Parma
Piazza Duomo in the Early Morning
Piazza Duomo in the Early Morning
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A Day to Wander
This morning Ken said "What should we do today?" It didn't take long--one look out the window--to know that this was a day meant to spend exploring. With a quick look at the map, Ken found a back route from here to Radda in Chianti that had mysteries yet to be discovered. So, grabbing the camera and simple light weight vests, off we went.
We took the mountain road leading to Figline, but, once through the roadside hamlet of Dudda, we took the almost dirt road turn off to Lucalena, which we found to be a small village with one little, little store and a scattering of homes. I was puzzled because I knew there was a highly regarded restaurant in Lucalena but it clearly was not in the village. A little further along the road, we found it in a typical, intriguing borgo with crumbling old stone farm structures -- Locanda Antica Borgo. But, it is closed right now except for weekends. I suspect that sometime after Easter it will come alive again as tourists return and the "season" begins and we no longer wander alone. The crowds we are beginning to see in Firenze have not yet reached the countryside.
After looking in the windows of the Locanda and walking around the borgo, we hopped back in the car and continued down the road. Before long we saw a little turn off to a place called Badia A Montemuro--surely worth a look as Badia means Abbey which usually translates into interesting.
Badia A Montemuro is quaint and intriguing with lovely views, trees with beautiful pink blossoms and picturesque corners and turns but with few vestiges left of an abbey or monastery. There was one small church with a stark but haunting crucifix on the stone wall by the closed door and then there are what perhaps are remains of another structure and some grass covered foundations. Obviously, whatever it was in time past has been decimated at some point in history--bombing, morter shells in WWII? battles between Siena and Firenze? Guelphs and Ghibbelines? Or maybe just too many churches and abbeys in too many small villages. If I could read Italian, I would spend time researching this little out of the way place.
After Badia, on the road to Radda, we saw a sign to a Parco Naturale--so, off we went to explore it and what a find it was.
It is a wonderful place for families and organizations to spend a special day in the summer--which I guess is the only time it is really open as the sign seemed to say July-August, but, maybe I missed something in the translation--quite possible. There is a lake with ducks and geese (?), animals of several ilk, a rifugio, albergo, restaurant, barbecues, swings, and more. It is very large and perfect for a hot day. We will bring Casey and maybe his friend Tommy here someday.
When we entered the parco, we had noticed a very rough memorial which simply in its appearance was moving. On the way out, we stopped to read it and found that it is a memorial to partisans who were martyred as they fought the Germans in WWII.
From here we enjoyed twisty, turning roads through forests not yet green with new leaves. It is amazing the things we see now which will be so well hidden once foliage returns.
In a few weeks, this empty, desirable stone house will hide behind the trees. I remember last December when suddenly we became aware of many things that had eluded us for months.
Eventually, we saw a sign to a restaurant that's been on our "must go to" list for months. So off we headed for Ristorante Badia a Coltibuono (Badia of the Good Harvest.)
This is a very well-known culinary destination which includes a prestigious cooking school. Having now eaten there, I know why. Pranzo (lunch) was outstanding. I had a simply prepared sea bass on a bed of spinach--outstanding and worth a trip back. Ken had cinghiale (boar) in a sweet and sour chocolate sauce which was excellent, regardless of what it sounds like. Service was excellent and the view spectacular. It was a wonderful way to top off our day of exploration.
We headed on back to Greve, arriving in time to pick up an 8 year old, having enjoyed our day of being nothing more than retired folk on excursion.
We took the mountain road leading to Figline, but, once through the roadside hamlet of Dudda, we took the almost dirt road turn off to Lucalena, which we found to be a small village with one little, little store and a scattering of homes. I was puzzled because I knew there was a highly regarded restaurant in Lucalena but it clearly was not in the village. A little further along the road, we found it in a typical, intriguing borgo with crumbling old stone farm structures -- Locanda Antica Borgo. But, it is closed right now except for weekends. I suspect that sometime after Easter it will come alive again as tourists return and the "season" begins and we no longer wander alone. The crowds we are beginning to see in Firenze have not yet reached the countryside.
After looking in the windows of the Locanda and walking around the borgo, we hopped back in the car and continued down the road. Before long we saw a little turn off to a place called Badia A Montemuro--surely worth a look as Badia means Abbey which usually translates into interesting.
Badia A Montemuro is quaint and intriguing with lovely views, trees with beautiful pink blossoms and picturesque corners and turns but with few vestiges left of an abbey or monastery. There was one small church with a stark but haunting crucifix on the stone wall by the closed door and then there are what perhaps are remains of another structure and some grass covered foundations. Obviously, whatever it was in time past has been decimated at some point in history--bombing, morter shells in WWII? battles between Siena and Firenze? Guelphs and Ghibbelines? Or maybe just too many churches and abbeys in too many small villages. If I could read Italian, I would spend time researching this little out of the way place.After Badia, on the road to Radda, we saw a sign to a Parco Naturale--so, off we went to explore it and what a find it was.
It is a wonderful place for families and organizations to spend a special day in the summer--which I guess is the only time it is really open as the sign seemed to say July-August, but, maybe I missed something in the translation--quite possible. There is a lake with ducks and geese (?), animals of several ilk, a rifugio, albergo, restaurant, barbecues, swings, and more. It is very large and perfect for a hot day. We will bring Casey and maybe his friend Tommy here someday.
When we entered the parco, we had noticed a very rough memorial which simply in its appearance was moving. On the way out, we stopped to read it and found that it is a memorial to partisans who were martyred as they fought the Germans in WWII.
From here we enjoyed twisty, turning roads through forests not yet green with new leaves. It is amazing the things we see now which will be so well hidden once foliage returns.
In a few weeks, this empty, desirable stone house will hide behind the trees. I remember last December when suddenly we became aware of many things that had eluded us for months.Eventually, we saw a sign to a restaurant that's been on our "must go to" list for months. So off we headed for Ristorante Badia a Coltibuono (Badia of the Good Harvest.)
This is a very well-known culinary destination which includes a prestigious cooking school. Having now eaten there, I know why. Pranzo (lunch) was outstanding. I had a simply prepared sea bass on a bed of spinach--outstanding and worth a trip back. Ken had cinghiale (boar) in a sweet and sour chocolate sauce which was excellent, regardless of what it sounds like. Service was excellent and the view spectacular. It was a wonderful way to top off our day of exploration.We headed on back to Greve, arriving in time to pick up an 8 year old, having enjoyed our day of being nothing more than retired folk on excursion.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
No More Winter In Florence
In most places seasons are recognized by calendar dates or weather. Here in Tuscany the calendar says it's still winter; the weather--well it has been very confused this year and so winter has never come, but, by the yardstick of Florence, these things don't really matter anyway. Florence has its own seasonal yardstick-- tourists. And they are back.
We go into Florence often for any number of reasons but primarily because it is fun. And, the last couple of months have been very special. We have been alone in Piazza della Signoria, listened to our own echoing footsteps in silent museums, walked Ponte Vecchio while seeing from one end to the other, admired monumental art work in deserted churches and entered restaurants with empty tables. Of all our experiences in this great city, the opportunity to be a part of it while it slept was perhaps the most moving and special. We felt at one with its history and ghosts and solitude born from its unshared uniqueness and accomplishments. It was a time of quiet.
But--this changed in just the last week. It was a sudden metamorphose and not slow. It just happened--as if March opened a closed door and people rushed through. Yesterday groups of people moved through streets and alleys as one entity. Leaders, waving umbrellas and flags, shepherded followers in and out of museum doors, rushing through places that call for much longer periods of contemplation. Places of God were no longer silent--not out of disrespect but as a natural consequence of an infusion of people. Ponte Vecchio, while not like it will be in another month or so, was no longer ours alone.
This is the season for school groups to come and, hopefully, encourage students to begin a life-long desire to explore and experience life out of their comfort zones. There were many such groups listening to impassioned teachers explain the glories of what they were seeing, stretching necks to see all the way to the top of Palazzo Vecchio's magnificent tower and Giotto's Santa Maria del Fiore's many stepped bell tower--I wonder how many climbed it?
This seems to be the time of year when many people from Asian countries visit Italy--or, at least, Florence. I felt sorry for one couple as I watched them pour over their Japanese/Italian menu dictionary trying to decipher such things as peposo all'imprunetina and straccetti di manzo all'aceto balsamico. It's hard enough when doing so in English--a language with the same alphabet and similar foods; it must be close to impossible with a different alphabet and unfamiliar foods. I did notice that their dictionary included many visuals.
Tomorrow we go back in to "The City." We are meeting friends and will go to the just premiered Cézanne Exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi. Because high season has not hit yet, we will buy our tickets when we get there. But--on a weekend or in another couple of weeks, advanced reservations will certainly be as necessary there as they are elsewhere in the city.
I am certain that tomorrow we will find the city even more filled with tourists than it was yesterday. There will be more languages, more flags waving above chattering throngs of lookers. Residents will begin once again to cede their streets and city back to the people of the world and wait to reclaim it when cold sets in and snow falls and the people of the world stay home.
Sadly, our time as residents may be over when the next winter comes for Florence. We will be tourists again when we come back someday. But, this year, as residents, belonging to the place and time, is magical and quite wonderful. I don't want to leave.
We go into Florence often for any number of reasons but primarily because it is fun. And, the last couple of months have been very special. We have been alone in Piazza della Signoria, listened to our own echoing footsteps in silent museums, walked Ponte Vecchio while seeing from one end to the other, admired monumental art work in deserted churches and entered restaurants with empty tables. Of all our experiences in this great city, the opportunity to be a part of it while it slept was perhaps the most moving and special. We felt at one with its history and ghosts and solitude born from its unshared uniqueness and accomplishments. It was a time of quiet.
But--this changed in just the last week. It was a sudden metamorphose and not slow. It just happened--as if March opened a closed door and people rushed through. Yesterday groups of people moved through streets and alleys as one entity. Leaders, waving umbrellas and flags, shepherded followers in and out of museum doors, rushing through places that call for much longer periods of contemplation. Places of God were no longer silent--not out of disrespect but as a natural consequence of an infusion of people. Ponte Vecchio, while not like it will be in another month or so, was no longer ours alone.
This is the season for school groups to come and, hopefully, encourage students to begin a life-long desire to explore and experience life out of their comfort zones. There were many such groups listening to impassioned teachers explain the glories of what they were seeing, stretching necks to see all the way to the top of Palazzo Vecchio's magnificent tower and Giotto's Santa Maria del Fiore's many stepped bell tower--I wonder how many climbed it?
This seems to be the time of year when many people from Asian countries visit Italy--or, at least, Florence. I felt sorry for one couple as I watched them pour over their Japanese/Italian menu dictionary trying to decipher such things as peposo all'imprunetina and straccetti di manzo all'aceto balsamico. It's hard enough when doing so in English--a language with the same alphabet and similar foods; it must be close to impossible with a different alphabet and unfamiliar foods. I did notice that their dictionary included many visuals.
Tomorrow we go back in to "The City." We are meeting friends and will go to the just premiered Cézanne Exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi. Because high season has not hit yet, we will buy our tickets when we get there. But--on a weekend or in another couple of weeks, advanced reservations will certainly be as necessary there as they are elsewhere in the city.
I am certain that tomorrow we will find the city even more filled with tourists than it was yesterday. There will be more languages, more flags waving above chattering throngs of lookers. Residents will begin once again to cede their streets and city back to the people of the world and wait to reclaim it when cold sets in and snow falls and the people of the world stay home.
Sadly, our time as residents may be over when the next winter comes for Florence. We will be tourists again when we come back someday. But, this year, as residents, belonging to the place and time, is magical and quite wonderful. I don't want to leave.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Photo of the Week
Morning Mist from our Window
Today inaugurates a new weekly feature of Casey, Italy and Other Good Stuff, qualifying, I think, as Other Good Stuff.
Like anyone with a digital camera, I take many pictures--most being quite mundane and ordinary, owning entirely too much of my hard drive--but, sometimes there is one that I particularly enjoy--maybe because it reflects something of our life in Tuscany, maybe the photo captures something special, maybe because it is beautiful in my eyes or maybe because it shows something unique and endearing about people and places.
So, each week I will post one picture that captivates me for some reason. I hope that occasionally a picture will strike a chord in someone else. If you find one that speaks to you, feel free to enjoy it on your desktop.
Week of February 25.
Notice the sun spotlighting the two farmhouses as the fog settles in around the hills. I have this as my desktop right now and it is lovely. It was a beautiful moment here. Enjoy.
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