Pilgrims Progressed

Sun-screened, shod and hatted our two pilgrims (minus colosseum-blistered Rhonda) set off earlyish as the church bells pealed 11am on the Via Francgenzio. The plan was to follow in the hire car and meet for wine and cheese along the way.

With most venues closed after summer and being Sunday a mad dash was made to find vituals in the stone village of Gambassi Terme. After an hour of patchy internet and getting lost we finally found where the whole village was lunching, purchasing local goats cheeses, salamis, prosciutto, fresh pané and olives.

Using our combined google map locations we bumped down dirt roads and, wouldn't you know it, landed at the best winery in the region 😇🥳

Our parched pilgrims probably should have watered first but accepted the situation with equinimity and entered the tasting with gusto. And what a taste there was Gorgeous Bianco's, Chianti's, stickies and even the Grappa was brought out to Eric's delight.

With the use of Google translate and lots of arm waving we made new friends and discovered Casaneuvas winery had been in the family since the 1100s and they were really good at parting tasters with their money. Lots of spent euros later we picnicked and prattled and were treated to espresso by our new friends/business partners 🤑😲

The pilgrimage over we bumped over to our medieval castle like accommodation for a chilly swim and prosecco in the gardens, then wearing our travelling best we dined at the swanky onsite trattoria on boar lasagne, truffle ravioli and tasty pici. Was too excellent to photograph and too slopey due to the old flooring.

Tomorrow we head on a highway full of lunatic drivers to Milano.

Ciao Ciao!!Read more