Buon giorno, tutti amicci....
Today is a DOWN day....   walked the whole country yesterday visiting four magic places:
Monteriggioni is a town of 50 inhabitants, but it does contain a 13th century walled city that is in really good condition.   The climb uphill was a killer.... and all those steps....  Short stop, just for the walled city and then down... I asked my very nice Russian seatmate:  What did you think?   And he answers, in typical, young, male matter:   Too many stones.... :)
Then we were off to Siena.... really beautiful, the cathedral is beyond description, and lots of inclines up and down as well.   Had a very nice lunch with gelato.... that gelato is becoming an addiction.  I'm glad they don't make it in wine flavors!!!!!!  
After lunch, off we go to San Gimighano, another fortress and another climb... I passed on this one:  too many stones   :)
Then, off to Chianti..... guess what for?????    wine tasting, of course.  We ended up in a gorgeous ranch house where a family makes wine and other products, like:  white truffle oil (I would have KILLED to buy a 3 oz bottle, for almost $50, but can't buy anything..... We tasted three wines, an absolutely fabulous olive oil with bread, the white truffle oil on another piece of bread, a pomodoro sauce that would make us all swoon... and garlic that doesn't smell like garlic, and will not give you bad breath (as if!), and a balsamic that would flavor our salads incredibly.   In Modena, where they make balsamic, we went to a tasting and the 25-year old balsamic (from that company) was E450, or about $600 DOLLARS, and I believe teachers can certainly afford a couple of bottles, right?   We got back to the hotel around 8:30 pm, with a start of 8:30 am.... so totally exhausted.  Today, e-mails, on-line grading, laundry, a VERY ambitious bus ride to the Ponte Vecchio for a nice mid-afternoon lunch, and then back for Happy Hour at 6:30 at the hotel.   They do it all out!    We sit outside, with candles all around and sip vino (rosso o bianco)... and eat lots of yummy Italian finger foods.   Then off to bed.
Tomorrow, Carol and I will take the double decker all day long... see all the more important sites and return to the ones we want to see more in-depth.  
On Thursday, I get ready to go back to Frascati/Rome. I want to be all settled in and learn about the train schedules, etcetcetc........ I am meeting my friend Paco in Rome on Saturday.
So much for now, I am reconstructing my first 12 days and hopefully can add some amazing pictures.
The Hotel David, where we are staying in Florece, is really lovely... run more like a bed and breakfast, and the breakfast is AMAZING!   Everything so fresh, so sweet, and the pastries.... OMG.   I keep saying to myself:  You deserve this!  
In any case, I'll be in touch... andiamo subito.
Cecilia