We are such good cooks! We spent most of the day at Chef Paolo Monti's cooking class in Lucca, about 45 minutes from our hotel. Of course, it took us an hour to get there since we drove down what appeared to be a narrow sidewalk, but was in fact the street Google Maps suggested. At the class, we learned how to make a variety of sauces and fresh pastas. We were joined by two sisters from Florida and a woman from Australia, but we were definitely the best pupils ...

We arrived at il Ciocco Resort late last night, so we didn't get to see much of our hotel. This morning we were taken aback when we walked out on our balcony and saw the beautiful mountains on the horizon and small towns in the valley below us. After breakfast, we decided to go on a little hike. The Navigator at the hotel recommended a hike that would take us down to the town of Barga. The trail was a narrow, winding path that took us by small vinyards, th...