Tuscany, Italy

Lately i feel like I have been coming out to Europe so much, the trip out here seems pretty short. I can get from my door to the door of my hotel here in less than 18-19 hours, and when i sleep half, and the other half escaping into a good book, The Good Book, catching up on emails or watching a good movie on the plane, and in-between hanging in the Star Alliance Red Carpet Lounges, travel is pretty mellow
I've racked up almost 200,000 airline miles in the last 2 years if you include the elite bonuses and such. Anyrate, I am always excited to travel to Italy. This time it was sans my wife, but I invited my dad to come to celebrate and hang out for an early fathers day "week". We have had a blast so far. I have been able to post occasionally, but the reception here in rural "trapped in time" towns of Tuscany, cell or internet reception is few and far between. No worries though, cause there is so much to see and explore. I love the rolling hills, green vineyards and oak trees and the lush meadows of wheat continuing over the hills and ridges as far as the eye can see. Sienna is 60 miles southwest of Florence, which is 3 hours north of Rome and about 4-5 hours south of the Alps. Italy is pretty narrow, only about 3-4 hours across driving time.

Arriving in Sienna Monday at our Villa, the Villa Catignano, this has been a re-peat wedding location for me and I LOVE it here!

the Villa has this cool Labyrinth that winds its way into a big garden full of statues from the 1700's and the mix between bamboo and Mediterranean vegetation gives it a bit of old school international feel.

This Part of the Villa was built in the 1600's. Its so cool and rustic inside. You will notice the metal flanges (bars) on the outside if the walls, those are metal supports to keep the walls from bowing outward from the weight of the walls.

Later in the day we went up to the top of the bell tower in Sienna, which back then was a signal of power and development. It was built in the 1400s I believe. Looking out here, this is the direction of our Villa, some 10-12 miles outside of the city. Its as rural as it gets out there. But the small towns feel trapped in time, farmers working in the vineyards, almost as though it were hundreds of years ago.

102 meters up the stairs in narrow passages

Atop the bell tower, in a self empowering, the part kid in me, swung the bell (bar that rings the bell) and run the HUGE 400lb bell. You can hear the bell for 5 miles away. Kind of empowering in a selfish way, it was kind of fun to ring the bell knowing everyone in town would wonder why it rung at 10:42 am randomly ONE time. My dad had a smile on his face as he watched me, I think it grew bigger the second time on the way down as I rung it again at 10:49pm. I have such an exploring kids heart sometimes. I'm gonna teach my kids to do that someday, and I will be so proud of them.

Looking over the Il Campo, we had a lunch and hung out, chillaxing and people watching. Its pretty funny to watch the comedians on the street play with the people. This one guy would spray a water bottle and pretend that it was bird poop. he had a lot of routines, but would also pretend he was a police officer and direct people out of the plaza, to watch their faces as they were escorted out was really funny, seconds later they would realize they were part of a joke and the whole cafe of 100 people burst into laughing WITH them, as they realized and then stood by to watch the next victim. He would repeat random acts of comedy on unsuspecting people. Its a site to see, sitting where people sat 500 years ago, eating in perhaps the same spot.

I love the panini, cheese, and cured prosciutto. Addictive!

In Italy the huge cathedrals are called Duomo's. The history behind them is fascinating. This one is in true tuscan style, inside with alternating black and white marble. HUGE. the Facades are great.

Waking up in our villa from the night after the wedding, we experience such a peaceful warm morning. Birds wake you up and the smell of a thundershower and humid air blowing through the open window remind me the the best of summer weather.

Here is my Dad & I at one of the forts.

We ended up today in Florence and are ready for a day of exploring Florentine art, and hopefully finish up with an Italian Cooking class.

If you have never been to Italy, you HAVE to go! Its a great experience, and so much history is here. I feel like a lot of life is simple and old school. I like it that way.