While travelling around Tuscany we discovered many Medieval hilltop towns. We thought they'd all be the same but they we all different with different characteristics.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Discovering Assissi
We'd both heard of Saint Francis of Assissi, but we'd never realised that the city was so magnificent.
We drove by it and thought - What is that? quickly realising that it was Assissi.
We have learnt that it is better to visit these popular towns in the evening when it's cooler, easier to park and many of the tourists have gone home.
The white sandstone buildings were well preserved, very beautiful, towering above our heads in narrow cobbled streets, hundreds of steps up various levels and many churches. It was well worth a visit.
We drove by it and thought - What is that? quickly realising that it was Assissi.
We have learnt that it is better to visit these popular towns in the evening when it's cooler, easier to park and many of the tourists have gone home.
The white sandstone buildings were well preserved, very beautiful, towering above our heads in narrow cobbled streets, hundreds of steps up various levels and many churches. It was well worth a visit.
Housesitting in Tonni near Sienna
We have been very fortunate to be given the opportunity to house sit in a 700 year old house for 10 days in a very small village in central Tuscany, near Sienna. The area was beautiful and I can see why so many people buy holiday homes in Tuscany.
The house was like stepping back in time. Helen who owned the house was an Australian, who grew up in the Snowy Mountains. She had lived in Italy for 32 years and is a translator. She is also a member of a network called Global Footprints. So she was very careful to use as few resources as possible to live her life.
The house was wonderful with all old wooden furniture and basic appliances - but we had all we needed.
It was a very relaxing time staying in one place for 12 days and not having to constantly pack up and drive somewhere.
The house was like stepping back in time. Helen who owned the house was an Australian, who grew up in the Snowy Mountains. She had lived in Italy for 32 years and is a translator. She is also a member of a network called Global Footprints. So she was very careful to use as few resources as possible to live her life.
The house was wonderful with all old wooden furniture and basic appliances - but we had all we needed.
It was a very relaxing time staying in one place for 12 days and not having to constantly pack up and drive somewhere.
Meeting CouchSurfers in Florence
There is quite a network of CS in Florence and we had two opportunities to meet up with them.
The first was at a bar in Florence where there were about 25 people there. It was good meeting all these people who were hosting people from all over the world - however they said because Florence is such a popular place they get over 10 requests a day. While we were there we were invited to a pizza night the following day. This was being held at Pistoria in the countryside of Tuscany.
We drove with our host from Florence, Emanuela, to the pizza party in Pistoria.
The house was an old farm house on an olive farm and had a classic Tuscan view, with rolling hills, old terracotta roofs of houses and olive groves. The hills were misty and the light was golden as the sun was setting - do you get the picture.
There were again many CS to talk and socialise with, people from all over the world. We were told how to order coffee in Italy and what was the best thing to order on the menu.
The pizza making was a very active event. People needing the bread dough and preparing toppings. These included Salami and cream cheese, prosciutto and pecorino cheese (sheep's cheese) and the more traditional tomatoe based pizzas. But the big supise was the desert pizza was NUTELLA PIZZA!! It was good too.
The first was at a bar in Florence where there were about 25 people there. It was good meeting all these people who were hosting people from all over the world - however they said because Florence is such a popular place they get over 10 requests a day. While we were there we were invited to a pizza night the following day. This was being held at Pistoria in the countryside of Tuscany.
We drove with our host from Florence, Emanuela, to the pizza party in Pistoria.
The house was an old farm house on an olive farm and had a classic Tuscan view, with rolling hills, old terracotta roofs of houses and olive groves. The hills were misty and the light was golden as the sun was setting - do you get the picture.
There were again many CS to talk and socialise with, people from all over the world. We were told how to order coffee in Italy and what was the best thing to order on the menu.
The pizza making was a very active event. People needing the bread dough and preparing toppings. These included Salami and cream cheese, prosciutto and pecorino cheese (sheep's cheese) and the more traditional tomatoe based pizzas. But the big supise was the desert pizza was NUTELLA PIZZA!! It was good too.
Visiting Pisa
We drove via Pisa to get to Florence. Originally we wern't going to stopped but we actually could see the tower from the car and it looked quite amazing, so we decided to stop.
We parked the car and walk into a magnificent square with three large regal buildings. They were bulit with mable and had an amazing presence.
There were loads of tourists and it was funny watching them as they were all being photographed pretending to hold up the tower - so we decided to photograph them with there hands in the air.
We parked the car and walk into a magnificent square with three large regal buildings. They were bulit with mable and had an amazing presence.
There were loads of tourists and it was funny watching them as they were all being photographed pretending to hold up the tower - so we decided to photograph them with there hands in the air.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Bus 37 to Florence
We arrived at Emanuela's house about 9 km outside Florence. She is a fantastic host and very friendly and hospitable. She gave us instructions to catch the number 37 bus to get to Florence and we were quite excited to see this beautiful city.
It was a magnificent place with marble buildings everywhere, but there were thousands and thousands of people. We decided we wouldn't spend too much time there and come in another day.
At 3pm a thunderstorm started and the heavens opened. We got soaked. We waited at the bus stop for 2 hours and kept thinking we were at the wrong place so we walk to another spot and asked a someone about the bus. No, everything was OK. Then after asking numerous people, someone said that the no 37 bus was held up because of floods(the worst for 30 years). There were no taxi's and so we started to walk in another direction to see if the bus was going from another stop, then we saw the no. 37 bus and we asked to get on, but the bus driver said NO, not here, in sign language - Italian style - what ever that is. BUT WHERE - we signed and she pointed down the road. We ran so fast. It must be 20 years since I'd ran for a bus and I don't think tony had ever ran for a bus. We thought we'd missed it and then when we turned the corner there it was and we just caught it.
It was one of those feelings - i don't know how we are going to get home and out of this situation, but I know tonight we will be back at Emanuala's and we did. We didn't go back to Florence.
It was a magnificent place with marble buildings everywhere, but there were thousands and thousands of people. We decided we wouldn't spend too much time there and come in another day.
At 3pm a thunderstorm started and the heavens opened. We got soaked. We waited at the bus stop for 2 hours and kept thinking we were at the wrong place so we walk to another spot and asked a someone about the bus. No, everything was OK. Then after asking numerous people, someone said that the no 37 bus was held up because of floods(the worst for 30 years). There were no taxi's and so we started to walk in another direction to see if the bus was going from another stop, then we saw the no. 37 bus and we asked to get on, but the bus driver said NO, not here, in sign language - Italian style - what ever that is. BUT WHERE - we signed and she pointed down the road. We ran so fast. It must be 20 years since I'd ran for a bus and I don't think tony had ever ran for a bus. We thought we'd missed it and then when we turned the corner there it was and we just caught it.
It was one of those feelings - i don't know how we are going to get home and out of this situation, but I know tonight we will be back at Emanuala's and we did. We didn't go back to Florence.
New Shirts for Tony
While sitting at a bar, near the beach, in Italy, people watching, Tony announced that I was to no longer buy any of his shirts!
HEY! Where did that comment come from, what had I done.
He said that his shirts looked liked pyjamas and he was going to buy his own from now on and I'm going to buy yours too!!!
He had been looking at all the beautiful Italian men and women and thought that we both looked liked a pair of old frumps in baggy shirts.
AH! I thought - this is an opportunity to kit Tony out in some trendy shirts and I might even score some new clothes myself!
So at the first opportunity we went into a nice men's clothes shop and bought two Italian linen shirts and he does look really good. Mind you he is having trouble with the crumpled look. So next we'll work on the trousers and then the shoes. Then we'll have a completely new Tony with a great sun tan too.
Not much hope for me though!
HEY! Where did that comment come from, what had I done.
He said that his shirts looked liked pyjamas and he was going to buy his own from now on and I'm going to buy yours too!!!
He had been looking at all the beautiful Italian men and women and thought that we both looked liked a pair of old frumps in baggy shirts.
AH! I thought - this is an opportunity to kit Tony out in some trendy shirts and I might even score some new clothes myself!
So at the first opportunity we went into a nice men's clothes shop and bought two Italian linen shirts and he does look really good. Mind you he is having trouble with the crumpled look. So next we'll work on the trousers and then the shoes. Then we'll have a completely new Tony with a great sun tan too.
Not much hope for me though!
Driving Lesson Italian Style
We arrived at our first couchsurfer in Italy feeling slightly nervous, never knowing what to expect.
We met Alessandro our host, an ADD doctor, no, I don't mean he is an expert in ADD, rather than he is ADD!
A very hyperactive person who kept us on our toes. Never the less a really great guy who taught us a lot about Italian culture. The best thing he taught us was how to drive in Italy.
We were meeting his friends at night at some unknown destination. He hopped into the passenger side of the car (which would normally be the drivers side in Italy) and started to give Tony directions on where to go and how to drive.
While making phone calls he was telling Tony to "take a lefta and a righta", "go through these red lights" - "it's OK we're turning righta".... "just get in front of this car" ..... "go faster we need to keep up with that car" .....
"it's OK"... "we need to get over there" ..... "Tony you have to be more aggressive" ... "no one will hit the car" - "it's OK don't worry Tony" !......
Meanwhile Tony is having kittens and thinking oh SHIT!!! "Now tony I want you to park here" .... "Where" says's tony there is no where to park ........ "just here next to this car" says Alessandro along side this one.
So there we were being asked to park in a three lane highway, double parked while we go and have ice creams !!! it's OK Tony!
The funny thing was that while this all seemed so outrageous it actually help to understand the Italian culture of driving and so far it seems to work. However we don't quite drive like Alessandro.
We met Alessandro our host, an ADD doctor, no, I don't mean he is an expert in ADD, rather than he is ADD!
A very hyperactive person who kept us on our toes. Never the less a really great guy who taught us a lot about Italian culture. The best thing he taught us was how to drive in Italy.
We were meeting his friends at night at some unknown destination. He hopped into the passenger side of the car (which would normally be the drivers side in Italy) and started to give Tony directions on where to go and how to drive.
While making phone calls he was telling Tony to "take a lefta and a righta", "go through these red lights" - "it's OK we're turning righta".... "just get in front of this car" ..... "go faster we need to keep up with that car" .....
"it's OK"... "we need to get over there" ..... "Tony you have to be more aggressive" ... "no one will hit the car" - "it's OK don't worry Tony" !......
Meanwhile Tony is having kittens and thinking oh SHIT!!! "Now tony I want you to park here" .... "Where" says's tony there is no where to park ........ "just here next to this car" says Alessandro along side this one.
So there we were being asked to park in a three lane highway, double parked while we go and have ice creams !!! it's OK Tony!
The funny thing was that while this all seemed so outrageous it actually help to understand the Italian culture of driving and so far it seems to work. However we don't quite drive like Alessandro.
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