Taste of Tuscany – Monteriggioni

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We sleep well. We are up early and get our gear ready to go. We leave San Gimignano, reluctantly, but excited to continue our journey. The scenery changes slightly as we are now exposed to more greenery than the day before. The traffic is minimal and you feel as if you alone occupy this precious space in time. Your mind is at rest. You are peaceful as you cruise through the Tuscan Valley.

The sun continues to caress you with its warmth and you wonder ever so silently – how much more of this Tuscan heat can one take. But as you look around you, the rolling hills, expertly manicured vineyards and strategically placed Cyprus trees, remind you that you are in one of the prettiest places in the world – and your worries melt away as you contemplate your impending stop for lunch.

You enter into a pristine town that cools you by its simple but welcoming presence. You cycle to the nearest charming restaurant and enjoy the hospitality and charm of the Italian countryside. Your thirst is quenched by non other than the local Prosecco and beer and you indulge in the finest pasta and pesto ever.

Refreshed, rejuvenated and probably smiling a bit too much, you continue through the Tuscan hills to your destination Monteriggioni. Nothing however could prepare you for the elegance and grandeur of the Castel Pietraio, our home for the evening. At the end of a 40km cycle in the hot Tuscan sun, your only thoughts are air condition and water. At the Castel you are welcomed like kings and queens, ushered into exquisitely appointed rooms and told that the pool is just a short walk away in the well manicured garden. Wine is served as an aperitif at 7 and you stroll into the village for dinner.

Royal service indeed. What more can you ask for..

 

 

Taste of Tuscany – San Gimignano

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No matter who you speak to – whether they live in Italy, visited Italy or even heard about Italy – San Gimignano is on the top of the list of places to visit in Tuscany. And I now join this long list of fans, for San Gimignano is one of the prettiest towns I’ve ever seen. But I jump ahead. Let’s get back to our journey.

We are excited, nervous, anxious but most of all rearing to go as we pack up our cycle gear and leave Volterra – the Tuscany valley ahead – our dreams of cycling through its most famous towns finally coming true. We have decided, in the interest of flexibility of time, to opt for a self-guided tour as offered by Saddle Skeddadle. You are pretty much left on your own, given details of your journey, accommodation in each of the towns is pre-arranged, your luggage transported as you meander along at your leisure from city to city. I mean how difficult can this be, right?

S T O P ! – our self acclaimed leader shouts from the back of the group – We’ve missed the very first turn. Now, picture this. We are a group of wanna-be cyclists, who have ‘trained’ for this vacation, and are traveling down hill with the wind in our hair and smiles on our faces. You can imagine therefore that the thought of stopping and turning around uphill, is not very appealing – to put it mildly. We stop, we deliberate, our leader takes one for the team and retraces our tracks.

Minutes and minutes go by as we wave to passers-by who are probably wondering why we’ve decided to take a break on the corner of what has turned out to be a very busy road. We wave none-the-less pretending that this is part of our plan. Our leader returns and we are finally relieved to learn that we are on the right track. Smiles once again confident that we can do this, and we are on our way.

The day passes without another hitch. We amble through the recently harvested fields of wheat, stop for much needed refreshments (Prosecco and beer, of course) along the way and quietly skirt through the small towns and villages along the way.

It’s a tough first day of 36km – the sun is hot, the undulating terrain challenges our new found cycling skills as we are faced with an uphill stretch of 12km at the very beginning. One or two of us take our first bike spills, and, did I mention that the sun is hot. We are undaunted however. We laugh through it all as we continue our exciting journey.

We arrive in San Gimignano, sun scorched, starving, discussing the day and as we push our bikes through the welcoming arch we are left speechless – not because we are exhausted but oh my, this place is priceless – the quaint streets, unusual shops, towers, the charming square – warm our hearts and we are immediately relaxed. The challenges of the day immediately forgotten.

We are happy, exhilarated and most importantly triumphant. One day down, four more to go. We celebrate with Prosecco and pizza and, as the sun sets, we are surprisingly entertained by street musicians in the main Piazza.

Smiles are back on our faces and we look forward to another glorious day.

 

Taste of Tuscany – Volterra

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In our infinite wisdom, my husband and I decided to tour the famous towns of Tuscany using our favourite mode of vacation transportation – bicycle. You see on two previous occasions we travelled through the picturesque terrain of Austria and northern Italy and then, before trekking to Machu Picchu on another holiday, we cycled from Cusco to the Amazonas – two exciting and extremely rewarding vacations.

This time a group of our closest friends decided to join us on our Tuscany excursion. Over the next few blogs I will attempt to take you through our very exciting journey.

After meeting in Pisa (see La Torre Pendente di Pisa) we bussed it directly to the romantic city of Volterra. Volterra offers a glimpse of the architecture typical of medieval times and is filled with small alleys, squares, palaces and towers. And much like other towns in Italy, the window boxes filled with flowers and the charming shops lure you into a lifestyle that is simple, inviting and oh so relaxing.

As the sun sets you are drawn to the magnificent views which surround this important city and the cool evening breezes transport you to that peaceful place you’ve always longed to be. A perfect start to our Tuscany adventure.

 

 

If you had to be alone, where would you go…

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I chose Lucca.

Lucca is a small town, a short 22 minute train ride north east of Pisa, and whose beginning dates back to 180BC. It boasts of a rich history taking it from the capital city of Tuscany in the 10th and 11th centuries, to an independent republic for more than 500 years, until it was taken over by Napoleon in 1805. A stroll through the old city primarily takes you through medieval buildings transporting you back to an architectural period associated with kings, wars and quite simply fantastic craftsmanship.

I took the opportunity to relax, explore and delve into my new found hobby, photography. And yes, I quietened my mind, my body and my soul, as I walked through the streets mindful of only what I wanted to see, hear, think – trying my best not to get lost. At the same time unresponsive to the many tourists who were on a similar mission of exploring this beautiful old city filled with side walk cafes, restaurants, shopping of all sorts, and of course, ‘Piazzas’ and more ‘Piazzas’.

I ended the day with a delightful lunch in the Piazza Napoleon, people watching, and then quietly strolled through the Botannical Gardens, where tourists and nationals alike rested peacefully under the shade of the huge trees that lined the city walls.

Take a walk on the other side of life – the part not filled to the brim with chores, work, and responsibilities. But filled to the brim with lots and lots of nothing or lots and lots of whatever you, just you, want to do. The only person you have to talk to is yourself. The only person you need to think about is yourself. The only person you need worry about is yourself. You’d be surprised at the results.

Being alone does not equate to being lonely. Spending time with yourself and for yourself, is probably one of the most precious gifts you can receive.

 

 

La Torre Pendente di Pisa

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A fabulous structure indeed with an interesting history that brings a sense of pride to Italy in general, and Pisans in particular. Depending on where you position yourself, he stands boldly upright with a slight tilt, or is playing peak-a-boo behind his colleague immediately in front. Then, from a totally different angle, he looks as straight as a pin, at attention. The surrounding buildings all play their part in presenting a truly magnificent show of architecture.

What caught my eye and even more so my camera lens, was the excitement in my fellow tourists in photographing the Tower. And not really the tower itself but how to creatively pose in front of the Tower. From the very young to the less young. From couples, to the selfie taker – and oh that selfie stick is everyone’s new best friend – and even whole families. Every one seems to want to right the tower in some form or fashion, lick it, pick it up with their fingers, stand on it, or as you will see from the pics, lift it with certain parts of their body. One guy, I really wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. But the one that really made me laugh was the tour group who felt they needed to record the event in song and dance.  Very entertaining indeed.

My attention moved from the tower to the people. And, to be honest, the visit went from ‘ho hum’ to ‘hysterical’.

Girlfriends

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I’ve had the great fortune of sharing one of the most impressionable stages of my life with someone who I met quite by chance, in a hostel in Grenoble, some 30 odd years ago. Claudia and I bonded immediately through the many trials of escaping the bondage of a hostel run by nuns, finding suitable lodging, fumbling through the tricky time of self awareness and boys, at the same time learning French, as that was indeed our main purpose at the time.

This was a friendship, unbeknownst to us then, that would stand the test of time and distance. We now live in different parts of the world, with our own families, trials and tribulations, our own celebrations. We’ve taken very different paths but always seem to end up in the same place, physically and emotionally. For at the drop of a hat, phone call or email, we can still pick up where we left off (after a quick recap), and continue the journey of life together.

I know that I am not the only fortunate soul to experience this type of life long friendship – and quite frankly there are many beautiful women in my life who have been true to me through my life’s journey and whose friendship I treasure deeply, but this particular friendship never ceases to amaze me primarily due to its very coincidental start, our very different backgrounds, traditions, experiences – and yet we remain friends to the end.

All this to say that when you call your friend of over 30 years, and say “I have a few days free in Europe – what are you doing?”, you know the answer will only be “Where and When – I’m there.” So what better place to meet than Genova and explore the Italian Riviera together.

Having not seen each other for over a year, the catch up time took a bit longer than expected but not even the beauty around us could stop the chatter. We managed to do so however, amidst the ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ as we climbed the stony path to take in the magnificent views from the Lighthouse in Portofino, explored the Monastery dedicated to the Christian martyr Saint Fruttuoso and his deacons and meandered effortlessly through the cobble stone streets of Santa Margherita. At night the gentle breezes of the Mediterranean cooled the warm air making the Prosecco and pasta that much more enjoyable.

Certainly no better location to fit right back into each other’s life.

Auschwitz – our history

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I was in two minds whether or not to visit Auschwitz – a part of our history which conjures up different emotions in each and every one of us. But how do you come to Krakow – possibly a once in a lifetime visit – and not honour those who lost their lives during one of our darkest moments in time, by remembering their horrific journey.

Surprisingly my emotions were stable. I guess having read their story many times over and seen movies based on their torture, my visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau was merely a realization that – My God – this really happened.

The visit took you through their journey recounting the hopes and dreams they had when taking the train with their most precious belongings – just one suitcase was allowed – and of course their spouses and children. I could only imagine the happiness which filled the mother’s heart as she felt that she was being given a chance to make a new life for her family – and the father’s comfort in believing that he would be able to continue to care for and protect his spouse and young ones.

Their shattered dreams became a reality upon seeing their belongings piled high in glass cases -mountains of shoes, hair brushes, pots and pans, religious ornaments and praying mats. Suitcases with their names and addresses – a sign of hope and expectation – giving you an idea of the numbers of persons who lost and died at the hands of this tyrant.

Their living or rather ‘existing’ quarters, the gas chambers, the punishment rooms where four prisoners were made to stand in a 3 foot square room overnight after a hard day’s work, or the rooms where they were left to starve for no apparent reason, filled your imagination, and only your imagination, of what their ordeal might have been like. None of us could possibly understand the depth of their sadness, their humiliation, their loss.

The pictures of some of the inmates who were registered gave you a glimpse of what they may have been thinking. Women, with hollow eyes, grieving over their lost children. The father’s defiance and anger captured in their faces as they swore, albeit secretly, to avenge the death of their family.

As you leave, you pray that our world will never see this type of tyranny again – and you realize even before the end of your silent prayer, that nothing, nothing much has changed. Our world is still at war at many different levels. But you continue to pray and do your part.

May we each find some way, no matter how small, to bring peace to those around us.

 

 

Zakopane in all its beauty

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Yes it’s a small town, quaint with its cobbled streets, wood cabin type buildings, roads lined with pine trees – lots and lots of pine trees. You feel completely at one with the environment as everything is geared towards its preservation and admiration. Only to learn later that Zakopane is much loved in the winter by those who love to ski and is visited on weekends by those who want to simply immerse themselves in the beauty of its surroundings.

So we took a walk, my husband and I and our unsuspecting niece – more like a hike (5 1/2 hrs) – to one of its highest peaks (1800 meters). And oh the beauty. For any of us who has seen the movie “The Sound of Music”, the song “The Hills are Alive” ring true at every moment. You can just imagine yourself a member of the Von Trapp Family escaping to a new world. Such is the beauty and vastness that surrounds you.

We returned the following day to trek the other side of the mountain, and again, we weren’t disappointed.

Thinking of visiting Poland? Include Zakapone. You will not regret it.

 

 

Family Weddings

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I absolutely love family weddings. And by family, I include close friends – weddings where you feel you’ve made some sort of contribution to this declaration of love, just by being a part of the couple’s life.

I love the feeling of ‘happy’ that fills the atmosphere and infiltrates your every thought, word and action. And it’s not just because of the overflow of bubbly, wine or Vodka. It’s the excitement of the world about to be created by the newly weds. A world which includes the coming together of two unsuspecting families – each bringing their own traditions, history, and expectations of the future. A world where everything is possible – filled with adventure, hope, dreams and new life. A journey that has no end and one that can only grow deeper in love and trust.

I’ve recently attended the wedding of my husband’s nephew whose parentage is Trinidadian and English. He grew up in England where he met his dream girl and whose parentage is Polish. The wedding took place in beautiful Zakopane, a small town 1 hour outside of Krakow, Poland. The guest list included friends and family from several different parts of the world – a testament that I am not the only one who absolutely loves a family wedding – or more to the point – the joining together of two great people.

What made this wedding special was the absolute love and care that went into its every detail. And you felt it from the moment you received your ‘Save the Date’ email one year before. Imagine bringing together some 200 odd people from different parts of the world and taking care of their every need – smoothly, effortlessly and with the broadest of smiles.

What piqued my interest most – apart from the overflow of food, which included pork in its every form or fashion, wine and Vodka and more Vodka – was the unique way the Poles have of ensuring the longevity of this union. Very simply Greg had to ‘buy’ Julia. We know that some religions work with the ‘dowry’ concept and this usually takes the form of land or cattle – something with a high cash value. Julia, however, was ‘sold’ for a ration of cheese, a bottle of Vodka and One hundred TT Dollars (USD15.00). Let me say this however, that she is worth her weight in gold and they have both won the jackpot.

Thank you Greg and Julia – may all your dreams come true.

 

 

 

Nieces are a gift from God

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Having only sons I often wonder what it would be like to raise a daughter. They are different – boys, for the most part, like boy things. Trying to teach my boys the wonders of sewing one day, I realized very quickly how boring it was to create things from cloth, in their eyes anyway, as I found myself surrounded by no one after a very short explanation on the art of keeping the cloth and the needle in sync, trying to sew a straight line. They just wanted to be outside exploring.

Having failed miserably at the concept of changing the status quo and raising sons to appreciate ‘girly’ stuff (I know this is not socially correct – but bear with me), I soon realized that my mission in life was not to change, but to lead by example.

That’s where my nieces come in. I am from a family of 5 – 2 girls and 3 boys – and guess what – the girls have the sons and the boys have the daughters – for the most part anyway. Why Oh Lord Why? It’s not often we find the answer to this type of question in one’s lifetime, but fortunately I’ve discovered that nieces are in fact a gift from God.

Your brothers by some sort of misguided chance and the love of their wives, deal with the daily struggles of raising daughters, and you, the unsuspecting but very loving aunt, reap the benefits of the young female adult, eager to share, create, experience, learn, from and with you, the old aunt – who has not a care in the world but loads and loads of love to give, many stories to tell, and lots of wine to share.

I thought the Lord was playing a dirty trick on me, but now I realize that He has given me the best of both worlds – young men who will care for and cherish the women in their lives and young ladies who will share their simplest of dreams, their most creative of talents, and most of all their love.

Always cherish your role in life and Never, but Never, under estimate the value of a niece.