Montalcino-5 gennaio

Two Smarts at once!

Looking upstream toward the Ponte Vecchio

Jessica's new purse---it looks better in person! This is at the outdoor market near P. Signoria... the fellow minding the stall was a cute Brazilian who has been in Florence for 4 years, working for the owner of this and 3 other stalls... they must do a good business with these carts--these and the ones in S. Lorenzo were all hoppin' busy during this holiday week...

5 gennaio (Jan 5-Montalcino)

It's Monday about 4:30 pm (8:30 am Phx, 7:30 am Tahoe), and Trudy and I have had a wonderful day walking around this little hill town, and walking around the perimiter of the town, looking at the valleys and mountains surrounding it... We had a wonderful light lunch with pecorino cheese with honey, and bowls of Ribollita soup--an area specialty, and some wine--Rosso di Montalcino--lighter and younger than the Brunellos...Tomorrow we will go back to Siena for a couple of days and then decide where to go from there--maybe still Puglia, or possibly stay on the Mediterranean side--Napoli, Sorrento??? Anyway, we have a blank slate after Siena, so will decide in the next few days... Yesterday morning we left Firenze at about noon. The train from Firenze to Montalcino is not near direct, so we took the bus to Siena, then to Montalcino.

But first, a little about the last couple of days in Firenze... on my last post, I talked a bit about new years eve, and posted a couple of pictures. The 31st was the day I went to Pisa to meet Trudy at the airport. Trudy took the obligatory shower after her flight from the US and I went to the supermarket to stock up... later we got ready for dinner at Trattoria Garga, and walked across Firenze to the restaurant. People were out across the city, strolling, talking, going in and out of the bars, and the piazze were full of locals and tourists. We stopped at the lovely bar at the corner of P. Signoria where the staff all wear crisp blue jackets, ties, startched white shirts (even for morning cappuccino!), made our way through the crowd and had glasses of prosecco.

Garga was wonderful--the staff was jovial and inviting, and our waiter was engaging and helpful, talking and explaining the dishes in english... We ordered a bottle of red wine, and proceeded to make our way through only two courses... I had a pasta dish with a citrus/cream sauce--like a lovely citrus fetticcini--very delicate but deeply delicious--Trudy had a risotto that she enjoyed immensely. For the second course Trudy had a veal with creamy avacado sauce--molto bene! I had a roasted lamb that I was a bit dissapointed with, but it in no way diminshed my enjoyment and admiration for the wonderful food and service at the restaurant. On the way out Signora Garga was at the front of the restaurant, and I told her how much we enjoyed our evening and our dinner, and told her that I had first read about the experience of new year's eve at the restaurant in the Saveur article, and she was very gracious, and said that they appreciate the comments, and that no matter how many times they year the compliments, they never get old. We said grazie, e buona sera, e auguri, and had kisses all around, and went out into the cold, windy streets, winding our way back to our apartment...

Trudy and I spent the next couple days shopping, eating, having wine, stopping in for cappucino... On new years day we walked a lot, and went across the Arno, and Trudy indulged me in my request to attend the vespers and mass at San Miniato abbey... the church has 3 or 4 different altars and we went to the one at the farthest back of the church, and soon the priests and monks came in and took their places behind the altar, and began their songs and chants... a beautiful sound that I have loved since I was very young and we visited my uncle Bobby--Brother Dominic, at the monistery in California where he lived for many years... we sat on cold marble steps at the back of the chapel, where there were about 10-15 pews (very small) which were filled with tourists, and locals, with the older women in their fur coats and fur hats--and listened throughout the 1 hour + mass... we did leave after 1 hour and 15 minutes when they started communion... it was a wonderful experience for me, and Trudy enjoyed it as well... So far on this trip I have attended the english mass at Florence's Duomo (only about 1/2 hour!) and have lit candles in 3 or 4 churches for my mother and for Rose (who is like my grandmother--and lives in the Bay Area), and have visited many churches, both to look at the splendor of the art, and to sit and be silent, and to pray in my way for those who I love as well as those for whom I wish the best, no matter our relationship...

Me at San Miniato, overlooking Florence.

Ok, Florence... Trudy and I walked our feet off, shopping, eating (ok, you already got this routine!) and taking in the best of the city. I had already visited all of the museums and churches that I came to see, and could have visited them all again, and will do so on my next trip and my next... We did some shopping at the outdoor San Lorenzo market, as well as at the wonderful indoor/outdoor market at S. Ambrogio near our apartment. Here are pics of inside and out:

Here is an electric car--which is bigger, the car or the motorcycle???

Every bit of Florence was fantastic, but by Sunday (4 gennaio) I was ready to move on to smaller towns with more countryside... next... Siena and Montalcino...

ciao, tutti!