Under A Tuscan Spell

I can now understand why artists and photographers find (and have always found) Tuscany so inspiring. At every bend in the country road or around every ancient stones town corner one could easily find a place to set up an easel or tripod. The sky is bright blue and flecked with scudding pure white clouds whose shapes conjure up childish visions of elephants and tigers and gay commercials for children's chocolates. The rolling hillsides are covered in ripening grain that shimmers and sways in the gentle spring breeze making it appear like a verdant sea. Green waves roil and pitch across the landscape, an illusion of fluid motion. Emerald islands are washed by this pale green ocean upon which stone and terracotta protrude above the oak and pine - little enclave farms and wineries dot the countryside. And on every prominent hilltop a fortress town that was once Etruscan, then Roman then its own petty kingdom, until of course they all had theirs arses kicked by the Florentines.

Where do you think the Medicis got the money to make Florence the jewel that it is.

It is these hilltop towns that we have come to see. After leaving Lucca (probably where all the De Luccas come from) we stopped at Volterra. From the car park it was a hike up a huge ancient stairway to the town. It is very ancient underneath the medieval overlay and goes back to pre Roman times. The Etruscan roots still show through in many of the building especially the walls. The place feels old just walking around the narrow stone paved streets. It is also somewhat of a throwback in the tourist sense. It has less of the crass over the top junk and faux history of so many of these towns. The locals even rejected the installation of cable internet throughout the town. It just encourages more freeloader tourists who pay as little as possible to get free WiFi.

The next stop along the way was San Gimignano, the poster child for Tuscan hilltop town and the complete opposite of Volterra. We were fortunate to stroll around the place early. We stayed at a really nice Aire just below the town. They supplied a free shuttle to the front door, a enormous and imposing front door it was too. We got there at 8:30am and wandered around the town for a good two hours. Enough time to see the best of the place before the convoy of tour buses arrived at around 10:30 when most of the shops open for business. The view of the surrounding valley  was like every Tuscan  landscape photo you've seen - a rich colour pallet of greens across the rolling carpet of hills broken here and there by neat rows of vineyards biased across the hillside like gingham patches on a woven cloth. We descended the central Via back towards the main gate through the throng of people recently disgorged by a fleet that would put the US Navy to shame. Along with tourism's usual suspects there was a huge proportion of the "Nuevo Riche" whose Yuens speak louder than Dollars in these changing times. We left them to the postcards, fridge magnets and cheap Chianti.

We traveled along winding country roads that appeared to be in exactly the same condition they were in 40 years ago (absolutely f...ing rubbish). When I mentioned earlier that Italy had gone backward in the last 4 decades I wasn't bullshiting. Even the Autostradas (which are tolled) are in a shocking state everywhere we have used them. After a suspension rattling and spine massaging ride we reached Pienza. The Aire we stayed in was just the corner of a car park with fresh water and a disgustingly smelly toilet block. The good news was it was five minutes walk from the centre of one of the most outstanding Tuscan hill town. This was one of those unexpected surprises that we keep having, as this was just planned as a night stop on the way to the next town (probably the most popular town in the Chainti region, but more on that next).

Pienza is a little gem. Easily traversed in a couple of hours and home to some of the best local produce (the Pecorino is to die for) and also some of the best artisans we have seen so far. Most of the ceramics, clothing, leather wear and general bric-a-brac is unique and beautifully made and displayed. Even the local produce seemed a cut above the rest. The other plus was the almost total lack of the usual suspects. Even the blow-ins seemed to be "in the know" as if Pienza was one of Tuscany's best kept secrets - don't tell anyone.

Our next stop was at what many believe is the quintessential Tuscan hill town, Montepulciano. We'll let me tell you Montipulc is a bit of a Pooch. It's not just a mish-mash of architectural styles it's just a mish-mash of a place. It's most famous for its Vino Noble wine and the best thing to do in Montepulciano is leave it on a wine tour, buy some great wine and keep going.

Our final Tuscan town was Cortona. Famed for the Francis Mayer novel and the Diane Lane movie of the same name - "Under the Tuscan Sun". Though both novel and movie brought Cortona to a new audience the place was doing very nicely anyway. This is less a hilltop town and more like a mountain retreat. It lies on the border of Tuscany and Umbria and is high atop what is actually the beginnings of the Umbrian uplands and mountains. The Rolling hills and plains give way to a more rugged landscape. The hills are more dramatic and lowland fields are replaced with forested heights. The climb up to the lowest level of the city is breathtaking and so is the view from the terraced car parks. Looking out to the souths the plain stretches away to the edge of Lake Trasimeno - where I sit and write this post.

Although it remains one of Tuscany's tourist hotspots Cortona has managed to maintain a more rustic and down to earth charm compared to the crassness of San Gimignano. It has managed to find a niche that is a between the over commercial San Gimi and the uniqueness of Pienza.  The town is draped around the upper reaches of a 1700 metre mountain. To walk from the city gate (or even the lower car park) to the Etruscan ruins atop the mountain is a feat in itself. The climb itself is tiring but the view from the top is well worth the effort. To the east the mountains rise above the plain and march off to the south encircling the eastern side of Lake Trasimeno on their way. To the north and west the Tuscan plain stretches before you like a miniature world laid before an Etruscan King.

Our Tuscan adventure is now over and we now head deeper into Umbria to the home of the man many consider to be one of the few "real" saints to have lived. The town is Assisi the man is Francesco Bernardone. It's interesting that the "People's Pope" took the name of the "People's Saint". Perhaps there is hope for the Catholic Church after all.

Well it's time to go. It's dinner time and Margie is dying to try the local specialty Pasta al Paolo.

Rain and Wind Go Away Over The Alps And Far Away

Mulhouse proved to be less than expected. So we stayed the night and moved on to Dijon. We stayed in a nice little campground by the river. The signs in the campground were a bit disconcerting though - Evacuate in Case of Flood - This Way Out. This campground was flooded this time last year during the bad weather that also caused floods in the Pyrenees and other parts of France.

Dijon is a beautiful city, compact and very pleasing to the eye. The mustard is not bad either. 

We stayed two days then decided to bypass Lyon and head for Italy. The weather has been very cold and windy with overcast skies and some rain. We stopped overnight in an nice little Aire in Grenoble and the next day set about crossing the Alps.

We stopped briefly in Borg d'Oisans where Tony stays for the Alps leg of his Tours then headed to for Turin. We climbed over two high passes and travelled along so much squiggly spaghetti I'm off pasta for a while. There was snow on the ground by the roadside and we even saw people skiing. The view from the top was spectacular and although the route was slow and scary in places we didn't regret it.

Once over the border into Italy we didn't get to see much of the countryside as we spent most of  the time under it. We must have gone through twenty tunnels or more. Most four to five kilometres long. We finally emerged onto the plain that leads to Turin. Our first impression of Northern Italy didn't bode well. Turin is quite literally a Shit Hole. The place is more like a third world slum than 21st Century European City. In our nearly forty years absence the Italy that we once knew has gone backwards. Most of what we have seen so far with few exceptions is dirty, squalid, crumbling, abandoned, potholed and impoverished. The sense of pride that is evident especially in France and Germany, and was once in evidence in the Italy of the 70's has evaporated.

We headed south for Florence, to a city we knew would be the exception having spent time there two years ago. Even here we were a little disappointed as our favourite campground that sits just next to the Piazzale Michelangelo, with a commanding view of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, has closed for good. The place had existed here for over forty years and is where we stayed on several occasions back in the 70's. Well a least we won't have to worry about all those darn stairs anymore. The new campground is actually an Aire on the edge of the river west of town. The bus trip to town provided us with a wonderful body massage curtesy of the patchwork bitumen and cobble stone streets. We didn't care as this place is one of our favourite cities. It just oozes charm, history and class. It's also the home of my favourite Ninja Turtles - Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Add Botticelli, Brunelleschi,Giotti and the Medici clan and need I say more. History and Art don't get any better than this - maybe Rome, but that's to come.

Right now we are in Lucca a little walled Medieval City just south of Pisa. It has had a turbulent history given that it lies on the trading route between the costal domain of Pisa and the once powerful Florence. It's ancient walls are intact and you can cycle or walk around the entire city atop the city walls. Inside is labyrinth of narrow streets and more Piazzas than a town this size should be allowed. There is even a huge circular one that is very reminiscent of a bullring or more likely the vestiges of a Roman arena. It's a pleasant surprise given the state of some of the places we have passed along the way. We are spending a little time here in Tuscany just wandering around and admiring the landscape. Tomorrow it's Volterra and then on to Siena. If the rest of Tuscany is like this we might stay here for a while. It will make up for the rubbish we saw further north.

Time to go for now. It getting dark and it's time to make dinner. Love to all.

Sweet and Sour

"Some days the wind blows hot and cold.

Life can be sweet and sour but I am in control."

That sums up the Trip so far. The time in the UK was spent with Dal Renata and Matrim. Circumstance, the weather and the Easter/School holidays conspired against us so we spent some quality time with the family. We had a great time as Renata was on holidays and Matrim was not going to daycare. Dallas had time off too.

We finally made it across the Channel and started out from Dunkirk. We spent the first night in the small Belgium town of Tournai. It was just an Aire at the end of a city car park but next to (a real surprise) Baseball Diamonds. Kids were playing tee-ball and there were older one playing on the full size diamond. It was a real buzz watching them play. There was also a huge marquis tent next to where we were parked and it was being used for what sounded like the Belgium version of The Voice auditions. I swear if I never hear Pharrell William's "Happy" again I'll be HAPPY.

We made our way to Luxembourg the next day and stayed in a beautiful little campground just out of town. The bus to the centre of town was just out side the gate and it was only 10 min to town.

Luxembourg City was a real disappointment for a place hyped as a medieval city with a 1000 years of history. The Grand Dutchy is a Grand Dud. It seems being a premier centre of the EU is the kiss of death for your hood. Strasbourg, which we passed through on the way to Alsace is another medieval city spoiled by inappropriately located modern architecture.

We bypassed the EU's home base and settled for the real Alsace of Selestat. The core of the medieval city still remains inside the city wall. Though there are no walls anymore. They were removed in the 18th century to allow the city to expand. The ancient timber framed houses seem to lean out over the narrow street - you get the feeling they are looking over your shoulder at every step. The solid timber skeletons were infilled with rubble, brick or stone and then plastered over to create the distinctive Alsace architecture. The exposed beams are dark stained and the plaster is brightly coloured - earthy reds, yellows and orange, pale blues and verdant shades of green. All with contrasting coloured shutters that vie for your attention.

Wrought iron filigree with attached painted sculptures hang from the first floors proclaiming the butcher,  the baker, the candlestick maker, the cobbler, the tanner and any other trade that sustained these mercantile towns throughout their history. The beauty and spirit of their past has not been dimmed or, thank the lord, destroyed in rush to build a "better" Europe.

We took a little side trip from Selestat to one of the towns former possessions - the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle. The original was first built, on this rocky outcrop 750 metres above the Alsace plain to the East and the Vosges Mountains to the West, in the 12th century. In its time it controlled what where once important trade routes. The North/South wheat and wine trade and the East/West salt and silver trade. It was rebuilt several time and left abandoned for more than 250 years after it was looted and burned during the Thirty Years War. In the late 19^th century it became the possession of Selestat whereupon the city gifted the castle to Kaiser William II as Alsace was then part of Germany. Kaiser Bill restored it to its present glory. It is quite literally magnificent.

We left Selestat and the beautiful little Municipal Campground and headed south along the Route de Vin (the wine road). On the way we stopped at Requewihr - listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France and boy does it live up to its reputation. It is small compact and like steeping through a portal into a Brothers Grimm Tale. It's not hard to imagine this as the home of Cinderella, Snow White or Repunzel. Hansel and Gretel could live here - it is after all the home of gingerbread. Is it too much to conjure up a Gingerbread Home? There were mines here once and the forests of the Vosges Mountains are only broomstick's flight away.

We walked back through the eastern entrance overlooking the emerald quilt of vineyards and the spell was broken. The real world intervened and we continued on our way until we reached Colmar.

This is where I sit and write right now. Colmar another Alsace jewel. Treasure and pleasure awaits at every turn of its narrow cobbled streets. It even has a canal running through to older part of town overlooked by a colourful palette of bent and crooked houses that any artist would find inspiring.

We leave tomorrow for Mulhouse and then we turn south west away from Alsace and head for Dijon.