Upon our arrival to Firenze and orientation at Lorenzo de Medici we learned that one school trip was included in our program. Our trip was called Arezzo, Cortona, Montepulciano, and Pienza - the best food, wine and movies with "Under the Tuscan Sun and New Moon." The trip aimed to "assist students in developing knowledge of some of the most interesting Tuscan sights and towns. During a two day tour, students will see artistically and historically significant villages and cities...
We have been used to traveling from Thursday night and returning late Sunday, this weekend was a slightly slower and relaxing pace. Exciting thing about not leaving until Saturday morning? We got two more home cooked dinners with Ana Maria (Thursday and Friday night) and we had a free day Friday! Naturally, I wanted to talk full advantage of the day and was pleased to be in contact with Monica who was at the end of her 3 week stay in Italy.
Friday morning Christine and I got ready and called a taxi to bring us to meet Monica and Claudio for a day in Chianti. We Monica and Claudio in Impruneta, which is a gateway town into Chianti. Our first stop was to the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial.
The cemetery and memorial site in Florence covers over 70 acres on the west side of the Greve. Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the headstones of 4,402 military members that represent. They represent the 39% of the U.S. 5th Army burials originally made between Rome and the Alps. Many died in the fighting that occurred after the capture of Rome in June 1944. Included among them are casualties of the heavy fighting in the Apennines shortly before the war's end. On May 2, 1945 enemy troops in northern Italy surrendered.
apartment
After stopping at the military cemetery we stopped by Monica's and Claudio's apartment that they were staying at. It was tucked away in the Chianti country side on a private vineyard. A beautiful location for a get away weekend!
view from the apartment
delicious wine grapes!
Next we went to lunch - Monica and Claudio wanted to take us to a restaurant where we would experience real Tuscan food... One of the best meals I have had in my life. We started with some appetizers, of a Tuscan crostini plate of proscuttio, salami and bruschetta - a shrimp and calamari plate - and truffle appetizer. Monica described the Truffle taste as a love or hate relationship. I thought it was delicious, different, but i would like to try it again! We had some Chianti wine and was off to our next course. A Florentine steak - with sides of mushrooms and potatoes. The steak was served on the bone for all four of us and was cooked to perfection. Desert was a traditional desert of Italain cookies with nuts and chocolate that you dip in a sweet wine.
potentially my favorite restaurant in Itlay!
The afternoon was spent driving through Chianti and stopping at the various small towns to look at the incredible sights. Claudio and Monica drove us back to our house and it concluded a wonderful day in the Chianti countryside. we then had to pack for our weekend in Tuscany!
No comments:
Post a Comment