Toscana

15-Settembre-2011

Sitting with your feet in the warm spring water of Bagno Vignone is a great pleasure.  Touring the tiny bath town favored by Etruscans, Romans and Pope Pius II is also great fun.  And all this after a stop at La Foce, where the famous zigzag driveway of Tuscany can be seen, makes for a very nice morning. 

 The water bubbles up into a large pool that substitutes for the town square.   Bathing is not allowed, but I’d be willing to guess that prohibition began after the reign of the “colorful” Pope.  

 The water runs under the street to the ruins of the Roman baths perched on the edge of a cliff.  The calcified water has built itself a ramp where it leaves the cliff and launches into the air high above the little stream they call a river far below.  High atop the opposite side of the valley, a castle rises from a promontory.  Striking, and also peaceful.  A great place to linger.

But not for too long, since there is so much more to see.  We followed a tour bus through the hills, which gave me a good excuse for stopping for frequent photo ops.  Before long we arrived at the Abbey Sant’Antimo.  Our timing did not allow us to hear the monks chant, or to see the angle of the fading sun light up the airborne dust in full splendor, but the building and grounds are still stunningly beautiful.  Charlemagne showed good taste in liking the area.

Prior to our departure, Terenzio had drawn a straight line on the map that represented the path through the farmland that was the shortcut to Banfi.  This resulted in two learnings…the differing interpretation of a straight line between Italians and Americans, and firsthand knowledge of why so many of the cars in Tuscany are covered with dust.  

The five-course lunch with Banfi wines was outstanding, and the dining room and grounds were every bit as memorable as the food.  All American wineries should be required to have a castle, don’t you think?  Afterward, Dave drove on to Montalcino, where the Florentines finally subdued the last rulers of Sienna.  We strolled through the town, shopping and taking pictures until we got tired.  I subdued numerous photons with my camera.

Dog tired in Montalcino

There are numerous towns in the province of Sienna that have names ending with “ciano.”  Asciano, Chianciano Terme, Monetpulciano, Moniciano, San Casciano dei Bagni... I told Dave that I thought “ciano” in Italian was something like “ville” in English. 

“Oh, so you mean like Churchciano, or Scottschiano or the Last Train to Clarksciano?”  Close enough.

Reflecting on Italian Real Estate

Back at Ortaglia, we sampled some of the wine Terenzio had stored in our rooms as we watched the setting sun.  Then made short work of the salami and cheese we picked up in lieu of dinner from the frommagio vendor in Montepulciano.  As best we could, we had asked what would be the proper accompaniment to Tuscan wine.  “Con vino? she repeated, “Soltanto Pecorino con vino.”  Well…OK.  We’ll only eat sheep cheese with wine.  When in Tuscany…  

Retiring to a table above the vineyard, we solved the problems of the world while gazing up at the what we thought was the Big Dipper, but in Toscana, it's really Ursa Major in the Latin sky.