22. In Love with Tuscany.

It was only a 30 minute drive from our accommodation in the countryside to the centre of Florence.  We quickly found a car park and paid €8 for eight hours parking on the side street.   

It was a quick walk towards the centre of the city and we crossed the Arno river at the bridge closest to the impressive looking Ponti Vecchio, old bridge, to take some photos.

Also known as the medieval bridge because it was built in 1345.  It was Florence’s first bridge and the only bridge to survive WWII as the Nazi’s destroyed every other one as they retreated. 

The old bridge is particularly unique because shops were built on either side of it and back in the day these were rented out to butchers, fishmongers and the like.  

Ponti Vecchio

These days expensive jewellery stores line the bridge but how incredible that it’s still supporting retail after almost 700 years!

We had started early to avoid the heat and crowds but noticed it was already getting hot and busy as we navigated past the bridge and through the Vasari Corridor, happy for some shade.   

We crossed the road and walked towards the Piazza Di Signora and as we walked up to the large square, in front of us was the impressive and iconic statue of Michaelagelo’s David, last seen by me some 33+ years ago.  (Which isn’t a long time when compared to the age of this place). 

The family split up and I followed my brother on a walk that covered all the streets that were in the 1980’s movie, A Room with a View.  

Duomo in Background

We had both watched this movie many times and are its biggest fans, maybe my brother more so after he admitted that he had been infatuated with the lead actress, Helen Bonham Carter, who played Miss Lucy Honeychurch.   

The movie was set in the early 1900’s as upper middle class women were beginning to lead more independent and adventurous lives.  

In the first half of the movie Miss Honeychurch was touring Florence and I was sure I recognised a few of the streets and buildings.  

(It’s worth watching, even just to hear NZ opera singer, Kiri TeKanawa sing Pucinni’s ‘O mio Babbino Caro’).  Bellissimo.  

Me and my Bro!

Our cameras captured some pretty stunning architecture along the way, but when we walked up to the Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, I was blown away by its immense size and beauty. 

I love medieval things and this gothic-styled cathedral with its huge dome (even larger than St Peter’s dome in the Vatican City) was perhaps the most amazing medieval building I had ever seen.  

The Florence Duomo

The building of it began in 1296 and was structurally completed by 1436, but like many of these big cathedrals, they kept working on it and only finished it in the late 1800’s.  I was in utter awe.

I loved my day in Florence and it was really special to share it with my UK family.  By 2pm the day was so hot we headed back to the car and suffered the uncomfortable drive back until we got home, put on our swimsuits, walked to the pool and plunged into it.   

The Life Saving Pool!

The past few days had been especially hot, even into the late afternoon it was still 37oC, so that pool was a vital part of surviving Tuscany.

A couple of days later we braved the heat again and spent a day in Siena, another beautiful medieval city.  It had a fan-shaped central square called Piazza del Campo, and was overlooked by a 14th century tower.  It was very pretty.  

Steps in Siena

It’s really narrow streets fanned out from the square and despite licking lots of gelato in the shade, the heat was incredible.  

Once again we got back into the car and persevered the trip back, thinking only of the swimming pool at Fattoria Poggio Capponi, the farm on the hill overlooking the Tuscan countryside and where we were very happily based.  

Pricy Panforte

As part of our stay at the fattoria, we were given a wine and olive oil tasting and were gobsmacked when taken down into their cool cellar and shown an original handwritten plaque that read in italiano ‘this time we are July in 1583’.  

Since 1583

Unfortunately, all of their vines and every bottle of wine was destroyed by the retreating Nazi’s in 1944.  It took many years before they could rebuild and make good wine again.  

We were shown the old original bottles marked Chianti 1950, and anyone who knows me well, knows I have always loved a good Chianti

1950 Wine

We tasted a beautiful rose, I even loved their Chardonnay - quite different to ours back home, but I loved their red Chianti the most.  I wished I could have taken some back home, but nothing survives in my pack as I’ve found out.  

Only a few days earlier I opened the cap of a pen and actual olive oil spilt out. There is nowhere that French olive oil did not go!

Still, I bought some small bottles of olive oil for my children back home and will stow it in my carry-on, which is about the best I could do with just the dregs of my remaining travel fund.  (Sorry, Joe… I couldn’t afford the gold bracket on the old bridge in Florence). 

 Narrow Siena Streets 

We spent our final day lounging by the pool and I pondered as I looked at my slightly leathery but very tanned skin.  I’ve been under the European and African sun for two and a half months now and never has my skin burned.  It just has gone brown… as if it was made for the European sun.  

The following day we checked out and I was dropped off in Florence near the train station.  My brother and his family were driving back to the UK while I was flying and going by train via Brussels.  

I decided to spend a day in Lucca so got a train there and left my pack at a place that also happened to hire bikes.  

I have not been too keen on bikes as 18 months ago I fell off one after I stopped too abruptly and broke a rib.  

However, the time it took me to find the entrance to the train station in Florence and then wait for the next available train via Pisa, it was already early afternoon once I finally arrived in Lucca.   By then, it was too damn hot to walk.  

The bike had a female frame and a front basket for my things so I rented one for three hours and gingerly rode off in the direction of the large stone wall in front of me.  

I’ve climbed many stone walls while over here but none so pretty as Lucca’s.  The wall encircled the historic city centre and its many ramps provided easy bike access to the top.  

As I rode my bike on top of the wall, along the path and under the shade of the mature trees, it had a promenade feel to it.  

The Wall in Lucca

Apparently the wall was redesigned during the renaissance period to provide everyone a place to stroll and exercise, regardless of wealth or stature.  As a result, people mixed and thereafter to now, the town centre has had a really lovely vibrancy to it.  

Certainly I felt it as I rode along the wall and then down into the town centre and over its cobbled roads.  I could hear the friendly chatter and laughter of both locals and tourists enjoying food, drinks and company.  

As I rode that day, I listened to the Room with a View soundtrack through my headphones - it was perfect!  

In fact I felt all loved up by the time I left the wall after circling it half a dozen times.  I rode back to the rental place and got my pack before getting a train back to Pisa.  It was a beautiful experience and definitely worth the visit.

I later discovered that Lucca was the birthplace of the great composer, Puccini and his house there was now a museum.  No wonder I felt all weird and emotional in Lucca.  

I had a really early flight the following day to Brussels and wanted some decent rest so I made my way to my hotel where the room was as small as my remaining travel funds.  

Capturing Beauty 

Apparently England hasn’t felt summer yet and they have had unseasonably cold weather.  I will be staying there with my brother and his family and will look forward to some heat relief, but not too much.  

Brussels is decidedly cooler too, and as I sat in my room with sweat pouring down my face, I realised it was the right time for me to leave Italy.

Sunset in Tuscany

I cannot sum up my Italian experience just yet.  I will miss all those beautiful sunsets and will forever relish the time I had with my brother photographing them. 

No, I don’t want to leave but I’ve done well to stay in Europe for as long as I have, just two weeks shy of the three month visa limit for us Kiwi’s. 

Arrivederci, Italia.  

Mi mancherai tantissimo!

I will miss you a lot.