing I got there when I did. Now, off to the Academie to meet Ted and see Michaelangelo's David.
It's getting close to the start of the tour, but no sign of Ted (who has the receipt for the tour). A bit later he arrives - turns out he got delayed by a parade crossing - part of the Liberation celebration no doubt! Another huge line waiting to get in, but the guided tour grants us direct admission. The guide was good, but it was difficult to hear her as the museum was a bit loud. The statue was truly quite impressive - and this is after having seen at least 2 full size copies in other parts of the city. Its difficult to describe why it inspires admiration, but it truly is a "must see". There are a handful of other paintings and statues in the museum (including many plaster models from which marble carvings were made), but David is definitely the main draw.
We have a number of hours before the tour of the Ufizi starts, so we wander the streets shopping - starting with another stroll through the open market (no major purchases on this pass!). We enter a pottery store where the father makes the pottery and the son runs the store selling it. After a bit of conversation - the son being incredibly engaging in describing the process in which the pottery is made as well as helpful in selecting pieces and explaining shipping options, we both end up getting a piece that will be shipped to the US.
Florence - Day 2 (cont)
(For this and the posts that follow, I'm recalling the details after the trip has ended.) We leave the hotel bar for dinner at a trattoria that was recommended in a timely magazine article in Saveur. As we reach the lobby, a small group asks if we are also with the VBT tour. Turns out they were also told to meet at noon on Tuesday which also didn't make sense to them. Checking with the hotel desk seemed to favor checkout on Wednesday - but they weren't 100% certain. As we purchased tickets to enter the museums on Tuesday, we were going to stick to touring and if everyone was gone when we got back, we'd find a way to get to where we needed to be.
On finding the trattoria, we also find it full - so we wander a bit looking for another that looks good (there are plenty of restaurants, so there wasn't much concern of quickly finding an alternative. After looking at a few menus, we find one with a decent selection and reasonable prices. I tried the ribollita and a pork chop. The ribollita (name means re-boiled) is a traditional Tuscan vegetable and bread soup - though its more filling than broth. The pork chop was surprisingly plain in presentation - just a chop on a plate, but it was very thick, juicy and very tasty. I should mention that bread in this region is made without salt - definitely a difference that's noticeable, making the bread a bit bland when eaten plain. However, they also served a form of fried dough that was salted, hot and also quite good. House wine was nothing special. Service was interesting - although there were many tables in the restaurant, the waitress seemed a bit reluctant to seat us and less engaging than other Italians that we had met. When others arrived, she seemed to know all of them so maybe it was odd for strangers to eat at this place. One couple brought there dog in - he was very well behaved and sat under the table. Another table ordered the steak - it was a very, very healthy portion - one of the largest I've ever seen.
On finding the trattoria, we also find it full - so we wander a bit looking for another that looks good (there are plenty of restaurants, so there wasn't much concern of quickly finding an alternative. After looking at a few menus, we find one with a decent selection and reasonable prices. I tried the ribollita and a pork chop. The ribollita (name means re-boiled) is a traditional Tuscan vegetable and bread soup - though its more filling than broth. The pork chop was surprisingly plain in presentation - just a chop on a plate, but it was very thick, juicy and very tasty. I should mention that bread in this region is made without salt - definitely a difference that's noticeable, making the bread a bit bland when eaten plain. However, they also served a form of fried dough that was salted, hot and also quite good. House wine was nothing special. Service was interesting - although there were many tables in the restaurant, the waitress seemed a bit reluctant to seat us and less engaging than other Italians that we had met. When others arrived, she seemed to know all of them so maybe it was odd for strangers to eat at this place. One couple brought there dog in - he was very well behaved and sat under the table. Another table ordered the steak - it was a very, very healthy portion - one of the largest I've ever seen.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Italy Pictures!
Pictures of the biking trip in Italy have been uploaded. I hope to add a "highlights" link soon as there are quite a few of them. For now, here's a breakdown by place. Enjoy!
Florence (day 1,2,3)
Elisabetta (day 4,5)
Tombolo Talasso (day 6,7)
Montebelli (day 8,9)
Rome (day 10,11,12)
Trip Summary (abbreviated)
Details will follow, but here's the briefest of trip summaries.
Florence - exceeded expectations
Tuscany - rain on 2nd and 3rd days, but great rides in a beautiful country
Rome - not impressed
Returned home safely.
Florence
I learned a bit from the last trip and ended up packing a bit lighter for this one. This made the trip over quite easy as I only had the one carry-on to deal with (and if it got to heavy, I could break out the straps and turn it into a backpack that worked quite well on the last trip). When I arrived at Logan (after enduring the miserable Boston T that requires getting on 3 different subway lines and a bus when you finally do make it to Boston), I encountered a little bit of difficulty when trying to check in. This was first evident in the agents expression on whatever the computer showed him after entering my information. It was confirmed after he battled the computer a bit, called some others over to help, battled together for a bit and then decided it was best to send me to the ticket sales counter so they could deal with the others in queue.
At the ticket sales counter, the agent punched in my information and again I saw a very interesting expression appear on her face. Something told me this wasn't good, but I arrived early so I had no stress (enjoying life at a leisurely pace for the last few weeks probably also helped immensely in keeping the stress in check). After a bit of back and forth with the computer, she shared the first hint at what was happening by stating definitively - "You've already checked in". I assured her that I hadn't. She then left and ventured over to chat to the others that first attempted to check me in. After about 10 minutes there, she then disappeared into a back room - no doubt to seek advice from others. Ultimately she returned, said something cryptic like "the hotel and airfare were booked together" and then apparently found the magic keystrokes that allowed the boarding passes to be printed. There was still plenty of time before the flight, so I passed through security and camped out with a book for a bit.
It turned out to be a very full flight. About half the passengers appeared to be French junior high students returning from a trip in the states. A lively bunch that had me nervous that the flight would not only be filled to capacity, but also be filled with lots of antics, yelling and running about. A bit later, they announced the flight was oversold and were looking for volunteers to fly out the next day. Still nervous about the noise on the flight, it was a tempting offer.
Others must have accepted the offer as they soon stopped announcing it and began boarding (a bit late as the place arrived late). Although the flight was full and the student ratio high, the boarding wasn't too bad (ie, I was able to find a spot in the overhead for my bag). The seating was 2-4-2 and I was in an aisle near the window. The woman next wasn't that talkative or that attractive so I put no effort into any conversation and enjoyed some more of the book, the dinner and the Chronicles of Narnia. Looked like a decent movie but I really hate watching movies on planes - the contrast is terrible, there are too many distractions and I find myself dozing near the end. During the remainder of the flight, I was able to nap a bit, but I can never really sleep on a plane. And, the kids turned out to be no problem at all - they were a bit lively near the end, but at that point I was trying to stay awake so it was fine.
We arrived in Paris a bit behind schedule. Most times into Paris (this time included), they park the airplane at a distance from the terminal and then have you board a bus that takes you to a secured entrance into the terminal. Because of the construction, the bus ride must have been close to 20 or 30 minutes as we pretty much drove around the entire airport which is quite large. Still no worries as there was about 3 hours before the connecting flight to Pisa departed. Time for a few double espresso's to keep me going! For good measure, I also tried a Coca-Cola "Blak" which is Coke mixed with coffee. Neither liked or hated it.
It was just under a 2 hour flight to Pisa - the last 45 minutes of which were quite nice. I had a window (actually a complete row as the flight was quite empty even thought it was a small plane) and was able to enjoy the views as we passed over the snow covered alps. A very impressive mountain range and I could see why those that have skied in these mountains enjoy it so much. The snowfields look expansive and most are above the tree line so you have nothing but snowfields to traverse and enjoy.
After the alps the terrain changes quite quickly back into plains and farmland. From there, we went out over the sea and then flew into Pisa over the water. Unfortunately, I could not find the leaning tower on the way in. However, the weather was flawless - it must have been in the low 70's with little wind and not a cloud in the sky! Quite a change from the last trip.
After a little searching, I found my name on a sign. The woman was extremely helpful - overly helpful. She explained that in the morning they "lost" one member of the group as the bus from Pisa to Florence no longer arrives in the same location it did before. So, the taxi that was waiting to pick the person up for the last bit of the journey to the hotel was not in the right place. The woman who greeted me called the driver and made sure he knew my name and exact location where the bus would arrive. She then walked with me to where the bus was parked and even waited the 15 or so minutes until the driver arrived so that she was sure I made it onto the bus. At one point I was wondering if they've had people run away, get lost or otherwise not make it on the bus after being led to its door.
It was a little over an hour to get to Florence - the journey was through farmland with a continual mixture of grapes, olive trees, birch trees (not sure if these were solely decorative or served some other purpose) and other crops I didn't recognize. I don't think I saw any cows, sheep, pigs or any other barnyard animal types. With the weather as nice as it was, it was quite an enjoyable drive. Florence appeared as we came around a bend on one of the hills that surrounds the city. So, my first view of Florence was of the red terra cotta roofs of the city with the many church spires rising up from among them. It was very nice!
The driver in Florence was right where the bus arrived so I made the transfer to the hotel without incident. Upon checkin I learned that I would have a roommate, that he had already checked in and that he was in the room. A rep from VBT was also at the hotel which was nice as he walked through all the information he was preparing to leave with us. Some of the tidbits (such as where to get the best gelato) are always nice to have! However, he said one thing that remains puzzling even tonight (Monday night). He indicated we were to meet the VBT rep at noon on Tuesday. This seemed wrong as we were supposed to have 3 nights in Florence and if we left on Tuesday, it would only be 2. Cross-checking at the desk seems to indicate we leave on Wednesday, but there is even some confusion at the desk. I'm sure it will all get worked out in the end.
Next comes the meeting of my roommate - Dr Theodore Katz. As they can't issue another key, I walk up and knock and introduce myself as his roommate for the trip. As I suspect will be the case of most (all?) others on the trip, he's a bit older than myself, previously married, now divorced with one daughter. After a short bit of settling in, we decide to head out and start exploring the city together (those espresso's earlier in the day seemed to be keeping me going).
Walking through Florence for the first time is an amazing experience. It's hard to put into words and I know the pictures will not capture the feeling of the city, the way the light reflects off the buildings, how the view changes every few meters with a new church spire or side street coming into view, or how the pace of the people in the streets seemed utterly relaxed. No one seemed in much of a rush to get anywhere and conversations were numerous and lively, punctuated of course with hand gestures. Walking into a piazza (which are so numerous that you can't walk down many streets without encountering one after a block or two) is a magical experience. The roads are rather narrow and surrounded on both sides by 3 or 4 story buildings. The streets also tend to bend or curve quite often. So, as you walk the streets, you can only see the facades of the buildings beside you for only a block or two ahead of you and a sliver of sky directly above, with the buildings providing shade (sometimes very intentionally with small overhangs) for the road below. When you enter a piazza, the change is drastic as the buildings immediately fade to the background and open space takes over. Within the open space, the sun also plays a dramatic role in illuminating the square and the buildings (which are often quite ornate and generally include at least one church) surround. So, as you enter the piazza, you emerge from dark to light, from the almost tunnel formed by the buildings on the road to a large open space, and are greated with a fabulously ornate church glimmering in the sunshine. Again, I'm sure words and pictures will not capture this experience as it unfolded again and again as you wander through the streets. It truly seemed like every few meters the change of scenery or change of light was worthy of another picture. A bit later in the day I happened to notice some of the pictures of places that we've seen and they did nothing to capture the sense of experience the views first hand. Its hard to explain.
In any case, we ventured to the Duomo - the largest, most famous church in the city. Although the duomo itself was closed, the tower was opened so we climbed the 414 steps to the top. The traffic on the stairs was such that it wasn't much of a workout as you had to stop often to let others pass. The view from the top was incredible. You could see the entire city and the hills that surround. It was fun to hold up a map and see all the places that I wanted to visit on the map and below me at the same time.
From the duomo, we ventured towards and ultimately across the Ponte Vecchio - the famous old bridge lined with jewerly shops. The vistas continued to delight. As the walking was at a leisurely pace and we ventured in a good number of stores on the way (including a stop for a gelato from one of the many gelato stores vying for your business), it was soon time for dinner which was enjoyed outdoors in the Piazze Della Signoria in the shadow of where Michelangelo's David originally stood (a copy stands in the same location now). The food was decent, the surroundings incredible. A walk back to the hotel and days 1+2 come to a close.
Awoke at just before 8 on Monday (a good sign that jet lag has been licked) and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel (we were in no rush as the major museums are closed on Monday's). The buffet selection was quite good with many things to choose from - pastry, breads, sliced meats, fruit, juices and some scrambled eggs, bacon and sausuge. There was caffe of course, but it was automatic and not all that good tasting or hot. But, still good enough to drink.
In the morning, we set out to find a nearby monestary where rosewater, herbal medicines and other natural products have been sold for a number of years. The hotel packet (and a magazine article) said this was not to be missed. So, we dutifully followed the instructions and didn't find it. No worries. We continued on, passing by one of the old forts (there are a few) on our way to a very large open market - a street filled with carts selling all kinds of goods (belts, leather goods, bags, souvieneers, stationary, t-shirts, scarves to name a few) at very low prices. The very first cart sold belts. I bought one - having no idea if the quality was good or not. It was a bit interesting in that the belt I chose was too large. No worries - he measured my waste, went to the side of the cart, took the buckle off, cut off a few inches of leather, poked a new hole, reattached the buckle and a belt that now fit was ready.
A few carts down I made the mistake of looking (not even walking near or touching - just looking) long enough at a cart full of leather jackets that the salesman engaged me in conversation. It went quickly from "Where are you from?" and his making a few wisecracks about Boston to him enouraging me to follow him to their retail store a few doors down the street. I followed. He selected a nice brown buffalo leather jacket that he encouraged me to try on. I did. I actually thought it looked quite good. And, I was actually in need of a jacket that fit. Now comes the price. He quickly flashed the tag - I thought it said 48 euro. I was thinking there's no way I can go wrong at that price! But, I looked to quick. It was 480 euro. But, he was already offering discounts on discounts - 288. I said I'd stop back. He checked with his boss for 240. I left with the jacket. I either got a great deal, was robbed blind or paid a decent price for a decent quality jacket. Need to research Sax Leather Market when I get a chance. [PDB - Internet research doesn't turn up much on them. Hopefully I didn't get taken!]
Realing a bit from the unexpected purchase, we wandered next into food market that bordered the carts. Similar to the outdoor market, this was a collection of vendors sharing space under one roof - often with vendors of the same product faced off across the aisle from one another. The first encountered sold food goods and had a sampling station with various dips & cheeses available for tasting. The first was an aged parmesan. It was truly amazing! I will be looking for some to take back in Rome. The others were nothing special, but nice to try.
Other merchants included butcher shops (at least one carving directly from a full animal hanging from a hook) and stores selling wines, olive oils, vinegars, fruit and other assorted goods. One item I hoped to find in the city was a chocolate that I read about last week called Amedi - supposedly the best chocolate in the world. I found it at one of the shops, though they had only a limited selection available. I bough some.
Time to leave the shopping areas? The money seems to be flowing too freely...
We return to the Duomo, hoping to get inside this time. We arrive to find a very long line - but its moving at a very rapid pace, so we join the line and are in the church without waiting long at all. Inside, we find the inside of a church. To be continued on more reflection...
Climbing to the top of the dome required a seperate entrance, so we left the inside, and circled the outside to find the line. Also quite long. But this one was not moving fast (actually didn't seem to be moving much at all). After 20 or so minutes, we decide to try later and head off to Michelangelo's piazza - a park across the river with nice views down onto the city - and a bite to eat.
Lunch was simple - paninni (small baggettes with meat, cheese and other fillings). The climb to the piazza on the switchback trails seemed to be physically more challenging than the tower climb - perhaps the heat or the wider trails that meant no need to stop to let others pass (this is more to amplify how easy the tower climb was, not suggest this was a difficult walk that should be avoided). The veiws continued to be incredible (and it was another beautifully warm and sunny day). Another full size copy of David could be found at the top, along with more incredible views of the city. We stopped at a cafe and enjoyed some pears purchased earlier in the day at the food market. The pears were finished before someone came to take our order, so we continued on - heading to Pitti Palace - a home built by/adopted by the Medici family.
More shopping followed, but no purchases as we made our way back in the general direction of the hotel. Our route did take us past a gelateria that was specifically recommended by the VBT rep that greeted me. It goes without saying that we had another gelato. Tough to say which was better - this one was creamier and a bit less expensive, but I enjoyed the other quite a bit as well. [PDB - on reflection, this second gelateria was the best of the trip]
On return to the hotel, I discover that the hotel bar (conveniently located about 10 feet from the room) had a very nice spread of finger foods - olives, peppers, biscotti and lots of other goodies to choose from. Seems like a good time to have a beer or wine from the hotel bar. I let Ted know and we head to the bar and enjoy the wine and food.
... (Memory permitting) Much more to come ...
Rome wasn't built in a day...
...and neither is the blog from my trip to Italy. All is well - but internet has been scarce. The trip (now just about over) has been wonderful. Details and pictures will be posted as soon as I can!
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