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Michele Lalonde
Michele Lalonde

Michele Lalonde

居住地： Glencoe, Canada もっと詳しく🇨🇦Glencoe
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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Trevi Fountain...all dried up for cleaning 🙁
    The Postal Workers Auspice 1915-1918ParthenonCorinthian columnsConcrete dome with oculusChurch of St. Mary of the Martyrs in the PantheonTomb of King Victor Emmanuel (1878)In my apartment...not sure what's going on here

    140,200 steps, 98 kilometres later

    2024年10月14日〜15日, イタリア ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    One last day to try to get to a few more historical sites, warm and sunny again. I was hoping that being a Monday, it might be less busy on the streets. The only difference was you saw a lot more business wear instead of casual clothes. Thought I’d try the Fontana di Trevi first, and I guess I should have done my research. The fountain closed October 7 for an indeterminate time for cleaning and restoration work. The monument is dry and being cleaned in small portions. The photos aren’t that exciting but it didn’t stop thousands of people from still congregating and jostling for space along the barriers…guess they didn’t do their research either!

    Came across the beautiful statue of the angel with all the names as I was walking. I was surprised when I translated the inscription:

    “The postal workers of Italy auspice. the patriotic action committee here, wanted to immortalize the names of their fellow workers who fell gloriously for the greatness of their homeland 1915-1918”

    Then it was on to the Pantheon, one of the most impossible buildings to find, even for the fact it is massive. €5.00 gets you access to the once Roman temple (AD126), now Catholic Church (AD609). Stopped in to a pizzeria for late lunch and back again to the apartment to start packing. Was going to be a very early departure in the morning.

    October 15 - took the Metro Subway and then the Leonardo Express to the Leonardo da Vinci airport. Unfortunately had major problems with getting checked in (significant confusion on whether seat assignments had been paid for, even though I had all the receipts). After 45 minutes it was decided I would fly to Zurich on Swiss Air and then hopefully get the Air Canada flight figured out once I got to Zurich. It all worked out, and the plane was loaded and ready to go when air traffic shut us down for two hours so there we sat. Anyway, I am back in Toronto, spending the night at the Sheraton and will head back home tomorrow once I rescue my dog (I don’t think Lynn and Dave are going to give her back!)

    Thanks to everyone who joined me, Lisa, Rich and Sharon on our Viva Italia travels. I know they are continuing to many more wonderful destinations this week and I wish them all the best on their treks!    もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Sunny start to the day, and warm
    Basilica di San Giovanni in LateranPorta San GiovanniPiazza LodiEntrance to a public parkThe ColiseumBasilica di Massenzio ruins 306ADAntonines and Faustino Temple ruinsMonument to Victor Emmanuel IIMonument under restorationFontana Della Dea di Roma - 1823Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo and Flaminio Obelisk - 16th century

    Rome - 37,000 steps later

    2024年10月13日, イタリア ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Two days of walking in Rome and I didn’t get very far! You can’t get from point A to point B in anything close to a straight line or without dodging the thousand of tourists still flooding the city. Sunday was quite insane, it was a beautiful, warm sunny day and the crowds were almost impassable. I made it to The Coliseum in the Piazza del Colosseo, with one wrong turn along the way. There isn’t anything to say about The Coliseum except WOW! Unfortunately I was unable to get skip the line tickets and the line to buy tickets was close to 3/4 of a kilometre long. I strolled along the Via dei Fori Imperiali which is closed to traffic and full of archeological ruins, temples, Basilicas, statues, monuments, buskers, opera singers, and hundreds of dogs! Italians bring their dogs everywhere, restaurants, bars, cathedrals, grocery stores, public transportation and yesterday I saw two in a beauty salon…not sure who was getting a new hairdo! The Roman ruins along the Imperiali date back to 306AD. Walking further up the road, I missed the turn to the Fontana di Trevi but ended up in the Piazza del Popolo with its obelisk and Basilica said to be home to the ashes of The Emperor Nero. It was hot and every outdoor restaurant was busy (typically they close at 2:00pm and reopen in the early/late evening). I made the journey back to my apartment and spent the later part of the day planning my transportation to the airport, which was giving me big time grief!もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Dinner - Trattoria Pizzeria Da SimonettaPanna cotta for dessert

    Rome

    2024年10月12日, イタリア ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today was the day we went our separate ways. Rich, Lisa and Sharon were going to Genoa and I’m in Rome. It was a great time travelling with them, but now they’ll have more space in the car and not dealing with my ridiculously large suitcase. We said goodbye at the Florence train station, and I caught the train to Rome. Unfortunately, I did not realize there was a Rome terminal before the actual Rome Termini. So naturally, I got off at the wrong stop. I ended up taking the Metro (the subway) to the correct terminal and then continued on to the stop closest to the apartment on Via Urbino. I’m on the seventh floor with a great outdoor terrace and a wonderful view of rooftops. The area is very vibrant with lots of shops and restaurants and traffic and a gay bar about four doors down. Haven’t figured out tomorrow yet, probably The Coliseum and Trevi Fountain as they are within walking distance and continue to try to get tickets to the Vatican and St. Peter’s. Pasta and wine for dinner and it’s time for bed.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Selfie in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Flore
    Private service15th century clockPasta with lemon and garlicCasa Vania - DonniniTerrace that we never got to enjoyPool took a beating yesterday after the storm1To the dungeon, oops, bedrooms2Yes, she is outside the bedrooms...nightmares guaranteed

    Addio Donnini, Arrivederci Florence

    2024年10月11日, イタリア ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Our last day together, our last day in Donnini and Florence. We decided to take the early train to get us into Florence to get in line for access to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. Tickets are free every day except Sunday and religious holidays but the lines can run for great distances. We were fortunate and got in as soon as the Duomo opened. Not as imposing as some of the other cathedrals we’ve visited, it is still a majestic edifice that makes you wonder how these soaring buildings were ever built (90 meters high floor to ceiling) in 1296. We wandered through the leather market again, finally broke down and bought a leather bag to lessen the load in my suitcase. Went back to a restaurant we ate at earlier in the week that was exceptional, only to find they had changed to their winter menu just yesterday. The server was excellent and had the chef prepare 4 of the pasta with lemon and garlic with lemon crumble for us, even though it was no longer on the menu. Back to the Mercato for some take home gifts and gelato and home by train. Our villa inspection was tonight to pay the cleaning fees and taxes and if I haven’t told you how eclectic our place is, you only need to look at the photos attached.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Sitting around
    I see sunshine over there...oops, no

    Rain, rain, go away….

    2024年10月10日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Well, what can I say? Hurricane Kirk blew through the north and we were faced with the remnants of rain and high winds. There was no choice but to stay home, read, eat, play card games and hope the sun would eventually come out. And by 3:30pm it did, so we found a restaurant in the next town (Carbonile) for dinner but they didn’t open until 7:30pm so it was a late night on the dark, winding roads.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Municipal building Arezzo
    Ponticino - our view for 2.5 hoursCathedral of SaintsRich returns from battleCathedral of Saints 1203-1914Organ created in 1536 by Luca da CortonaArca di San Donato 1364 with stained glass windows by Guillame De MarcillatVaulted ceilings from 16th and 17th centuryHigh altar 1823 - Cappella Della Madonna del ConfortoCattedrale dei Santi Pierro e Donato in the Parco II PratoShop in the Piazza GrandePiazza Grande - movie Life is Beautiful filmed hereLunch!Basilica di San DominicoHomeward bound

    Arezzo (via treno from hell)

    2024年10月9日, イタリア ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Our train trip to Arezzo turned into a bit of a frustrating fiasco first thing this morning. A rail breakdown less than a kilometre from the Arezzo train station left us sitting on the train for 2.5 hours. The train returned to Ponticino but didn’t actually go to the station so we sat there, as they (the train people) promised it would be no more than 30 minutes….right (sarcasm). After finally arriving in Arezzo, we walked up to the walled city, which is very charming, and after the craziness of yesterday with David, almost free of tourists. Arezzo has 3 piazzas, the Grande being the location for the Roberto Benigni movie, Life is Beautiful. The main place of worship, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus, has been my favourite Duomo so far on this trip. Quite simple on the exterior, we walked in and it was such a surprise to see how stunning the interior was. Built in 1276 by order of Pope Gregory X, it has had an extensive history of additions, upgrades and renovations through to 1914. We walked to the park and back down through the town, stopping for lunch in the Piazza Grande. The train was on time (yay!) and it was another quiet night of peanut butter sandwiches, potato chips and licorice.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    David, sling along his back
    Sculptures by Luigi Pampaloni 1827-1830

    It’s All About David (and the rain)

    2024年10月8日, イタリア ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    This day was all about David. We trained into Florence in the morning and went back to the indoor market because the weather was getting bad. Spent some time wandering and having lunch before the crowds got too big. Walked over to the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze for our 1:45pm ticketed entrance to the museum. The skies opened up and it was a steady, heavy rain and there were literally thousands of people standing in various lines, with umbrellas threatening to take out any unsuspecting eyeballs. We found out the timed entry was delayed by almost 45 minutes so hunkered down under a store awning until we heard our time called and got in line. Once in, you are subjected to the X-ray screening that is now common in all the larger galleries. The museum is fairly small, and although featuring many paintings and statues, the main reason to visit is David. Created by Michelangelo in 1501-1504, the statue stands almost 17’ high carved from a single block of stone called “the giant” by previous sculptors who tried to sculpt it without success. David is shown just prior to his battle with Goliath, with the stone in his right hand and the sling over his left shoulder. It was a long day battling crowds and bad weather so we caught the train home and had an early night.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Cooking Class1Donut in Italian is ciambello...Caprese and antipasto

    Down Day and Florence Market

    2024年10月7日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I decided today to take a down day. I stayed in Donnini, went for a walk, visited the bakery, grocery store and pizzeria and got some desperately needed nap time, my sleep has been minimal at best over the last week. If it had been a nicer day I could have gone for a swim in our pool but it’s been terrible weather off and on with Hurricane Kirk playing havoc in France and Germany. Lisa, Rich and Sharon decided to take the train back into Florence and found a great indoor market with amazing vendors featuring hundreds of varieties of meats, poultry, fish, cheese, breads, pastas, balsamic vinegars, olive oils, limoncello, chocolate, fruits, vegetables, gelato and so much more. There was also a cooking class taking place and the upper level was a massive food court featuring everything from homemade truffle pasta to sushi to Smashburgers to pizza and every kind of dessert possible. When they returned home we went out for dinner at Pizzeria Cacciatore in town to celebrate Lisa’s birthday.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Florence rooftops
    Firenze DuomoDuomoPiazza and archwayMarket (mostly leather goods)Arno River - FlorencePalazzo Pitti di FirenzeCeiling art - Pitti1

    Firenze (via treno)

    2024年10月6日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today we left the car at home and took the 30 minute ride into Florence by train. No more winding roads for the near future. Once we arrived, we made our way through the town to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in the Piazza del Duomo. Our planned destination for the day was the Palazzo Pitti, home to Florentine banker Luca Pitti in the 1400’s, now home to 5 museums - The Treasury of the Grand Dukes, The Museum of Russian Icons, the Palantine Gallery, the Imperial and Royal Apartments, The Gallery of Modern Art and Museum of Costume and Fashion. On the first Sunday of every month, most museums and galleries throughout Italy offer free admission, as long as you are willing to wait in line for tickets and access. Florence is a massive city and the streets were teeming with thousands of people. We poked our heads into many of the exclusive stores and some of the prices were really beyond our budgets, but it’s always fun to look at expensive clothing, handbags and jewelry. We got to the Palace, only waited for a brief time to get tickets and entry. To say it’s overwhelming, well that’s the only word that kept coming to mind….it’s impossible to show the rooms, the halls, the ceilings, the walls, the floors- every inch of this 344,445 square feet, three floor museum is covered with art, statues, frescoes, furniture, not including the 111 acres of the Boboli Gardens. It took us a few hours to view just a small portion - Lisa, Rich and Sharon toured the Gardens while I opted for the Museum of Costume and Fashion. We all agreed the Modern Art was our favourite. After leaving the Palace we spent some time in the Piazza de’ Pitti enjoying the sunshine and taking photos and people watching…so many people! Late lunch at a fantastic outdoor restaurant with a view of the Cathedral and it was back on the train to Sant’Ellero and home to Donnini.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Giovanni da Verrazano in Greve
    Greve marketGreve post office...and barRoadside coffeeDonniniTono bakeryWaiting for the Villa agentOur new viewOur Villa - Casa Vania

    Greve Market and Moving Day

    2024年10月6日, イタリア ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Today was the day we were moving from Siena to Donnini so it was an early morning packing and getting out of the Villa by 10:00am. There was an open market we wanted to stop into in Greve so we headed there, hoping to spend some time before check into Donnini at 4:00pm. The market was really geared to locals, selling everything from sewing notions, underwear, household goods, shoes, bedding, dish ware, clothing, scarves and pharmacy items like shampoo and shaving cream. A separate part of the market sold fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, cheeses, rotisserie chickens, huge loaves of bread but all geared towards grocery shopping. We saw a nonna with some beautiful leeks in her shopping cart and I bet there were some great dinners being made that night with all that wonderful, fresh food. Lunch in an outdoor setting once again, I had an excellent ham frittata with crostini with chicken livers, Lisa and Sharon had pizza and Rich tried the lasagna. It’s been a lot of pizza and pasta but it’s so different from how we prepare at home, the food here doesn’t leave you feeling overfilled- usually just enough to leave room for afternoon gelato. We left for Donnini, travelling through wine country again and started up the winding hillside to the town. Let’s just say this is an interesting little village. There are two restaurants and a bakery that makes bread in the morning. A small Coop grocery store that opens in the late afternoon and a small courtyard bar. Everyone knows everyone else, the restaurant and bar is the social centre for all residents and their dogs…needless to say, we 4 Canadians really stuck out! The Villa Vania is so eclectic, it will need a post of its own…sadly the temperature this evening has dropped to 9 degrees so none of us will be venturing out for a swim in the pool this evening!もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Montepulciano
    MontepulcianoMontepulcianoPiazza GrandeMontepulcianoPiazza GrandeMontepulcianoTemple of San BiagioTemple of BiagioTuscan winery2WineryWinerySharon's new hatSharon gets attackedBig Blue - MontepulcianoRich takes a rideHere comes the rain againCalzoni for dinnerMy dinner

    Montelpulciano, Pienza, Montalcino

    2024年10月5日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Renamed the washed out road trip. Started the morning clear and bright, a drive to Montepulciano, Renaissance town of beauty. We wandered the streets, stopping in at many of the wine shops, climbing higher and higher along the switchbacks to the top of the city and the Piazza Grande. The weather was looking questionable and we decided to have lunch in a wonderful outdoor restaurant while we could still enjoy the scenery and all the dogs that were on the patio. Making a quick stop at the Temple of San Biagio outside of the city, we decided to forgo the tour and headed out to
    Pienza, a charming town that was the summer residence of Pope Pius II. Hoping to try the local delicacy of pecorino with honey, we arrived just as the restaurants were closing for the afternoon (restaurants usually close from 2:00pm-7:00pm). We wished we had more time to spend there but the thunderstorms were getting closer and we still wanted to try to get to Montalcino and the Abbey of Sant-Antimo but as we arrived into the Abbey parking lot the skies finally unleashed all its fury and we were stuck in the car for 30 minutes amongst torrential rain, hail, thunder and lightning. The soil from the surrounding vineyards was running in rivers down the hillside, turning everything brown and it was amazing how fast the roadway started to flood. There was no possibility of entering the Abbey so we decided to head home for the day - it was a long day in the car so we stopped at great pizzeria in Siena for dinner, making the ride home along the winding roads a definite adventure in the night. Moving day tomorrow, off to Donnini.    もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Duomo
    Yes, we took a selfie in the cathedralGates of Heaven rooftop tour1Inside the upper levels of the cathedralFrom the rooftops1Lunch after in the pouring rain

    The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

    2024年10月3日, イタリア ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Today was the Gates of Heaven. The weather wasn’t cooperating in the morning but we were spending the day in Siena so a short car ride. We arrived at the Cathedral just as the skies opened up but got in and bought our tickets for the Gates of Heaven. Viewed the interior of the Cathedral, one of Italy’s most beautiful Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals. The 9th century church was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary and consecrated in 1179. Known for it’s incredible marble mosaic inlay floors, the mosaics are covered most of the year and we were fortunate to visit now with the floors being uncovered. Hundreds of sculptures dedicated to The Apostles and all the Popes from St. Peter through to Pope Alexander III Bandinelli adorn the upper portion of the building. Paintings dating from the 16th century, the Piccolomini Library with it’s frescoes painted in 1508, a collection of stunning stained glass windows and more make this Duomo a must see if you are in Italy. But the most enjoyable was an exclusive tour of the Gates of Heaven. After entering a hidden door near the entrance of the Cathedral, you climb a narrow (claustrophobic), steep staircase that has very narrow steps and winds around and around and around. Needless to say my claustrophobia kicked in about half way and I wasn’t sure I would make it. But reaching the top was well worth it, we were now in a gallery that runs along the inside near the ceiling, looking down on the Cathedral and all the people below. Exiting the interior you are then greeted by an outdoor terrace that takes you to the very rooftops of the church (thankfully mostly covered as there was now significant rain). We finished our tour climbing back down the “ladder to heaven” and made our way to Piazzo del Campo to find somewhere dry to have lunch. We got a great table covered with a huge awning and enjoyed lunch while watching the other tourists dodging the rain. Made our way home (found a McDonald’s and stopped in for a coffee, that was an experience….). Quiet night in playing cards and teaching Sharon and Rich how to play 99. Big day on the road tomorrow.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    Volterra
    San GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoSan GimignanoPeople watching in San Gimignano1King of the BBQ's in MonteriggioniPost Office and Government in VolterraSelfie time!Getting windy out...3Home of Gelateria Dondoli, world's best gelatoMonteriggioni1Monteriggioni

    Walled Cities-Road Trip

    2024年10月2日, イタリア ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    Today was road trip day, heading out to Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and Volterra. With our trusted driver Rich at the helm, we ventured down outrageous windy, curvy, bumpy, lumpy, narrow and bum rattling roads, until we reached our first stop for the day, Monteriggioni. This Tuscan fortress overlooks the town of Porta Franca, and as far away as Chianti and Val d’Elsa. We climbed the wall and walked along the 570 metres, taking in the incredible, if not very windy, views. The little courtyard was still fairly quiet this early in the morning. Back to the car (I’ve named the GPS Sophia after Sophia Loren) and another 50 minutes off to San Gimignano, Italy’s City of Towers. This UNESCO site was once home to over 70 medieval towers, now only a handful remain. We had an interesting lunch (google Gnudi) and back in the Fiat for another stomach lurching ride to Volterra. This walled mountain top town was lovely, with recent excavations of Roman ruins. Known for the alabaster quarried nearby, we stopped into the Ali Alabastri Lavorati Italiani and viewed hundreds of pieces or art, sculptures and jewelry created from this beautiful creamy stone. This little town had real charm and many excellent restaurants, we wished we had eaten here for lunch. Rich got us all home safely, if not a little sore from all the car traveling and all the wall walking and it was an early to bed for most. Tomorrow is a whole day back at Siena Duomo so get ready for lots of cathedral pics!もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    1

    Siena

    2024年10月1日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We all agreed today would be a quiet day, still getting used to the time difference and a little sleep deprivation. We drove back into Siena which is south from Poggiarello-Ripa. Rick Steeves calls Siena the medieval heart and soul of Italy. A beautiful city with a mix of modern and 14th-17th century medieval brick buildings, including the Torre del Mangia in the Piazza del Campo. The Piazza hosts the Palio twice a year. Quoting from the Palio website - “The Palio is a historical secular tradition strictly connected with the origin of the Contradas of Siena (districts into which the town is divided). The Contradas are spectacular agonistic institutions each having their own government, oratory, coat of arms, appellations, sometimes titles of nobility, emblems and colours, official representatives, festivities, patron Saints, with protectors, delimited territories and population which consist of all those people who were born or live within the topographic limits of the district, according to the proclamation issued by Violante Beatrice of Bavaria on January 7, 1730, at that time, Governess of the town.” We saw many of the flags still hanging from windows and buildings and watched a very exciting film from the last Palio, thousands of people in the Piazza with 10 horses and riders racing for the honour of their Contradas. Lunch outdoors in the Piazza, more shopping, taste tastings (and buying) of Limoncello, olive oils and Limoncello cookies before the obligatory gelato to finish the day. Another quick grocery stop and back to the villa where we never had dinner, still full from our lunch but had a rousing game of Five Crowns before calling it a night. Photos include pictures of the Duomo (cathedral) but will be visiting the Duomo for a longer look on Thursday so more about that later. On a personal note I was able to stop in at the chapel across from the Cathedral and light a candle in memory of my Dad, gone 2 years ago today. Can’t think of a more beautiful place to remember him by.もっと詳しく

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  • Michele LalondeViva Italia!旅行者
    21

    Poggiarelo-Ripa

    2024年9月30日, イタリア ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After a pleasant, fairly uneventful flight from Toronto-Montreal I arrived in Rome to one of the busiest airports I’ve been in for many years. Thousands upon thousands of people passing through customs and security, but it all managed to work very well. Waited for 3 hours to meet the WestJet flight from Calgary and finally saw the smiling faces of Lisa, Rich and Sharon. After a bit of chaos at the car rental, we were on our way. A 3 hour journey north to Siena, along beautiful scenery that you couldn’t see because of the high guardrails (we figure that’s intentional because you certainly don’t want to have those Italian drivers distracted!!), the winding roads left Lisa and I a little green 🤢 and Rich very happy to stop driving for the day. A quick shop at the local Penny’s store got us a few things for a makeshift dinner that night. We arrived in Poggiarelo-Ripa and were greeted to a beautiful villa overlooking the Tuscany vista, with pear, apple and olive trees, horses, chickens, dogs, roosters right on our doorstep. A hodgepodge dinner and then exhaustion set in and it was off to bed….more tomorrow when we visit Siena!もっと詳しく

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