2011 August: Tuscany, Italy (Week Two)

Written by JBMoney Thursday, 01 September 2011 12:16

After leaving the Val d’Orcia, we made a short 1.5 hour drive to Siena. Siena is an impressive city. At one time, Siena was in a class along with Florence, Venice, and Genoa, competing for political superiority. Siena’s grand hopes were wiped out, along with a third of the population, during the bubonic plague of the mid-1300’s. Florence’s military conquered them in the 1550’s.

Once in Siena, it took 30 minutes for us to find parking outside the historic center, and another 20 minutes to hike into the hill town to find our lodging. It was a big day, the day before the Palio de Siena, a four centuries old tradition held twice (sometimes thrice) a year. During the Palio, the Piazzo Il Campo (possibly the grandest Piazza in Italy) is covered with a dirt track and bareback horse races are held. Each horse represents one of Sienna’s city wards (Contrade). Every Contrade has their own symbol/flag that is typically worn as a kerchief. It is an impressive gathering!

On the day before the races begin, horses are ‘introduced’, some laps are run, and the Contrades set up their separate headquarters, drink, and sing anthems. You could hear the sound of Contade voices echoing through ancient streets all afternoon and evening. I captured some video of horses and the march of the Contrades as they left the Piazza that day. Here’s someone else’s video of the 2011 race in progress.

In addition to the impressive Piazza Il Campo, Siena has a magnificent Duomo built during its 13th Century heyday. For our one night here, we stayed at the B&B Palazzo Bruchi.

The next day, we set off for a 1.5 hour drive to Volterra.  Volterra is another old hill city. Never a powerhouse of Italian history, but a place of great archaeological interest and long-time human habitation. Volterra was a former Neolithic settlement, an Etruscan center, and a Roman municipium. Trivia... Volterra is also the vampire center of power from the Twilight series, but in the movies all those scenes were filmed in Montepulciano (see Week One).

As a hill city, Volterra again presented us with transportation challenges. While there are not as many tourists, there are something like 150 steep steps up into the city. On our Sienna and Volterra days, we lived out of daypacks because there was no way we were going to carry all our junk AND Fianna up all these hills.

Volterra is very pleasant and relaxing. Most of our time was spent walking, enjoying the views, and letting Fianna play in two of the nice parks they have. One notable historical site in Volterra is the excavated Roman Theatre (1st Century BC).  There are also Etruscan (2nd - 3rd Century BC) walls and gates that are still used to enter the city.

The next morning was a cluster****. After leaving the hotel, we climbed down the city steps only to find the rental had a dead battery. So... back up the steps to find some help... only to find out that it was an Italian holiday. Italians are rather ‘unhurried’ on a normal day... on a holiday... things did not look good. Fortunately, Avis has a certain obligation to NOT leave its customers stranded and we only waited about an hour. If it wasn’t for Avis... we may have stayed another day. Also, the place we stayed in Volterra, Albergo Etruria, was very helpful in dealing with Italian Avis to get us on the road again.

Finally... on to Florence. We stopped in Florence in 2002 and regretted not spending more time here, so we looked forward to seeing a bit more of it.

Florence is a historical Disneyland, not just because of the density of “attractions” but the impressive wall of visitors. Fortunately, a good portion of the central historic city is now restricted to pedestrians.

A visit to the Florence historical center needs planned. In fact, for the Accademia (David / Venetian Paintings) and Uffizi (best collection of Renaissance art anywhere in the Universe), you should make reservations up to a month ahead of time or you will stand outside in the heat & bustle for a very long time.

Taking Fianna into consideration, we approached Florence as a series of walks. A 1-2 hour indoor museum in the morning (before nap) and maybe one shorter indoor site before dinner. The rest of the time was walking, Piazza cafes, a local park, a gelato stop (my favorite), the carousel, and feeding the birds (Fianna’s favorite).

Our hotel, Soggiorno Battistero, was dead center of the historic area and tourist insanity. We literally (after climbing down three sets of concrete stairs) opened our door to the Baptistery and the horse carriages of Piazza San Giovanni. Turn the head slightly to the right... The Duomo. Just about everything the average tourist would want to do was conveniently withiin 15 minute stroller range, and the room still managed to be quiet.

Some Florence recommendations:

Take a walk south of the Arno River: There are less tourists and more local flavor south of the Arno. Palazzo Pitti and the Palatinate Gardens are here. IMHO, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine is one of the most underrated sites in Florence. The ceiling is amazing, creating the 3D effect of additional stories leading up into heaven. Beautiful.

The Piazza & Basillica Santa Croce: Per Fianna, the Piazza Santa Croce is the best place to feed pigeons in Florence. It is also relatively quiet compared to the other main Piazzas. The Basilica interior is very impressive (beats hell out of the Duomo) even though the front end is currently all scaffolding.

The Duomo “Terraces of the Cathedral and Dome” Tour: There are at least three ridiculously long and uncomfortable looking lines leading into the Duomo area, one for the Duomo itself, one to climb the Dome, and one to climb the Campanile. Skip them. Go to the Duomo Museum (behind the Duomo) and buy a “Terraces of the Cathedral and Dome” tour ticket. For one ticket you get a set time GUIDED tour of the Duomo, a tour of the Duomo terraces (the ONLY way you will see the terraces and its great views), and, once that’s done, you can head up to the Dome WITHOUT standing in the line. So, one ticket, three attractions, a guide, no lines.

Gusto Leo: Maybe someone would mock me for this... “You go to Italy, surrounded by fine food, and you eat at Gusto Leo for dinner... THREE TIMES IN A ROW!” I don’t know its reputation, but it was relatively inexpensive and we liked the food. More importantly, and you will know this if you have kids, it is hard to find a place where it is comfortable to eat with a toddler... especially when the people around you are probably trying to ‘enjoy the travel experience’ and not your kid. Gusto Leo was one of these places and the staff was very accommodating to us and Fianna.. their web site needs work though.

The key is the striker!

To close things out, Fianna was quite subdued on the ride home. Thanks to the Baer kids, who both had their own iPods to watch movies on, she learned a wonder of technology and used the tablet to watch almost three movies on the way home. She also took two naps.

All in all, a great trip that we’ll remember for some time. Thanks to the Baers for providing the extra nudge required to get us out of Sacramento.

[All 330+ photos (mostly taken by Robb)]

2011 August: Tuscany, Italy (Week One)

Written by JBMoney Tuesday, 30 August 2011 08:45

In August, the Bresslers went on our first two week vacation since Fianna was born (Feb. 2009). We used to take 3-4 weeks of vacation a year, so it was nice to get ‘back in the saddle’. Our destination... Tuscany, Italy. We’d been to Italy in 2002 and were looking forward to a return. Italy is a terrific place to vacation. Italians are nice folk with a good deal of respect for family, neighborhood & tradition. There is no shortage of historical sites either, which is a big plus in my book.

The big challenge for this trip was bringing Fianna, who recently entered her ‘terrible twos’ in full force. She has flown often, but we weren’t looking forward to locking her down for a couple of 11 hour plane flights. As expected, the flight to Italy was an exhausting experience, but isn’t every international flight? Unfortunately, at least on the way there, she had no interest in watching movies on the tablet and no interest in taking a nap. An additional test was carting her (40 lbs.), a stroller, an awkward car seat, and the additional luggage around. We managed.

For the first week of our trip, we stayed at Agriturismo Cretaiole, near Pienza, in the Val d’Orcia region of Tuscany. “Agriturismo” is a combination of agriculture and tourism in Italian, a style of vacationing in farm house resorts codified into Italian law in 1985 to financially benefit small farmers. Good for tourists, good for small farmers, and good for Tuscany as it prevented big agricultural interests from taking over the countryside.

The Val d’Orcia region is unique in that the entire region has been set aside as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strict development guidelines keep the area as historically authentic as possible.... so, no Best Western Tuscanys with Olympic size swimming pools. In fact, swimming pools are not allowed even for local residents.

At the Agriturismo, we met up with the Baer Family (Robb, Melinda, Jack & Amanda). They were on the 2002 Italy trip, had stayed at Agriturismo Cretaiole before, and recommended we come this year.

While you can simply enjoy Agriturismo Cretaiole and the surrounding area in your own time and way, the family that runs it schedules an entire week of optional activities for visitors (some free, some not).

On our first full day there, we toured the family residence in Pienza to see and sample some of the different products produced on the farm. This was also a good opportunity for the kids to ride a tractor and touch some of the farm animals.

Later that day, Robb, Amanda and I decided to go for a “short walk” to see an abandoned farm house. Although Cretaiole and the farmhouse were visible most of the time, we still managed to get lost and our short walk turned into a 5-6 mile mystery tour of dead ends, gates, and steep hills. We ended up hiking all the way to Pienza before turning around. It was a good walk for me. Unfortunately for Robb, Amanda slept most of the time so he had to cart her 30-some pounds around most of this time.

On day two, we rose for a 6:30 am 3-hour walk covering a lot of the same territory this time with a local guide though. Our guide “Gary” was an expat who had decided to chuck it all and move to Tuscany. He provided us with a lot of information on the Val d’Orcia, like showing us the house where scenes from Gladiator were filmed and how to identify the trail markers that have been posted since the 18th century for rich European tourists.

In the afternoon, we toured the local Icario Vineyard and Winery, had some lunch, and goofed around. In the evening, we visited the Organic Farm Il Casale to see how organic cheese is made, enjoy another opportunity for the kids to see farm animals, and eat dinner.

On day three, Isabella (our Cretaoile hostess) gave us a thorough briefing from Pienza on the Val d’Orcia, what makes it different from any other place in Tuscany, how the area developed through history, how the people live and think there, and some local animosities. After the briefing she took us to the “Romitorio”. Thanks to an oddity of local property law, and the fact that nobody had ever paid it much mind, the Romitoria ended up as private property of Isabella’s family. It was at one time an Etruscan tomb (roughly 700 BC), eventually became a christian chapel/hermitage of some sort, and finally a place where locals hung out and possibly hid from WW2 bombers. There is evidence of much of this activity, but much has been defaced and/or stolen. The family has not been able to persuade any authorities to research/excavate it more thoroughly, although they have themselves been restricted from doing any more of their own digging.

For dinner, we had an outstanding meal at the Monastery of Sant’ Anna in Camprena. In addition to having many frescoes of the 14th and 15th centuries, it was the setting for possibly one of the most boring movies ever made... The English Patient.

On day four, we mostly relaxed and enjoyed the peacefulness of the Val d’Orcia. In the evening, however, we hired a babysitter and a van, and went to the Calici di Stelle (Chalices under the stars) wine festival in Montepulciano to let our hair down, unsupervised by high maintenance toddlers. We drank a lot of wine, watched some guys throw flags around, walked around and enjoyed the sites, and had a terrific dinner in a great old hill town.

On day five, back to wine tasting. For lunch and early afternoon, we visited the Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda. Not just a winery, but a 16th Century villa with it’s own hermitage that is still in the same family hands.

In the evening, Isabella gave an interactive demonstration of how to make the local Pici pasta. Most everyone took part in creating their own Pici which was cooked and added to a humongous evening feast that featured food stuffs from the family farm. Luciano (Carlo’s Dad) & Carlo (Isabella’s husband) were also in attendance.

On our final full day in the Val d’Orcia we toured the Brunella Winery and Wine Cellar in Montalcino. We also had a terrific lunch there with all the kids and Fred. In the late afternoon we listened to Isabella tell us all she knew about Olive Oil (her husband Carlo is a competition taster).

Finally, in the evening, we completed our last day with an impressive wood stove cooked steak dinner at a family diner in Montepulciano.

On the next day we were off for Siena, Voltera and Florence (see Week two).

[All 330+ photos (mostly taken by Robb)]

Back to Yosemite: August 2010

Written by JBMoney Wednesday, 13 October 2010 09:49

I'm a little behind, due to all the other work I've been doing on the site lately, but the weekend after our trip to Safari West with the Baers we took off for a 4 day trip to Yosemite. When I was much younger, I used to take many trips to Yosemite, Kings Canyon and other of California's parks. These were generally camping trips (tents or trailers). However, it's been a very long time. I'd guess that I haven't been back for at least 15 years.

Camping was probably out of the question with an infant (Fianna) and the Baer's two kids (Jakc & Amanda) in tow. We stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge in the village of El Portal, just outside the park border. The Lodge (really a motel) was a great place to stay and had very convenient access to Yosemite Valley. I'd guess it was 15-20 minutes to the Valley facilities. The big attraction of the Lodge, for me, was being right on the Merced river. In fact, we had a balcony overlooking the River and the wooded hills on the other side. Very nice. In addition, there were pools, hot tubs, and places to eat. While the main restaurant had ample menu and quality, the real find was the pizza joint right next to it. Some of the best pizza I've ever had, and... available by the slice. The only downside (and not a big one) was some severely limited broadband access and some rather rigorous policies on open containers. ;)

On the way into the park we walked around the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir a bit, and imagined what it would be like empty (as it may end up if more folks become convinced that it should be torn down).

We spent roughly a day and a half in Yosemite Valley, which is busier than I ever remembered it. By virtue of it being such a confined area it has become quite an anthill of activity. Certainly not someplace to find any peace and quiet, but with excellent availability of traveler services and transportation through the area. We did a couple of small (but rigorous) hikes there, with Robb and I sporting the baby backpacks for Fianna and Amanda. We had a pretty good workout. We also checked out the bar (of course) at the famous Ahwahnee Hotel.

Beyond the valley, we spent some time at Glacier Point where Robb took great photos. Farther down the same road, we spent another day in Wawona which was a national recreation area before there was a Yosemite Park, and has been an important stopping point for anyone heading into the park since the mid-1800's. We spent some time at the original settlement there, hiked through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, and stayed for a BBQ on the lawn of the Wawona Hotel (established in 1876).

It was a good trip and I'm looking forward to getting back there soon to see Tuolumne Meadows and some of the other areas I remember as a kid.

MORE PHOTOS

California Safari: Safari West is a good place to get away from it all

Written by JBMoney Sunday, 15 August 2010 00:00

Recently, our Family and the Baers (from SoCal) drove out to Safari West near Santa Rosa for a couple of days. About 30-45 minutes NW of Napa, we took our time getting there, stopping at a few wineries to kill time and relax before check-in.

Safari West is an 'African Wildlife Preserve and African Tent Camp'.  They have over 400 acres of open spaces, lakes, trees, dirt roads, and all that. They also have on-site lodging... big family size tents with all the frills (shower, sink, bed, electricity). I don't think there is air-conditioning and the space heater leaves a lot to be desired on a cold night, but there are plenty of blankets. No cellular service is available either (good).

Throughout the park are around 700 critters of roughly 80 species, including: giraffes, cheetahs, rhinos, cape buffalos, blue wildebeest, lemurs, gazelle, porcupines, zebras, and lots of birds. Many, if not most, of these are born at Safari West (most recently a new giraffe). 

A highlight of Safari West is the three hour tour, part walk and part open vehicle ride around the Preserve to see the larger animals. The Preserve is divided up into a few large sections by necessity as some of the animals just don't get along all that well (apprently Zebras are rather mischievous). You don't have to spend the night at Safari West to take the tour, the public is welcome to make reservations for the tour alone.

In addition to the animals, the tour, and the accomodations, there is an excellent buffet lunch & dinner available (reservations required), a snack shop with sandwiches/salads, and the service throughout the Preserve is first rate. No sulking unhappy faces around Safari West. No surprise as it seems like a great job to have. I'd highly recommend Safari West for a family, or romantic,  getaway. Kids will love the critters.

More pictures here.