Toscana

As Jake mentioned, our Euro Tour has ended, but since we missed the last few days of our trip due to lack of internet we thought we would try to make some final posts now.

Our final days were spent in beautiful Tuscany. If you enjoy indulging in local flavors (both food and wine), living as those around you, and are confident and not afraid of getting lost then Tuscany is the place for you. I can't say enough about the amazing foods and plentiful wines, the relaxing and carefree attitude of the locals, the ever so winding streets, and the beautiful fields of sunflowers. Not to forget our amazing B&B situated on a hillside with great views from the terrace and our Italian host, Simone, whose English was just enough for us to understand what he was trying to tell us.







A few of my highlighs of our time in Tuscany...

Our Cooking Class...
Our cooking class with a local restaurant owner was quite the expereince. We worked side by side with the chef (and our translator) to create traditional Toscana entrées . Later we were able to enjoy these dishes along with the local workers that came in for lunch. The five course meal was to say the least filling.





Wine Tasting....
I learned more about Chanti Classico, and for that matter any wine, than I have ever have learned in about a 30 minute presentation at one of the wineries we visited. We toured, learned, and tasted! Wine lovers, this is THE place to go!







Overall, Tuscany is a fabulous region of Italy. I look forward to going again, but next time during harvest season.

Hope you all have enjoyed following our Summer Euro Tour!

Ciao Ciao...

Let me start off by apologizing for the major delay in posts. There was no Internet to be had for the Italian leg. We are actually all back from Europe now, but I wanted to post on our first couple days in Italy. We took the train from Nice to Genova. The sites along the way are pretty amazing! It was my first European train ride, so it was an interesting adventure.
Our night in Genova was somewhat uneventful, which was not necessarily a bad thing. We still had our obligitory house red and amazing meal. Obviously, in the birthplace of Pesto, you must eat the local cuisine. Our first taste of Italy did not let us down. The service was great and the food even better.
The next morning, we woke up early and picked up our very european blue Fiat Punto - we appropriately named him Papa Smurf. The drive to Florence was also picturesque as can be. Jon navigated his way through the hills and tunnels of Western Italy as we took in the views. A common theme of Italy was the GPS being either the savior or dagger of our day trips. Luckily, we were saved this time as driving through the streets of Florence is frantic to say the least. Our hotel location couldn't have been better. The Duomo was two blocks away, Accedemia 4 blocks and Uffizi down the street. The little old lady at the front desk was so accommodating and endearing that it made us feel right at home. Jon and T used the remainder of the daylight hours roaming the streets of Florence and doing what Jon loves best - shop. I managed to sit in line to hike the 463 steps of the Duomo.







We went to another fine Italian meal that evening and capped off the night having a few drinks at a fun Irish pub by the hotel. The next day Jon and I woke up early to go to the Uffizi and take in the Italian classics. We walked around Firenze and observed the city that is one colossal Museum in and of itself. After seeing David at the Accedemia (and that's about all you get for the 10 Euro entry fee), we departed for Tuscany. Yet another adventure in the Summer Euro tour 2009.

As the locals say...Ciao Ciao