<B>Day 7 – First Class Baby, An Oasis In Venice, Don’t Drink At Lunchtime, Hey I Like This City After All, On The Mark, Say The Secret Word And Win $100, Cocktails In The Garden, Fancy Seeing You Here, Sardinian Specialties, Yes Sir That’s My Baby and Mary Tries To Horse Around At Dinner</B>

On our 1996 trip, Tracy and I took a daytrip to Venice (we were staying in nearby Padua), and to be truthful, I couldn’t figure out what the allure was of this city. When we disembarked the vaporetto near Piazza San Marco, there were hucksters selling crap of all kinds. “This is Disneyland on speed,” I said, as we looked out onto the incredibly overcrowded Piazza San Marco (and that didn’t even count the pigeons).

We had a terrible lunch (it was the last time we ever took a Rick Steves’ restaurant recommendation), tried to escape the maddening hordes at every turn, and after about five hours we (and the other couple we were with) decided we couldn’t get out of Venice fast enough.

Returning home, I went on an AOL Travel Board and posed the question “Why Would I Ever Want To Go Back To Venice?” and listed what I did not like about it, and if someone could give me some reasons to return since I knew it was a favorite of many posters. Of course, I got the usual idiotic kneejerk answers from jerks, “Well, if you didn’t love Venice, don’t go back you moron, and leave Venice to people who love it.”

Fortunately, there were some people on that board with an IQ higher than a centipede who answered intelligently. Those responses persuaded me that we gave Venice short shrift (“spend the night and experience the magic of Venice”), so I booked a couple of nights for us in Venice on this trip to give it another whirl.

I had purchased first class tickets for our train journey. The tickets didn’t cost much more than second class, so “what the hell,” I thought. While on board, we checked out the dining car that sort of reminded us of North By Northwest, but fortunately the Italian police were not after us.

Mary remembers us being served “great tea, strong coffee and little cookies.” I would have to assume most of that strong coffee was consumed by me.

Upon arriving in Venice, we hopped on a vaporetto (yes, we paid) that would take us near our Venice lodging, the Pensione Accademia on Dorsoduro. Getting off at the Accademia stop, within seconds we began walking and were headed toward the hotel (so we thought). In what is common for this group, we missed the little alley we should have gone through, asked a very nice person for directions, and within about 5-10 minutes were safely at the hotel. I must say, it was love at first sight.

Pensione Accademia was lovely, complete with beautiful, quiet gardens in front and back and canals on either side. Situated in front of the hotel was a nice outdoor breakfast area, as well. Our room had beautiful inlaid hardwood floors, beamed ceilings and a 4-poster bed.

The guy at the desk gave us a lunch recommendation on the Fondamenta delle Zattere that runs along Canale della Giudecca. It was a Tuesday, and when we reached the restaurant we saw it was closed on Tuesdays. At this point Tracy and I noticed something different from our last trip; there was a noticeable lack of tourists over here (that’s why we became so enamored with Pensione La Calcina on our next two trips in the 200os).

Instead, we decided on some pizza and beer for lunch at a place located on the canal. Once again the alcohol at lunch proved to be a bad idea, as we were all tired afterward. However, we pushed on to explore a little of Venezia.

Needless to say, Venice made quite a different impression upon us on this trip, and the location of our hotel was definitely a plus. Across the Ponte dell’Accademia we walked, and in about ten minutes we were standing in the middle of Pigeon Poop Square (aka Piazza San Marco). Although I find the charm of pigeons flying in your face to be somewhat perplexing, the square wasn’t as crowded as our first trip, the weather was really nice, and suddenly I found myself getting into a Venice groove. I even posed for a (very quick) pigeon picture, and then carefully checked my shirt for any fecal evidence after the photo op.

After perusing items that fortunately we didn’t buy at a few nearby shops, we visited the Basilica di San Marco. The cathedral had been spruced up in the past five years, so the mosaics stood out much better. I regretted that we didn’t spend a few extra lira to go up and see the horses (not real ones but bronze replicas of the original bronze ones). Come to think of it, I still haven’t done that…another something for my “to do” list.

Exiting the cathedral, Kim and Mary ran into acquaintances of theirs from San Diego. Then, at some point, according to her notes, I began following Kim around the square “like Groucho Marx.” There are times I even frighten myself.

It was unlike me, but I relented to the pressure of the group to relax back at the hotel. Kim and Mary had once again had trouble sleeping (Mary blamed it on the Chianti), and Tracy said a little rest never killed anyone.

Back at the Pensione Accademia, we were served complimentary lemon ice tea and limoncello in the garden (it’s possible that might have been my first limoncello experience). We sat with some Brits (who we understood about as well as the Italians) and enjoyed a lovely afternoon. The Brits had been coming to Venice for the past 14 years and coincidentally were spending a fortnight on this trip.

I also had my first-ever Bellini, which is a cocktail that incorporates Prosecco and white peach purée. Supposedly the founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice invented this drink sometime in the 1930s or 1940s. It was quite refreshing and complemented the limoncello rather well. I immediately asked the hotel if they had a spare liver.

Having been overcome by the beer (and limoncello), Tracy took a short nap afterward. Don’t tell anyone, but I might have dozed off, too.

On this night the two couples would split up for dinner. No sense hating each other less than a week into the trip! Departing the hotel, Tracy and I ran into Ron and Martha (even the Italian Tourist Witness Protection Program could not save them from our group’s clutches). We agreed to meet up the following day, and maybe do a gondola ride the next evening with the six of us.

For some odd reason (except for the fact it had been recommended) I wanted to try Sardinian food, which was interesting since I knew absolutely nothing about Sardinian food. So, after a nice walk, we ended up at L’Incontro (Dorsoduro 3061, Rio Tera Canal). By the way, it is still around in 2013 and garners mostly positive reviews.

My motto had always been (or at least since we stepped inside that restaurant), “When at a Sardinian restaurant, do what the Sardinians do,” so we left our meal up to the server. Results were decidedly mixed, but mostly positive

We started with a meat platter, or as Tracy called it, “Fat with herbs.” I have no idea what it was, but one of the meats looked like bacon, and it was damned good. So was the salami and what we remember to be Parma ham (aka prosciutto).

The second course for Tracy was a tortellini with gorgonzola and pesto and what Tracy classified was a “weird looking pasta with pomodoro and pecorino” for me. Tracy recalls that my pasta was better than her dish, although her dish sounds much better to me.

I followed with a main course of thinly sliced beef with rosemary, while Tracy had a delectable pork chop in brandy sauce. We split a dessert of panna cotta with fresh strawberry sauce. Oh, I do remember that one. This restaurant was the start of my future panna cotta addiction.

As we ate our panna cotta, we spied a nice couple at the next table struggling to get through their dinner due to a rambunctious, but cute, child. We found out (none of the four of us are shy about conversing with strangers…kids, don’t try that at home) that the couple was from Brazil and living in Philadelphia, where the husband attended school. Their little kid, 5-month-old Luca, was, to say the least, a handful.

Most of my experience in life with little children has been to avoid them at all cost, but we were relaxed, and I sort of felt sorry that this nice couple could not enjoy a few minutes of dining. Soon, little Luca was sitting on “Uncle Maitai’s” lap, and they were able to eat in peace, and I was able to confirm that we would never, ever have children.

Meanwhile, across town, Kim and Mary were having a dining adventure of a different sort. She said the restaurant offered “typical Venetian food.” Mary looked at the menu, and saw that they served “colt,” which she assumed was a type of fish (perhaps a seahorse).

When the waitress stopped by their table, Mary asked if “colt was a fish.” The waitress did not speak English, so Mary pointed to the word and made a swimming motion with her hands. Damn, I wish I’d been there for that!

The waitress laughed, shook her head back and forth and “neighed” while pawing in the air. Mary said, she didn’t feel like “horsing around” (I have a negative effect on people’s humor even when they’re not around me), so they decided on a couple of nice pasta dishes to start and fish for their main course.

They then hoofed it back to the hotel and ran into us after about six furlongs. She related the near horse dining experience to us. I said she should have tried the horse. “It’s the perfect Mane course,” I told her. Well, that’s our pony tale, and we’re sticking to it.

We all slept like babies (except probably for Luca and his parents) in the quiet comfort of the Pensione Accademia. This good night’s sleep would get us ready for a full day in Venice and a night where we would once again witness Dr. Mary spring into action…although on this night she would not be a doctor, but a dentist.

<B>Day 8 – Eggscellent Breakfast, This Place Blows (in a good way), Cemetery At Sea, One Of My All-Time Favorite Museums, Small Bites, Presenting Jackie-O, ‘O Sole Mio, Near Decapitation, Fish Feast and You Look A Little Down In The Mouth</B>

I am loving this report! We are going to Venice soon!

willow...have a great time in Venice!

We have been back to Venice twice after this trip. The people who responded positively were correct. Venice was magical!

((H))

Tracy just emailed me a correction (a small correction): It seems little Luca (Luka) was around 2 years old, not 5 months. Just another reason I never became a parent...I wouldn't even know how old my kid was.

((H))

Hey mtt, Glad to read that Venice won you over!

Thanks for writing this catch up trip report, very, very entertaining as always.
So happy you changed your mind about Venice too!

I love your writing. We are going in September and this report is making me very excited about our trip. Cant wait for more.

Maitaitom, please continue with your trip report! I am in withdrawal!

Tom, if someone ever does decide to publish you. Please let us know. I'll buy it. You had me at those chicken sandwiches...

Oh those chicken sandwiches...I can still taste them. I'll get back to this trip report over the long weekend.

((H))

Amazing trip report! Love your writing and plan on checking out some of your other trip reports! :)

<B>Day 8 – Eggscellent Breakfast, This Place Blows (in a good way), Cemetery At Sea, One Of My All-Time Favorite Museums, Small Bites, Presenting Jackie-O, ‘O Sole Mio, Near Decapitation, Fish Feast and You Look A Little Down In The Mouth</B>

I had to reread my notes a dozen times today, because I did something on this Venice morning I never do on vacation…sleep in! By the time I meandered down to the lovely Pensione Accademia breakfast room a little after 9 a.m., Mary had already run into Ron and Martha and confirmed we were all going for a gondola ride that night.

Kim, Mary and I had a great breakfast of scrambled eggs, cereal, fresh kiwis, yogurt, orange juice and strong coffee with warm milk. There were also menu items if you wanted to order anything else. It was quite a spread. Tracy joined us later and after a delicious breakfast, it was time to go.

It was an incredibly beautiful day, so we decided to grab a water taxi (booked through the hotel) and travel out to the island of Murano. We loved the water taxi. We got a quick suntan as our hair blew in the wind on the ride over (well my hair didn’t, since I had some weird short cut in those days).

I was humming Heart of Glass by Blondie as we docked near the main square. Murano has been a glass-blowing mecca since the 10th century, or so our guide who greeted us upon arrival told us.

We were directed toward the furnace (well, not inside of it) and watched as the glass blowers went about their delicate work. It was pretty fascinating. Our guide told us that the material used to make the glass is imported from France. Who knew?

There were a number of generations working at this factory, and the factory is closed in July and August…too hot. Then it was time for our guide to take the suckers (excuse me, four savvy travelers) to the showroom filled with beautiful vases, stemware and other glass products.

Even our group, known to overspend at the drop of a glass champagne bucket, realized that $800 for a set of stemware was a tad above our meager budget. Yep, a service for eight would have cost a cool $6,4000 (hard to remember back to the 2001 exchange rate, but I believe at the time $6,400 was about a hundred zillion lira).

Our guide then made the observation that only East Coast people and people from California buy this stuff. “Tourists from the U.S. Midwest never buy much,” he said. We then told him we were from Kansas (hey, we flew over it on the way to Italy), so that pretty much ended his hard-sell spiel.

The group didn’t get out for free, however, as we did splurge for a couple of bracelets and a necklace. We didn’t want to give Kansas too bad a name.

Not wanting to splurge for another water taxi, we hopped on the Vap and took it back to Venice. We looked out onto what looked like an island oasis, and we were told that it was actually a cemetery called Isola di San Michele, which was once a prison.

Back in Venice, we walked the back alleys and streets, and got lost a few times until we reached Piazza San Marco. Tracy and Mary were in the mood to buy things (I think that Murano salesman had done some subliminal selling), so they did a little shopping before it was on to our next destination, which turned out to be the first of three visits we have made to this museum in the past 12 years.

The Palazzo Ducale (Doges Palace) was home to the Doge Of Venice, or the Big Pecorino. The audio guide at this museum was one of the best (and still is), and our visit lasted about two hours. We finally hit the Bridge of Sighs, where I believe I said for the first time, “Sighs Matters.” Kim, Mary and Tracy have heard that joke now on three trips, so I believe I will have to let it rest in peace.

After our Doges Palace tour, the two couples split up and had a late lunch. Tracy and I found a wine bar (yes, how shocking) and had some cicchetti, local appetizers found all over Venice and now prevalent as “small bites” at dozens of Los Angeles area restaurants.

We munched on crostinis topped with crab, cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and asparagus, whipped cheese and almonds. Crab was the winner. Some vino rosso washed down those small bites perfectly.

Tracy and I detoured to another spot on the canal and had a glass of Prosecco soaking in the late afternoon sun as we looked out on this beautiful sight. Tracy had her big sunglasses on, and with the sun beating down on us on a perfect Venice afternoon, it inspired me to call her “Jackie O” as she raised her glass of Prosecco.

I was ready for a nap, but Tracy realized we had to hurry back to the hotel for our next adventure.

We scurried back to the Pensione Accademia, where we met up with Ron, Martha, Kim and Mary in the lobby. It was time to head over to San Giglio, where the six of us would share a gondola on the Gondola Concerto Tour. Kim and Mary brought a bottle of Prosecco, Tracy and I a bottle of vino rosso, while Ron and Martha had bought some delicious cookies to take aboard. We were happy to share all of this with our gondolier, Marco (lots of Marcos over here), and he was happy to partake.

There were about a dozen or so gondolas zigzagging across the canals on this 45-minute excursion, and the gondoliers took turns showing off their singing skills. Tragedy was narrowly averted when Marco, singing loudly while not paying close attention (hmm, could it have been the vino), headed for a bridge that had little clearance for his noggin. Fortunately Marco knew what the word “duck” meant when we said it, or he might have had to retrieve his head and run to a spot where they would build an expensive cathedral.

The whole tour was a blast! People in the other gondolas were shocked that we had brought wine on board, and told us later they were mad they hadn’t thought of it. Ours was definitely the most fun of the gondolas.

Afterward, the six of us headed for dinner and wound up at Cantinone Storico located fairly near the Ponte dell’Accademia. Once again, we placed ourselves in the waiter’s hands.

Although not really a fish aficionado, I started with the antipasto misti, which consisted of a platter of fresh scampi, raw sliced ahi tuna, anchovies and onions in lemon, all served with a delicious grilled toast.

Tracy opted for the shrimp with lettuce and lemon olive oil. Ron and Martha shared fresh asparagus and followed that up with scampi and artichoke risotto and some grilled salmon.

Our first course was spaghetti with spicy pomodoro and shellfish sauce. The heat of the dish was cooled of some by some vino bianco.

Kim and Mary began with the shrimp/lettuce combo and spaghetti accompanied by garlic and olive oil. Then Kim dined on the grilled salmon and Mary went the sea bass route. Damn, we ate a lot here!

For dessert, we all had a dish that consisted of gelato, limoncello and grappa. It was spectacular. Oh, and during dinner the waiter would just bring some extra things for us to try, including free glasses of Prosecco.

Although we had downed a substantial amount of wine and Prosecco on this evening, Dr. Mary still was on call, although I would have not wanted her to operate heavy machinery. In real life, Mary was a dental hygienist, and she noticed our headwaiter rubbing constantly at his jaw. Not believing he was posing as Rodin’s The Thinker, his actions were enough for this modern day Clara Barton to spring immediately into action.

Sure enough, the waiter admitted he was suffering from a terrible toothache. Kim was afraid Mary might extract the tooth right there in the restaurant, but fortunately she just pulled some drugs from her medical bag (aka purse) and told him what to purchase at the pharmacy the following day. It all added up to quite a night.

This was the trip when we all fell in love with Venice. “Disneyland on speed” was now but a distant memory. We knew we would return (and we have…twice…in 2005 and 2008).

Weighing about 25 pounds more than when we had woken up about 13 hours before, the four of us bade farewell to Ron and Martha who were staying on in Venice. Our group had to wake up early the next day, because it was back on the train to Florence, where we would pick up our rental car, frightening Italian citizens from the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside all the way down to the Amalfi Coast for the better part of the following week.

<B>Next: Day 9 – Did I Run Over That Nun, Charming Chianti Countryside, Time To Greve, Mona Lisa’s Home Winery, Afternoon On The Campo, You’ll Walk Those 500+ Stairs In 2005, Hotel Fantastico and “Don’t Worry We’re Not Going To Kill You!”</B>

Oh, goody!

Carry on!

Good show, Tom!

What happened next??!!!

We're hangin' here waiting for the next installment, Maitaitom. Hope you are okay and will continue this as usual hilarious rendering soon.

Being that I'm still in Italy, it might be fun to retrace the path of the infamous MaiTai Gang. haha

Unbelievably, I have been busy working (I know, very unlike me, but we have to pay for these trips). I'll get back to it soon, because Tracy and Mary have been on me, too. Tuscany here we come. Thanks.

By the way sarge, you are my hero. Hope you're having a great time. Enjoy your journey!!!

((H))

Loving every word and waiting for more. Hope to visit Italy next year so I'll have to bookmark this.

TTT

TTT

What happened to the rest of your report. It seems to be missing as you enter Tuscany :-(

Wow, I had forgotten about this. I actually still have our extensive notes, and my memory of this trip is good, so maybe I'll throw out another day (I'll have to check if the restaurants and hotels still get decent reviews). This was the first Fearless Foursome trip. Mary has some notes, too, which is good. Heck, it was only 17 years ago (:

Damn, we were young.

Isn't it wild to think what seems so recent was 17 years, Tom?! Thanks for posting this. I'm going to make it my Sunday reading. Your TRs are such fun yet thorough---please compile them into a book. It would be a best seller.

PS--I posted our first trip to Paris-can't believe we had the stamina! https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...story-1084072/

Such a cute pic. Thanks to whoever topped this report... bookmarking for later.

Ok ciaociao, Now look what you've done (: You got me motivated... on a Saturday no less!

Day 9 – Did I Run Over That Nun, Charming Chianti Countryside, Time To Greve, Mona Lisa’s Home Winery, Afternoon On The Campo, You’ll Walk Those 500+ Stairs In 2005, Hotel Fantastico and “Don’t Worry We’re Not Going To Kill You!”

We awoke early and bid “arrivederci” to the lovely Pensione Accademia. This was a really great place to stay for our first visit to Venice. It was quiet and it led to us being Dorsoduro fans (we stayed at Pensione La Calcina (now Hotel Calcina) on the Zattere in 2005 and 2008).

A water taxi got us to the train station, and by 11 a.m., we were back in Firenze. Mary wrote, "We down our café and cookies and watch the small towns zip past on our way back to Florence." The four of us walked five or six blocks, luggage in hand, to the car rental agency and we nearly made a clean exit out of town. I’m sure those three nuns have gotten over their near-death experience at the hands of a novice Florence driver.

Oh, and Mary's notes show I also took us on a slight detour to the Piazza Michelangelo before finding the correct route. These driving errors foreshadowed our more problematic ones four years later.

For the first time in our life we were on the SS222 (dubbed the Karen Valentine Highway in 2005). Getting on the road (now called regional road 222 Chiantigiana) at Grassina, we headed through Chianti on our way to our base in Siena.

Passing through the hillsides we spied a cypress-lined driveway to the Castello di Verrazzono, where we hoped we might taste a little Chianti Classico. Alas, the scenery was gorgeous, but the winery had no tours or tastings. Onward we went.

Our next stop was the town of Greve (which we would discover more of in 2005). Lunch was at a little restaurant that no longer exists, which is too bad because I did love my spaghetti with pomodoro and basilico. The melon with proscuitto tasted like candy. The melons in Italy are out of this world.

After a hearty lunch, it was on to see the Mona Lisa, or at least the place she was supposedly born, Villa Vignamaggio. It has been producing wine since 1170, two years before Kim and I were born. We strolled around the incredibly beautiful grounds, tasted a little vino and I bought a Riserva 1997.

Since our visit, it has been determined that the story about Mona Lisa was a myth. Lisa Gherardini was actually born in Florence in June of 1479. Oh well!

The scenic drive to Siena made us fall in love with this area. We would return in 2005 and stay at an unbelievable agriturismo along the 222.

Following the signs to Porta San Marco/Duomo as we entered Siena, we found our hotel, Palazzo Ravizza, located just inside the wall. To this day, Palazzo Ravizza remains one of our favorite hotels we have ever stayed in Europe. It still garners rave reviews.

Palazzo Ravizza was (and I assume still is) a lovely old hotel which includes a gorgeous garden overlooking the Tuscan countryside. Inside it has a library, a bar, a sitting room (where I would receive a martini lesson the following day) with coved ceilings painted yellow with a stenciling of olives.

To avoid the crowds, we took a late afternoon walkabout. Our walk toward the Duomo was quite hilly. Inside the Duomo, an excavation was taking place of a newly found room located beneath the floor. The interior of the Duomo was stunning.

We headed for the Piazza del Campo, where the Palio di Siena takes place twice each summer. Dirt is laid around the shell-shaped Campo, and jockeys ride bareback around the Campo. I have a friend who went to it and said about the event, “It's crazy, but fun.”

Kim, Mary and Tracy all window-shopped, while I shielded my eyes from the shops. We sampled some insanely good Sienese almond cookies, too. We did purchase some of those.

I attempted to get the crew to climb the 500 steps to the top of the Torre del Mangia. The cumulative “look,” meant “this ain’t gonna happen.” It wouldn't be until four years later that I would finally scale the third largest tower in Italy.

What’s the next best thing to tower-climbing? Martinis in the Palazzo Ravizza garden, of course. We retired to our room for a little nap (I guess I was not the evil task-master that I am now in my early days) and freshen up for dinner.

Dinner was included in the hotel price (half-board, which I hadn't even known I'd done when I booked), and we had two fantastic meals here. We stepped down a few stairs and entered a small, glassed-room adjoining the hotel and overlooking the garden. This room had a really intimate feel to it with beamed ceilings and brick floors. Sadly, the hotel no longer serves dinners, but does still include breakfast.

We were seated at a table overlooking the garden. Sitting kitty corner to us was a couple who were dressed impeccably (unlike the unkempt table of misfits next to them ... actually, for us, we were pretty well-dressed), and if you travel with Mary, odds are fairly high we’ll get to know some of the other diners.

Mary said “hello” to them, and they introduced themselves with an unusual ending to their introduction. “We’re originally from Iran. Don’t worry, we’re not going to kill you.” A long conversation ensued, and there was no bloodshed. They told us how they fled Iran when the Shah of Iran was overthrown during the revolution of 1979. It was a very interesting evening that lasted well into the night. Yes, lots of wine was consumed. We dined next to them the following evening. Meeting interesting people while traveling is a great part of the overall experience.

After bidding our new friends farewell, we all stepped out into the garden on a spectacular Tuscan evening, each of us with a glass of on-the-house Limoncello in hand, except Tracy, who was in the mood for a little champagne. La Dolce Vita indeed!

Next: Day 10 - Medieval Manhattan Of The Middle Ages, No Almonds In This Rocca, Gotta Try That Bathroom, Fantastic Fields, Picnic By The Prison, Roamin’ Roman Ruins, The First Official “Tomtini” and Our Last Limoncello (at least for a couple of days).

Even though it is old you have hooked me too. We are returning to Tuscany this September so I am curious what you have to say about it. Always love your trip reports.

Hey Maitai! I have a question for you. I remember your trip very well because I was in most of the same places at the same time. We kept missing each other by a day or so......I'm pretty sure MY trip was in 2000. Should we both check our dates?? :cool: :wine: I always enjoy your TRs to everywhere, except the medical ones!

Dayle, Ours was definitely 2001. Later that year (after 9/11) we got a $475 RT to Paris for Christmas. Yes, I am trying my hardest not to have another Hospital Trip Report.

Sberg, Kim, Mary, Tracy and I return to Italy this autumn (our first trip with them since the infamous 2005 trip). No Tuscany this time. Milan, Bologna, Ravenna, Padua, PIemente Wine Country, Torino and Orta San Giulio.

((H))

Too bad we won't be in the same place at the same time. We went to England and Scotland shortly after you did. We followed in some of your footsteps. I only wish I could write as well as you do! Have a great time in Italy. Can't wait to read your report. We can't wait to go back this fall. We love Val D'Orcia and we are looking forward to seeing it again.

What a wonderful TR, Tom. I actually had read the 2013 reboot. Thank goodness for a poor memory as it is all new this time and I have more to say these days:

Had to laugh about your luggage seeing more countries than you had.

“Take the ticket and go away.” :-d

Your u-turn made you an honorary Italian!

Your Florence dinner with the natives sounded spectacular. And, OMG, you mentioned the biscotti for dipping. DH and I were given small crackers and they were so good. We were always searching (fruitlessly) for them.

We liked the Bargello way more than the Uffizi—not sure if the layout was the problem.

The look!

Sighs matters….

Loved the Iranian intro.

You're the best, maitaitom!

Tom, I guess my memory is wrong on the point of us being there the same time then! Anyway, this is still one of my all time favorite TRs! Every time I rent a car in Europe, I remember to double check the fuel and I think of your trip when I do it!

I'm thinking of this report as a TV show that didn't make the Fall lineup, and is finally here as a summer replacement series.

Day 10 - Medieval Manhattan Of The Middle Ages, No Almonds In This Rocca, Gotta Try That Bathroom, Fantastic Fields, Picnic By The Prison, Roamin’ Roman Ruins, The First Official “Tomtini” and Our Last Limoncello (at least for a couple of days).

Looking at Tracy’s notes I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that I let Tracy sleep in (those days are over, baby!). In any event, Kim, Mary and I ate breakfast in the beautiful dining area. Sleeping beauty arrived about a half hour later and at about 10 a.m. (wow, was I lenient in those days) we were off to our first stop on a sunny, blue-sky day.

About a 45 minute drive from Siena was San Gimignano (and still is), the “Manhattan of Toscana.” Although most medieval towns built large towers for defense, the towers of San Gimignano (hence “Manhattan”) were constructed by the town’s patrician families to show how much richer they were than others. Surprisingly, there was no Trump Tower. Of the original 72 towers, only 14 survive today.

We headed to the Rocca di Montestaffoli. Built in 1533 by the Florentine to help the town fend off attacks by Siena, this was once a castle and then a convent. There were panoramic views. Back down, we strolled through the increasingly crowded streets. After either Mary or Tracy bought a silver bowl (hey the notes are 17 years old), we decided to pick up some picnic supplies (salami, pecorino, cookies, fruit, delectable Sienese cookies, bread and, of course, wine) that we would partake of at our next destination, Volterra.

Tracy wrote about those Sienese cookies ... “soft centers and crunchy on the outside, and dusted with powdered sugar.” Yeah, they were good.
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Before heading out, Mary took a slight bathroom break at a high-end portable unit, and as she opened the door to get out, the room suddenly became a shower. It was the first time we had seen one of these. We all said we'd take our umbrellas the next time we have to go to the bathroom.

Volterra is located about 45 minutes from San Gimagnano, and it is pretty along the way. Fields of wheat, mustard poppies, olive trees and vineyards made this quite a scenic drive. Parking downstairs in Volterra, we climbed up to the Parco Archeologico, a grassy space with trees and hedge-lined paths. It’s also located next to a prison.

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We plopped down on the grass looking at the Fortezza Medicea, a 13th century fortress that is now a high security prison filled with various types of criminals, and even murderers. It was a gorgeous day, so we didn’t want to contemplate that an “Italian O.J.” might escape (however, in preparation for our picnic, we did only pack plastic knives).

2018 Update: "The prison now occasionally serves dinners to the public. “The novel dining experience requires guests to complete background checks, go through metal detectors, forfeit their phones and even eat with plastic utensils. That’s because the meals are prepared and served by the prison’s inmates, many of whom have been incarcerated for violent crimes and drug trafficking. The exclusive dinners inside the jail’s church are served just eight times per year and act as an opportunity for the prisoners to be rehabilitated through cooking. Inmates work alongside a professional chef to learn the basics of the kitchen.”
’d love to Yelp a review, “The food was good dinner, and overall it was an arresting experience. This was literally an off the cuff meal.”

After the relaxing picnic (not a criminal to be found), we took a walk through town along the cobble-stoned street filled with Alabaster shops. Fortunately for our pocket books, nothing of interest to buy was found.

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We came to a spot overlooking an old Roman Theater, so old that it was built before Sophia Loren was a star or even before Nero began his fiery fiddling career. The Roman theater and baths were constructed in the first century BC, and we thought about the climbing down to see them. Remembering the old paraphrased adage (probably from about the same time period), “What comes down, must climb up. we figured the views from the top were enough (these photos from the pre-digital age leave a lot to be desired).

We arrived back at Palazzo Ravizza about 4 p.m. (or 16:00 for you Europeans playing at home). Tracy and Kim went upstairs for a nap (hopefully not together), while Mary and I strolled about in the garden and watched as an ensuing storm begin to form. Knowing it was heading for us, we headed to the bar.

Soon Kim and Tracy appeared (they were both smiling, which now really makes me suspicious). Not to worry however, because I had been served the best martini (gin) I had ever consumed. As I finished that martini, my drinking life would soon take a turn for the better.

A young guy plopped down in the chair next to me and said, “You look like a guy who likes martini.” Now it didn't take Columbo to figure that out (especially since the martini was still in front of me), but I replied politely, “Yes, I do.”

He quickly retorted, “Then I am going to change your life.” It turns out he was a young lawyer from New York City, and he said, “This drink is currently the rage in NYC. I’ll buy you one.” Never one to turn down a gift martini in the mouth, I accepted his generous offer.

He told the bartender the directions to concoct a simple drink consisting of ice, lemon vodka, a splash of Cointreau and a slice of orange ... up like a martini (shaken, not stirred). The martini wasn't the only thing shaken .... Wow! Kim quickly dubbed this new drink, “The Tomtini!”

And for people who don’t think a martini can include vodka, there now is no problem with the semantics because this drink is officially a “Tomtini,” at least in a few households we know.

Sufficiently lubricated for the evening, we departed to the dining room for yet another fantastico dinner. I’m sorry to see dinner not served here anymore. We toasted our hotel with another complimentary Limoncello. It would be the first of two hotel restaurants that turned out to be quite good on this trip.

Bedtime approached, and we needed our sleep. Tomorrow we’d leave early (about time, the evil taskmaster is back!), visit a Montalcino fortress where we’d also taste wine and end up in the middle of a wedding, get caught up in a sports car rally, became Pecorino addicts in Pienza, sip wine and have a picnic on a merry-go-round in Montepulciano before arriving at our Orvieto hotel located in a 12th-century abbey (where we’d join in yet another nuptial). Wow!

Next: Day 10 - It’s A Fortress AND An Enoteca, Walking The Parapet, Brunello Baby, I Do, The Drive Where We Rally, I’ll Stay Open For You, Perfect Pecorino, Picnic On The Playground, Cave-Dwellers, Abbey Normal, I Do (Part Two), Everything’s Going Swimmingly and No Chestnuts But There Is An Open Fire

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As usual, great report. I empathize with Trace as I like to sleep late... no breakfast until the last gong. Also, I've made Tomtinis. Delicious and dangerous!

Arresting experience dinner LOLs! Looking forward to Montepulciano. I took this shot from said town (computer removed utility lines):

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Gorgeous shot TDudette!!!

((H))

Hoping for another instalment, enjoying this new/old report.

The summertime lineup is great. Enjoying the read. We head to Italy next spring and
Tuscany is on the agenda.

Thanks, Tom. I owe it all to Bella Italia.

Day 10 - It’s A Fortress AND An Enoteca, Walking The Parapet, Brunello Baby, I Do, The Drive Where We Rally, I’ll Stay Open For You, Perfect Pecorino, Picnic On The Playground, Cave-Dwellers, Abbey Normal, I Do (Part Two), Everything’s Going Swimmingly, I Think My Hair Is On Fire and No Chestnuts But There Is An Open Fire

Ah, my four favorite words ... We were up early! Finally, the Tuscan Tom I know and, well, have had to live with every day of my life was back.

After a quick breakfast at Palazzo Ravizza, we bid farewell to Siena, and, heading south, in a little less than hour we were parking our car in Montalcino.

The medieval village of Montalcino looks pretty much the same as it did in the 16th century (I was told that, I didn’t visit then since there were no airplanes). It’s a lovely town with cobblestone pavements, but we weren’t here to soak up its medieval charm. Even though it was 10 a.m., we had one thing on our mind ... the “Ferarri of Wines” ... Brunello. And there was only one place we wanted to taste it.

The Enoteca La Fortezza Di Montalcino is not your ordinary tasting room. This baby was built in the 14th century, and two centuries later it was “the last bastion of the resistance of the Sienese Republic against the Medicean conquest,” which I assumed had something to do with that darned Medici family.

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We needed to acquire a thirst, so first we scaled the stairs to the top of the fortezza (it was 5,000 liras in those days), and walked around taking in the stunning views of the town and surrounding countryside. Then it was back downstairs to join in a little (and expensive) tasting of this wine. We did the cheapest tasting (in 2018 that would be two Brunellos and one Rosso for €15.50. Deciding we enjoyed the 1995 better than the 1996, we bought two bottles, meaning our wallets were much lighter.

Digression: Speaking of money, we loved the lira. We didn’t even feel like we were spending real money. However, on one occasion I nearly made a huge mistake. I owed 10,000 lira at a toll booth, and gave the man my toll. I started to drive away, but heard the guy yelling at me (not the first time this had happened ... see drive into Florence). I stopped, he shook his head and said, “You must be careful.” He handed me back the 100,000 lira bill I had mistakenly handed to him. Lesson learned!

Stepping outside after our tasting we found ourselves smack-dab in the middle of a wedding reception, unless they were drinking champagne before the wedding.

Digression: In 2005, we would return to Montalcino to see the picturesque Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo, constructed in the 12th century. I highly recommend visiting there if you’re in the vicinity (you can check it out on my website ... shameless plug ... travelswithmaitaitom.com “Italy 2005.”)

Deciding we had imbibed enough, it was off to our next location, where Pecorino is king. Along our route to the Pecorino Capital of Tuscany (aka Pienza), headed in the opposite direction were a line of 50 - 75 very cool looking sports cars. From Alfa Romeos to Ferraris to Porsches, these cars were things of beauty. Reading up on it afterward (much afterward), I believe we were in the middle of the Mille Mignia, “Italy’s Vintage Auto Race,” which is now a rally.

In Pienza, we parked at the edge of town, and spent a good deal of time just strolling around this charming village with a Duomo that looked like it could slide down the hill at any moment. We stepped inside, and fortunately got out in time. I hope it’s still there.

We next visited the Palazzo Piccolomini Garden, which afforded us some spectacular views of the countryside. But enough of history and sweeping landscapes, we needed to find some cheese ... Pecorino to be exact. Once again, my life would be changed forever.

We stopped at a little cheese shop where the woman was closing for the lunch hour. “Darn,” Mary said, “we were hoping to buy some pecorino for a picnic.” Well, the woman got a big smile on her face, opened the door and said, “Come on in.” I love Italy!

Our friendly hostess not only let us taste a few variations of my now most-beloved cheese, but she also offered us some complimentary wine to help wash it down. The place was called Sapori Di Pienza, and it looks like it is still around, only at a larger location called Antichi Sapori Di Pienza ( Ancient Flavors of Pienza). I hope our friend is still there, because she was a sweetheart (there she is below with Mary).

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We bought some well-aged Pecorino, hot peppers, bread, wine and some olive oil, bid the lovely lady “arrivederci,” and we were on our way to a picnic in nearby Montepulciano, a hill town that takes “hill” to the next level. We parked at the base of a hill heading up to town, and went in search of a picnic spot. We walked upward ... and upward ... and upward some more until we found a local, and we (desperately) asked, “Is there a place to picnic around here?” Fortunately he spoke English and gave us directions.

We continued our upward trek until we found the picnic area ... located right next to a PARKING LOT. Oh well, we needed the exercise. It wasn’t a large area, so we sat where we could. Mary and Tracy found a bench, while Kim dined sitting at a kids’ merry-go-round.

Afterward we headed into town and found a wine cave, where we purchased a wine of the region, Nobile di Montepulciano. We had no money left, but our wine collection was at least growing.

Digression: Sadly in 2001, the internet had a dearth of travel sites. I remember making all of our hotel reservations by fax or phone. That lack of information also meant errors of omission in planning. While driving, we stopped and took a photo of the gorgeous Church of the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio (below) in the countryside below the city walls of Montepulciano. I didn’t know about it before we left and have no idea, except for the fact I was ignorant about it, why we didn’t go down to explore it. Oh well, just another reason to return to Tuscany (like I need an excuse).

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On the road again, we were on the way to our home on the outskirts of Orvieto, Hotel La Badia di Orvieto. An abbey had occupied this site since the sixth century, and the existing building dates from the 12th century. We arrived at precisely 4:15 (or at least that’s what Tracy’s notes say).

Getting out, we could see the hill town of Orvieto from the parking area. The hotel dubs itself an “Island of Stone in a Sea of Green,” (photo is the La Badia postcard I bought)because the countryside where it is located is full of lush greenery and trees. It was still quite warm, so we changed into our summer wear and walked toward the pool area. Before we could reach the pool, however, guess where we found ourselves? Yep, we were right in the middle of yet another wedding. We later found the beautiful, little chapel where the nuptials took place. It’s located on the premises.

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After lounging around the pool for a while (with Negroni cocktails from the hotel bar), we ran into some American art students, who recommended the hotel’s restaurant for dinner. They’d never lied to us before, so we decided to try it out.

We all showered and got ready for dinner. Usually just a mundane task, Mary’s hair drying experience was unique. For some unknown reason (could have been that we were still travel novices back then), Mary decided that if the plug to her hair dryer fit into the outlet she did not need to use an adaptor, but when she turned on the dryer, not only did it singe her hair (right in the front), but it also fried the hair dryer. We heard her screams from down the hall. Speaking of outlets, the only outlet in our bathroom was in the bathtub! Yep, no safety issue there.

The students were right ... the restaurant at La Badia was fantastic. Walking in there is a room with an open fire (we kept Mary’s hair at a safe distance), and we dined in the adjacent dining room.

Dinner was divine. Dishes ranged from a mozzarella, tomato and corn salad to cheese and spinach crepes to entrees of pork, veal and chicken. We had gone in the other room for a moment to watch the chef put a grate over the coals and wood, and he proceeded to cook the meats in the open fireplace. Mary wrote that her pork dish (the house specialty) was “the juiciest and most succulent pork I have ever had.”

During our dinner a fireworks display started going off, and Tracy dashed outdoors to take a glance. During that interlude, I stole part of her veal dish. We washed down dinner with a couple of bottles of Orvieto Classico vino (of course, we did).

Dessert included biscotti dipped in Vin Santo, a dessert wine that agreed with me. We liked the restaurant so much that we reserved for the following night, requesting at a table in the room with the open fireplace.

We hit the sack by 10:30. Tomorrow I had planned to give the troops a day off for a relaxing poolside day. Of course, plans are made to be broken!

Day 11 - Thank You Clouds, Fun Funicular, Todi Fields, The Most Livable City In The World, What ... Another Wedding, The Town Where Everything Is Uphill, San Francesco Open Your Golden Vaults, Hot Time In The Old Church Today, Dem Bones And Getting Sauced Without Alcohol