We enjoyed breakfast
al fresco yesterday on our terrace surrounded by olive trees, overlooking the hills of Chianti. After cleaning up, we met with our host Valeria (rhymes with "malaria") to learn more about the area and get sight-seeing suggestions. We now have far more places on our wish list than we can possibly visit. We're currently trying to organize and prioritize our plan for the week so we get adequate exposure to Tuscany while not wearing ourselves out running in every direction.
We discovered yesterday that no one staying at the agriturismo uses the pool in the morning, so we took advantage of the privacy and cool water on what was becoming a very hot day. In the early afternoon, we wandered further up our gravel road to the tiny (and I mean tiny) hamlet of Pievosciota. From what I could see, the only evidence of a town ever existing there is an abandoned monastery or convent of some sort. We saw the stone tower peeking through low tree tops from the road and explored the property by foot. Other than a shrine containing some wilted flowers, there is no evidence that anyone has visited the site in years. Further down the road, we walked through a field of yellow wildflowers to examine another empty house, a stone villa with a red tile roof that would have a great view if it wasn't boarded up.
By late afternoon, we were on our way to the city of Siena, only 8 miles from the farm. Siena is a classic, beautifully preserved Medieval hill town. A wall surrounds the old city, and it is a delightful place to walk up and down the cobblestone streets. Our first order of business was getting haircuts. Neither of us had been to a barber since the first week of May. Thankfully, we found a shop where a little English was spoken (I didn't want to repeat my last experience of getting my head nearly shaved when I just wanted a trim!) A stop at a pharmacy allowed Leroy to secure some kind of homeopathic tablets (to be dissolved under the tongue) that our host Valeria swears will keep mosquitos away. He is desperate to stop the insect attacks (they do love him) and I hope he doesn't start smelling like citronella.
We were in awe of the central piazza in Siena. A vast, sloping sea of red bricks paves the public gathering area. In two weeks, the piazza will be transformed into a horse track, with thousands of people standing in the center of the piazza watching the famed Palio de Siena horse race. After wandering around the city while the sun began to set, we found our way to the ancient Mendici family fortress. Inside the wall, near the entrance, is the national Italian wine center and a restaurant that featured live jazz music during dinner last night. It was a lovely setting and a fitting ending to our first full day in Tuscany.
We discovered yesterday that no one staying at the agriturismo uses the pool in the morning, so we took advantage of the privacy and cool water on what was becoming a very hot day. In the early afternoon, we wandered further up our gravel road to the tiny (and I mean tiny) hamlet of Pievosciota. From what I could see, the only evidence of a town ever existing there is an abandoned monastery or convent of some sort. We saw the stone tower peeking through low tree tops from the road and explored the property by foot. Other than a shrine containing some wilted flowers, there is no evidence that anyone has visited the site in years. Further down the road, we walked through a field of yellow wildflowers to examine another empty house, a stone villa with a red tile roof that would have a great view if it wasn't boarded up.
By late afternoon, we were on our way to the city of Siena, only 8 miles from the farm. Siena is a classic, beautifully preserved Medieval hill town. A wall surrounds the old city, and it is a delightful place to walk up and down the cobblestone streets. Our first order of business was getting haircuts. Neither of us had been to a barber since the first week of May. Thankfully, we found a shop where a little English was spoken (I didn't want to repeat my last experience of getting my head nearly shaved when I just wanted a trim!) A stop at a pharmacy allowed Leroy to secure some kind of homeopathic tablets (to be dissolved under the tongue) that our host Valeria swears will keep mosquitos away. He is desperate to stop the insect attacks (they do love him) and I hope he doesn't start smelling like citronella.
We were in awe of the central piazza in Siena. A vast, sloping sea of red bricks paves the public gathering area. In two weeks, the piazza will be transformed into a horse track, with thousands of people standing in the center of the piazza watching the famed Palio de Siena horse race. After wandering around the city while the sun began to set, we found our way to the ancient Mendici family fortress. Inside the wall, near the entrance, is the national Italian wine center and a restaurant that featured live jazz music during dinner last night. It was a lovely setting and a fitting ending to our first full day in Tuscany.