September 11th...Cretaiole...Lots to do today ...

We plan to have lunch in Montalcino at Trattoria l'Angelo (Have to compare Montalcino pici with last nights dinner). Ahhh...last nights dinner...

Our hostess at Cretaiole, Isabella, has planned a lesson in making pici (pasta) which will become our dinner. I did not take an official count, but I estimate Cretaiole had about fifteen guests for the pici lesson and dinner. We all gathered early in the evening on Wednesday and the lesson began. Isabella used about 4 to 5 kilos of flour ( 9 to 11 pounds) with which she made a dam into which she broke about two dozen eggs. I know that olive oil was involved and certainly water, but I don't have her recipe so I won't even try to recite the process from memory and my illegible notes. (There was also an olive oil tasting that lasted for two to three hours the next day).

After mixing the ingredients, the dough was divided into a number of pizza dough sized rounds and the class took over the kneading. Our hostess carefully demonstrated the kneading process and over saw our progress. I have a few short videos and will attempt to post two or three of the most representative. Suffice it to say that the demonstration by Isabella was much more successful than our attempts to duplicate the process.

Rolling out the pici by hand is surely an art! Isabella created pici six to eight feet long and with the diameter of a pencil as effortlessly as was our applause in response to her skills. The class did quite well and soon there was a "ton" of pici ready to serve with the Ragu that had been cooking in the kitchen since the evening before. Now we might think that cooking a Ragu for perhaps 24 hours is overkill, but however long it was actually cooked was the right amount of time because the Ragu was delicious! Isabella's husband, Carlo, had made a wood fire in a outdoor grille (we might compare it to a barbecue grille) and reduced the fire to red hot coals over which he grilled sausages and some sort of chops. The pici ragu and the chops and sausages were the hearty dinner we all wanted and with a salad, as much bread and wine as we could reasonably consume, dinner was brilliant, to say the least. The simple foods we have enjoyed in Italy are the best. In fact, I cannot recall a fancy dinner that was as good as the pici ragu dinner at Cretaiole!

Back to Thursday morning...We headed out early to visit Santa Anna in Camprena, a Benedictine monastery dating from the fifteenth century.

(an aerial view of Santa Anna in Camprena)

(Scenes from the movie "The English Patient" were filmed here). The drive to the monastery, like every rural drive in Tuscany and much of Italy, was almost as good as the monastery itself! More vineyards and olive groves. The edges of the vineyards of largely Sangiovese grape are planted with rose bushes...red roses...for miles...

The roads wind through hills and valleys, some recently tilled and others growing the grapes and olives that will be harvested in September and October. We pass through a few small towns and villages and and by fields of wilting sunflowers. It seems the drive is over before we have seen enough of this beautiful area (Val d'Orcia) of Tuscany.

We drove for at least 45 minutes and finally found the monastery. Actually, if we had not taken a somewhat (unplanned) circuitous route we would have arrived in 15 or 20 minutes...Santa Anna in Camprena is only about 6 or 7 km from Cretaiole. I goofed off with the picture taking and somewhat intentinally because the guests at the monastery were painting in the courtyard

(the courtyard on the top and the refectory on the bottom)

We wandered around the grounds and throughor a half hour and headed out to Montalcino...and lunch...

Cretaiole, Val d' Orcia, Tuscany

We left Lucca at about noon September 10th. The drive from Lucca to Pienza is an adventure in itself! We leave the freeway, as previously mentioned, and travel the final 60 miles (97 Km) on SR2 which winds through the beautiful Tuscan hills and valleys, past vineyards and olive groves with geraniums and roses planted in carefully aligned rows adjacent to the highway. Our 2 hour leisurely drive twists and turns (often abrubtly) into small towns (citta) and villages (villaggio).

Often the highway narrows to a very tight two lanes passing through a village where the homes and shops are separated from the roadway by only a three foot wide sidewalk, and occassionally, no sidewalk at all. At nearly every significant intersection of this highway with other roads, we encounter the well designed traffic circle. The circle may intersect as many as five or six roads with multiple signage pointing the way to major (and minor) towns. A word of advice...if you decide to travel by car in Italy, pay careful attention to the signs, especially if you are unfamiliar with the locales where you travel. Know, however, even if you do get lost, that in itself, can be a very pleasant adventure. In 2006, we left the paved highway (relying on a GPS) and traveled, nearly in circles, for an hour or so, through some pretty, and some very wild, countryside, on a dirt road, before we stopped and asked directions of a non english speaking gent in a brushy wooded area where hunters were about chasing wild boar.

A few of the citta and villaggio we passed through were Bellevista, Staggia, Castellina Scalo, San Martino, Siena, Isola d' Arbia, Monteroni d' Arbia, Buonconvento, Torrenieri, San Quirico d' Orcia and finally arriving at Cretaiole about 2PM. Cretaiole sits on a high ridge just a few minutes (by car) west of Pienza and the intrepid walker could walk into Pienza in less than an hour. I say "intrepid" because the walk either involves travel along the highway (limited shoulders) or cross country through the farm fields on dirt roads with views of Pienza obscured by the topography. As an aside...we saw quite a few cyclers on the road, apparently traveling through Italy by bicycle! Courageous and demanding physically.

Again, I digress.

The drive was great but could have been much better if we had planned it so we could have stopped at a few of these small villaggio if only to stretch our legs. Well, leaving that for another trip (which is certain to occur soon)...

Tonight, in/at Cretiaole, a dinner prepared by our host and hostess...pici ragu (bolognaise), wood grilled/roasted meats and sausages, local (jug) wine, grappa and lots of bread. Pici is a thick, hand rolled pasta (fat spagetti) which origine is claimed by this area (Province of Siena) of Tuscany.

We wake early in Lucca because Jeannie has something she really wants to do today and we also have to rent a car for the drive to Pienza. It is Thursday morning, September 10...

We head out to rent bicycles so once again we can enjoy the pedestrian/bicycle atmosphere of Lucca. Jeannie wants to ride around the town at least one more time and we will ride to the auto rental to line up our car for this afternoon's drive.

To some who read this blog it may seem that we move around quite a bit and often (in our Italian travels) but Tuscany (one can drive from the extreme points in Tuscany to each in less than three hours) and Italy are quite small compared to say, California, USA. Italy is about the size of Arizona and one can actually drive from Milan to Rome in a few hours and from Rome to Naples in an hour or so. The total distance on the "autostrade" from Milan to Naples is about 500 miles or a eight hour drive here in the states...in Italy that same 500 miles could very well be a six hour (or less) drive! It is not uncommon to find travel on the autostrade moving along at 160 KPH or 90 MPH plus!!! And trains...well even if one travels on the intercity (stay away from the local trains unless they are the only ones to serve your intended destination) the slower of the "express" trains, the travel time by rail with train changes and stops from, say, Venice to Naples is less than 8 hours for a trip of about 450 miles, and will cost as little as $155 (for a second class ticket). The latter may not sound like a bargain, but the tolls on the autostrade are very high and auto rental is not any cheaper than here in the US.

But I digress too much...

Lucca, Thursday AM...we ride our bikes around the town one last time and head outside the gates of the "old" city and into the high traffic streets of the "new" city. The traffic is scary after the protected environment within the walls (with few cars inside) but we arrive at the auto rental unscathed and meet with a very nice Italian family (sister-brother) who own and run the shop and rent a really "cute" little Fiat Panda (I wanted a high powered Lancia sedan but the budget did not provide for such luxury). The proprietor offered to drive the rental car to the gate of the old town and meet us there as we returned our bikes to the bike rental and collected our luggage.

We are excited, as we are off the Cretaiole, an agriturismo we anticipate will be a grand experience. We have read about and heard about these working farms that take in paying guests and are truly looking forward to a new, non hotel/B&B Italy agrarian experience...we are surprised and pleased when we arrive but I will save that story for later in this blog! First the drive from Lucca to Pienza...all of 200 Km or about a 120 mile drive. We, however, plan to take our time and roam through the back roads to Pienza and enjoy the sights along the way. We will bypass Siena (bypassing Florence as well) exiting A11 and Raccordo Autostradale Siena-Firenze at Poggibonsi and traveling the most of the rest of the way on SR2 which will wind through the countryside past and through small villages passing by and through Monteroni d'Arbia, Buonconvento and San Quirico d'Orcia and skirting Montalcino before arriving in Pienza and locate Cretaiole...

At this point of our trip what we know about Pienza and Cretaiole is that Pienza is famous for cheese (little did we know) and Cretaiole was a recommendation of friends who had stayed twice and we trust they match our preferences well. Cretiaole has a very nice website...

http://www.cretaiole.it/index.en.php

My next post will tell the short story of our drive to Cretaiole and our arrival in Val D'Orcia, Tuscany!!!

Let me see, where was I...oh yes...

Day Four...Wednesday, September 9th...

Lucca

We boarded the train from The Cinque Terra to La Spezia early and after changing trains we head to Lucca and a new adventure. We are staying at a B&B (about two ? really long blocks from the train station in Lucca).

They told us it was a short walk to the gate and that the B&B was just inside the gate...San Pietro...we walked for fifteen minutes and then got lost (in a town with a wall around it)...could not find the B&B so we sat down for coffee and a pastry and relaxed...fortifying ourselves to commence the quest...and...I think that was the right thing to do because we found the B&B almost immediately...coffee in Italy is brain food...caffe lunga...

Lucca is two towns, the Etruscan/Medieval/ town surrounded (4 km around the wall) by a Renaissance era wall/earth rampart that is wide enough at the top to accommodate a paved trail about 20 to 30 feet wide for bikes, walkers, joggers and runners without any running into the other.

The first thing we notice is that most everyone in the old city (The new city is just that, new, much 20th century construction and some late 19th century) is riding bicycles...men in suits, women going to market and their work, some dressed in very fashionable outfits. Some tourists...not as many as one might expect, and of course the children. Lucca is a pedestrian and bicycle paradise. After checking in with our non English speaking hostess we look for some place to get a coffee.

After checking in with our non English speaking hostess we look for some place to get another coffee.

Now time for some exercise... we rent bicycles and ride around the town as well as around the wall...4Km...completely encircling the town. The wall is about thirty feet above the town and surrounding area so there are some nice overlooks and views as we ride our bikes twice around.

For some odd reason the pictures from Lucca have decided to hide form us so these are the only two we can find? (A hint, here, transfer your digital photos to disc while traveling...internet cafes with plenty of computers are everywhere in Italy).

Dinner is at the Trattoria Gigi, Piazza del Carmine...relaxed and intimate with outdoor and indoor dining. Great food!!! Some pasta, raosted meats, broccolini and of course, lots of "corposo" Tuscan wine.

We retire early (11:00PM) and look forward to Thursday and packing more Italy into our 14 days...Tuscany, next...but first...

Day three, afternoon and evening...

Not much more to say...a relaxing afternoon on the terrace and then dinner at another fantastic spot in Monterosso...the next time we have to stay in Vernazza! Need to rest this night because tomorrow we are off to Lucca to a new experience...to a place in Italy to which we have not previously been.

Oh...the picture...I cannot recall but I think that it is Manarola?

So...day three...September 8, 2010...

A day in The Cinque Terra...

From Monterosso one can walk (hike) along the coast and visit all five towns in a day. The hike, uninterupted by any long breaks, takes four to five hours. We plan to walk the easy part, Riomaggiore to Manarola, about a nice 30 to 45 minute stroll. We board the local train in Monterosso and in less than fifteen minutes we are de-boarding in Riomaggiore. After purchasing our pass to the park (the walkway/hiking path is part of the national park system) we climb a few steps to the "trail". This part of the trail is paved with a flagstone like rock and is more like a long winding fireplace hearth (picture that?).

The views along the way continue to be spectacular!

About 2/3 of the way to Manarola we stopped at a little pizzeria for a beverage and snack. The bruschette was average to good and very satisfying (along with a nice glass of wine). Photos to the right, the "trail" and an interesting rocky point along the trail...

On to Manarola and after a visit to the swim lagoon and a few minutes for another snack, we board the train and in five minutes are in Vernazza for lunch! (Yes, we eat well and often when in Italy).

The photo to the right, Manarola swimming lagoon...

September 7th, 2009

It was Monday afternoon and we boarded a train to Genoa (from Milan) but just a comment about the train station in Milan...WOW! I think this was a Mussolini project...not certain of that fact but will check it out and report. Anyway, it is quite impressive. If you have ever been to Union Station in Washington DC you would be similarly impressed...for different reasons, of course. (Okay, I checked my facts and the original "Milano Centrale" was built in the 1860's and was replaced by a new station inaugurated in 1931 and under the influence of Mussolini, designed by at least two different renowned architects, one, Ulisse Stacchini, who concentrated on the iron/steel work canopy (Mussolini architect) and the other the building itself...Louis-Jules Bouchot started by Victor Emmanuel III but completed under Mussolini).

We changed trains in Genoa and arrived in Monterosso al Mare, the most northerly of the five towns in The Cinque Terra. We planned to stay with "Manuel" (Manuel's Guest House) and called to let him know that we would be arriving around 7PM. We enjoyed a nice stroll from the train station to the center of the "old town" and stopped to ask a fellow in one of the tiny squares how to find this obscure B&B and that gentleman just happened to be Manuel, in person! He called his nephew, and thanks for that because the nephew carried our two carry-on bags and one of our two small backpacks up the 130 steps to the apartment!

Upon arriving at the top of these steps for the first time we were greeted by a fantastic view (the first photo) and two very cordial couples with whom we enjoyed, perhaps, the coldest and tastiest beer I have ever had...or...maybe it was enhanced by the trek up those steps...but no matter what the reason, the view, the conversation, the beer and the wine that evening were all great!

We had a late dinner at a restaurant we were familiar with from a previous visit and slept well!

OK...so...I am a bit late in posting 'cause the trip took place back in September...but...

Italy 2009!

...here goes...day one...

We arrived in Milan, after more than 15 hours of flying (with a nice layover in Atlanta and lunch there with my sister and brother)and jumped on the train to the center of Milan where we immediately explored the Duomo...very intricate, lots of detail and quite a view from the roof! Yes, one can climb to the roof and have great views of Milan...

Later that day (September 6th) we viewed Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper (no photos allowed, although many were snapping pix until someone got caught and yelled at by a very excited docent)...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_(Leonardo)

Because we snacked all day dinner was not remarkable but we look forward to Monday morning...

Day two...Milan...

We're off to walk the center city area...see the high fashion shops, La Scala and whatever else we can cram into a few hours because at three this afternoon we board a train to Genoa and ultimately, The Cinque Terra!

So...a couple photos of Monday in Milan...

High fashion shops...

...and a shopping mall... oh!... what a shopping mall!

La Scala...wish we could have been there for an opera!

(by the way...lunch at a small tratorria...outside...risotto for Jeannie and penne bolognese for me with a glass of wine)... and then more walking tour...

Our modestly priced hotel in Milan was Arco Romano...convenient, clean, comfortable and pleasant...not luxurious...but a great place to sleep well and cheap!

http://www.hotelarcoromana.it/search.asp?lang=en

The "planned" Itinerary (we tend to change thisgs around once in Italy)

Depart Seattle Saturday, September 5th through Atlanta to Milan, arriving Milan Sunday the 6th at 10 AM. Leonardo's "Last Supper" 15:45 and then ???

On the 7th, by train to The Cinque Terra for a couple of relaxing days and then Lucca on Wednesday the 9th.

Agriturismo in Tuscany (Siena Province) visit for two nights/days, the 10, 11 and 12 of September.

Assisi on Saturday the 12th where we will stay until the morning of the 16th...then on to Sorrento for the balance of Wednesday and all of Thursday with the "quick visit" concluding in Rome, Friday and Saturday...returning to Seattle Sunday the 20th.

It is possible to squeeze in two more cities/locales in two weeks but we travel relaxed and this is aggressive (in terms of the amount of in country travel in a short time) for us.

So...look for a new blog on Monday the 7th or Tuesday the 8th...

Ciao...

Here we go!!!

Well, in about 34 days we will be winging it to Milan and I will continue this Blog as often as feasible from Italia. The plan is to fly to Milan where we will see Leonardo's "Last Supper" on Sunday...and if time permits, visit the Duomo and Duomo Museum. Then Monday we will travel by rail to Cinque Terra for a couple of days with the sun and sandy (small rocks,mostly) beaches...on to Lucca (Puccini's home town) on Wednesday and then to Assisi on Thursday (visiting friends and our Italian "family"). We will bum around Umbria and Tuscany for a few days, squeeze in an overnight in Naples to visit those folks and then two days in Sorrento and the final two days in the Eternal City.

That's the plan...now let's see if we stick to it. Italy is so seductive that if one encounters a new place and falls in love with that place, it is sometimes difficult to leave.

Stay tuned...

Air Fare Winner...Delta...

oh...BTW...we scored air fares slightly over $650 RT per person..."open-jaw"...not 2 bad...

2009 Italy Visit

Check back after the 15th of August for blogs on our 2009 travel to Cinque Terra, Volterra, Lucca, Assisi, Naples, Tortora, and Rome...

Broken Promises

It's been nearly five months since I last blogged...not quite weekly but then, no one reads this blog any way. Or at least if they do, no one comments...

The latest on travel to Italy...living in Italy and what's happening in Italy...

The euro is rising again...air fares are still down at least until the middle of March. I just checked September and found a fare at $886 RT per person...a Hotwire special...

We hope to travel in September and so tickets must be secured no later than July 15th. It seems that the best fares are available about 60 days prior to travel. Other arrangements can wait and many can be made after arrival. Most out of the way hotels have rooms on a few days notice after the first of September but it is best to make reservations well in advance for the major tourist attractions. For example, in 2006 we called (in July) for reservations (in October) to view The Last Supper painting in Milan and although there were times available, they were sparse. (As I recall only 15 persons are allowed in at a time, humidity and other preservation issues).

The weather in Italy is great right through November and with the exception of possible flooding in Venice after the end of September, most of central and southern Italy (especially Rome) has moderate temps all winter long, although not guaranteed.

Check out the southern Adriatic coast, Puglia, it is definitely a new in place to vacation. Some say it is the new Tuscany? Great food and wine and more affordable than the areas north of Naples. The architectural influence in the south is much different from the central and north...far less Baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque and more of the influence of ancient Greece and N. Africa.

Fish is the food of the south and pasta, of course...as opposed to Tuscany where beef and meats in general are king. Lots of grilled foods in Tuscany and Umbria...with great hams (prosciutto, parma ham) and bacon(pancetta)and sausages.

Stay tuned for more later...

Four and a half months ago I was dreaming up another trip to Italy. In those intervening 17 (plus) weeks, the focus has been one of discovery. We have spent most of our time (in Italy) north of Rome and little time south...that will change next trip...

I am hesitant to get specific, because the location we have chosen is not a regular tourist destination and I fear that if I rave about it too much and get too specific, it will be discovered (like my ego thinks that I am the discoverer???). We have not been to this place but have reports from the "Italians" that it is an excellent choice. Since one or more of the "Italians" will be here in February we will firm up the next phase...an extended trip...perhaps as much as three to six months, to Italy...sort of a test to see if we really want to live there part time. To date the longest we have spent there is slightly under four weeks. Suffice it to say that we are aiming at Calabria, very near, but not quite on the Mediterranean. We have a place to stay for an extended period that is right on the Mediterranean so we will likely spend some time there as well as up in the hills (about ten to fifteen kilometers from the water).

The good news...airfares are dropping, especially winter airfares...today (11/11/2008) I found a RT fare to Rome from Seattle...$748...(Delta)...almost a s cheap as when the Euro was at $1.25 in 2006. And check out the Euro today...$1.25...this winter might just be a great time to head for Europe, before the exchange rate jumps. I will check out some Italy hotels and let everyone know what I find...

June 14th and the sun finally has come out of hiding!

If one ever wonders why I write of travels and not of home, the answer is in the weather here in the Pacific NW. This weekend is not the first we have had sun this year but for the past few weeks it has been unseasonably cold! Snow at 3000 feet in the Cascades, nighttime temps in the l0w 40s and high 30s and generally cold and blustery with rain regularly...that all day drizzle...

So...one dreams constantly of travels to sunny and warm climes. Southern Italy is but one place the weather is better than here...

Next year my spouse and I are married 30 years so 2009, for certain, is an Italy year. We will start planning now so that we can prolong the pleasure (it stretches from the days of planning right through the trip and visit and continues long after the return home...with memories that never go away...

We recall, with vivid detail, our first trip to Italy in 1984...almost as if it was just last year...that's what an Italy experience, a good Italy experience, can do! So, stay tuned, check back, because if you enjoy my musings I promise there will be more weekly for the next year and a half.

Ciao (for now)...

Nobody really seems interested???

It seems that people who enjoy travel or at least get pleasure from reading about travel pay for magazines or read travel articles online. I find that many of these sources are selling something. They write about tours and it seems the prices are in many cases excessive for the average "Joe" or "Jane" to allow regular overseas travel. Some are touted as "budget" and others "exclusive", but the bottom line seems to be that if one has a lot of disposable income, then go right ahead, travel based on offers and information from these sites.

If you are like me, your funds are limited...and...a trip abroad is not something that can be undertaken frivolously ...so...I offer the following advice...

Try travel on your own. Don't be afraid of language barriers and don't pay too much attention to fear mongers and bigots who either try to scare you with cautions about other cultures or or fill you head full of stories of pick pockets and other petty crime. It is more dangerous in many of our big cities than it ever would be traveling in Europe, for example. Over the years we have traveled, on our own, in Mexico (back roads, driving), and in Italy, as well as a few other less exotic places and we have but one (minor) negative experience, mostly of our own doing and only because we failed to understand the cultural norms of the country.

Travel on your own (no tour guide or tour bus, just you, a rental car or train or bus and your adventurous spirit) is much more fun and certainly more fulfilling than any tour one might take. My only caution, self guided tours...this is not for everyone! If you are used to being pampered, don't try travel on your own. If you expect others to figure out the next move, stay away, as well. But, if you want to save money traveling and have the gift of patience and a moderate spirit of adventure, try it...you might just really enjoy the challenge.

Visiting the Italians in Maryland

It has been quite a while (months) since I posted to this blog. We are visiting some relatives in Maryland...a visit we usually make on our way to or returning from, Italy. This time...alas...no Italy in the plan.

Our news for now is a trip planned this fall that will at the very least include a cruise of the west coast of Italy terminating in Palermo (actually Barcelona start and finish) but we plan to get "off the boat" in Palermo and work our way up through Puglia and into Calabria ending up in Rome after a few weeks. Then, if the plan comes together, I will spend an additional two or three weeks exploring Umbria for possible "digs" for our first extended stay in 2010...months instead of only weeks...

Well, everyone is gathering for dinner so I will wrap up for today. Check in in a few days and I will post more about Baltimore and the Maryland trip.

Some Pictures...Burano, Monteriggioni, Orvieto, Pompeii

The Christmas trip is fading fast...

Well, here we are, the first of November and we have not bought any airline tickets and the rates are going up again so I guess we wait...we still could do it...less than $1800 for two tickets, still, with dog sitters and parking, not to mention about $200 a day while we are there (and the Euro rising fast) I think we stand by and see what the mid winter brings us in the way of specials...

Last week our local Italian friends gifted us a really cool espresso machine...Lelit...pure Italian and pretty easy to get a real good cup of expresso from (check out the poor sentence structure...ending in a preposition...my mom would not be happy). But, what it does well also, is to keep us close to our Italian dreams...living a little more Italian every day...pretty soon I will insert a few Italian phrases into this blog to show off my language skills, which, are developing more slowly than this blog...

Are you bored, yet?

Speaking of bored...there is nothing more boring for me than to sit here, knowing that there is an open invitation for us to visit our "Italian Family" in Assisi and stay in their condo in Calabria for a week or so as well...and we cannot bring ourselves to spend the money to get over there, at least not right now...

How irresponsible would it be to not pay your house payment for two months...getting two months behind, just to fulfill/feed this obsession with Italy and all things Italian...

Check back with me in a few weeks and see if I decided to be irresponsible...

Ocotber is tomorrow...wow...time flies...

Just a couple of notes on recent research into air fares...try Hotwire and use the flexible option as to travel dates...recently, I found fares from Seattle to Rome under $700 RT...the cheapest in at least two years...with the Euro rising and the dollar falling fares might even get better as packages are assembled to encourage Americans and Canadians to visit Europe...who knows...but be prepared for a more expensive trip when you get there, although, if you travel close to the ground...Italy is still a bargain. One can find rooms and small pensiones and albergos under 70 Euro ($100) for two in most of the regions, convenient to the places we want to visit. For example, in Tuscany, San Gimignano, a room can be had even in season for $65 Euro in a very nice location inside the walls of the medieval village.