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Agriturismo la Fidanza

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 38

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 10

      21 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

      Today was our last full day in San Gimignano. The day started early as we said good-bye to Sharon and Nancy, and Jim C took them to the Florence Airport to catch their flight home.

      I enjoyed some time by on the patio while waiting for Jim to return and sneak in a quick nap.

      A local online acquaintance recommended that we visit L'Abbazia di San Galgano, about an hour to the south of us. The Abbey was built between 1218 and 1288. It was the first Gothic church built in Tuscany. The Cisterian monks built this here because it had many resources in the area: rivers, woods, plains and marshlands. Like much of the area, the Plague hit the area very hard, and attacks on the monastery subsequently caused the monks to move farther south to Siena. In the late 1700's lighting hit the bell tower, and the roof collapsed leaving the walls that remain today.

      When I reflect on the numerous churches and cathedrals that we have visited in the last five weeks, many adorned with gold, marble and paintings from the Masters, this place reminds me about the beauty of simplicity and resilience. It's a good reminder about the grace of aging as well. If you look deep enough you see the beauty of the character that remains through difficult challenges. It's a good lesson.

      As we walked around the grounds we noticed a photographer taking photos of a young couple preparing to get married later that day. It was a touching image of contrast getting to witness preparations for a new beginning in an ancient site that remained resilient through centuries of troubled times. Another sign of resilience was the ever present Tuscan red poppies growing in unlikely places among the ruins.

      After our visit, we had a light lunch at a nearby agritururismo, and we headed back to our place in San Gimignano. On the way, we passed bales of hay on rolling hills that reminded us of Pennsylvania except there were towers in the background.

      We arrived back in time for relaxation time by the pool, a Zoom call home to Genevieve and Olive, and a rest before dinner.

      We had another wonderful meal on the terrace, and we enjoyed a local bottle of Chianti.

      It has been a really great stay in Tuscany, and we're excited for our next adventure to Basel,Switzerland tomorrow. Buonanotte!      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraItaly 2022
      Hari 5

      San Gimignano

      12 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      After breakfast which consisted of meats, ham, cheese and quiche amongst other things, we decided to walk the long way round to San Gimignano. The route took us through some vineyards and then along an unpaved road with some amazing views of the town before we arrived at the top end after about 90 minutes.

      The town itself is perched on a hilltop and has a couple of main roads running through it. . The San Augustine church And then we had a quick beer to soothe our legs!

      After that we went to the main square and climbed the main tower. The town is largely as it was about 800 years ago and the 14 towers that are left mean that it is often called the Manhattan of Italy. The views from the tower were stunning.

      After coming down the tower we moved to the next square and had a couple of beers sitting in the sun. After that we both had a gelato and then walked further down the town and out and back towards our accommodation which took about 45 minutes.

      By now it was around 3:30 p.m. and so we took the opportunity to play some cards and have a glass of wine taking in the view. All in all, a very relaxing and satisfying day 😉      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraItaly 2022
      Hari 4

      Il Segreto di Pietrafitta

      11 Oktober 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      Some photos from in and around our accommodation near San Gimignano which was in a beautiful location with stunning views. It was an old farmhouse which had been beautifully renovated and was decorated with lots of the old fittings from the farmhouse.

      The food was also delicious!

      http://www.ilsegretodipietrafitta.com      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 29

      Cinque Fotografie- Tuscany Day 1

      12 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      After a relaxing morning with breakfast on our host's patio and a lovely conversation with Ruth, who was visiting from Germany, we made our way to Napoli's Central train station.

      We marked the first month of our time on the road, and I'm noticing the benefit of all the walking that we're doing. I calculated that we've walked about 143 miles since we began our trip, and I'm excited about building endurance while enjoying the sights.

      This was our second time on a fast train in Europe. This time we rode on FrecciaRossa operated by Tren Italia. I really do love the experience. The seats are comfortable,
      and the ride is smooth. We had a brief stop in Rome, and then we continued on our way to Firenze (Florence).

      We arrived in time in Florence and we walked to the nearby Hertz station to pick up our rental car. The driving experience in Florence was considerably less chaotic than Napoli or Catania. Most of the time, drivers appear to follow rules about right of way and they seem to adhere to speed limits. I will not miss the kamikaze cyclists in this driving adventure.

      The trip to our agritururismo, IL Segreto de San Piefratretta was an easy 45-minute drive through the Tuscan hillside. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Diego and Pedro who own the agritururismo. The grounds and rooms are really spectacular with olive and fig trees peppered around the vineyard.. We are excited to visit the nearby town of San Gimignano whose towers hover on a hill off to in the distance.

      Once we settled in, we lounged by the pool and I chatted with a couple from England who are on holiday.

      We enjoyed a wonderful dinner on the patio and watched the sunset and accompanying silhouette of San Gimignano. Dinner was delicious: Jim had a cous cous cake and I had pork tenderloin with an apple topping. The Cab Franc blend of wine was spectacular. And we finished the meal with a chocolate souffle and cappuccinos.

      We are very grateful to be able to spend the next ten nights here. It's a really great homebase for our time in Tuscany.

      Ciao!      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 30

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 2

      13 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      After an amazing breakfast, we took a two-hour drive to the town of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis. The drive was so beautiful as we traversed rolling hills of green- olive trees and vineyards with mountains serving as a backdrop.

      I've had many reflections on taking this trip as a former Catholic who traveled among others who were clearly making a pilgrimage to this beautiful hilltop town and Basilica.

      Ever since I was a kid, I loved the story of St Francis. I knew that he held reverence for all living things and held respect for diversity. He abandoned a wealthy life and chose poverty and service. In doing so he defied his father and chose his own path at a young age.

      Today I also learned about Claire who followed Francis and chose a life of poverty and service as well. They both created a movement with a significant following.

      I was today years old when I learned that St. Francis was never ordained, yet the Franciscan movement was endorsed by the Pope at the time.

      I was really moved when we sat in the lower Basilica and witnessing St. Francis's tomb about above the altar. As we walked around the altar, we witnessed the burial sites of his four closest friends as well as a woman who wanted to visit Francis on his deathbed. Initially, she wasn't allowed, but Francis invited her as one of his last acts, and her remains also rest nearby. The thought of being with those you love when your life ends is beautiful and comforting. In all of his suffering in his short life of 44 years, Francis was rich in his love for all beings and the return of the love by his friends and followers.

      I have always loved singing the Prayer of St. Francis. I had no idea that he didn't write this prayer and it was instead penned anonymously seven hundred years later (1912) by a French clerical magazine. Regardless. I have always loved the thought of that it was more important to "seek to understand than to be understood...",an important element of any healthy relationship in work and in personal matters. Stephen Covey lifted it as one of his "Seven Habits..."

      I learned that St. Francis did write his own gratitude prayer "Canticle of the Sun". In the prayer, Francis gives broad thanks for all creation. When he was nearing the end of his life he amended the prayer to include and celebrate "Sister Death" and his belief in the afterlife. http://www2.webster.edu/~barrettb/canticle.htm#…!

      We returned late afternoon and reflected on the day as we relaxed by the pool and later took an evening walk in the tranquility hilltop village of San Gimignano under the watchful eye of "sister moon".

      I finish the day grateful for friends and family and the motivation to find new ways to be of service to others when we return home.

      Buona Notte. 🌙 🌚 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌛 🌙 💗      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 31

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 3

      14 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

      It felt like summer today in the heart of Tuscany. We decided that it was a great day for a hike, and we opted to take the longer route from our accommodations to San Gimignano, the town that overlooks the valley from the distance.

      It took us about ninety-minutes to navigate the hilly five kilometer hike. The valleys below were filled with vineyards and olive trees. We enjoyed most of the walk except for the latter part where cars raced by on a road with little room for pedestrians to navigate.

      We arrived at the walled city and rewarded ourselves with gelato first (life is short-eat dessert first) and then pasta for lunch on the piazza. We enjoyed panoramic views from a balcony point (Rocco) navigated by narrow steep stairs.

      We took the short route home which took us about 45 minutes through area agritururismos. It was a really challenging, but fun hike. I'm grateful that I was able to navigate the walk; it probably has helped that we've been averaging over five miles a day walking. I'm really happy about the progress.

      We returned to our accommodations and did our weekly call to Genevieve and Olive to talk about our adventures with her storybook hero 'Pete the Cat". We ahowed Olive a Zoom screen of the Olive trees and she replied, "Look, those are Me trees."

      After our call, we lounged by the pool.

      We had a lovely dinner and we were joined by a sweet couple from Germany. It was fun comparing our relative experiences in our countries, and we decided to watch the finals in Eurovision together. It was fun to chat with friends back home contemporaneously. Congratulations, Ukraine! It was another stellar day. 🇺🇦 💖      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 32

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 4

      15 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      Today we were joined by Jim C's sisters,Sharon and Nancy, who traveled from Oregon, Wisconsin and Portland, Maine (we have Portland and Oregon well covered on this trip).

      Although they had a few travel delays arriving from Boston, they made it to Firenze safe and sound and we headed back to our accommodations in San Gimignano.

      We enjoyed drinks and sunbathing by the pool and resting up before a wonderful dinner on the terrace.

      I have always marveled at how close Jim and his siblings are. It's fun to watch their rhythm together, and it's a treat to experience the treasure of Tuscany with them.

      As I reflect on our reunion today, I offer this thought of gratitude:

      Sharon and Nancy have always treated me like I was another brother. From the day that I first met them, I have deeply appreciated that they respect and honor our relationship as important. I love them very much for that experience, and I've also always experienced it with their parents and their children as well. There are too many of our GLBT friends who don't get that experience, and I know that we are very lucky.

      We are looking forward to our new adventures this week. L'amore per la famiglia è magico.
      Buona Notte 🌟
      Note: Thanks to Nancy C for the first four pics.      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 33

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 5

      16 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

      The day started early as we got up to watch the lunar eclipse around 5 a.m. It was fascinating to watch the emerging eclipse from lounge chairs by the pool as the area birds sang their songs. Although the moon slipped behind the hilly horizon, we did enjoy witnessing this experience, and we were grateful for clear skies.

      After returning to bed for a few more hours, we got up and enjoyed an ample breakfast. We then made our way to Siena, a town situated about 40 minutes south of San Gimignano.

      Siena was one of the most important thriving cities in Medieval Europe and it had a firece rivalry with Firenze (Florence). As we first arrived in the city we headed over to IL Campo (field), the connecting plaza for Siena's 17 neighborhoods. One of the traditions that occurs in this plaza is a 90-second horse race competition that draws about 60,000 spectators twice each summer. While, the plaza is quite large, the thought of that many people evoked my first of two "Oh Hell, No" exclamations about this locale. The second "Oh Hell, No moment was the opportunity to climb 400 stairs up the 300 ft Torre del Mangia, the second tallest tower in Italy adjacent to the town hall "Palazzo Pubblico". The Palazzo is guarded by she-wolves, a creature I previously only associated with Romulus and Remus folklore. Apparently, Siena adapted a Texas style "Don't Mess With Siena" brand evidenced several times throughout the city.

      Jim C and his sister Sharon opted to brave the claustrophobic climb up the tower of terror later that afternoon while Nancy and I toured the nearby phobic-free botanical gardens.

      We enjoyed wandering through the neighborhoods with the various mascots symbolized by statues and plaques at intersections. The mascots ranged from fairly benign symbols of forests and caterpillars to panthers and dragons.dragon's.

      Early in the afternoon, we visited the Duomo. It was an unusually adorned cathedral with striped pillars. I dubbed it "Our Lady of the Zebra". I found the stripes a bit incongruous with the other artwork and statues. The frescoes abs stained glass windows were stunning. I enjoyed seeing a sculpture of St. Peter that was created by a 25-year old Michelangelo.

      Within the Duomo, we visited the Piccolomolini Library which honors one of their famed family Mendes members who eventually became Pope Pius II. The room was decorated with many scenes of his life and lower panels displayed massive illustrated chant hymnal.

      After the Duomo tour we had lunch of pasta and pizza. I sampled the tagliatele with black truffles. I know that truffles are considered a rare delicacy, but I savored the fresh pasta more than the truffles which were a bit bland and resembled thin wood chips.

      We headed to our separate tower and garden adventures, and we celebrated our rendezvous with an obligatory gelato break.

      We decided that six hours of touring Siena was sufficient, and chauffeur Jim C got us back to our Agritururismo in time for naps and pool time.

      We had another wonderful dinner on the patio, and we called it a night after celebrating great wine, great food and family time. Ciao!      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 35

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 6

      18 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      Today Jim C, his sisters, and I spent time in San Gimignano, the 13th century walled town that watches over us. This beautiful town is dubbed "San Gimignano delle belle torri " (of the beautiful towers) with good reason. The towers are among the most striking feature of the town, and it enhances the frozen in time Medieval feel of the city.

      In our previous visits this week, we has mostly sampled the food, wine and gelato. Today we thought that we would get a sense of the many shops as well as the art and history of the city.

      After admiring the architecture of the city we took time for a light lunch and watched the influx of tourists arriving by tour bus. After lunch, Nancy and Sharon decided to check out the various boutiques, and Jim C and I purchased tickets for the art museum and Duomo. Included in the purchase price was access to the tallest tower in the town, Torro Rossa.

      We learned that at San Gimignano boasted seventy-two towers at its peak. Our assumption was this to serve as watchtowers to guard the city. Instead the tower building was initiated by two rival families in competition with each other, and the practice was adopted by other wealthy patriarchs determined to model the ageless demonstration of male prowess in the "whose is biggest" game.

      The times of the Great Plague witnessed a deterioration of the number of towers and the numbers have dwindled to sixteen today.

      When we entered the art museum, we saw the entry to the Torro Rossa, and I entertained the notion of going to the tower. At first the steps were stone, but eventually there was a metal stairway that you could see down below between the steps, and that ended my delusion of continuing up the tower. Jim C and I came up with a Plan B: we would tour the art exhibits together, and then we would go our separate ways with Jim C going up the tower and I would visit the Duomo otherwise known as Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunto.

      There were many beautiful pieces in the art museum. Most depicted Biblical events and a number were painted on wood. One of the pieces of the Virgin Mary reminded us of many of the portrayals of children who look like old men. I labeled this work as Jesus and Benjamin Button.

      I thought that I might grow weary of visiting yet another church, but I do find them peaceful and beautiful. Today was no exception, and I learned about St. Fina, the child saint and local pride and joy of the community. St Fina's remains are buried in one of the side altars, and I read a pamphlet of her story. When she was ten , St. Fina experienced an illness that rendered her legs useless (polio?) at the age of ten and she was confined to a wooden pallet for the remaining five years of her brief life. St. Fina is credited with many healing of visitors and for the demonstration of grace despite her severe impairment. The legend is the a special violet grew on her pallet and also appeared throughout the towers of the city.

      The duomo has many brilliant frescoes depicting the passion of Christ and scenes from the Old Testament.

      When, I rejoined Jim and his sisters, Jim recounted his trip up Torro Rossa where the last part of the journey to the overlook was a metal ladder. I attribute my avoidance of this experience as Divine Intervention, and I'm happy to give credit to St. Fina for missing yet another "Oh Hell, No" experiences.

      We concluded our time in San Gimignano with some incredible gelato, and then we headed back to our agritururismo. Once again, we enjoyed pool and nap time, and yet again another fine dinner on the terrace. I'm grateful for another beautiful day in San Gimignano. It's definitely a jewel in the many treasures of Tuscany. Buona Notte!      Baca lagi

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    • PengembaraTwo Jims' European Adventure
      Hari 36

      Cinque Fotografie-Tuscany Day 7

      19 Mei 2022, Itali ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

      We enjoyed a cooking class led by, Andrea, one of the staff at IL Segreto de Pietrafetta. He was a wonderful encouraging teacher who attributed much of his culinary skills to his mother.

      Like many during Covid times, I took up baking bread and learning to make pasta. It was fun to expand on skills today, and to create a meal with family.

      Sharon and I collaborated as Team 1958 and Jim and Nancy (Team JC/NC) worked together on their preparations.

      We learned to make focaccia, tagliatelle, and cantucci which is similar to biscotti.

      Our two teams made different variations on the theme. Team 1958 created a stuffed tomato, sun-dried tomato and basil focaccia, while Team JC/NC made a potato/rosemary focaccia.

      We learned to create pasta dough which required rolling it out and stretching it much like the creation of pizza dough. Cutting the pasta into tagliatelle noodles was a fascinating cutting process. The final result was a really wonderful cacio e pepe (parmesan and pepper) creation. Sharon is not a fan of cheese and she learned to make a butter/sage variation.

      We made two flavors of cantucci: chocolate/vanilla/hazelnut and rose/vanilla/pistachio. We learned that it is a tradition dating back hundreds of years to serve cantucci with Vin Santo, a strong amber colored wine used for dipping. Here's a link to the history: https://www.theflorentine.net/2015/09/10/cantuc….

      We enjoyed our collaborative meal creation served with an ample supply of white wine that was available throughout the meal preparation process.

      After a restful afternoon, we ventured about 40 minutes away to the hilltop village of Volterra known for its walled Medieval structure and is beautiful alabaster sculptures. We enjoyed tree valley views below and walking through the village which had similar features to Sam Gimignano. Although, our destination restaurant was closed, we found a great outdoor restaurant before making the trip back home. Kudos to Jim C for his adept navigation skills across the narrow winding switchbacks to and from Volterra.

      We ended the evening with an aperitif of a limoncello style variation made with mandarin oranges that we had found last week in Sorrento. It was fun to recount the day, another wonderful series of adventures with family and lasting memories.

      Before we retired for the evening we met Brian & Kathy, a couple from Spain who were celebrating a Covid-delayed honeymoon. Kathy is originally from Vermont and Brian is from Cork. They gave us wonderful tips for our upcoming travels to Ireland and we enjoyed reminiscing about our favorite places in Vermont. Signing off for now. Buona Notte!      Baca lagi

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