Thanks for 20 Matchless Days - Part II - Tuscany
 

Ok, you've suffered through the first part of this deevine trip -

Now we are entering the tourist trail in Southern Tuscany.

Once again I must thank a lot of Fodorites for help in planning, and making me look GREAT in front of my friends. (They all think I'm some kind of expert, but it's all due to the likes of Bob the Navigator and Stu Dudley, and my limited imitation of the hilarious writing skills of MaiTaiTom.)

I planned the accommodations for the week with four couples in Southern Tuscany, since I have been to La Foce houses and the val d/Orcia three times before, each time for almost three weeks.

This time turned out to be the best of all. Consider the cast of characters: self and DH; the retired architect (John) and his longsuffering beautiful wife, (MJ); the Not-for-Profit Finance genius, (Ed) and his even more long suffering wife, (the lovely Ginna); then the already-on-board totally-together (in more ways than one) world-travelers (John and Claire) (and among their world travels was the mountain trek abve Borgo Pace, see Part I).

Each and every one of these guys consider themselves to be stand-up comics, or at least they all tried to act that way by getting lost, making faux-pas, singing, interrupting, eating, drinking wine, etc. -- while the talented, brilliant, intuitive, experienced women in the group did all the correct decision making.

Now, I must admit that among the men were many good dishwashers, cooks, drivers, and story tellers, so they were not a total loss in any way.

As a matter of fact the entire group worked out so well that I plan to adopt them all, at least as brothers and sisters. However, you can imagine the merriment, as each of us got in to some kind of trouble, either with directions, or cars, or big mouths (esp. me) - all in the spirit of entertaining the others.

We knew that John & Claire would find their way from Umbria to La Foce. But I wasn't so sure about the other two couples, who were coming off the red-eye from New York to Rome, and were driving in separate cars from FCO to Chianciano Terme, and up the hill to La Foce, where none had ever been before. and to be fair, there are a couple of strange turns in the road.

Background: La Foce is a very special garden in Southern Tuscany, near Montepulciano, with about 2000 acres of property, which has on the property several rental houses, and apartments all quite scattered around the landscape of the Val d'Orcia, most with stunning views of the valley and Monte Amiata.

The gardens are magnificent, and the houses are marvelous. This time we (8) stayed in Montauto, which is blessedly way off the beaten path. So that, although we were in Touristy Tuscany, it was early in the season (June 12 - 19) and we could barely find the house ourselves. (but that's another tangent, of which there could be many in this narrative, consider how many people there were!)

So it became our oasis, and in a very different way from the week before, we were always so happy to end the day's tour, and go back to our rather large and lovely "home."

La Foce is also the subject of much WWII history: look for Iris Origo's The War in the Val d'Orcia, a marvelous book written by the current owners' mother.

The web site can tell you more: www.lafoce.com

TOMORROW'S PREVIEW:

MOTHER HEN GATHERS THE CHICKS

EVERYBODY IN TO THE POOL

GARDEN OF DELIGHT

THIS IS PEASANT FOOD?

just looked at la Foce website. it looks fabulous.

TELL US MORE

Great stuff---glad you had a fun trip.

La Foce was even better this time than the last time I was there almost ten years ago, and once the year before that. In fact, we were at La Foce, at the house called FontalGozzo on September 11, 2001. Quite an experience.

If interested you could start by looking for La Foce on this forum. I think there have been things written about it, but not sure.

Certainly posters have suggested Iris Origo's book THE WAR IN THE VAL D'ORCIA - an amazing tale of a wealthy couple who moved to the valley in the late 20's and turned it into productive land, making jobs for many, built a school and a little hospital, and together with an Englishman named Cecil Pinsent, made one of Italy's most famous gardens. During WWII they housed orphans, hid partisans, and Allied soldiers and escaped POW's in their villa and in the woods.

Eventually the Germans took over the villa, so they had to move out, and in the end, Iris and her two baby daughters (now the owners) walked the orphans up the white road, past the Castelluccio, to Montepulciano, to house them in the safer church basement, a distance of 10 or 12 miles, over roads that were probably mined.

This "stradale bianchi" was the road we used in our week there, and everytime I drove it, I thought of the brave woman who saved many lives during the ending of the war.

On our first stay there, one of the housekeepers was one of the surviving orphans. It gives one goose bumps to think of the living history of the place.

That, coupled with the excellent variety of houses available, including, now, a B & B set-up, and dinners in the largest building two nights a week, makes for a most diverse and fascinating place to spend time.

Many on this forum will tell you this is a particularly interesting and beautiful part of Tuscany, not so overrun with tourists, but which is now being built up quite a lot. That makes the widely separate houses and their concommitant privacy even more valuable.

Our house was just superb. It has lovely gardens, and plantings all around the house. It has a pool with gardens and a shade terrace for (former) redheads like me, and staggering views of Monte Amiata and the valley. It has three different outdoor spaces for dining.

Look at the pictures on the web of the various houses. Ours was spacious, and really had room for 10 but we were 8 and thought it was just right. Big kitchen with a giant fireplace and a very pleasant large eating area. Five bedrooms with four bathrooms, several sitting rooms, inside and out. Two refrigerators, dishwasher, full kitchen, great tools, et.c

The gardens are open one afternoon a week, and one special evening for people who are in residence.

We all went to the olive oil tasting dinner on Wednesday evening, which is held at Chiarentana, a former fortress on the property, which also has small charming apartments for rent, for smaller groups or a couple. The dinner was a great success, complete with plenty of wine, and five courses, all delicious, for E30 per person, which we thought was a bargain.

I could go on and on because I think this is one of the best places I've ever stayed, and esp. this recent week.

The manager of the estate houses, Benedetta Isidori, is a remarkable woman who seems to have an answer for everything, and who can make almost anything happen. She is really a concierge as well as all her other jobs.

More abut La Foce as the story unfolds. tomorrow.

We love La Foce as well. Our stay was 6 years ago in Sassaia, a lovely property.

Looking forward to reading more of your adventure! :-)

La Foce looks wonderful!

Thanks, all. I'll be back later today with some more adventures, as promised!

SATURDAY JUNE 12 - CHECK IN DAY AT LA FOCE

Mother Hen Gathers the Chicks

This was the day that our four couples were joining up at our house at La Foce.

Since I had made the arrangements for the house, and since I knew the area, I felt responsible for everyone getting to the right place at the right time. (Don't know exactly why, because they are all well-traveled adults!)

However, I knew that one couple was already in Italy,and on their way from Umbria, like we were, with a stop in Cortona.

The others were on their way from Rome airport. It had been suggested by the wonderful Benedetta Isidori, manager of La Foce, that, since we couldn't get in to the house until 3 PM that they all drive over to Montichiello, and have lunch on the terrace at La Porta.

I had conveyed that news, and when DH and I arrived in the area, we drove around for a while re-acquainting me with the area where I'd spent time 9 years before. I decided that we too should go to Montichiello, to be sure that the others hadn't gotten lost.

When we arrived in Montichiello at about 1:30 I expected to find them finishing lunch, but nobody I knew was anywhere in view at La Porta. (La Porta is new since my last visit. Ita's terrace does have a lovely view, and the food is supposed to be very good.)

Since there was no table free on the terrace, and since I knew of one other place in town, that I knew to be good and cheaper, we opted to go there for lunch,.

Taverna Morandi has been in Montichiello for a long time, and I remember it because last time we were there, the elderly lady that waited on us wouldn't let us have white wine with our tagliatelle porcini. "NO," she said, without fear of contradiction, "Rosso." So we had rosso.

This time a younger woman waited on us, and I told her the story of 9 years ago. Well, she said, she is my mother in law, and she's not with us anymore. You can have white wine if you'd like.

After lunch, by now at almost 3 PM, the check in hour, I thought we should hurry back to La Foce. As we raced out of town, two cars came slowly up the road to the parking area!!

Sure enough, it was our other two couples, looking lost and forlorn. apparently they were glad to see us, because they had been driving around in circles for a very long time!! They couldn't even describe where they had been, and I'm certainly glad that they ARE adults, and that they had a map, because I can't say that Montichiello is on every map, nor that it is easy to find.

I felt much better to see them in the flesh, and we all repaired to the little bar in town, for sandwiches and (for them) the first luscious tastes of the red wines of the area.

That was pretty much the last of the Mother Hen routine, since they all proved to be more than capable of getting lost (and Found) all by themselves. And eventually everyone learned the way to get home, so we would scatter by day, and sometimes meet for lunch in some lovely town, later to meet up again at the heavenly house.

We all arrived at the villa at La Foce at about the same time as Claire and John (coming from Cortona) and did all the proper check in stuff.

Then off we all drove to Montauto, unloaded scads of bags, toured all around the house and grounds, and I breathed a great sigh of relief, as it was apparent that everyone loved the place ON SIGHT. (who wouldn't?)

While we women investigated every nook and cranny and figured out ways to choose rooms, the men soon gave up on this chore. Soon we saw several flashes go by as they, the smart ones, headed for the pool, a perfect punctuation point for a very warm day in Tuscany.

TOMORROW's PREVIEW:

The Gardens of La Foce

The first dinner

A LITTLE MORE OF SATURDAY, JUNE 12

After a dip in the pool, we all got serious about getting ourselves together, because this evening we were invited to view the magnificent gardens at La Foce.

We knew dinner would be taken care of back at Montauto, since we had peeked in the two refrigerators, and roundly congratulated ourselves on ordering dinner "in" for our first night.

This was prepared by (our soon-to-be-best-friend) Helena, who was assigned to our house as our cleaner for two hours each day (as part of the rental) and who was available for cooking if we wanted that extra service.

I have to confess that all four of us women knew about La Foce gardens, I from personal experience, having been there before three times, and the others from reading the lovely coffee table book called, you guessed it, LA FOCE. (still available I hope)

We were very eager to see the centerpiece of the estate (now about 2000 acres, down from the zenith of about 8000 in the mid thirties) which is a combination of an Italian garden and an English perennial garden, and is a beautiful "belvedere" out onto the glorious Monte Amiata and the val d'Orcia.

As Iris Origo says, in her Preface to THE WAR IN THE VAL D'ORCIA:

"Our house stand on a hillside, looking down over a wide and beautiful valley, beyond which rises Monte Amiata, wooded with chestnuts and beeches. Nearer by, on this side of the valley, lie slopes of cultivated land: wheat, olives and vines, but among them still stand some rides of dust-coloured clay hillocks, the 'crete senese' - as bare and colourless as elephants' backs, as mountains of the moon."

Iris and her husband Antonio, built up the valley and did much for the farmers on their land, many of you have heard about their work during the war, caring for orphans, and much more.

One of their lasting achievements was creating this garden, and off we all went to see it in the deepening shadows.

For any of you who are gardeners, you will understand why I carry on like this, for those of you who don't like gardens, stick around dinner is coming.

I had never seen the garden in June, only in the fall. So this time, as our hostess showed walked with us, around the various levels, I noted the rose garden in its full glory, set up high above the wisteria pergola, and beyond the roses set in travertine edged triangular bed, were all manner of perennials, including the tall stately allium, peonies, pelargoniums, lavendar, and campanula peeking out of the stone walls. All of this bordered by guardians of clipped box hedges and travertine walls, topped with travertine vases, topped with stunning views!! Tuscan cypress in little groups also dotted the landscape here and there.

From this perch one can also see the much photographed serpentine road, lined with cypress, that was created by Antonio Origo in the 1920's when he reclaimed some of the 'crete senesi" for farmland, and wanted to make a way for the farmers to reach the new fields.

Imagine if you will, wandering this garden, with a glass of white wine in hand, pretending just for a moment that you were actually HERE in this paradise.

We had loved seeing wild flowers such as red poppies and the bright yellow broom bushes as we drove around Umbria the week before, and we would see more of the same here in Tuscany, but this garden is to me the epitome of what man can do, when man is at his best.

Thus we sadly left the gardens of La Foce, but we were not crying too much, because we knew what was for dinner.

Back at the house, (which had pretty darn nice gardens of its own (see website))
we smelled our lasagna as we walked in to the kitchen, warming up in the oven.

The guys (and gals) immediately commenced the week long wine tasting, while we all pitched in to put the food out on the well-set table, light the candles, and thn sat down for an evening of, first, thanksgiving for our good fortune, and then an evening of luscious tomato bruschetta, melon and prosciutto, a huge plate of various salumi, a most delicious lasagna, all to be washed down with our daily Rosso di Montalcino.

This rosso was some sort of local wine, which we decided after a few days was at least as good as any of the bottles we were purchasing on our various daily forays. These extra large bottles, with no label, (except one that said "Rosso di Montalcino, please do not throw this bottle away," had a beer cap top!!

It didn't take long for one of the John's to say, let's just get these filled up every day!!
When we checked the price with Helena, it was E5 per bottle!!

I'd have given a lot to be able to put THAT wine in the suitcase!

(We did bring some wines home, but of course they had to go in DH"s suitcase. God forbid that anything might leak on MY clothes.)

There was much hilarity over dinner, and much red wine consumed, and all we had to do was remember the way to our various bedrooms! We soon decided there would be no going out to dinner, not when we had this fabulous house, garden, pool, view and WINE.

Thus, finally, ends Saturday, the 12th.

I promise to be a little less wordy to get you all (whatever brave souls are still reading) through the week.

PREVIEW OF THE WEEK:

SUNDAY: PIENZA

MONDAY: MONTEPULCIANO

TUESDAY: BAGNO VIGNONI, SAN QUIRICO, MONTALCINO AND SANT'ANTIMO

WEDNESDAY: ORVIETO

THURSDAY: SIENA

FRIDAY: HELP!!

SUNDAY, JUNE 13 - PIENZA

We chose to go to Pienza on Sunday, because someone on this forum said that the stores would be open...

I love Pienza, and we all enjoyed seeing it either again or for the first time. It's only a short ride from our house at La Foce, so we could start late, after a pleasant early morning "at home."

Our architect, John, gave us some mini lectures about the classical facade of the church and the Piccolomini palace.

We made the mistake of not booking a place for lunch, so we missed out on the two BEST places in Pienza: Buca della Fatta, and Latte di Luna. (NB Book ahead esp. for Sunday lunch)

We did eat at Il Chiostro, in the garden. This seems like a rather nice hotel, though I have never stayed there. It was extremely pleasant in the garden, with lovely views of the valley.

We bought some pecorino cheese, of course. This trip does seem to be focused on food and wine, and why not??

We spent the evening drinking red wine, eating wonderful leftovers - and ending with some Lindt chocolates from our foray at the factory store in Zurich!! This is the life.

Today, nobody got lost strayed or stolen, and a good time was had by all!

MONDAY, JUNE 14 - MONTEPULCIANO

This week was a series of day trips with one destination in mind (for the most part) during which we would more or less go in our own directions, meet up at a particular site or a lunch place, and then carry on for the afternoon, either going back home to enjoy the house, or finding another church or site.

Sunday had gone well, so I expected as much for these ensuing days. Wrong.

I had endeared myself to all the fellow travelers by giving each a copy of Stu Dudley's driving trip around the Val d'Orcia, so I sort of assumed that these adults could find their way. Wrong.

We had agreed that we would meet at San Biagio, where John, the architect, would give us a 5 minute lecture on this icon of the landscape, by Sangallo, and its importance in Architectural history.

Two cars, four people in each, set out for Montepulciano. One car, four people arrived at San Biagio. We waited for a little over half an hour, but we were missing not only the second car, but also the architect. We did our best to appreciate what we were seeing, took our obligatory photos, and finally decided that maybe they decided to go to Arezzo, so we went up in to Montepulciano. We parked in some subterranean parking lot, a new feature not present at my last trip to Montepulciano, and walked up several sets of obscure stairs to attain the height of the piazza.

This was a bit confusing, but we did pass the new location of the ANSEDONIA jewelry store, where I had bought a very nice gold ring on last trip. But of course it was closed.

ELENEM: TANGENT ALERT

When we got to the piazza the first thing I wanted to do was to going inside the unfinished church, to see the lovely Madonna and Child, by Sano. That painting has a particular place in my memory, because that is where we went on the day after September 11, when I was at La Foce with three girlfriends, and we wanted to go meditate. We met a number of Italians that day, who wanted to hug and kiss us and tell us how sad they were about the destruction and death in New York.

We also met a group of Americans who were very upset and nervous about whether they would ever get home, and asked us what to do (as if WE knew!) All I could think of to tell them was to go inside the church and find that Madonna, and sit quietly for a while. They seemed very grateful, and I was grateful that my then quiet numb brain had at least some kind of a decent suggestion.

OK back to the current story:

After checking out the sites and sights, we decided to find a lunch restaurant, deciding that a terrace with a view would suit us well. We had tried to get in to the Museo Civico to see the Macchaioli painters (I think that means something like "plein air" painters.) But of course it was closed.

We went in to the first such place we found, not far from the main square, where there was one table for 4 available. It was called Enoteca Il Borgo

Next thing we knew, one of the inhabitants of Car Two came running in to the restaurant. They had arrived! and they spotted us just as we disappeared in to the restaurant!

Soon, after much moving of tables by two patient long suffering waitresses, we were all seated and ordering lunch. I do NOT think the other patrons were particularly interested in hearing the tale of how Car Two got totally lost, by taking a left out of our driveway,instead of a right, and then attempting another route to Montepulciano, (of which there are several) and driving around for about an hour, expecting the San Biagio church to come into view every minute, and finding themselves, at last, right back at our house at La Foce.

However, everybody had to hear it, and most people were kind enough to be tourists also, so we were not being noisy Americans. As a matter of fact, a group of 8 Dutch ladies came in right after us, and thank goodness, they made a lot more noise than we did.

Lunch was delicious bruschetta and crostini and caprese salads, and of course vino bianco della casa.

We made a new plan to meet up at San Biagio, after lunch, so DH and I (it was DH driving today) agreed with our back seat couple that we'd meet them down at the parking garage (or so I thought.) (They wanted to walk the way we had come originally, and I wanted to try another way, that I thought was quicker.)

I found the parking garage after a few false steps and we started the car to get the a/c going (it was HOT) - we waited, and we waited, and we waited. I kept thinking they were lost, but that if we went looking for them, they would come while we were gone. I left DH with the car a few times, and went back up to the town streets, and found no one who looked familiar.

After almost an hour, we decided to drive down to San Biagio to see if the others in Car Two were still there. We knew our two couldn't have ridden down with Car Two, because there simply was not enough room in these little cars for six.

As we drove in to San Biagio, we saw the architect's car coming toward us, and spotted the rest of our gang, standing around the lawn of San Biagio. At least we were all there and no one was lost, anymore.

Did it not ever occur to me that our back seat couple are the ones who hike all over the globe, he who runs up and down streets in Gubbio just for fun, might have said they'd walk down to the CHURCH and NOT walk down to the garage???

Oh, well, all's well that ends well - and where it ended really well was back at the pool at the house. What a way to end a day!

TUESDAY, JUNE 15 - BAGNO VIGNONI, SAN QUIRICO, MONTALCINO AND SANT'ANTIMO

We set out with John and Claire to see the above towns in a meander around the valley. The others went to Arezzo so we didn't have to worry about anyone getting lost.

Bagno Vignoni has changed since I was there. I highly recommend it as a few hour stop, just to see the town center which is really a Roman bath, and to see the newly discovered water mills, in the soft tufa below the town. We made a plan to go back there for lunch on one of our other days, and then made for San Quirico, where we saw the Collegiata,the
Chigi palace, the Horti Leonini gardens, and hoped to have lunch at Il Tinaio, but of course, it was closed. ("Chiuso" is the first word everyone learns in Italian.) (You learn to just roll with the punches and carry on.)

We continued our drive, and decided we could stop in at Montalcino, which we did, though we didn't really do it justice. However, just wandering through these towns even for a little while, gives you some idea of the charm of them all.
I decided we had enough time to drive down to Sant'Antimo, because I was the only one who had ever been there before, and I was afraid that time might get away from us, as it has a habit of doing, and we might not get back this way.

It was a very good idea, and we did get to see the abbey in the quieter late afternoon, but no chant at the time we arrived.

The not so good idea was to take a "short cut" home which consisted of a winding mountain road through Monte Amiata station, and Castiglione d'Orcia (I should have known better, but I forgot.)

Of course, it was John's turn to drive, so he got some more LeMans training on the switchbacks and missed some of the staggering views, but by now he was getting to be a pretty good Italian driver, passing big trucks with ease. He never learned how to pass on a curve, as I've seen so many Italian drivers do, thank goodness.

This evening we went to the communal dinner which is available to residents at Chiarentana, the big former fortress that is a part of the La Foce property. this time it was an olive oil tasting dinner, for I think E30 per person, and it was more than worth while, including the lovely red wine of the region.

The menu:
1.shredded radicchio salad with black olives and toasted pine nuts.
2.Tomato bread soup with garlic
3.heavenly light Potato ravioli with oil and grated parmesan
4.Roast pork with slow roasted vegetables
5.Tiramisu

To each dish it was suggested we add one of the several olive oils on the table.

Tomorrow I will finish the week with ORVIETO, SIENA, AND HELP!! (meaning I really needed a day off,) (and I think any readers do too, as I'm getting really bored with this very wordy story myself!)

Thanks to those still reading.

So glad you stayed in for your dinners, drank the local wine, and ate the local food. Was it potato gnocchi you had, drizzled with olive oil, or ravioli?

bored??? I am really enjoying the tales of food, drink, lost companions, more food, more drink, more lost companions, etc. etc.

please do take some time off, but don't forget to come back.

I am enjoying your report and can't wait for more!

For years I have dreamed of staying at La Foce during the Christmas holidays. I love that they will create a tasteful holiday atmosphere in the apartment for their guests. And then there's the food! So far, I have been unable to convince my family to go to Italy for Christmas, but I continue to work on them.

For those of you who may be interested in spending Christmas at La Foce, take a look at the description of Winter At La Foce on their website-

http://lafoce.com/

Zeppole: No it actually was NOT gnocchi, with which I am familiar, but it was a rough cut ravioli, you know, the kind that looks like you just tore up the sheets of pasta put the filling in, and stuck them together?? and so good. the simplest food was the best and everything seemed extremely local and so very good. The COOP had such good food, you guys in Italy are very lucky, at least in the areas where we were, to get such produce.

Annhig: Thanks for your support. In many ways I'm loving re-living this holiday by writing the report, but I have a new admiration for those who do write a detailed report. Each of us is so different in our impressions and in our ways of expressing our experiences. That's what I love about this forum.

Zoecat: I'd LOVE to have Christmas at La Foce. I've been thinking, since we got home, about what it would be like in the winter, and what an in-depth experience one would get by being there in the odd times of the year.

I have had the pleasure of getting to know Benedetta Origo over the years, she has even been to Millbrook where I live, when her book came out. She is so charming, warm and inclusive. I have also met one of her daughters. I can only imagine how delightful a holiday there would be.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write your report. I printed it and sat on the couch with tea and enjoyed it immensely....now I'll send it on to my sister. We spent a week in Tuscany two years ago...just outside Montepulciano.
It will bring back many of our fond memories...including lunch at La Porta.

Bailey: Thanks for the encouragement. I hate being over long and boring but I too love to read trip reports, short or long, and many times they bring back such good memories. Nothing wrong with a little arm-chair travel!

Another arm-chair traveler enjoying the continuation of your trip!

We stayed in Pienza last September & visited many of the places you have so beautifully described! We were fortunate enough to have dinner twice at Latte di Luna - oh, the memories of the roast pork with crackling!!! We were left wondering how a small town like Pienza can sustain so many good restaurants?

Looking forward to more of your adventures ... and tangents, too!

Continued Bravas to you! The meal sounded wonderful. You are really making me "home"sick for Italy.

No way is this a boring trip report...I am savoring each and every day with you! ;-)

Wonderful reading!!

You guys are just great, and make me feel it 's OK to continue. Although I too get homesick for Tuscany and for Umbria just writing this stuff -- molto grazie.

I promised ORVIETO, SIENA, AND HELP for the next installment, and that is really a tall order.

However, ORVIETO was new to me -- but it did involve the now familiar underground parking, and escalator, elevator, underground stairway approach to these magnificent towns --I was willing to endure almost anything to see at last the gorgeous duomo at Orvieto.

I really like a few things about this cathedral that distinguished it from Siena - including the incredible gold mosaics on the facade, and then the superb simplicity of the romanesque interior - much different from Siena, and yet I liked them BOTH so much. (I have seen Siena's Duomo twice before, so could compare, even though Orvieto was the day before Siena trip.) I also liked the immediacy of Orvieto, it is right there in the main square, different again from Siena's Duomo. In addition, there was NO ONE else in the cathedral when we were there, for almost 15 minutes. Such a treat is rare in June, I am certain.

This was a most pleasant town, and I do wish we had had time to spend a night there. This can be so important in getting to distinguish not only the town and its food, but also the general ambience.

We had lunch at Tipica Trattoria Etrusa, on via L. Maitano 10, in sight of the cathedral, on a street which takes off at right angle from the cathedral.

We all met there, and some ordered better dishes than others, so be careful what you order, but the service and wine were quite respectible, and two desserts were ordered to share among 8 (now that was real slight of hand, since once we each had a bite we all wanted much more,) of a delicious fresh baked sort of linzer torte, except that it was filled with almond custard creme, and had powdered sugar dusted on top.

John the architect saved the day, by asking the waiter how much it would cost to take the whole rest of the cake home, and when he heard the price, he just said SOLD.

So home went the cake to add to the leftovers for our dinner a casa. Oh, I know I'm being a bore, but having that wonderful house to go home to each night was worth the earth!!

SIENA

Many of you have been to Siena, and it remains my favorite town, (though how could one compare it to Firenze, or Firenze to any other place in the world?) because it is so available, and contains some of my favorite things:

The good and bad government frescoes, so deliciously real executed by Lorenzetti,

The incredible Maesta of Simone Martini, now safely installed in the Mangia and so lovely to sit and contemplate,

my favorite is the profile of Guidariccio da Fogliano, whose likeness sits in my kitchen behind the stove top, on a tile purchased after I fell in love with him about 15 years ago.

The Duomo, so totally overblown and ornate that it took me a long time to love it, but oh, boy, what a love it is. There is decoration everywhere, there is the Piccolomini library worth the E8.

The cartoons in the floor are a marvel in themselves, and this time a NEW treat was the newly discovered crypt with its amazingly fresh frescoes, discovered in 2003 or 2004, since my last visit.

For some of us, the gourmet gourmands, lunch was the most important event of the day, when we all gathered together to eat at Le Logge, (important to reserve) where I had never eaten, because I had always concentrated on the art in this town, and well, maybe a little shopping.

Le Logge was such fun, and so delicious. I highly recommend it for several reasons:

1. John the architect was determined to have bistecca fiorentina , and this was the day. He talked DH and Ed in to joining him in this beefy endeavor, so the staff brought out the raw meat for their approval. I've never seen anything like it. It looked like enough meat for a small army, and that is the way they attacked the finished product!!

The beauty of this restaurant, in addition to the fact that we ate at an outside table (also especially reserved, was the fact that the rest of us could have such very good food that was, in great contrast, light. (itwas a hot day, not my kind of day for heavy food.)

I ordered and savored shaved melon( new to me) with divine prosciutto, one of my all-time favorite combos, then a salsd of cherry tomatoes, just off some vine, with deep red watermelon balls, and tiny squares of fresh mozzarella, and chopped pistachios on very fresh greens topped with purple basil leaves. That is heaven for me, and probably the most sophisticated food I'd had.

The white wine, which I had, a Montefalco Grecchetto from Umbria was excellent. All others agreed their food was excellent.

TANGENT: Siena was the only place where we saw any crowds of any sort. I guess our timing was good, but the economy is bad, and I'm afraid for the Italians that they are really feeling it.

TANGENT II: John the architect had ducked in to a bar for coffee somewhere during the morning, and when he mentioned he was from New York, was asked by the proprietress whether he ever hear of a restaurant that used to be in New York called The Palio and did he know that Sandro Chia lived in Tuscany (sadly no longer there, I only ate there once and loved the painted cornice depicting the Palio, painted by Sandro Chia) John said, "I do, and I designed that restaurant!! and I have met Sandro Chia."

Then this lady came up with the interesting news that Sandro Chia designed a restaurant in the Campo! She said it was a little gem called Libraramente Osteria. Well, that was good news to me, because the restaurants in the Campo, while clearly perfect for people watching, are known to be overpriced and not necessarily good.

John, MJ and I managed to scout out the place, and it is HARD to find, but probably worth while, a real hole-in-the-wall, with several table outside, and a very nice chef who gave us a tour of Sandro Chia's funny frescoes inside, and showed us the two tv sets in the floor(!) which Chia put there. It's a kooky one-off place, but would be worth a meal, for reason which include the fact that it was started by the same guy who started Le Logge: Giani Brunelli.

We wandered about, and had to go in to some shops on the via Bianchi di Sopra, due to rain, (great excuse, eh?)and had some gelato at GROM. This is easily the most upscale gelato place I have ever been in, you would have thought you were in Harry Winston's ordering up a 5 carat diamond. It was very good, though, at E2.50 for a small cup.

The shops were full of lovely clothes but mostly the same things you could get in New York or Tokyo, but some of the buildings which contained them were beyond delicious, including the original building of the Banchi di Monte dei Pasche di Siena, still in its original site, founded in 1472, still in its original building. (No clothing shops in this building, but across the way)

Siena remains a most delightful town, and I could spend 2or 3 more days there, just taking in sights I have not seen in three visits. Travelers take heed.

I'm going to save HELP for tomorrow.

It is really about how it was time to stop and savor what we had in front of us, and what we had already seen, and stopping the world to drink in what was close by.

HELP

My title for this last day, FRIDAY, June 18, at La Foce, was meant in two different ways:

1. Help, I need a day off, to stop the wonderful images piling up in my memory, so that I can click on SORT, and if there were such a button to click: SAVOR.

2. Help, I don't want to leave this heavenly place!

On our last day at Montauto, we got up late, and watched the fog lift til it was another sunny day.

We went to the office to pay our bill: (one-half the rent was paid when we booked, so we had the other half to pay, and we could see how much the Euro had tumbled against the dollar, saving us more than $200.)

Our bill for extras: 2 medium cans of the Chiarentana olive oil, our share of the first dinner, the first shopping (which carried us almost all week, and the incredible oil-tasting dinner at Chiarentana was E145, which translates to about $175.00 which I think is a very good value.

We all sort of went off on our own for our last day to drink in this lovely valley in whatever way we wanted. DH and I took a nostalgic (for me) drive to some of the places I had loved before, including Riguardino, my first house rental here, but first to Montepulciano, Pienza, up to Sant'Anna in Camprena (where The English Patient was filmed) now a very good looking affordable Agriturismo, and then, from San Quirico, down a VERY steep dirt road (apparently part of the original Francigena, pilgrim road to Rome,) where EVERYONE should walk, and we were the only idiots in a car, down to Bagno Vignoni, where we had all decided to meet for lunch at the outdoor tables at the Hotel Le Terme, an elegant newly re-furbished hotel and spa in this thermal bath town.

Our driving companions of this week and the week in Umbria had gone off to see Sovana, Sorano, and Pitigliano, so they did not join in this venture.

After we all returned home to the pool and packing, the men all experienced what my English friend calls a Gippy Tummy, while we women were OK.

I wonder if it was the octopus carpaccio at lunch?? John had ordered it and shared with those who were willing, but only the guys did so.

John the architect (and sometime cook) offered to make a frittata with the dozen eggs we hadn't used, and that with a big salad and some leftovers, and several bottles of red wine, would have to suffice for dinner, and it did, with some vin santo and grappa to settle the stomachs, which they did!

SATURDAY, JUNE 19

When we awoke our New Zealand John and Claire were gone, having left for Rome airport at 5 am, on their way back to New York.

All the stomachs had settled during the night....

off went Architect John and MJ for a few days in Rome, off went Ginna and Ed to meet their daughter in Florence, and off we drove toward Milano, for a couple of nights stay near Malpensa Airport.

Our drive was just fine til we hit the dreaded part of the autostrada between Florence and Bologna, with all the twists and turns across the spine of Italy, accompanied this time with torrential rains and thunder and lightening. DH did a fine job with the driving, having gotten very used to our car after many days of driving.

With the help of the GPS which was an extra with our car rental (free for June only, but with a $40 mailing charge!) we found the oddly located FIRST HOTEL in Casa Nove, a little town VERY near Malpensa.

This was the hotel we chose because of Bob the Navigator, and we were very glad we did. It was hard to find, in this strange little town, and until I got my bearings I became easily lost two or three times. Unfortunately it was raining again during the time we were there, but it is a very comfortable hotel, with a nice garden/patio out front, a pleasant bar, and a rather good restaurant in the basement.

So it had all we needed and we got quite fond of it after a couple of days.

NOW I WILL START A VERY SHORT THIRD REPORT ON OUR TWO DAYS AROUND MALPENSA, AS SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO LAND OR END UP THERE.

So enjoying your report! And looking forward to reading about your two days around Malpensa!

Share you feeling about Orvieto. We had a wonderful lunch in Siena-will look for the name of the place and report back. We were based in Pisa and hotel owner referred us to his friends' place.

Everyone: thanks for all your kind comments.

I've just learned that it was probably fool hardy to try to do a trip with a large group (is 8 a large group?) without major preplanning, and psychological testing (on another thread on this forum, which pointed to an excellent article on large group travel on slowtrav.com) --

So, I can safely say, we were a very lucky group, because we didn't have any of the problems mentioned. Maybe we are a unique group in many ways - that is to say, homogeneous from the outset, because all the WIVES knew each other, and already had opinions (good ones) about each other, although not really close friends.

Would love to hear others comments on this group travel thing.

We took a trip with a couple and their 3-month old that turned out badly. The other husband thought that his wife and I should stay in the hotel while he and my DH played golf or tennis or went to the beach...

I have taken group trips with friends I knew very well and we planned beforehand. it worked well because of those factors and also because we stayed in a guesthouse where breakfasts and bag lunches were made for us and we always went out for dinner, sometimes together, sometimes in smaller groups.

Wonderful report. I love your detail. We were in the Val d' Orcia last fall and it stole my heart. We have talked of returning and staying at LaFoce which we did not get to visit this past trip. It will be a definite stay for the next trip, just don't have a date on it. We are in the landscape business and can't wait to see the gardens.

bfrac: You will love the La Foce gardens, and there are other gardens in the area. Benedetta Isidori, who is the manager of the houses would be very helpful in getting you to see other gardens in the area. You can email her at www.lafoce.com

bookmarking!

Just finished reading your trip report we are hoping to visit Tuscany next year. Loved your very informative writings.

We travelled to France last year with friends, 6 of us altogether and had a great time. We met people who were amazed that we had travelled together for 4 weeks and were still friends.

I wrote a trip report that you may enjoy looking at about our travels

Thank you what a lovely report!!

so glad I found part two of this report, TaconicTraveler! Another wonderful morning spent armchair traveling with you.

I can relate to the mother henning (i know, i just made this word up, but why not?) of your capable adult friends.... My DH travels around the world to remote industrial hinterlands all on his own, and yet, when we travel together I fuss and fret over the details and reminders about what to do at the airport, etc....I

I'm noting all your restaurant recommendations; although I"ve never eaten with you, I trust your judgement!

I realize this is an old report from last year, but I'm glad it popped up again because I enjoyed reading through parts of it again. Thanks for writing.

And since you asked for comments on 'this group travel thing'... I've been planning, organizing and leading group travel since 1996 throughout Europe as well as in southern Africa, SE Asia and the US. I've had groups as small as 8 women and as large as 44 friends and friends-of-friends. Every group is a learning experience. Only once did I have a very difficult experience and it was due to one person who was having mental problems. She ended up flying home from Scotland early, much to my relief and that of the other 28 people with us.

You're brave Julia! Thee was a time when I might have been able to lead groups, but I'm afraid that for me, the time has passed.

skate dancer: There is a third part to my "20 matchless days" trip report. it's about our days around Malpensa.

This is one of my favorite trip reports of all time! My husband and I are thinking of La Foce for a week in November 2012. My question is whether you ever felt the location was too "remote." We visited the gardens in 2010, and fell in love with the area, but got thoroughly lost as did your travel companions. I've read Iris Oriego's books, and that combined with the scenery, make me really want to base here for our next trip.

Have you stayed there in the fall or winter? If so, I would love to hear about the conditions of the roads and driving at that time of year, as well as if you felt you were too far in the hinterlands!

enewell: Thanks for your very kind words about my report. I have stayed at La Foce three times, and in the val d'Orcia four times. Mostly it has been in the fall, usually September, and a bit in to October. It is my favorite area of Tuscany, and so easy to get around, getting lost is part of the delight, as we have found many a tiny village, with many a good little restaurant that way!

I have never felt the location was remote, but we were with a group of friends. However, I would happily go back, with just my DH and stay in one of the apartments in Chiarentana. In fact, ANYTHING to stay at La Foce.

We have stayed in three different houses at La Foce, and never felt isolated. In fact I think it is the perfect situation because you are never more than a phone call away from the office, where Benedetta Isidori is always ready to help, answer questions, make reservations, etc.

So we can have privacy, and yet never feel alone in the boondocks!

I guess it depends on whether you'd like to be IN a town, or just close enough. It is also fun to stay in a town, like Pienza or Montepulciano.

The whole ambiance of La Foce, and the welcoming staff and owners, together with the history, just makes it a wonderful place to be. There is also quite a variety of rentals on the property, which you can see on the web site.

Good luck with your plans!

Thanks so much for your response. La Foce it shall be!

Your trip report also got me interested in Montone Due, but the Summerleases folks don't know yet if it will be available in late Oct-Nov. Would you say being right in the village compensates for a lack of views? Thanks again, and it really does seem as if we are on the same wavelength!