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!