Sunday, July 3, 2011

Tuscany with Grandchildren Part 3 - July 2011


Thursday

We began Thursday with a drive thru the Tuscan hills on our way to the City of Towers...San Gimignano.



At every turn in the road in the hour long drive, there were new vistas of beautiful Tuscan views...rolling hills, lush vineyards, framed by mountains in the background and bathed in a hazy sunlight.




There were numerous stops in order to capture the many photo opportunities. The kids were in awe at the amazing views and Nava was busy capturing it all with her new Nikon camera...she is quite the photographer, as are Ezra, Ariel and Kayla who took turns using our cameras and theirs...we could see that BH they are all very good at capturing the moment on film! We should have a very good collection of pictures to show everyone.





We spent a few hours in San Gimignano and even scaled the largest tower which is about 170 feet high...no elevator or escalator. There are 14 towers in this mediaeval town which has been nicknamed the Manhattan of Tuscany. We all loved this very picturesque city.







After lunch (salami and veggies on Pita) we were off to Pisa, where we saw the famous leaning tower...obviously lots of pictures and souvenir shopping. Ezra entertained us with some amazing facts on Pisa and its tower.





Then we all did what every tourist does in Pisa...we tried to shoot the most creative picture...







The girls all compared their successes at shopping in the market outside the Leaning Tower.

From there we were off to Livorno for dinner but unfortunately the restaurant has closed since the last time we were there. But we had a good hike thru town and Kayla explained the history and significance of Livorno.
We headed back to the villa where we had a late pasta dinner that Fran whipped up in a flash. We are certainly eating very well.

All in all, a very good day.

Today we are off for the whole day to Florence. We hope to have lunch at Ruth's and then get back here in time to prepare our Shabbat meals.

We wish all of you a shabbat shalom...

All the best....

The Tuscany team



Saturday, July 2, 2011

Tuscany with Grandchildren Part 2 - July 2011



Wednesday

We left early this am for Siena, a remarkably beautiful walled city about one hour drive south. We parked just outside the city and took the escalator into town.


Once inside the walled old city, Ariel gave us a lecture on the history of Siena...he went into great detail and even told us about the famous horse race and the sports teams of Siena.


We went to the weekly market and shopped for locally made handicrafts.






We walked around this very picturesque city until it was time for lunch. 

There were artists everywhere doing these amazing sketches in chalk on the roadway.



We ate lunch in the famous Piazza del Campo, site of the famous annual horse race. 








 We met some people from Modiin whose children know Nava and Ezra.







We visited the magnificent shul, but were not permitted to take pics; but here is what the shul looks like from our first trip to Tuscany a few years earlier. The man in the photo is the head of the community, Eli Rabbani.







After leaving Siena we decided to visit the old walled city of Monteriggioni and spent some time exploring that city. 









We left at 5 pm and thought that we could eat in Florence at Ruth's restaurant and still get an early night. Well it did not work out that way. 


We tried to start our car and it would not start.

So we called Europcar service and they said they would send a tow truck and try to fond us another car. After sitting and waiting for 2 hours, during which time our grandchildren were calm and very supportive, we tried the car and it started. So we drove to Florence airport where we had arranged another van in place of this one. When we arrived in Florence we were told that the reason why the car was not working was because we had put regular gas instead of diesel ... No one in Rome had told us that this car needed diesel. 





They gave us a brand new Volkswagen van which also has 7 seats but minimal luggage space...we are going to have to be creative next week when we load everyone and their luggage for the trip back to Rome 

By this time it was almost 9 PM so we decided to see if Ruth restaurant was still open .... It was and we went...great meal!!!... after the meal, we walked next door to the Great Synagogue of Florence and got some great night shots...


We made it back by 11 pm and we are all going go sleep to prepare for a busy day tomorrow

Hope all is well
All the best from Tuscany 

Fran and David, Nava, Ariel, Kayla and Ezra