Wrapping Up Tuscany

Rub Il Porcellino’s snout for good luck

NOTE: This should have been posted before the post that was uploaded two days ago.  Oops!  — David

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So I am again quite behind in the blog of our trip and this will not be posted until we get back to the states as we have no wifi where we have been the past couple of days.  But I wanted to get everything at least written before I leave Europe- or else it is really not a travel blog.  Today is Sunday evening as I write this.

To begin with on Friday- the last day  in Tuscany.  We had to pack, get things ready to leave and just relax a bit.  We then decided to go to a winery- we hadn’t really been to one yet although we have tasted plenty of wine.  So there was one quite close to our villa-  I can’t remember now the name but we will have it at home.  So we tasted- now remember this is about 11am even before we had breakfast.  They had wine, olive oil a grappa.  And guess what we decided that we had room in our suitcases for a bottle of grappa.  It was very good.  So we are bringing home a bottle of wine and olive oil- free of charge from our villa- I Lami and two other bottles that we bought along the way.  We hope that when we get to the airport tomorrow we will still be under the weight limit.  

Fattoria di S. Michele a Torri

After the winery we decided to go into Florence for one last day although it was very humid and we were tired.  But as we said what is a little tired and heat compared to being in Firenze.  So we again took the tram- why don’t they have air conditioning on these trams is a puzzlement to me?  We decided to explore the south side of the Arno River a bit more.  We headed over to the PItti Palace and went to the Bobolee Gardens behind the palace.  Lots of pretty land, lots of stairs and walking- all of Italy is hills upon hills.  Neat fountain in the middle where there was a heron posing for quite sometime on the top of the Neptune Fountain.  

After that we walked more up to the Bardini gardens which had a terrific view of Firenze. Lots of time for pics.  But not to miss any view we decided to continue the walking torture in the heat to the Palazzi Michaelangelo. This is highest spot in Firenze that people go to to enjoy the view.  You can actually drive there but we didn’t have our car.  We walked up up the steps.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t so humid but we did it.  It’s actually quite a tourist spot but very beautiful views.  Many pics here as well as well as sitting and having drink. 

Later on back down, dinner and then home.  — Ellen

Florence at sunset from Palazzi Michaelangelo