Under the Tuscan sun

It's our first full day in Tuscany. For me Tuscany represents all that is good about Italian good. We set off on our trip to the wine yards of San giimignano,Siena and monteriggiono. The bus is full of tourists from England,Canada,America and many others. Different nationalities,religions and cultures but joined by one common goal. To enjoy the beauty of Italy's most beautiful region.

As we leave Florence behind we pass ancient crumbling walls set in the Roman age and then on to wide countryside. After a few minutes,we encounter the sun drenched landscapes of Tuscany. Rolling hills dotted with villas typical of the region. In the relentless sun we see miles upon miles of rolling hills most of it covered in wines all ripe for the picking. The sky is a deep blue,the clouds in waves of fluff. It's sunshine and wine all the way. Our first stop is San giimignano a place for wine and olive oil. The place itself is small,cobbled streets wind their way up and down the town. The town has two squares and like in all of Italy it's full of churches,medieval building housing cafes,pizzeria and shops. Countless shops sell everything from wine to cheese,olive oil in a deep green colour,crafts,leather goods and all manner of temptations.

It's all vey laid back and happy. We stop for coffee and for someone like me who dislikes coffee I must admit that I have fallen in love with the bitterness of espresso. It's come in one sip but a heady one at that.

We move on to th Chianti wine region for a lesson in wine tasting. It's a large wine yard run for generations by an Italian family and it's full of cousins all doing their jobs rather well. We start with a lesson on how to hold the glass the science behind it,how to twirl it ,sniff it and drink it ,all the time looking out for aromas and flavours . For one as unschooled as me I must admit I know a lot about the technique but must admit my abject failure when it comes to sniffing out flavours. She tells us that the the wine has the aroma of peppers. Now for a person like me peppers are the heady black peppers which have no place in the Italian countryside so I have no clue what she is talking about. Suffice to say that all the wines are excellent,the desert wine being pretty strong and we are all a happy bunch at the end of the meal.

We move on to Siena,another medieval town set among narrow cobbled streets,high ancient building which throw their shadows in the mid afternoon sun. We get a guided tour and taste the famous pan forte a sweet made in this place and one which I promised myself I would try. It heavy with honey and dried fruits and nuts but I give it a miss. It's a bit too sinful for my taste. Siena is also home to the famous Palio where the horse races took place. A wide arena is currently full of tourists basking under a Tuscan sun. It's roads are lined with shops with designer labels to local craft. The churches are beautiful and full of history. The sent of many burning candles are pretty heady. We soon have to move on to monteriggiono a very small town with a castle to a it's credit though to me it looks more like a fort. We are told that this was a strategic location with one end looking out to Florence and the other to Siena both sworn enemies. It's takes about half and hour to see it and then as the sun sets on another day and the wine yards and rolling hills sink into the shadows it's back to Florence and dinner at our new found local. The husband is exhausted with the long day,I am too busy chatting to every Italian who knows even a smattering of English. Dinner is ravioli in meat sauce ,wine and a Parma ham pissa. Need I say more. The temperature has dipped to twenty one degrees but I choose to miss the night life in Florence and to the sound of contented snores of the husband I bid this day good night.

An Italian impression

It's back to the road again,this time a train ride to Florence. We will be back in Rome despite not having thrown a coin in the Trevino fountain,but having said that I have mixed feeling about Rome. I was told by many that it's a beautiful place,it certainly is if you like ancient ruins,but for someone like me more in love with nature,the Alps and meadows of Austria hold more charm. Not to say that Rome isn't a nice place.

I was told to look out for pick pockets and thugs but am glad to say I encountered neither on the first trip. I face I found the Italians more laid back than most Europeans ,they are far more friendly,ready to share their lives with us. One question can set off a volley of rapid fire chatter and before you know it one is familiar with the family history. I have had women share their meals with me simply because I have eaten their food. At Florence after a five minute conversation with the hotel owner (which involved some shopping tips and exchange of recipes) she was willing to give me a whole bag of bread from Naples which is used to make panzanella the salad they have here. It was only my polite refusal that has me back in the room with two slices of this famed bread. I already know that she has two daughters,that one of her sons works for the police,the hotel is named after one of the daughters and her grandson doesn't think she is posh because she doesn't like truffles. I also discovers she has a friend in Delhi who makes excellent curry,that the lady of the hotel attempts to make curry but it doesn't taste quiet the same as Indian original. Phew would I have ever got such a mine of information from Germans or the English or French. I think more than their country I am liking the people and the food more.

The landscape is not very dissimilar to India too. So used to seeing lush green meadows and wholly sheep and cloudy skies,the Tuscan sky is a clear vibrant blue,not a cloud in sight. The earth is brown with occasional burst of green but a rugged Mediterranean green. It's a long time since I have been in a Mediterranean country and the contrast to the north of Europe cannot be more stark. Olives and grapes turn into wine,oil and vinegar,there are plenty of vegetables,simple dishes and many a grandmother in sight. The Italian nona is very much at the forefront of this busy country.

When in Rome

Rome has been part of our childhood learning experience ,if we were told that Rome wasn't built in a day ,we were also told that all roads lead to Rome and that when in Rome do as the Romans do. For us it was a distant reference to julius Caesar or some Roman god but beyond that they just remains maximums to live by.

Today we decided to try out a few new things as we had finished with all the touristy things.  A long walk to find another hotel we need to see so we try and do some word association to remember the names of streets. Maps are in such fine print its next to impossible to read and as we are not on any local data plan the smartphones have to stay not so smart. We walk for a good thirty minutes through some scary downtown areas and find the place only to find that there are three other ways to reach the place and far less scary roads.....so all roads do lead to Rome. We ask for directions to a place we want to see and misunderstand the instructions thanks to still getting used to European s driving on the wrong side of the road according to us. We get into a bus and after an hour realise that we have gone totally in the wrong direction,but in the process we have seen many residential areas,have travelled the length and breadth of the Rome that people stay in as opposed to the touristy parts. Our journey is interesting in many ways,the Italians gossip non stop,talk loudly and are always greeting each other over someone's heard. The bus is crowded and we are packed like sardines and there are plenty of families,small children,mothers,old people all out and about. The buses unlike other European cities don't seem to have wheelchair access,nor does anyone get up for old people though we do as it seems only decent to do. The old ladies don't have any problem asking the husband to help them with baggage or ticket buying,so very much like India. We finally reach our destination and are trilled to bits as we have used the 100 minutes of our ticket validity thanks to getting lost.  Lunch is in a market called camp do fiori and it's an interesting place. All manner of things are sold her. The Italian street markets are place to be in. All kinds of tomatoes,garlic,cheese,vegetables are up for sale along with shoes,clothes and what not . All around the market there are cafes selling food. Everyone asks us to come to their place but the husband tires of looking at menus and we decide on one place. Striking up conversations is not difficult and when the food comes it's so outstanding we stop talking altogether. Osscobusco which was on my list of must eat foods was everything and more. I haven't a clue what they put in it but it was so full of flavour I licked my plate clean.

Lunch over,the husband decided to go to the gallery borghese which is actually a park but we don't know that do we. Searching for a bus is next to impossible here as they don't have many signpost s not are the instructions very clear. Everyone will wave their hands and tell you that it's all down the road and it may well be but for us it's not easy. The husband thank god is an excellent map reader. He can find the shortest route to any place and thanks to him map reading skills we can finds ways to places easily. When our feet scream in protest we set off on our long walk back home. In effect we have walked the length and breadth of Rome in our short stay here and like I told myself before the trip,roaming in Rome is a wonderful pastime. The good thing about the Romans is that they are friendly people. We have dinner at the place we went to two days ago and finally we get a spicy pasta which they call picante and the husband thought it was too spicy,we chatted with some locals in English and actually had a conversation and all in all our last day was more interesting than we imagined it would be

Yet another touristy day

On our third day it's time for the hop on hop off bus. This is probably a far more economic way to see Rome and we set off after breakfast. It's pretty hot despite it being September and the sun continues to beat down,but we brave it and go off to see the colosseum. It's a pile of ruins but with ages of history behind it and as in all of Europe the history coupled with restoration and some very good guides,makes for an interesting event. To think that Christians were killed here while the Romans watched,and then to be told that almost all of the construction material had been taken away to build the basilica in the Vatican seems like sweet revenge. The Roman forum is also a pile of ruins but what remains is beautiful craftsmanship. Marble in all sizes lies around some with beautiful carvings. The old fountains,the gardens and all the buildings have a certain cemetery and to have buildings standing up after thousands of years even if they are in ruins,goes to show how meticulous the eye for detail and good construction was in those days.

Our walk takes us to the village of trastevera far from the touristy places and we are greeted by a real fat little man who is a good advertisement for his restaurant. The food has to be good. He is also one for the ladies as he kisses our hands and hugs almost all of the women there and does a little good natured flirting. Not offensive in any way in fact rated endearing. We meet a Dutch couple on our walk who very kindly pointed us to the right place. Yesterday one of the local ladies insisted I taste her food simply because I asked her what she was eating. A few choice phrases in Italian can make people smile.

We see the trevi fountain but sadly it's under renovation ,though that doesn't stop hundreds of visitors from throwing coins into its dry base. I go inside one of the many churches and am surprised to find many people on their knees praying. In a world that is so ashamed to acknowledge God,the Italians have no  problems with their God. The fragrance of many burning candles gives the whole church a quiet reverence.

We climb the many steps of the Spanish steps and if it wasn't for all the hype built up over the years it's just a lot of steps crowded with tourists.

Our list of places to see are all 

Wandering in Rome

Our second day in Rome starts early. Out at 7.30 am we are off on a tour to the Vatican museums,the Raphael rooms, St. Peter's basilica and the Sistine chapel. The place is teaming with people and guides and it's a long walk. We have to pass through security and the place is strangely modern. The walls outside are ancient befitting the place but the inside is not something I bargained for. The paintings and frescos are beautiful but it's too rushed a tour. I would need more than a day to see all of it . The Italian guide s accent is so strong we are having trouble following her but thanks to some basic knowledge of the bible and it's stories all is not lost.

The Sistine chapel has been on my bucket list for ages. What did I expect ...well this was certainly not what I expected,the ceiling was crowded with works and the crowds so dense it was a wonder we saw it all. It didn't impress me ,even at the risk of sounding like a philistine. It lacked atmosphere. Having said that I must admit to a wonder at the detailing of the paintings. Every muscle and vein seems to have been painted on. The depth of it all ,the almost real pictures can only point to a genius T work and if it took him nine years to do it it also required patience and dedication to the craft. To that I bow in admiration.

Raphael s frescos are also interesting for technique and the colours are all so vibrant. The mosaic on the wall is truly impressive and the ones on the floors even more so.

St. Peter's basilica was by far the most impressive. It's size and grandeur was not something I have seen anywhere on my travels. All very befitting of being the centre of the Catholic Church. My only disappointment was not hearing mass in the church. The square was everything that I imagined it to be  and the Vatican didn't disappoint in any way though a glimpse of Pope Francis would have been the icing on the cake .

We are told that St. Peter is buried under the altar of the basilica and if that's true then I have followed St. Peter and St. John and for that I am happy. 

We leave the Vatican and wander around Rome. It's streets are cobbled and narrow each one looking very much like the next. Ask for directions and they will throw their arms out and gesture wildly and talk in rapid fire Italian and be sure to not understand or find the place. Directions to place,maps of where one is etc ,all things one takes for granted in European cities is sadly lacking in Rome. We walk for miles and search for the pantheon and after many misses and having worn out our feet and digested our food,we chance upon it. Old ancient and crowded it nevertheless does impress. Brides drag their beautiful grows across the street to the many churches. In Rome if one trips,be certain you will fall into a church. The place is full of churches. Narrow lanes with high buildings create a certain charm and we loose ourselves happily in this very interesting city.

Pretty tired after walking for nine hours we decide to take a bus back. Only to be told that the tickets have to be bought in a shop and not on the bus,so we do that,and get on,but as no one seems to be punching their tickets we wait,until I spot someone doing it and having informed the husband of the procedure he insists I punch the tickets. My protests that to move in a moving bus where I can't reach the holding bars is next to impossible,fall on deaf years. He is more concerned of the embarrassment of being caught in  foreign country,with a misunderstanding that we may have been cheating. Finally not sure if I should put him through the stress I ask someone how the machine is to be used and get the job done.

Thankfully I belong to a generation that grew up without smart phone s and other electronic devices so human contact doesn't embarrass me. I am more than happy to strike up a conversation or ask someone to take a picture for me. The selfie stick is a new device that has further isolated people. Too many people are on their own with just the phone for company and that is the sad part of travel I have noticed so far. For now I am happy to wander my way.

Rome

Monday morning and we are ready to leave for the eternal city of Rome. The temperature in Germany was a cool 15 degrees but we are going south to the sunny Mediterranean. Our flight takes us across the Swiss Alps and from the air it's a lovely majestic sight. Range after range of mountains topped with creamy snow. Puffy clouds dot it in places and they all merge into a beautiful picture.

We arrive to a hot Rome the temperature is 25 degrees no the sun is beating down. Our roles are clearly divided ,the husband is official map reader and I am food decider and tour planner. No conflict there.

Our hotel is a cozy little place in the heart of Rome and the view from our room is into a monastery garden.

Rome somehow feels like home. Is it the fact that pigeons were running around on the train platform (the Germans will have a heart attract if they see a bird where it's not supposed to be), or the fact that our sweat starved skin is suddenly sweating again. The roads are not as clean as the other cities in Europe and the cars and bikes a parked randomly on the streets. Some of them park in front of other people's gates ,oh how familiar all this is. People cross the road without waiting for lights to change. The Italians drive as madly as we do in India. Not for them the order but more of chaos. They talk loudly and it's like a sophisticated version of India.

Our hotel staff give us some basic tips. At tea time,Romans eat gelato or drink espresso and not having tasted gelato we set off to a place that comes highly recommended and if the queues are anything to go by this has to be a good place or the people are just greedy. Doesn't disappoint the gelato is creamy and rich,this despite not having a clue what to choose on the menu,it all being in Italian.

Dinner is again a local recommendation and the pizza come oozing with cheese,the pasta with clams is to die for and the wine is local. What more can we ask for. Our first experience of Italian food in Italy has lived up to all the hype and we are a happy bunch.

Lazy Sunday

Sunday in small town Germany or for that matter in any place in Europe ,is a day of rest and a sleep in but if the local church is anything to go by ,a sleep in will be the last thing on ones mind. At six in the morning I Am woken up with the chime of church bells. It's some 8 degrees and all one wants to do is snuggle down and go to sleep but obviously God and the church have different plans for us. Every hour the church bells peel with renewed vigour and by the time the service is about to start there is. Long clanging of bells. Not to say this is a disturbance. I for one love waking up to church bells. Sadly no one is willing to go to church with me ,and not sure of things I also give it a miss.

A lazy day spent chatting with friends,a late breakfast and an even later lunch and then in the spirit of laziness we set off on a long walk to a nearby farm. It's a good uphill walk up country roads. Fields of clover meant for cattle are lined with apple trees laden with apples,some falling to the ground. Chestnuts and hazelnuts and berries of all kinds line the roads,all asking to be plucked. I eat an apple and huff and puff ,y way up to the farm.

Tea time for Germans means coffee and cake but seeing the hearty slices I decide against it. Of course the fact that day light is on till eight every night is even more confusing. We drink apple cider which is like a cross between a wine and a vinegar but tasty and I order sausages and sauerkraut. Not a great fan of cabbages even when fresh I decide to try this all German food only to find that it is like an Indian equivalent to rice in terms of portion size. One spoonful has me wanting to get away from it. The sausages are good and the long walk back doesn't make me feel too guilty but dinner is definitely not going to be a meal for me.

Back home and it's almost time to leave for Rome. Too soon our first part of the holiday is over.

The weather has been everything I hoped for