olives

Friday: Siena

Posted on by Susan

Today we moved out of our hotel located outside the walled city and into one inside the walls. We had reserved this hotel a while ago and it is a very old, magnificent place to stay.

There are strict rules about cars in the city, with steep fines for offenders. The hotel has a parking lot but it is a little bit tricky to find. We got ourselves checked in and also got a restaurant recommendation for lunch.

Today and tomorrow are holidays in Italy, so some people take a long weekend away to cities like this one. Our lunch at the recommended Boccon del Prete was terrific, and the small place filled up quickly at noon.

We hope to take a tour of the top of the Siena Cathedral here – apparently a small narrow staircase brings visitors to near the roof – a vantage point that is said to be spectacular. We will see if a tour works out for the time we are here.

For now, we will enjoy the very pretty views.

photos: a gorgeous view; the ceiling in the hotel; escargot with olives👍

Sunday: Scandicci

Posted on by Susan

We are loving life in Tuscany after just 24 hours here. Our hosts are fantastic, and their attitude is that if you’re staying with us you are part of the family.

A lot of that ends up meaning food, and we are all for it. After an extra hour’s sleep because of the time change, we had a delicious and grand breakfast of eggs, cheese, pancetta, bread, jam, fruit – all grown by the family or prepared by Teresa, the host. It was delicious, needless to say.

We met a young couple from Canada who had been staying in the second bedroom for three days but were leaving that morning. They were fun to hat with a bit before they had to leave for their flight put of Rome.

We wandered into town, which was quiet since it is Sunday. When we came back to the villa, we were treated to wine, and mushroom lasagna, then a beef and potato dish, again with every ingredient grown or made on site. We were happily finished with eating when along came a mascarpone dessert with chocolate shavings on top. It was all better than any restaurant food we could have had, and all unexpected.

We left and stopped by an open house at a small nearby olive oil factory, and although we watched the whole process of olive and leaves going into the machine, the olives being separated, the fruit being chopped and blended, and eventually olive oil coming out, we did not sample anything because we were not at all hungry.

We came back to watch the sunset – an hour earlier than last night – and Teresa offered us wine and prosciutto on small warm rolls she had just made. Which of course we ate.


photos: Sunday sunset; an evening snack (plus wine); blending the olives – olive oil being made