Under the Tuscan Sun

Internet started getting a tad bit slow in the countryside..so I had to lay off on the blogging but don't worry...we are back in action. Our last 2 days in Florence were quite successful. Day 2 in Florence started off with a visit to the Etruscan archaeology museum in Fiesole. Our bed and breakfast cottage was on top of the Florentine hills and Fiesole is the little town between our cottage on the hill and the heart of Florence. And Florence is a town in the Tuscan region. Before coming here, I thought Tuscany was its own little town, but the locals here have informed us that Tuscany is a region where Florence is a little town within the region. After touring the museum, we took a bus to Florence. We are pros at getting around Italy..we've taken almost every form of transportation! When we got to Florence, Mom was determined to find some art to take home. Of course she made friends with artist and got to watch him do his artwork for 2 hours after she asked if his drawings were real. He got a little offended and had to prove to her that yes, they were definitely real. He warmed up to Mom after they exchanged pictures of the grandchildren. While Mom was introducing her grandbabies to her new artist friend, Jacob and I went to visit the famous Uffizi art museum. We saw works from Leonardo da Vinci and Michealangelo which were pretty cool. By the end of the art museum touring, Jacob and I were getting a little tired of admiring the unclothed statues from the Renaissance period. The statue of David was a serious masterpiece, but come on now...600 statues later..that is more than sufficient. 

I have never been one to get carsick. But when you're riding in a car with an Italian driver up those winding hills of Florence going about 100 mph...it's next to impossible not to feel sick. I literally rode with my entire head out the window for the last few rides. Like your pet dog. When we got back to our bed and breakfast, Mom was too tired to go anywhere else, so Jacob and I went on a date to the local Italian restaurant down the road. We felt like we were in the movie, the Secret Garden. At sunset, we walked up our driveway covered in ivy and stone, laughing and loving being in Italy together. Fairytale. Mom, Jacob, and I always end up staying up really late because we laugh so much when we are together..it has been so much fun.

For our last day in Florence, we decided to take a bus to Siena which is another town in Tuscany. It was about an hour away and well worth the trip. It had a different feel than Florence and was a little town with lots of brick. We ate lunch in the park and visited another the Duomo de Siena museum where we climbed up the spiral stone staircase through a tiny cave to see the panoramic view of Siena. It was so beautiful. We walked through the little cobblestone streets of Siena, stopped for gelato, and sat up on a ledge that overlooks a square. Perfect for people watching. 

Yesterday, we told our friend Giovanni (owner of our bed and breakfast) goodbye and headed to the train station. Giovanni loved us and we loved him too. Mainly because there was a huge language barrier and he thought Mom was hilarious since he told her that the bus was 9 euros and she came back to tell us that the bus ride was 90 euros. He thought this was the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. He was driving us to the bus station saying "90 euros 90 euros hahahahahaha!!!! Peggy (pronounced "Pedgy")!!! " and looking back at Jacob and I for a reaction to see if we were laughing with him. About to wreck us off the side of the mountain..Jesus take the wheel! 

Anyways, we took the speed train to Venice and we are here now!! Venezia is what they call it here. It is fantastic here. All the streets are canals with the little boats called gondolas. Mom wanted Jacob and I to have a date night, so we went out last night and enjoyed the beautiful city of Venice. Now it is raining this morning and we are planning to go out into the city and play in the rain! 

People, I have gotten wayyy to into the whole sending postcards thing. I love to send postcards and I need some more people to send them to! Comment on here with an address so I can send a postcard! :) 

Off to go ride on a gondola in the rain...much love from Venice!

This is taken from the Archaeology Museum in Fiesole

I am obsessed with the poppies here..they grow wild all throughout Tuscany

A man painting under an olive tree

Our restaurant for lunch

Smart car!

Siena

A violin player in Siena..very typical to see on the streets in Italy

On top of the Duomo di Siena after the climb

Panoramic view of Siena

Street in Siena

Waiting at the train station in Florence to go to Venice

War Eagle from Venice!!