Oct 31 Day 27 Off to Florence

The students gave me a lovely going-away present of a Meredith College-red scarf!  It was so touching as well as beautiful and I will treasure it.  Afterwards, Betty, John and the students took me out for a farewell lunch, which was delicious.  They were able to fit this in just before hosting their Halloween Party for the neighborhood (and local schools/friends') children.  The students stayed up for hours the night before, decorating the Palazzo for the event, creating life-sized skeletons, cutting out bats, pumpkins and ghosts, setting out jack o'lanterns, setting up stations for activities, and baking cookies.  This will surely be the envy of the town, as nobody around could possibly top this Halloween party!
My train ride to Florence was uneventful, but the bus ride to the piazza "close" to the convent proved memorable because of an apparent argument between some of the passengers.  Nobody got terribly angry, but it appeared that a woman stood up for another one and berated a man for not being appropriately respectful to her.  Another older woman was especially helpful to me, carrying my suitcase to the bus door so that I would not miss my exit, and then handing it down off of the bus.  It was wonderful.  Grazie tanto!
I was very happy to finally find the convent where I am staying (Sr. Elisabetta), after walking uphill through the pouring rain and stepping into a massive puddle. The nun was gracious and showed me the key to the private nun's parlor where I could use the internet.  This probably means that they will expect me for 7 am morning prayers (yikes).
Orientation tomorrow for the cooking school and I will begin my exploration of Florence!

Oct 30 Day 26 Olive Harvest

Perfect sunny day to harvest olives!
People can actually go here and stay on Kate's farm and learn things from photography to art to olive and raspberry harvesting!  Here is a link to her blog:
www.oliveoilandraspberries.it

Don't worry - my hands have not turned yellow!  This is the olive rake!

What a wonderful opportunity to help Kate Middleton at her gorgeous farm with her olive picking and be able to see it all the way through, from picking, to processing, to tasting and having my own bottle!  It was the perfect, sunny day for the harvest and we were well rewarded with a feast along with the olive pickers from Kosovo, who were very kind and made a huge effort to communicate.  It was fun to climb the trees, use the small plastic rake (similar to kids' sand toys), and "brutally" rake the olives off the branches.  It was a little early for the harvest, but Kate was hopeful that it would produce peppery and delicious extra virgin olive oil, and she was right! It is truly delicious.

Her agri-tourism (spelling?) farm is picture postcard beautiful, with a pool overlooking the hills, rosemary-lined walks, fig trees, a real boar's head mounted in the shed, dogs and a cat, and of course olive trees and raspberry bushes.  I will vouch for both the place and the people - first rate!

Oct 29 Day 25 Exploring the Country and Peoples

During my explorations, I found a nice fixer-upper here in the countryside of Sansepolcro for an ambitious worker!

Another gorgeous weather day and after my last opportunity to have one of Margarita and Alessandra's delicious lunches,
I took off on the bicycle again to explore more farmlands in and around Sansepolcro.  One of the stops was to a lovely cemetery to see the people cleaning their ancestors' graves in the local tradition for Day of the Dead (Nov 1st). 

I have not sufficiently raved about the gorgeous Palazzo Alberti where the Meredith Study Abroad Program is housed.  This is an actual fresco on one of the walls!  The doors are arched, the ceilings high, the shuttered windows lovely. The students and alumnae who come here are truly fortunate - I have loved staying here!

Oct 28 Day 24 Bicycling and Making Homemade Pasta

 Sunny and warm day here so I was able to ride one of the Meredith bicycles both in town (morning) and around the farms (afternoon).


Even out in the distant countryside there are churches with bell towers, convents, and little communities.

The olives can only be picked when it is dry, which limits the time that people can harvest if they have a city business as well as an olive business, like my new friends Stella and Andrea (also opera singers).


The soil is a gorgeous dark brown and loamy - no red clay in sight.  





Tonight we had an Italian cooking lesson, by Fabricio and his wife Sarah (the Italian professor) and they taught us how to make fresh homemade tagliare and gnocci!

This food will spoil us from now on since it tasted SO much better than the dried pasta!

Oct 27 Day 23 Cortona for Second Day

The second day in Cortona started with a walk around the perimeter of the town while waving at old Italian grandmothers who love to smile at people out of their 2nd story windows.  While climbing the steep cobbled walk up the hill, I passed a dozen columns containing mosaics of the Stations of the Cross, at the end of which was the lovely Church of Santa Margherita.  This 19th century church contains the famous Saint’s remains, visible in mummified form (which was a bit spooky).  I made my way back through the maze-like streets of the town to visit the Etruscan Museum, which was huge and most interesting for its display of tomb artifacts and designs.  The Etruscans took over this town in the 8th century BC.  I bought some bronzes, specially commissioned by the museum, and talked to the shop owner for a while.

My dear neighbors, Norma and George, whose fabulous daughter Jessica had studied abroad in Perugia, recommended an art gallery in town – Marco Nocchia’s – and it was great fun to talk to him, see the Etruscan well that that they discovered when remodeling their 15th century gallery, and learning a bit about Italian art.  It was also fun to see, along the little roads, people getting ready for Halloween – a newly celebrated event in Europe.

I returned to Sansepolcro to join the “conversation class” that John arranges for some locals to improve their English, and then we went out for drinks with Maria Vincenzia, a lovely new Italian friend.  We went to the bar where she had seen Ralph Fiennes but, alas, he was not there.

Oct 26 Day 22 Cortona

I took the bus to Arezzo and changed to another one for Cortona, and during the trip there was a wonderful “small world” moment when I met a couple from North Carolina, Marilyn and Rod.  Rod plays banjo in a Dixieland Band, which is interesting in itself, but what made it more amazing is that we realized that in 2003, his band played at my Dad’s 80th birthday party!

Cortona was made famous (too famous, actually) by Frances Mayes in her books Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany.  The town was full of Americans, some Canadians, and very few Italians, as far as I could tell.  The Italians that I saw were either owners of tourist shops or construction workers, remodeling and restoring for “luxury residences” - all written in English.  It is funny how I can feel embarrassed by it, being American, but these small lovely towns should not be our little sandboxes.  I think it is better to visit, marvel, learn and enjoy -and not possess -these little towns.

The first day, I visited the Diocesan Museum and, naturally, saw a lot of religious art.  There is an interesting 2nd century Roman sarcophagus, some beloved paintings by the town’s son Luca Signorelli, and a gorgeous Annunciation.  The churches and monasteries are also lovely, some very small, and the views from the top of Cortona are spectacular.  It was very windy and cold, with pots being smashed in the piazzas and people pulling on hats and gloves, so I was happy to be inside for a nice meal and call it an early night.

Oct 25 Day 21 Sansepolcro

A day to re-charge the batteries (in both the literal and figurative sense), post the blogs, do the laundry, mail a huge box to myself (although the Italian woman seemed to tell me that it is impossible to mail a package to oneself and that I must make up a name), buy some linen place mats from Busatti, and do some planning for seeing the Uffizi Gallery, the Amalfi Coast, and a little upcoming trip to Cortona.  Hopefully I will be able to sneak a peek at Frances Mayes' house from her book Under the Tuscan Sun.  Here is her website:  http://www.francesmayesbooks.com/.  Her husband, Ed, is there and I'd love to say hello.

Skype is a wonderful thing, although while on Skype tonight, Emily suggested that "normal" mothers took up ceramics or needlepoint rather than running off to Italy for seven weeks.  It's a good thing that we have video with the Skype because it allowed me to see her smile when she said that.

Since I did not take any photos today, I will post an older one from my trip to Citta di Costello.  Ciao.

Oct 24 Day 20 Finish Weekend Excursion and Go Through Central Tuscany

 Our first stop was Buonconvento, a town  which is the center of a farming community.  We spent time in the museum learning about the difficult lives of the farmers and sharecroppers (of whom the landowners took advantage).  The town is enclosed in a 14^th century fortification with imposing gates and we were even able to spend a little time at a Catholic mass in a small church.

Sienna is a spectacular town and I only wish that we could have spent more time there – perhaps I will be able to go back and not rush through the Cathedral, Piazza del Campo, museums, towers and churches.  It would be especially wonderful to come back to see the famous Palio di Siena horse race at the Campo.  The Black Death wiped out 70% of the population in the mid 14^th century, and the town was never able to fully recover.  I have never before seen a cathedral as magnificent as the Duomo di Siena, and it took my breath away.  The cathedral museum was also lovely, as were the views from the top of the tower (but climbing back down those tiny spiral stairs made me dizzy).  We had lunch in the Campo and watched people, heard some pilgrims singing, and enjoyed the variety and life in Siena.  Returning to Sansepolcro was nice, however, for a bit of rest, and we watched Il Postino back at the Palazzo – thoroughly enjoyable.

Oct 23 Day 19 Continuing Through Southern Tuscany

The bus drove through more surreal landscapes to Sant’ Antimo Abbey, another beautifully imposing church, this one from the 9^th century.  Some believe that this abbey was created by Charlemagne as early as 781 AD, upon a promise to God that if He spared his army from a mysterious disease, he would build a church.  The Abbey has its own oboe player, who stopped playing when he realized that I was videotaping him. 

 

We met a darling British family who had taken a 6 month unpaid leave so that they could travel together with little 2 ½ year old Rufus and 6 month old “Baby Freddie.”  Rufus was a lady-killer with the Meredith students, as you can see here. He gave us a demonstration of British vs. American accents and it was adorable.

Montalcino – another lovely hillside town that still has its 13^th century walls.  It is particularly well known for its Brunello wine, which is delicious.  We were able to visit some small churches but the large cathedral was closed.  These towns are so steep that even without rain or ice, sometimes it is challenging to climb or descend them.  We spent some time in its lovely museum, formerly a convent, which contains almost exclusively 14^th-16^th century art by the Sienese.  We especially liked some non-religious statues, such as the mother wolf being climbed by Romulus and Remus – figures seen throughout this region due to Roman mythology.

 

Bagno Vignomi is a tiny town known for its hot springs, reputed to cure arthritis and other ailments, and its curative waters were enjoyed by Catherine of Siena and Lorenzo de’Medici.  We enjoyed the hot waters and noted that our tired feet were instantly better.

Pienza – This town was planned by Pope Pius II as the “ideal Renaissance town” and the small square in its center is named for him.  It contains, naturally, a beautiful cathedral, gorgeous palace, and lovely government buildings.  The cathedral has some major paintings, including Vecchitta’s Assumption.  This town has been discovered, for it was very touristy.  It contains nice antiques and art.  There are amazing views of the Orcia Valley and lots of photo opportunities. Apparently some of the street names were changed during the 19^th century to reflect the “ideal” – for instance, some streets named after Fortune, Love and The Kiss.

Oct 22 Day 18 Excursion Through Southern Tuscany

The weekend excursion through southern and central Tuscany with the Meredith College students, Betty and John, and Sarah (the Italian professor and my roommate) and with bus driver Emmanuel (who fit right in and taught us some Italian) was jam-packed, fun, and exhausting.   

 

The highlight for me was seeing the breathtaking Tuscan countryside out of the bus window, with the varied shades of green, the olive trees planted in perfect rows, and the dramatic hills and valleys along the way.

Our first stop was at La Foce in Val D’Orcia  - site of the compelling book by author Iris Origo (referred to earlier), and every bit as beautiful as she had described.  Apparently some famous people were renting the entire estate, so we were not able to tour the actual house and gardens, but we saw the grounds, the kitchen garden, and the cemetery.  It is hard to imagine her family taking in and/or feeding and otherwise providing for hundreds of people during WWII from orphans, children for safekeeping, and both British and German prisoners, while contending with Mussolini, the Nazis, and the constant sounds of bombs, but Mrs. Origo managed it with apparent equanimity. I loved her book so much that I purchased her autobiography and plan to read it during the remainder of my trip.

On the way to Montepulciano, we ate a wonderful lunch at Gabrielle’s restaurant, Pulcino.  I read her book along the way (containing recipes), which is the diary of her life.  She is a short, delightful  lady in her 70’s, and she has built quite a little business which is more than just her restaurant (traditional Tuscan fare with the favorite pici – thick, rounded pasta) and includes things for purchase such as Etruscan ceramics, nativity scenes (whose profits are shared with entities in India and Bethlehem), food, olive oil, wine, etc.  as well as a museum with everything from a Friar’s dining room table to fossils and from arrowheads to silver, even suits of armor - all thrown together much like a grandmother’s attic.  

 

Montepulciano was a pretty little medieval town, with its piazza grande at the top, a fortress, and a commanding tower with a beautiful clock.  Naturally I climbed the tower and was celebrating at the top.  The Duomo has a façade that was not finished (waiting for the marble) and inside had beautiful religious paintings and altars. The civic museum is full of Etruscan artifacts and ceramics.  The clown, Pulcinella, strikes the hour on the medieval clock tower.

On the way out of town, we passed the majestic church of San Biagio.  These cathedrals are so grand, in every respect, and it is hard to imagine how many hours, days, and years of creation it took to create them.

A short visit to tiny Montisi was memorable more for the charming people and cats (there are cats everywhere in these towns!), but also for the lovely views.

 

We pulled up to our weekend lodgings at Sant’ Anna Monastery in Camprena, a truly gorgeous place to stay that also served breakfast and dinner and the food was quite good.  We ate in a common dining room and were able to meet friendly Italians as well as students and their faculty from a Penn State architecture program located in Rome.  The courtyard with its central fish pond, surrounding lemon trees, and aromatic herbs was hypnotic.  Views from the site were equally lovely.  We referred to it as a 5 star hotel without the tourists!  Parts of The English Patient were filmed here!  The abbey has beautiful frescoes by Sodoma and the cemetery was also lovely, unspoiled, and moving.

Oct 21 Day 17 The Monastery

Well I was obviously wrong about Betty and John looking out for my welfare.  Despite knowing that I have done nothing but eat for the past 3 weeks, they still suggested that I walk up a "little hill" to see the monastery.  Trusting that they knew what they were talking about, I took off, first on the bicycle through the town and feeling quite conspicuous, then leaving the bike propped against the large cross by the side of the road (so that potential thieves would be really hesitant), then walking straight UP the hill for one whole hour before I got to the Franciscan Monastery (Casalei). It was exhausting (see the picture from almost the top of the hill), but worth it.

I walked into tiny chiesa (church), just past the Convent, and walked the entire length of the church which took only about 12 steps. As I entered the next tiny prayer room, I disturbed a monk in a brown robe (he looked exactly like I imagined St. Francis to look), but he did not seem to mind, and in Italian he invited me to look into the monk's living quarters.


The bedroom door was no more than 5 feet tall, the dimensions were no more than 6 ft by 6 ft, and the little wooden bed was only about 7 inches off the floor.
This tiny hallway leads to more rooms and another prayer room, and I saw no evidence of rugs, blankets, or any personal belongings.  The only pictures were religious.

Guess that is what it takes to live cloistered, in poverty, and in a prayerful mood 24 - 7.

Notice the cat next to St. Francis. This is one of 8 that I counted just outside of the church.  Apparently they do take seriously that St. Francis is the patron saint of animals. 



After running down the hill, in order to be on time for our next appointment, we walked back to painter Mario Baragli's home for another visit. This is his website -
http://www.mariobaragli.it/galleria_oli/index.php.
We were able to meet his daughter and granddaughter, see more artwork, have some wine and cakes, and have a nice visit.

We are now packing for our weekend trip to Val d'Orcia because the students and I read Iris Origo's wonderful book entitled War in Val d'Orcia and the entire area is supposed to be gorgeous.  I recommend the book to everyone, even if you are not planning a trip to the area.

My legs are still aching.

Oct 20 Day 16 Deruta

Deruta is the famous town in Umbria for its ceramics, getting its start from the clay deposits from the natural river valleys and gullies in the area.  In addition to housing many ceramics studios and galleries, the town has an interesting ceramics museum.  Even the local church altars have tiles from the town, showing religious figures and stories, and they are truly beautiful.  The art there dates back to the 4th century BC and you can see the development of the colors in the ceramics over the centuries. Early ceramics show just greens and browns, then blues, yellows, reds, etc were added.  Even scenes and subject matter changed over the years.

The owners of the first studio-store that we visited were extremely friendly and the mother took us on a tour where everyone was eager to show off artistic skills.  This is, obviously, a potter, and it took him all of about 60 seconds to make a beautiful vase!

Plates such as the one below are seen both in the museum as well as the stores.  It was a treat to be able to see them and I am happy to be able to bring some of the ceramics home - but I may need a new suitcase.

Oct 19 Day 15 Citti di Castello

What an amazing eureka morning, when John and I were walking into the Tuesday morning market and ran into one of his Italian friends, a photographer, who offered to walk us to the home of his friend, a 91 year old painter named Mario Baragli.  Mario was formerly a lawyer and town mayor, and he was charming in addition to being extremely talented.   His paintings lined his home, which he showed us from his wheelchair, and while they were mostly watercolors, they were expertly done and quite extraordinary.  Mario gave each of us one of his books that contains photographs of his paintings, which were extremely generous gifts, and he signed it with notes to us that I cannot possibly translate (but hopefully will find someone who can).  I shall always treasure this book and the time that I had with this gentleman.

This round bell tower is a symbol of Citta di Castello, a gorgeous little medieval town.  It was constructed over several centuries... the bottom part is Romanesque (11th to 12th centuries) and the the upper part is Gothic (13th c). 

The signora in the museum gave me 2 keys and pointed towards the bell tower, which was narrow with a wooden spiral staircase.  The walk was a bit spooky, but it paid off because the view was spectacular - to me, much better than St Mark's in Venice (much more touristy, not as sweet a view).  The museum was a true gem, with the usual frescoes and Renaissance paintings, but also beautiful religious vestments, processional regalia, boxes, silver, manuscripts, etc. 

The churches, like all of them around here, are also lovely.

Tomorrow shall be another shopping day, but this time for ceramics, which should be more palatable to me.