Italy, July 16 – 30, 2013.

We are spending a couple of weeks on a family vacation in Italy.  Joe and Jess (and Emmie) will be with Anne and me most of the time, we will be spending a few days in Rome, then drive to Montepulciano in Tuscany and stay at a “farmhouse inn”  for a week, and finish the trip at Florence.  Anne and I will fly back from Florence a day before Joe, Jess and Emmie do.  Ellie and Kuau are staying in Rome for an extra day, and will return to Rome to fly back after the Tuscany stay.

The three families are going on different itineraries.  Anne and I are using UA award tickets on US Airways on the outbound trip, which meant a 3-hour stop at Charlotte.  (We are about 90 minutes from landing in Rome as I type this.)  Joe and family are taking Delta (also award tickets) Boston to JFK to Rome.  Ellie and Kuau also bought award tickets but have non-stop flights.  Going back we will have to make two connections: in Zurich and Munich.

Tuesday 7/16.  Henry came by to pick us up at 11:15 am.  Terminal A doesn’t offer TSA pre-check, so we had to wait a bit (about 20 minutes) before we cleared security.  Had a light lunch at Phillips Seafood.  Flight to Charlotte was a short 80 or so minutes.  We had a 3 hour layover at Charlotte, which went by quite quickly as we had use of the lounge.  Flight from Charlotte to Rome was in an Airbus 330, with business class configured four across.  The cabin was also about half full, so it felt particularly spacious.  We do have some complaints about the lack of adjustability in the seats, but overall it was a pleasant experience.

Wednesday 7/17.  We got in on time at 9:30 am and waited for Joe and Jess who got in about an hour later.  We waited 20 or so minutes before taking a hotel car to the hotel.  The hotel is located in the center of town, so we drove by the Colosseum and the Forum along the way.  Kuau and Ellie had already checked in and were out for a walk, returning a bit after noon.

Joe wanted to stay behind to get Emmie to sleep, so the four of us walked around town a bit.  First we went to the Opera house to buy two tickets for Nabucco, we then had a simple lunch at Ristorante Nazionale.  Afterwards we visited the church just across the street; the church, Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, turns out be more interesting than I expected.   The location used to be occupied by the Diocletian Baths, a church designed by Michaelangelo  was built on that location.

Inside Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri Basilica, located close to our hotel.

We came back to the hotel and took an afternoon nap.  The seven of us then walked to the Spanish Steps, which were about one mile away.  We walked down the steps, followed by dinner  nearby.

Walk to the Spanish Steps.

 In front of the steps.

Hotel: Suite Dreams, via Modena for three nights.

 Reception area of our hotel in Rome.

Emmie enjoying the bed in her hotel room.

Thursday 7/18.  It is difficult to get seven people to move, especially if there is a 6-month old baby and a 3-month pregnant woman in the group.  Eventually, Joe, Jess and Kuau decided to take the baby to the Pantheon via walking, and the rest of us took a taxi and got there in about 10 minutes.  We waited another half hour (or more) for the walkers.  The Pantheon is an impressive building, especially considering that it was built in the first century (I forget the exact date.)  After that we went to take a quick visit of Piazza Navona with its three fountains.  We took a break so Emmie could be fed.   Lunch was in a small restaurant called Cul de Sac which isn’t located on a dead end street.  The dishes were just so-so despite coming highly recommended in a guide book.  Afterwards it was off for gelato again.

 Opening in dome of the Pantheon.

 An obelisk in Piazza della Rotonda, in front of the Pantheon.  It is called the "Macuteo."

The Cul de Sac Restaurant is not on a dead end.  Food was just so-so.

Piazza Navona.

These two young ladies really enjoy their gelati.

It was about 4 when all this got done, so we took taxis to National Museum of Rome, close to our hotel.  It would have been more interesting if we had studied a bit about Roman history; since we hadn’t, the many statues and busts looked the same after a while.  There were some nice frescoes and mosaics, so the rich had always been different from you and me.

I am quite sure this is the National Museum of Rome, but all these statues begin to look alike after a while.

But we enjoyed spending time with Emmie!

Anne and I went to dinner (at Target Restaurant downstairs) because we had to make the opera at 8:30 pm.  Today was also our 37^th wedding anniversary.  Nabucco is a few minutes over 2 hours long, but with two intermissions and a repeat of the “Hebrew song” we didn’t get out until midnight.  (I will write about this in more detail in my music blog.)  With Riccardo Muti conducting, things couldn’t get more Italian than that!

 Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

 Interior of Opera house.

Curtain call after Nabucco.

Friday July 19.  We had babysitting duties in the morning while Joe and Jess went to the Vatican.  Ellie and Kuau were off on a guided tour of the Colosseum.  Emmie had been “overstimulated” and had problems sleeping the night before, so she made it up by sleeping until about 11 am.  She is always in a good mood when she wakes up, notwithstanding the fact that she was surrounded by somewhat strange faces.  After playing for a while, we strapped her in the Beco and walked around the block a couple of times, purchasing a few discounted CD along the way.

Lunch was at Cotto Restaurant next to the Opera House, after which we came back to the hotel.  At a little after 4 we went to Galleria Borghese.  Some walked, some (including me) took a taxi.  The galleries are on the small side: one floor mostly for sculptures, the other for paintings.  I am not big on sculptures but still enjoyed that of David (by Bernini) and Apollo and Daphne, with her turning into an olive tree.

Gardens of Galleria Borghese.

We walked back together, and stopped along the way at the Gazebo Restaurant of the Imperial Hotel for an “expensive” dinner, costing 180 Euros (including tips) for the six of us.

 Dinner at Gazebo Restaurant.

Our children and grandchild.

Saturday July 20.  Joe and I went to the Termini station to pick up the rental car, getting there at about 11:00 am after a 10 or so minute walk.  Joe realized that he didn’t have his passport with him, so he walked back to the hotel and back while I waited in line.  Then he was told since the rental was scheduled for 12 noon, he couldn’t pick it up yet.  It was my turn to walk back and let others know that we would be late.  After getting the paperwork done, we then had to wait 20 or so minutes for the bus to pick us up and drive us to the parking garage which turned out to be only a few blocks away from the hotel!  The consolation is that the car is a Volvo S40 wagon which while small managed to swallow up 5 people and their luggage (including a baby seat and a stroller.)  We ended up leaving Rome at about 1:15 pm.  Our car is from Budget which didn’t have the most obvious signage.  On the other hand, Hertz has a long line of renters waiting in line for 45 minutes to get to the rental counter!

The drive out of Rome wasn’t that bad with the help of a GPS.  It took us about two hours to get to Montepulciano.  La Bruciata, the farm we are staying at, is about 3 km out of town.  The owner Laura came out to great us and settle us in our apartments.  After settling down, we drove to town, parked at the Tourist Information lot, and strolled around town a bit.  The main road in town is a long, narrow, and steep street lined with shops and restaurants, with an occasional  church thrown in.  We ended up having an early dinner at a small hole in the wall restaurant (we didn’t see any names).  Joe and Jess went off with the baby, Anne and I went further uphill to see if we can buy some concert tickets.  The “Opera Festival” which supposedly puts out two concerts a week is suspended until the end of the month – so nothing there.  We bought some groceries (mainly bottled water) and headed back to the inn.  Anne decided to swim, and I sat by the pool to do some light reading.

Our first meal in Montepulciano was at a hole-in-the-wall small restaurant.

Soon we heard the voices of Kuau and Ellie.  They were planning to leave Rome one day later but decided to join us after the tour of the Vatican.

 View of and around La Bruciata.

Sunday July 21.  After breakfast, Anne and I went out and walked for a couple of miles.  We drove two cars and headed back to Montepulciano.  Lunch was at the terrace of Caffe Poliziano which offers a great view of the Tuscany countryside.  Poliziano is a 15^th Century local writer associated with the Medici family.  I also did an afternoon run before dinner.  Dinner was (supposedly) typical Tuscany fare, prepared by Laura and her mother: bruchetta, cannelloni, salad, roast pork, and tiramisu.  While simple, the dishes tasted great.

 In Montepulciano.  Emmie feeling mischievous.

 Many of these alleys lead to a great view.

 Being a hilltop town, getting to Montepulciano means a hike up.

Caffe Poliziano, named after a local writer in the 15th century.

Monday July 22.  Visited town of Cortona, of “Under the Tuscan Sun” fame, and had lunch there at Funfluns (Etruscan name for Bacchus.)  Dinner was at La Porta at Monticchiello.  Town is only about 2.5 km away as the crow flies, but there is no easy way to get there from here.  We took the shortest path, recommended by Rick Steves, which ended up being a nail biting winding gravel road.  Ellie polished off her stick shift skills.  The view at the restaurant was great, and we had the most expensive meal so far at around 280 Euros.  I did order a T-bone steak; the minimum order is 1 kg.  It was shared by the entire group, and we took quite a bit home.  We decided to take the staff’s suggested route to go back (I was driving) and the entire way is paved.

Funfluns Restaurant.  Funfluns is the Etruscan name of Bacchus, the god of wine.

Town of Monticchiello.  It is more solid than the picture seems.

La Porta Restaurant.

Carving up the porterhouse steak we ordered at La Porta Restaurant.

 Sunset as viewed from town of Monticchiello.

Tuesday July 23.  While the young people went off to dinner at different locations, Anne and I stayed behind to babysit Emmie.  We had a simple dinner that Anne prepared.

Wednesday July 24.  Drove to Montalcino, known for its Brunnello wine.  City has a large fort.  Had a late lunch there.  Anne and I went shopping for groceries while Joe and Jess went wine-tasting.  We then met up with Kuau and Ellie who went to Siena, stopping by Montalcino on their way back.  Dinner was prepared mostly by Anne at the apartment kitchen: we did ask Laura for some produce and got a large head of lettuce and some cucumbers.  Anne and I went to a symphonic concert performed by the Orchestra of the Royal Northern College of Music of Manchester.  It was a rather long affair that lasted from 9:30 pm till 11:45 pm.  It was close to midnight when we got back to La Bruciata.

Town of Montalcino.

Produce from La Bruciata.

Thursday July 25.  Morning Market travels around the different towns in the region; at Montepulciano it happens every Thursday.  Kuau, Anne and I went.  This is not so much a farmers’ market as it is a department store: goods range from belts to perfumes.  Actually there is not that much produce or meat being sold (people here do their own farming, after all).  We bought some roasted pork, a roasted chicken, and various fried seafood.  Together with the stew made from the tough beef we bought yesterday, we had a good lunch in the afternoon.  At 11 am the four young people went wine-tasting while Anne and I looked after the baby.  They came back with a couple of bottles of wine.

Ham and cheese sold at the Montepulciano morning market.

Dinner was back at Montepulciano, at this highly recommended place called Osteria Acquacheta which serves nearly exclusively steaks.  We ordered several pasta dishes, and a T-bone weighing 1.66 kg to share among the six of us.  The total bill was less than 100 Euros.

The owner of Osteria Acquacheta showing us a T-bone steak.

Friday July 26.  Finished the book “The End of Illness” today.  Anne and others went to the market at Pienza this morning and reported that it was much smaller than the one in Montepulciano.  Lunch at the house.  For dinner we drove back out to Pienza and had a dinner at restaurant (don't remember its exact name: The Terrace or something like that) with nice view of the d’Orcia valley.  Things are slower in Pienza, and there seem to be more locals than the other towns I visited – there were actually local children!  I do wonder how the economy is, though.

 We drove by this Chiesa di San Biagio often.  When we tried to visit, we found out it was closed for renovations.

 Ellie and Jess studying up on the guidebook.  Emmie also had an opinion.

 Emmie's first swim is in the pool at La Bruciata.

Ellie and Kuau relaxing outside the apartment.

Saturday July 27.  Drive to Florence took longer than I expected, with the last part of the trip (after getting into Florence and getting to the airport) quite a bit more complicated than I expected.  It is good Joe’s eyesight is still good and can find all these small airport signs.  After returning the car, we took two taxis to get to the hotel, which is right in the middle of all the major sights.

Anne and I went to the Galleria Academica to buy tickets for the museum.  Tourists have a choice of waiting in line and pay E11 for admissions, or reserve a timeslot for E4 more.  We decided to do the latter, what with a baby and a hot sun beating down on us.  The Gallery is famous for Michaelangelo’s statue of David.  When we visited last time in 2006 that’s basically what we saw.  This time around we spent more time enjoying other objects on display.

 Our hotel is right next to Catterdrale di Santa Maria del Fiore and we walked by this courtyark multiple times.

 The lines to visit the Cathedral can be quite long.

Replica of baptistry paradise cake.

For dinner we went to Ristorante Za Za, recommended by the owner of the hotel.

We ended up having dinner at Za Za twice.

Hotel in Florence: Europa.

The hotel is comfortable.  The elevator can fit about 3 people.

Sunday July 28.  We toured Uffizzi this morning.  The most famous work (for me) is The Birth of Venus by Botticelli.   There are many other great paintings also, and a lot of statues.  We were following Rick Steves’ podcast.  Unfortunately, the museum is undergoing a lot of renovations and quite a few rooms were closed.  It was quite enjoyable, nonetheless.

Sandro Botticelli painted The Birth of Venus in 1486.

In the afternoon Anne and I crossed the Ponte Vecchio and toured Pitti Palace.  On the outside it looked large but not imposingly so.  We are still debating whether the inside is more impressive than Versailles.  Most rooms were open for the tourists – when we visited Versailles, many rooms were closed.

 The iconic Fiume Arno and Ponte Vecchio.

Pitti Palace.

One word about Italian museum security personnel: they don’t seem very concerned about what is happening unless it is blatant (e.g., flash in a “no photo” room).

Joe and family met us for dinner.  The restaurant (whose name I also forget) reminds me of one where someone like Frank Sinatra might drop in on.

This can well be a restaurant in Jersey City or Hoboken.

Monday July 29.  Anne and Jess went to the market while Joe and I stayed behind to watch Emmie.  Joe and I shared this discount special at McDonald’s where you get 9 nuggets and 2 sandwiches for E8.90 – a great deal.

In the afternoon we toured the Bargello which is again populated with statues.

Bargello National Museum and its statues.

Dinner was at Za Za again.  Since we would be heading to the airport tomorrow morning, we packed for our return trip tomorrow.  Amazingly we still manage to put things in the suitcases we brought with us.  Emmie having used up some of the diapers helped.

One of our duties (we volunteered) was to watch Emmie so Joe and Jess could spend some alone time together.  They ended up not doing a lot of that, so we got to spend time as a big family – including the time with Ellie and Kuau – which Anne and I enjoyed very much.  It has been amazing to see how Emmie has developed during this time: she now can scoot about to get to where she wants, very responsive to our voices and singing, and vocalizes quite a bit.  She does get overstimulated and sometimes wakes up at night screaming: we certainly hope she can readjust quickly after she gets home.

Tuesday July 30.  We left the hotel at 7:45 am to catch a 9:50 am flight.  We ended up having an extra hour at the airport.  FLR is a small airport, and security was quite straightforward.  Our award ticket routed us first to Zurich and then to Munich.  Flying in Business Class made the “ordeal” quite bearable, although being day flights made deep sleep impossible.  We got to Newark on time, immigration was quick, luggage was a bit slow (we had to check our bags because of the wine and olive oil we were bringing back).  We hailed a taxi and got home before 8 pm.