Sorry, the website went down for a day when i originally tried to post this, and then I didn't get back to it.

Days 4 & 5: Venice and Florence

Day 4; Today was check out of Venice day. In planning this trip, Venice was my 'third wheel'; I didn't have real high expectations for it. However, I really liked it. If anyone is headed there anytime soon, I can give you tips so you don't make the same mistakes I made.

Our train to Florence was delayed, delayed, delayed, delayed, cancelled. Fortunately, it isn't peak season, and trains run from Venice to Florence several times a day, so we on.

We set out for the nearest grocery to stock up, and on the way find a Christmas festival set up in a lot across from a church. We check out the church (St. Regis)…old and beautiful, buy groceries, check out the Christmas market (basically an unimpressive flea market), and as we were leaving it, heard drums coming from the church. Out comes a procession of about 20 people, mostly 20-somethings, dressing in medieval garb. They march to the Christmas Market then put on a display of various short dances involving fire that lasted about 20-30 minutes, and then they marched back into the church. I have no clue what is was, but it was pretty neat. It felt like a pagan ritual, (because I'm SO familiar with those!) an I thought it might have something to do with the Winter Solstice being this week. I took some video I'll put on the blog when it is back up and running.

We found a tiny little wine bar/restaurant for dinner and decided to try a few different courses and split the food. We had Papparadelle with wild boar (my favorite), chicken sauted in rosemary, thyme and garlic (Susan's favorite) and beans with olive oil (also good.)

Day 5: Truffle hunting day! This was a splurge purchase since I didn't purchase any opera tickets, and it was well worth it. First, we took the train about 40 minutes outside of Florence to San Miniato, which is mid way between Florence and Pisa…the heart of Tuscany. Then a preassigned taxi driver picks us up and takes us on a ride of about 15-20 minutes of sheer terror. We went up, down, and around rolling hills at breakneck speeds on lanes that could BARELY allow two cars to pass (and at times COULDN'T) and plenty of hairpin turns for added fun. At times we went flying through villages with pedestrians on both sides and seriously narrow roads. Susan is in the front seat chatting up the driver, asking him how to say words like 'rainbows', 'unicorns' and 'puppies' in Italian, and I'm in the back seat, clenched and stressed.

He drops us off at a beautiful old estate on top of a rolling hill. The owner is Francesca, and she offers truffle hunting tours, wine tastings, and cooking classes. The property is on 360 acres and the family produces its own olive oil and wine. It was stunning. Part of the house was built in the 1700's and part in the 1800's, which is when in was purchased by Francesca's family. The coolest part was that is had its own small chapel in the garden. This was far from my perspective of a plantation; however, Francesca said 200 years ago it wasn't safe for people to travel to church because the house was pretty remote, so the family had its own chapel and likely its own priest. She said this was very common and not just for the wealthy. The field staff could attend daily mass with the family, but had to participate from outside the chapel; only the family was allowed inside. We met Francesca's mom, 'momma' and Jacapo, her co-tour guide, translator, and our eye candy. Two women from Hong Kong were also in our group. We went on about a 45 minute hike….a SERIOUS hike….up, down, and dirty.....and the truffle smelling dog found one white truffle and one black truffle (which he ate). Not a great hunt, but we are at the end of the season, and the season hasn't been a good one. It was still fun.

Next, we go back to the house, and while Francesca and her mother (neither of whom speaks English well) prepared lunch, Jacapo played the role of lunch host. Mr. Tall, dark and handsome with an accent was also charming and intelligent (and way too young); we had a lot of fun. The lunch courses were:

1) Bruschetta with the house olive oil

2) Pumpkin soup with white truffles (I don't like pumpkin anything much, but this was pretty mild; I liked it).

3) Pasta with butter, parmesan, olive oil and white truffles (YUM, YUM, YUM)

4) Homemade sausages (we think it was veal) with white truffle in the mix (outstanding) and the part of an artichoke that typically is thrown out….OK, not the best thing we ate.

5) Biscotti

This was advertised as a 'lite' lunch. Three different wines were served. I was miserably stuffed. So, on that note we bring back Antoine Leadfoot to take us back to the train station. The ride down, if possible, was ever more terrifying, because vomiting was a real possibility. But is was a wonderful experience.

We get back to the apartment around 3:30 and split up to see our separate sites. I saw the Duomo (cathedral), its museum and baptistery, and a few minor churches. The last church I stopped in had a few people praying the rosary (in Italian), so I joined them (silently, obviously). The freaking kneeler was a slab of wood, no cushion. The group was about half way done when I joined them, and they did a lot post-rosary that I couldn't follow. They did a litany of the saints that went on forever. By the time it was over, I could barely stand up. I'm quite certain this is one more reason the Reformation happened….Mass was physically painful.

Amazingly, as I'm walking through the heart of Florence looking for an umbrella to buy, I run into Susan, who I had last seen at the apartment. This is why people who grow up in small towns are forever convinced that no matter where they go, they will see someone they know.

Still full from our "lite lunch", we opted for a simple dinner of gelato.

Tomorrow is hardcore typical tourist stuff. I'm thinking a day full of art museums and more churches; Susan is doing the same, but we are going separate ways since we do these things are very different paces. It is supposed to rain (we haven't had any yet this trip). I'm having a hard time getting excited about a day of art museums and churches, so that is subject to change. Ciao!