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| Road Trip - With some deviation following Google Maps |
Made the call to bypass the wonky tower in Pisa. heading to the smaller towns of Tuscany.
For some reason those Itia's build there towns up on the top of the hill. This is OK if you have a spiffing fiat 500 hire car to get up. Not so grand if you have to walk up after a tough day toiling in the fields below. Then they put the mother of all Walls around them. We later learnt that the Itias don't like the Muslims. Seriously don't Like them. So you want to keep them out build a great big wall. of course the Tuscans also didn't the Romans nor in fact the next villages. Most probably because the wine and olive oil not to mention the pizza was better than the Local produce. Mind you from what we sampled it was all maaagic.
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| Running round walls is Magic |
Our First town, Volterra had a fine wall. And did l mention they also adorn the entrances with a fine assortment of statues, facades with the odd mural thrown in for good measure. And needless to say at the centre of all of this was a bloody great cathedral, Duomo. So these people were certainly kept busy with all this construction. You have to wonder who was left to make all this good Vino. What this town also did better thus any other was this alabaster carving. Even saw some guys making things. Today they've cool electric carvers at their disposal,not so in 530 BC I suspect.
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| Not Volterra Wall - Monteriggioni Wall I ran on. A fine example non the less |
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| A town with a Wall and Tower as well |
As we were in the area we popped into another lovely town; San Gimignano. Yeh try pronounce that the first time. Well our Siri like google Navigator certainly couldn't. San G. was great. They had the coolest fortification. The Gentry built great big towers. when the marauding Muslims did manage to scale the hill and the wall, as a last resort they all piled into the tower and stoned up the entrance. Cunning. Know doubt lobbing pizza scraps out the window to the disillusioned marauders. We just hada Gelato. The Gelato Shop said they were 2009 World Champions. So we had to try.
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| Worlds champs of past - how can you turn this down |
Our first two night stop-over was 'Castello De Villa'. With Simone and family there to welcome us. Its a great way to meet to locals and try my new found language skill; Grazia, Chio, buongiorno, keh.... He has a horse in this years race around Siena old town square. Best thing was Sundowners on the patio overlooking Siena and the Tuscan hills. Enjoying the first bottle of Chianti Classico. supplied gratis by Simone. The first of several on the trip. Very cool. Both the setting and the vino.
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| Sundowners ala Chianti Classico over looking the Tuscan hills and Siena-Wall n All |
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| A fine backdrop, a fine drop too |
The Villa, tower and all, just so happened to be on the Via Frangecina walk aka pilgrimage, Same as the Compostella De Santiago, except different, this goes from Canterbury to Rome. 1900kms. Another one for the bucket list.
Siena like is the provincial capital, also with a big wall. Both height, wide and length. When do they decide to build the wall? It begs the question. Once they've decided on the size of the town? after the first attack? Instead of towers, these guys have a big Piazza. We understand this lot hated the Florentines more than the muslins can you believe. Many centuries tussling for supremacy. They lost. Cos of the Midichi clan. Italy's first mafia. They wrote the rule book. Mafiosi 101. Still taught in most Sicilian Uni's and New York I hear!
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| A Piazza to die for or have a horse race round |
Loitering is the done thing in the Siena square. Except for one day in June or is it July, when they have a horse race around it. And this is not that big a square, not the size of your everyday horse race course, more like a velodrome size but with much tighter corners. Of course would never pass approval in Oz. But if it' s been going for hundred's of years so lets not stop the party now. Everyone is packed like sardines into the centre of the square which makes for a mass groping session for the Italian blokes. We had boxes to tick though. As long as was it free, obviously. They stopped building around the 15 th century in the old town, meaning inside the wall. Only difference now they occupied by handbag and tee shirt shops, with odd Pizzeria or cafe. Certain members of the party did frequent the odd handbag shop. Somehow though the place retains its authenticity. It is magic. Headed for a picnic lunch. In the local University garden come veggie patch. Unlike the square which by lunch had a gazillion tommy tourists. the veggie patch was ours. Needless to say the veggies here have been gown since big Mick's day aka Michaelangelo. He had green fingers among other talents.
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| An admirer to Big Mick's Veggie patch - for sculpted tomatoes |
With Siena boxes ticked we scurried back to the villa for a walk along Via Frangicina, followed by Sundowners. Don't know what they call sundowners in Italy, must be something Cos its ideal country for this very African tradition. Even Tracey was tucking into the Chianti Classico, abandoning the GnT tradition. As they say ' When in Rome'.
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| A Duomo to die for |
Oh and on our little walk on the Via Frangicina, we bumped into some pilgrims. French I think. old geezers. Doing it a week at a time. Yes we must do that.
We'd by-passed a little village, wall and all, thinking it not worthy. Crack-a-dawn run to and through it. they had a platform around sections of it. 7.50 euro for those coming after 8. Before 8, a stealth hurdle come straddle Gartis will do the trick. A very nice wall it was, so came back with Tracey for a breakfast. We were done just as the first bus arrived. Germans, Sandals with socks.
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| Another early run on a Village wall - Note cloudy skies |
Our new Tuscan friends came to say Arividechi. Wonderful folk. And we headed off to real Chianti territory.
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| This queue isn't moving - Like waiting for petrol in Zim |
As we were now well into the cultural experience and before we hit the vino tasting. Stopped off at a sculpture park. Maybe if we'd known we'd be in for major sculpture overdose in Florence we'd gone straight to the vino. Well, turns out the fella that owns it was inspired by the Shona sculptures in the Kirstenbosch gardens. And his first sculpture Was a Zimbo artist. Tick that box.
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| Leap frog by Dominic Benhura - some else trying a leap frog |
And the drive around the Chianti region was awesome, towns; Radda in Chianti, Castello di Volpaia, Chianti in Greve. Towns with walls also. Just with places for major wine tasting. However the amount of cyclists was staggering. Big discovery was this cycling event, the 'L'Eroica'. 200 odd Ks twist is you do it the traditional way; A bike pre1987, the old woolen cycling shirts and over tough unsealed roads. leave the helmet at home, with major food feast after. Gotta do that. Why did l leave the bike back in the UK. And we staggered our way to Florence. With designated driver and drinker being the same oke. Shame.
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| Likin' it |
Our Florence two night stay was in a Repunsel like tower, overlooking Florence. In an up market suburb. Lots of the homes had Repunsel like towers. Didn't see it but the Medichi's must have had the biggest tower after all this was their home town. Our little tower was magic. Sundowners at the top over looking the city. Headed up to Fiesole for dinner. A very Big hill up from Florence. Cyclists names; Sagan, Niboli chalked all over the road. And a cycling Monument half way up. Of later learnt this was the 2013 World Champ route. How good was that.
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| Through your lock of hair Repunsel |
Started our Florence day with a run into town. My runs Early in the morning were just magic. You see these places from another perspective. with the odd Selfie with David replica thrown in. And Before its Invaded by thousand upon thousands of Tommy tourists. It also helps get a feel for the place for the day ahead. Thank you lads for getting me out on the roads in the mornings. Who would have thought, but we joined the queue for the Academia to see Big Mick's real David. what can one say, he was Mighty impressive, big feet, big hands, Six pack and small dick. Standing at the far end of the hall he towers over all the other works. And you don't need a tour guide, plenty of them to listen too. We overdosed on antiquities that day. Yet found a cool spot for picnic lunch, away from most of the masses. Next to a cathedral, mini Duomo, of course. Some nondescript 15th century number. One last time, a run along the River Arno, across the bridge with secret passage connecting castello one side of the river with castello two on the other. This was so the Royals of the time could go hither n tither Without having to see the Hoy paloy on the street below.
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| Lucca wall with Moat |
Enough of the cultural experience time to see what one of their adventurer play grounds had to offer. And were headed for the hills. well mountains really. To the Apuan Alps region, north Tuscany. Not that you can get too far away from the influence of Big Mick. It's here where he used to come to get his marble. And of course the best marble is on the top of the mountain, so lets chop the top off.
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| Our Village in the mountains |
More modest accommodation here. More a flat attached to the house of Christiano. Perched on the side of the mountain, near town, Altagnana. No walls to report. Cos no self respecting Muslim would trundle up here. And the stone of choice, Marble was put to better use, David Replica's.
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| The Teacher and Student |
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| Enjoying the result |
Being the kinda guy I am, signed Tracey up to a cooking course for the afternoon. So what was I to do.... Well blow me down a mountain to climb might just be the thing.
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| A sign |
So not really knowing where to go, drove several Km's and several switchbacks to where the road crested the top and started walking up from there. Fortunately finding a trail that went up and up. with the cloud cover lifting opened up with el magnifico views out to the sea below.
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| A view |
Back on the way home stopped off in a village in search of a beer, to celebrate my achievements of not getting lost and not rolling an ankle and not wanting to crash the cooking party.
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| A Beer |
A place with 'two old guys hanging out looked the spot. 'due birre per favore' and was issued beer and a loaf of bread (the best in the region, its all in the water), as you do. Both were good.
Having cooked up a storm it needed to be eaten. So we had dinner with our hosts Christiano and wife. Afterwards he took us to the local village. There was a festival. They make a great big bonfire. All the villagers pitch to check it out. The local priest gives it a blessing and Woosh this thing goes up. The locals bring a plate and plenty of vino to sample. All very festive.
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| A bonfire why not |
Borrowed Christiano's bike the next morning to attempt the climb. far too small, a real sckadonk of a bike I only got so far. This being one of the climbs in last years Giro. Knew l should have bought my bike. I think I said that everyday.
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| Apartment with a view |
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| Hitching a lift or a thumbs up?? |
Took a drive over the mountain pass. stopping at a few more quaint villages along the way; Garfagnana, the adventure capital of the region and back over the other side to Pietrasanta, the new age sculpture mecca. No sculpturers were to be found. it was Siesta time.
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| Our trusted steed |
The local for dinner looked good, we just couldn't understand the menu and the owner couldn't explain. So had Secondi first; Pizza, then Anti pasto; it wasnt called that, then prima. Who cares. It was all good.
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| Picnic by the river as you do |
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| Designer water bubbler, just when you need it. |
And crack a dawn flight Ryan Air with out it's dramas. Over 500k.
We will be back for the 'L'Eroica'
