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A long weekend and we drove down to Tuscany for work/pleasure. |
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First stop was the Mediaeval Manhattan - San Gimignano. |
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On a friend's recommendation we tried what is supposed to be the best ice cream in the world. We've not tried all the ice creams in the world, so can't compare, but this was one of the best we've ever had! Rachel is stealing Al's winning combo of White Chocolate with Raspberry and Rosemary! |
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We stayed in an agriturismo within sight of San Gimignano. |
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Classic Tuscan countryside, surrounded by vines and olives and cypress trees. |
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We caught the very beginning of the olive harvest and managed to see the whole process at first hand. |
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From raking the olives off the branches by hand, to collecting them up from the nets, down the road to the frantoio (mill) where they are first minced and then pressed. And finally the oil is separated out from the water and put into vats. Naturally enough we bought some! |
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A picnic lunch outside the town of... |
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...Monteriggioni. A mediaeval castle which has changed very little. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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We visited the Rocca delle Macie vineyards and wine cellars in order to test some Tuscan wines. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The setting was idyllic... | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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...and we left with many bottles! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Completing the wine making process from grape to bottle as well, we visited a comunal cellar and their enormous pile of discarded stalks... which will go on to a second life as grappa. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The sunset from Volterra, looking out on the beautiful countryside. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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A romantic and very good dinner in Certaldo, close to where we were staying. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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We then moved on to Florence for the "work" part of the trip. We spent 2 days wandering the city, seeing the sights so that Rachel could prepare materials for future tours of American high school kids - not a bad way to earn a living! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dante looking shifty! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Florence is famous for its tripe. We didn't take photos of any of the other bits of animal, which were even more "stomach turning"! |
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Enjoying a cosy lunch in the central market. |
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A classic view, on all the postcards, but still amazing and well worth the walk up the hill. |
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