sylvia’s travels

We’re all packed up and ready to go, only to load the car. Plan on leaving around 9 am for the airport in Pisa as our flight leaves 1 pm – allows us 2 hours to get there even though it is only 50 miles plus we’ll be there 2 hours ahead of time.

Around 4 am we are wakened by thunder, lightening and sleet pounding on our window. When we wake up the storm is over and the sky is pretty clear so we breathe a sigh of relief. Down to Principessa drive, turn right and not but a quarter mile later the road is blocked by a police car and it looks like they are working on a transformer or something; about a dozen cars lined up. Turn the car around, head back to Cavalagerri to see if there is another way to get to the freeway. Remember in San Vincenzo only one way to get under the railroad tracks in order to get to the freeway.

Oh yes she says about 4 km down the road take a left and that will lead us to the freeway. About 3-4 miles through wooded area I see the freeway and the overpass leading to it – yippee – only trouble is there are two police cars blocking the overpass. I signal to one of the offiicers, tell him we need to get to the airport in Pisa. Does he speak english? Noooo! He just says San Vincenzo, San Vincenzo. I try to tell him it is blocked but he no comprende. Several cars are turning around and following a road going north so figuring they might be locals and know what they’re about we follow them for about 5 miles. Sure enough an entrance to the freeway going north. This has taken us about 45 minutes – so much for our extra hour leeway.

Maggie delivers us to the car rental drop off, check in our car and haul our luggage over to a long line where we board a shuttle for the departure gate. Bedlam, the departure gates have one general line with a couple of hundred people in it and we have no idea where to check in. Thank goodness for the many english travelers, they knew exactly what to do and directed us to Lufthansa where there were only 3 people in front of us – we get checked in pretty quickly. Now we have plenty of time to relax, get something to eat or drink and wait for our flight. Except there is no place to sit and the only food is where you line up, get your stuff and stand up to eat it. Not good.

Since Rod has his cane we are able to board the bus and plane first – wow is that an advantage and we are met at the other end with a wheelchair. Our flight over the alps is beautiful and I am able to get a ton of pictures of them as well as the terrain since this plane flies so low – cool. The terminal is huge in Munich, a really long walk – at least 1 1/2 to 2 miles, but we just buzz right on thru, even customs, and we have a good hour to spend at our gate before take off. Here is a lovely restaurant so we order a panini (delicious) and wine and beer and people watch. Always fun to do.

Great trip, great adventures, sometimes scary, sometimes stressful. We sure saw a lot that we never would have seen on a tour – so we were very glad we did it this way.

Our last day as we fly out of Pisa for home tomorrow morning. Off to Castagneto Carducci. We had tried to find this place about a week ago but couldn’t find it. A beautiful drive up, up, up into the hills – upon arrival we realized we had actually been here but didn’t know it; so today we head out walking to take it all in. Easy place to walk as it is quite a small village, also easy to get lost as it goes in circles but you can’t really get lost because it does go in circles.

Castagneto Carducci is of medieval origins it is about 70 km north up in the hills; it was once surrounded by walls, but today only a section remains, which faces the sea. It was formerly called Castagneto Della Gherardesca from the name of the oldest Italian family whose origins go back to Barbarian invasions. The castle on Piazzale Belvedere (the views of the valley from here are incredible) built in the XIth Century, is still inhabited today by the family’s descendants. The name of the village was changed in 1907 from Castagneto Marittimo to that of Castagneto Carducci after the poet Giosue Carducci who lived here as an adolescent.

Hardly anyone on the streets so we don’t get too many pictures of people but we take a number of pictures of everything here as it is very picturesque. There is only one ristorante but it is not open yet so we wander around taking in all the tremendous views as you can see for miles from up here. The castle turns out to be most interesting as is the whole town so we spend a couple of hours just wandering.

We are hungry though, finally come across a little bar (as they call it) which has food, liquor, gelato etc. – these places you can get most anything in the way of a repast. We order a carpoletto which is kind of a biscotti and wine and sit out front where there are two little tables. When we are finished we get talking (more or less) to Michela and Annalisa who are the propietors – there is a kind of pie shaped thing sitting on the counter – something like a huge tart with berries on top called a Crostata marmalada di more, – we decide to try it. It is most delicious – kind of a hard crusty pastry with the cooked berries on top. We have a lot of fun trying to communicate with these two young people.

Now that we are fed it’s time to take in this little village. Meandering around these curvy lanes we discover the Gherardesca family castle which dominates this whole medieval village – see through the gate into their lovely garden, also the outside of the castle itself; and part of the ancient wall with its sentry post on the corner. The bell tower was rebuilt in 1930 by using stones from Donoratico (just down the road). Comune – the Town Hall is an old building near an arch that belonged to the old Medieval walls. From the piazza we get a circular view of the valleys below, you can even see the sea. Tuscany is truly beautiful country. What a lovely way to spend a day.
This village has such character, we take a myriad of pictures and now that we’re at home I am able to bring up all the history on it – I also get so involved reading up on all the places we’ve been that my pictures are going to have to wait until the lst of the year to do my dvd’s.

The drive back to San Vincenzo is just as lovely as the one up – we went back a little different route – but when we arrived in S. V. the sea was roiling and boiling, waves crashing in.   We had only known this sea calm and peaceful so this was exciting to observe it in another form – took a few pics of this difference.

This morning bright and early 8:30 we head down to La Principessa at the bottom of our drive where we are to meet our bus for our trip to Elba.  We are the last to be picked up so we are “at the back of the bus”. So nice to be driven for a change. At Piombino we board a large ferry called Moby Dick (a large mural of the whale is on either side) for our 45 minute or so trip to Portoferraio on the Isle of Elba. Lovely day, again we are lucky.

Back on the bus we head for Napoleon’s villa “Palazzino dei Mulini” where he was exiled in 1814 and given the title of Emperor where he ruled for 10 months before escaping and went on to fight the battle of Waterloo. The tour of mansion with all the furnishings and grounds was very worthwhile, also brought back his history to the fore.

Next we are off to the other side of the island for lunch. This takes us through magnificent scenery as you climb very high where we can see for great distances. The restaurant is on a very large bay with local fishing boats moored in front of us. Very picturesque. I had a nice salad; Rod had fish with a delicious sauce covering it. Lunch took about an hour and a half, very relaxing with lots of people watching for entertainment. Another 45 minutes walking the waterfront, then back to the bus.

Next we toured a large part of the island, up to the highest point with much picture taking then down through farmland and vegetation – stopping off in a small village that specialized in their local gems, both a museum and shopping for purchase. Following this we stopped at a winery for wine tasting – they had some very good wine so we bought a couple of bottles.

Back on the bus to finish our tour ending at Portoferraio again to board our ferry. The trip back was facing the mainland this time, quite close to shore so we were able to take in the big walled castle, homes and buildings along the shoreline.

Good day, interesting and informative – lots of history thrown in.

Another laid back day – exploring locally.

For lunch we decide to explore the beach further on down and closer to town – our concierge gives us only one suggestion of a place on the beach. It is in the middle of a residential area, on the beach but it is closed – bummer. ok we stroll along the water, taking in all the fancy condos and the odd hotel – it is a beautiful day and we finally come across a lovely restorante La Lanterna, right on the water. We split a dish, a little wine (oh I do love their wine in Italy) and have a very leisurely lunch, people watching etc.

Today we take country roads on the east side of the main highway and head north – through Cecina and Ponteginori to Volterra which rivals San Gimignano.   Volterra stands on a rocky hill 1770′ above sea level, surrounded by strong walls – it is rich in alabaster, an important industry to the city, mineral waters, the Soffoni of Larderello where boric acid is extracted, the sulphur lake of Monterotondo, the copper springs of Caporciasno and the baths of Montecatini.  Beautiful drive getting there as again it is all very rural, only a couple of very small villages.

We climb very high and of course you drive in circles to get to the top so finding where to leave our vehicle becomes a bit of an adventure.  Our first one is no good – only for police and townspeople – we keep going finally coming upon a good size parking lot with a couple of rv’s there.  Our neighbor told us he had stayed here the night before.  Lo and behold we are right across the street from one of the town’s walled entrances, where there is an acquaduct, then up many, many stairs, along alleyways, obviously a very old fortressed village, finally arriving at Palazzo Publico (1217).   Here also is  the Cathedral (1120) Guarnacci museum, and several very upscale shops carrying alabaster carved statues, ceiling & wall lamps –  very beautiful and very expensive.

We tour around for a couple of hours taking in all the history and magnificent views from various piazzas.   An english speaking tour group goes by so we listen in on some of the history of this wonderful place.   At the bottom of a pretty steep brick lane is Porta All’ Arta, one of the village gates dating to 300 BC.   It is incredible! Rod keeps looking at it and saying how did they ever get this huge blocks of stone up there and with no mortar either.   Here is another piazza overlooking the valley way down below.

As we head back up this same lane we come across the alabaster shop of a man I had read about where you can watch him carve alabaster.  Sadly he has the doors pulled to, off to lunch I guess, so I stick my camera through the opening to take a few pictures anyway.   He comes along and says go in, go in.   His little tiny shop is chock full of alabaster dust with much of his work on shelves.   Rod starts talking to him in his high school spanish – very close to Italian – and finds out he is Scarselli Daiu – has been carving alabaster for 70 years, started when he was 14 which makes him now 84. We purchase a little carved pidgeon – then he gives us a piece of alabaster rock so the pidgeon now sits on this in our home.

Up the street is Il Poggio where we have a very nice late lunch.   We take a long time returning to San Vincenzo through this beautiful Tuscany country.   Good day.

Tonight we dine in San Vincenzo at Jimmy’s – he was the one who helped Rod get a cab when we got off the train so felt we just had to have a dinner with him.   What fun he was.   Fabulous food, but what was more fun is his father helps clean off the tables and his mother cooks the meals and he had to have us meet them both.   Also as a treat he brought us a Limoncello (a wonderful Italian liquer) and one for himself.   What a fun time, and a great way to end this day.

Today is just a kick back day – do some laundry etc.

After lunch we head back to Populonia to pick up a porcelain vinegar container that I had seen there previously. We again enjoy the lovely castle ruins, the view etc and then meander our way back to San Vincenzo through the local country roads. Very simple living here. Nice relaxing day.

Kind of slow getting started this morning – we don’t get away until about 11 – plug in Maggie for shortest distance to Montepulciano which is in the center of Italy over by Chiusi and Perugia, south of Florence.

She takes us south for about 40 km then N/E through rural rolling hills, very picturesque.  My camera is starting to eat batteries for some reason so we start looking for any kind of civilization where we can purchase some, also a bano. Cura Nuova fills the bill and we get a couple of cappucinos – not our favorite as we prefer black but not espresso.  Apparently there is a little store about a block up the hill and sure enough they have them.  This village can’t be more than 100 in population, hilly and very quaint.  Get a few pics and we’re off again.

We wanted to stay off highways and freeways and we got it.  We went up one side and down the other of three mountaintops – exactly what we wanted.  Lots of vineyards and rolling farmland (already harvested but not the grapes) – you could see for miles.

Stopped for a very good lunch at a Trattoria again in a very small town – we were past the 2 pm time for serving and even after us they accommodated some local workers. The waitress had her little girl there so was much fun watching her entertain herself until her mother was finished work.   These stops are so much fun because you are mixing with the locals, not at all like being on a tour.

It gets to be about 5 in the afternoon, we are about 11 miles from Montepulciano – it doesn’t look like we are going t have enough light to get back to San Vincenzo and I wasn’t too happy about driving foreign Italy in the dark.  The closest place Rick Steves has for accommodation is Siena so we turn back at Pienza to the freeway while I call his suggested hotels & B&B’s.   Several are full up but we manage to get the last bedroom at Casa di Antonella B&B right smack inside the walled city – turns out very close to all the attractions in Siena.   Lucky!

This is a walled city (about 40 – 50 feet high) – thru the enormous arch into very narrow lanes where people are walking all over the middle of the street, scary because you feel you might hit them as they don’t pay attention to cars at all.  This is a university town – it is saturday and they are out to howl, big time.   Now Maggie is leading us on this journey so she brings us right to the B&B.   The door is locked, no one answers – the shoe and purse store lady next door is yelling at us and wagging her finger that we are not supposed to be here, plus we are going the wrong way on a one way street.   She says we will get a ticket for being inside the wall.

We call again to our hostess – she says she will be right down to get us.  Obviously she doesn’t live at her B&B.  Here she comes, lets us in, shows us the room which is very nice with a shared bathroom, (we would have taken anything!!).   She says we have to park outside the gate, we didn’t understand which way to go so she leads us out, thank goodness – we luck out – one parking space available.   She gives us instructions on how to walk back but again with all the streets going in semi circles it is very confusing – especially in the dark, but we make it.   Good grief, we need a drink, maybe several. lol

After relaxing a bit and getting our wind back, we are starving so we set out to find a ristorante.   About 1/2 block down (this town is very hilly) we find Trattoria “La Tellina” at via delle Terme 72 – little tiny place, seats only about 30 people.  We are seated with a couple from Australia – who we wind up enjoying very much.  Fabulous meal, good wine, – ahh, – life couldn’t be better.  We tumble into bed exhausted but satiated and happy.

Great sleep – we are on the 3rd floor, of course we didn’t have any luggage anyway, the church bells are chiming, it is a lovely day. Took some pictures out of our window. Our hostess arrives with breakfast, rolls, meats, cheeses, and an omelet we share with another couple who are from England – again delightful conversation.

Now we set out to see Siena. Rod calls Pete Hetzner’s (Kiwanis) daughter who is going to school here and of all things she is in Florence today. We should have realized she might not be home on a weekend, he has a nice conversation with her and we promise to get up here during the week (we didn’t).

Now for the Siena adventure. First our luggage has to be taken to the car which is just outside the great wall. Last night there was quite a commotion going on from inside the wall where their stadium is located, sounded like african drums and lots of yelling, we later find out why. Every July 2 & Aug 16 a no holds barred horse race the Palio de Siena) is held with 10 of 17 neighborhoods competing (they rotate). Then the winner celebrates the whole month of September. This is what we heard.

We head to “Il Campo” Siena’s main square where city hall with its 330 ‘ tower is located and where competitions have been held from medieval times. It is huge. The square and its buildings are the color of the local soil which artists use and its called “Burnt Sienna”. The chapel at the base of the tower was built in 1348. Also in the square is the Fonte Gaia (Fountain of Joy); the left panel shows God creating Adam by helping him to his feet. This reclining Adam influenced Michelangelo when he painted his Sistine Chapel ceiling. Here we get our daily fix of gelato. Delicious.

On our way to Siena’s Duomo (cathedral) we discover Palazzo Chigi Saracini (palace of Count Saracini who died in 1965 ending the line) now turned into a famous music school, Accadamia Musicale Chigiana. A tour of the palace is offered in an hour so we pick up tickets to take it in.

Siena’s Duomo (cathedral) sits on Siena’s highest point, visible for miles around. Dating to 1215; It is white and green striped on the outside, very ornate interior with striped columns, intricate marble inlays, Michelangelo statues and Bernini sculptures. In the Piccolomini Library, there is a series of huge frescoes by Pinturicchio from Umbria telling the story of Aeneas Piccolomini who became Pope Pius II. The marble inlays on the floors in this cathedral are magnificent – both scenes and people are carved into the marble on the floor.

Back to the Palazzo for our tour – we were only allowed to take pictures of the music room so the rest has to stay in our memories. Many magnificent rooms with a fine collection of paintings, tapestries, bronze statues and the rooms themselves were very interesting as this is the way counts and countesses lived.

We head back to our car via the back side of the cathedral which is a surprise because we are so high that we get a very nice view of the town from here. Very pleasant walk along the curved narrow streets – we wind up at the church of San Domenico so we take a quick look. Here the 17 colorful flags of the city’s contrade (neighborhoods) are on display. Paintings from the life of St. Catherine, patron saint of Siena.

Leaving Siena turns out to be a lot easier than when we came in and we are off back to San Vincenzo. We opt for the faster route this time, only we find Maggie is heading for Florence which is north but turns out great as we see about 30 km north the highway heading west through San Gimigano and Volterra and down to Cecina so we made it back lickidy split. We even have time to stop at our supermarket to load up on groceries which was always an interesting adventure trying to figure out the Italian meanings on the packages. Again hardly anyone spoke english but it was great fun mixing with the locals, something you sure don’t get on an organized tour.

This morning we head for the Piombino docks to check out the ferries to Elba. Maggie takes us right there but not much to see. A typical seaport town, kind of dirty but we now know how to get to Elba; back to see the ancient Populonia.

Populonia (Pupluna or Fufluna) one of the more ancient and prestigious settlements in all of Tuscany – the only Etruscan town to have been founded right on the sea. It has been confirmed the area was inhabited from the Neolithic era. It was also the largest ancient centre on the Mediterranean specializing in the smelting of iron extracted from the Island of Elba. Populonia was still an episcopal See in the 6 C but was destroyed in 570 by the Lombards. Serious destruction of the town was during the roman civil war against Mario.

The castle is situated on the top of a hill at the north end of the peninsula of Monte Massoncello, north of Piombino, overlooking the Tuscan archipelago and the Bay of Baratti. The castle built in the 14 C, during the Seignory of the Appiani family for defensive purposes was made of stones belonging to the ancient etruscan walls of Populonia. The walls which are of medieval origin were built for defense against the Barbary pirates. The statue known as the Apollo of Piombino, now in the Louvre in Paris, was found in the waters of the Gulf of Baratti.

Near the castle is an archeological dig , closed by the time we discovered it, has made Populonia famous. Tombs some of which range from the Villanovian period (9th C. BC) to the middle of the 3rd C. BC ) were explored in 1908.

The castle and surrounding area was most interesting, got lots of pictures but didn’t realize all the history attached to it until we got home and looked it up on the internet.

The views of the Bay of Baratti way down below and looking northward toward San Vincenzo were really something. Luckily we took a lot of pictures because seeing how large the bay is for the Etruscan seaport and its strategic location you can kind of put the history together. When we got down to the bottom of the hill again we took a lot of pictures of the marina, bay and surrounding area too.

Heading back to San Vincenzo we took surface roads taking us thru a small town, (which could be either Venturina or Campiglia Marittima) rural countryside; took a picture of a very impressive gate entry with a narrow road lined with huge umbrella shaped pine trees leading to a vineyard. We were to see many of these pine trees lining long driveways all over Tuscany.

Tomorrow is our big trip over to the center of Italy to Montepulciano which is near Chiusi and on theway to Perugia.

San Vincenzo – in the province of Livorno, area ofTuscany is located just north of the island of Elba. This section of the Leghorn coast where San Vincenzo is found today has been inhabited since the early Palaeolithic era, but it was with the arrival of the Etruscans that the area knew a remarkable civilization. In fact, San Vincenzo is in the vicinity of the promontory of Populonia, the seat of a powerful Etruscan territory ruled by a lucomon.

The presence of metals within the territory of San Vincenzo, and particularly on the slopes of Mount Calvi, meant that the Etruscans developed here a considerable activity of extraction and fusion, numerous traces of which have been discovered at the archeological dig located in Populonia about 5 km S.

Once the Romans conquered the Etruscans, the Aurelian Way passed by San Vincenzo, it’s thought a village and a landing stage were founded on the spot. In the 9th century in the locale of San Vincentium there used to exist a small shelter for pilgrims. In 1304 the Pisans had a watch tower erected with a fortress which, two centuries later, in 1505, was the scene of Pisa’s attempted revolt against Florence.

Today now that we have the car we decide to peruse the town of San Vincenzo. It is located on the waterfront with a very large marina on the ocean side. At the time we hit it everything was closed but one advantage is that we can window shop and get to know the town without people everywhere.

Took many pictures as again the shops are fascinating. Furniture stores, restaurants, jewelry and fine glass, toy, kitchen appliance, patio etc. – all small stores and displayed so differently than over here.

We stop at one of their “Bars” for a glass of wine and munchies – at the table in front of us is a woman with two boys around 10 and 8. They were in our line of vision so we could observe them at our leisure. Somehow kids are the same the world over except these look very Italian.

Back at Rezidenza de Cavallageri around 5 o’clock I,m talking to Denise outside because we can’t connect inside so I’m sitting on the stairs by the tennis court, the sun is going down and there is a most magnificent sunset. I manage to capture a number of nice shots for posterity. Tonight we again eat at our local Ristorante.