Last updated: Saturday, July 17, 2010

Two Weeks in Tuscany

Bob & Julie’s Pictures are bordered in light blue.

Courtney & James’ pictures are bordered in red.

Curly’s & Suzie’s pictures are bordered in yellow.

Getting ready to go, Thursday Night in NJ

Playing with napkin holders; are these people easy to please, or what?

Curly & Suzie have gotten a head start!

They’re already there!

Bob & Julie / Len & Pauline at Newark Airport Friday, June 25^th around 5:00pm

Bloody Marys

Landed in Milan Saturday, June 26^th somewhere around 9:00am

Found Gary & Linda Jinks

Headed south, Got lost, no GPS (we had BobPS), Gary & Linda had GPS

We beat them to the Castle.

Tuscany!

Montegufoni

From their website:

http://www.montegufoni.it/ Italian Version

http://www.montegufoni.it/en/castle_tuscany.php English Version

http://www.montegufoni.eu/ Italian Version

The two apartments we are renting are:

LA GALLERIA – 8 to 9 people

MONTEGUFONI 19 bis – 6 to 8 people

Landed at Montegufoni in our Lancia

Up to the Castle!

Curly & Suzie got here 1^st and had lunch in the afternoon - Saturday, June 26^th

Late lunch at Montegufoni (Saturday, June 26^th)

Before going to pick up Courtney & James

Curly & Suzie, Jinks & Pauline

Saturday Evening – 6:15pm

Bob & I are fighting traffic trying to pick up Courtney & James at the train station!

Every entrance to the station is blocked by riot police! I remembered a back way in I found

last year when Pauline & I were there, where I parked the car. Finally, an hour late, we picked

up Courtney & James and promptly got lost.

If you hear something about “30 seconds to get me out of here…”,

it’s a lie,,, there are no pictures.

Found this group on the way back from the Florence Train Station

Courtney’s pictures, arriving at the Castle

Everyone HAS to try on the Armor before dinner!

Dinner 1^st night at Montegufoni (Saturday, June 26^th)

No reservations, but Fabio and Salvetore took care of us anyway!

They wre so good to us throughout our stay, and I’m

sure we were not an easy crowd to handle.

Corkney and her corks; so, who wound up with the most corks, Julie or Corkney?

An amazing dinner, the asparagus rissoto was the hit of the meal for me.

Sunday, June 27^th – By the pool

Around the grounds of Montegufoni after the pool

The Grotto, The Restaurant, The walk up to the Gardens, View from the Gardens

Courtney/James View from their room

Getting ready for Dinner, Sunday Night, June 27th

Pictures in the garden before we walk up to dinner.

Jinks and Bob horsing around

Dinner after a short .7 mile walk.

Courtney LOVED the way the wine was sereved.

Our Host and some VERY nice bottles of wine.

The walk back *down* the hill.

Entrance to Montegufoni

Back at the Galleria

Getting ready to storm another castle.

The Beautiful Galleria

And another glass of wine

Monday, June 28^th.

On our way to Montespertoli for food shopping at the COOP.

Ceramic’s Shop

On our way out of Montespertoli – dead hedgehog

Somewhere along the road…

Meanwhile, back at the pool…

Time for drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and maybe a *little* wine?

Thank you Camanda & Liz for the delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Thank you Linda, for the Happy Birthday Len badges.

I guess we *do* need those “steenkin’ badges”.

Chuck & Barb show up. (Chuck’s never late for dinner)

Heading to dinner

Dinner at the Castle, Monday Night, June 28^th

Linda ‘badg(er)ing’ Salvatore

Fabio & Salvatore

Dessert

Grappa

Grappa and new friends

After dinner, time to relax? and drink some wine.

Tuesday Morning, June 29^th

For some reason, Tud didn’t join us?

(please see the previous pictures,

note: Tud with hands full of beers

note: notice the grappa at dinner)

Off to San Gimignano

Lunch,

and the BEST Gellato in the WORLD

Driving back from San Gimignano

Dinner that night was Antipast bread, meats, cheese, fruits, jams, jellies, and plenty of wine.

I can’t believe we don’t have any pictures!

Wednesday June 30^th, Pam & Mell arrive.

Tud so graciously volunteered to drive up to Milan with me to pick them up.

Bob & Julie / Chuck & Barb were off to Cinque Terra (pictures below)

While Tud and I were on our way to Milan, Gary, Linda, Pauline,

& Courtney were looking for the Ceramics Outlet

When we get back to the Castle, Pauline, Linda, Courtney, and I go to the Cermaics Outlet

they couldn’t find, and we find this Garden Store with a bridge across the pool.

That’s what we need for the new pool at the Cabin.

Wednesday Night, June 30^th, Camanda and Liz made dinner!

3 kinds of Pasta and 2 gravys.

WOW, it was fantastic!

Chuck & Barb / Bob & Julie were in Cinque Terra

And we decided to try a cheap box of wine. Only 1.69E per liter. I didn’t hear any complaints.

Linda, going for the ambiance.

Thursday, July 1^st

Florence

Almost parked in a no parking area for tourists!

I didn’t need another ticket and tow, so

we parked legally.

James & Courtney came in with us to Florence, but we went on the the Ufizi and

they went on to explore; to meet up later at The Accademia and Michelangelo's David.

In the background of the 1^st picture is the Ponte Vecchio.

Gary’s still looking for bacon and eggs.

From the Uffizi Gallery

Looking down on the Ponte Vecchio and the Medici Family Passageway.

Also from atop the Uffizi Gallery

James took a picture of David (no pictures allowed)

Thursday, July 1^st

Relaxing before dinner with a little wine.

Dinner Thursday, July 1^st after a hot day in Florence.

We drove to our favorite Pizzeria this time.

Friday, July 2^nd – Courtney’s BIRTHDAY!

On our way to Dinner at the Pizzeria for Courtney’s Birthday.

Not pictures of us going to the hospital?

How could we have forgotten that?

Saturday, July 3^rd

Montegufoni 19 Kitchen

Mell’s feeling better

Sunday, July 4^th

Happy Birthday, USA!

Courtney & James were off to Cinque Terra; more on that later.

Driving to Siena

Notice the RED, WHITE and BLUE?

Go to the tower!

Monday, July 5^th

Back in Florence. We dropped Courtney & James at the train station.

And then went shopping!

Buying serving dishes.

Meanwhile, Bob & Julie / Howie & Mary came in after us

And did a little shopping on their own.

We all met up in the Piazza della Signoria

And made our way to the Arno and Ponte Vecchio

Dinner in Florence.

Howie picked the spot!

Tuesday, July 6th

On our way to the Beach

On the Beach!

Chuck found this spot along the coast!

Le Forbici – www.tognonweb.it or http://www.bagnoleforbici.it/

Piza at night with Pam & Mell

Coming back from the beach.

Wednesday, July 7th

Cuda & Mikey’s treats!

Howie and Mary made PIMS!

SURPRISE!

Thursday, July 8th

Cooking lunch with Fabio

Thursday, continued - July 8^th - Voltera

After Voltera, dinner, Thursday, July 8^th

Friday Evening in the Galleria - July 9^th

Back to the Pizzeria!

Did I say BACK?

Saturday, July 10^th; Leaving Montegufoni

Milan!

	Departure			Arrive			Airline	Flight #
Curly & Suzie	Tuesday, June 22, 2010	6:05am	PDX (Portland, OR )	Wednesday, June 23, 2010	8:35am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Delta
Courtney & James	Thursday, June 24, 2010	3:20pm	ATL (Atlanta, GA)	Friday, June 25, 2010	7:05am	FCO (Rome, Italy)	Delta	240
Amanda & Liz				Friday, June 25, 2010	12:50pm	FRA (Frankfurt, Germany)	Icelandair	FI520
Gary & Linda	Friday, June 25, 2010		TPA (Tampa, FL) via JFK	Saturday, June 26, 2010	8:35am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Delta	262
Len & Pauline	Friday, June 25, 2010	6:40pm	EWR (Newark, NJ)	Saturday, June 26, 2010	8:50am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Continental	CO44
Bob & Julie	Friday, June 25, 2010	6:40pm	EWR (Newark, NJ)	Saturday, June 26, 2010	8:50am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Continental	CO44
Tony Verberk	Friday, June 25, 2010	3:08pm	(YHZ) Halifax, NS	Saturday, June 26, 2010	9:30am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Delta	6388
Chuck & Barb				Monday, June 28, 2010	9:10am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Delta	74
Sherry & Kent	Monday, June 28, 2010	8:15am	SNA (Orange County, LA)	Tuesday, June 29, 2010	10:20am	FCO (Rome, Italy)	United	436
Pam & Mell	Tuesday, June 29, 2010	5:45PM	ATL (Atlanta, GA)	Wednesday, June 30, 2010	9:10am	MXP (Milan, Italy )	Delta	74
Vicki & Mikey	Friday, July 02, 2010			Saturday, July 03, 2010	12:30pm	FCO (Rome, Italy)	Continental	5302
Howie & Mary	Mr. Bike?

Tony Verberk	Saturday, July 03, 2010	10:45am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Delta	263
Amanda & Liz	Monday, July 05, 2010	2:00pm	FRA (Frankfurt, Germany)				Icelandair	FI521
Courtney & James	Tuesday, July 06, 2010	12:30pm	FCO (Rome, Italy)				Delta	241
Curly & Suzie	Wednesday, July 07, 2010	12:45pm	FCO (Rome, Italy)				Delta
Chuck & Barb	Friday, July 09, 2010	10:45am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Delta
Pam & Mell	Friday, July 09, 2010	11:25am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Delta	75
Gary & Linda	Friday, July 09, 2010	11:25am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Delta	75
Len & Pauline	Sunday, July 11, 2010	10:20am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Continental	CO45
Bob & Julie	Sunday, July 11, 2010	10:20am	MXP (Milan, Italy )				Continental	CO45
Sherry & Kent	Monday, July 12, 2010	12:10pm	FCO (Rome, Italy)				United	905
Vicki & Mikey	Saturday, July 17, 2010	6:30pm	FCO (Rome, Italy)				Continental	5300
Howie & Mary	Mr. Bike?