Crossing the border from France to Italy we waved goodbye to a hectic August. We had driven through Ireland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Europa Park (the EU packed into an an amusement park) and then south to the Mediterranean.
Our last taste of France was the Riveria where we rented a small apartment in Nice. While in Nice we packed Dawson for his trip home, visited Roman ruins & art museums and relaxed on the beaches (feeling a bit overdressed – at least Tony went topless).
We spent a couple of nights in Pisa where Melissa did her best to straighten things out.
Our destination in Italy was a 13th century agricultural estate called Spannocchia located about 15 minutes southwest of Siena. Tuscany has many of these estates – remnants of a feudal system of tenant farms. We’re living on the second floor of an old farm house (livestock were kept below in what is now an artist’s studio).
Our Villa
We have three bedrooms, a massive kitchen and a comfy living room where we cuddle-up most nights to watch a movie (or Modern Family) on Linda’s laptop. Outside the kitchen and living room is a partially enclosed room where we live most of the time: eat our meals, get home schooled and write/paint/etc. From this ‘balcony’ we have a view of the Tuscan countryside and the wild boar that live in the woods below.
Our kitchen
We had a hot and dry start to our stay at Spannocchia but last night it rained for the first time in over a month. A cool breeze tore through our house slamming windows, shutters and doors. From our balcony we watched lightening creep across the horizon. Soon we retreated indoors and battened down the hatches as the rains washed away the beige dust of a hot Tuscan summer.
So far this month we’ve toured Siena, Florence and half a dozen other Medieval towns, towers, castles, markets, etc. We attended a BIG wine show/market (Chianti Classico wine festival in Greve) and hosted our next door neighbours from Toronto for a sleep-over. We’re booked into some cooking classes, planning a trip to Rome and learning as much as we can about organic farming and permaculture. Staying in one place for a month has its benefits!
Buona sera! Great following your journey. I have to get the map out. The Pisa tower looks a touch straighter now! Stephanie gave birth to a boy–brother for Luca. Cider making has begun– made our own press with help of a car jack–tastes good. Jock, Raja, Sandy send love.
Viaggiare securi
Congratulations to Stephanie. Fantastic news. Hope all are hail and hearty. We have just tasted fresh pressed grape juice from the grapes we helped pick today. Fantastic! Tastes a lot like apple actually. I’d love to see a picture of that press. Very industrious of you. love to all.
Ahh, the Tuscan Hill Towns… you are bringing back fond memories of our trip there a few years ago. We stayed near Greve and visited many of the same places you are touring. A month under one roof in Tuscany sounds sublime. Glad you loved it!
Greetings, Tony;
Remember me? We sat inside the beautiful duomo in Siena and had a nice chat about our travels and your family. I suggested your rap-writer son read Bob Dylan’s autobiography, and also mentioned Wayson Choy’s writings (your son attended Humber College and I taught English there with Wayson in the 1970s).
I remembered your named and looked you up on line, and here you all are!
Hope you have a wonderful trip. We loved Italy, and also Greece and Istanbul, coming home to Vancouver via Beijing!
Happy Travels to all of you,
Diana Jewell
Mission, B.C.
Hi Diana,
It was nice talking with you that hot day in Siena! Our trip has been going well. We’re not near the Internet as much as we’d like but heck, 10 years ago we wouldn’t have had the luxury of a blog so we consider ourselves lucky.
We gave our son Bob Dylan’s autobiography for Christmas, thanks for the suggestion!
Take care,
Tony