" Under the Tuscan sun"
Here I am after a week off to Tuscany.
If you wonder how my holidays went, it was great! :-). Although beginning of March is not really the time to go there since the vineyards seem to be a bit dead and it is a bit too windy in Siena but all in all, it is still enjoyable. I left Brussels on a cold, rainy day and there was a delay at the Brussels airport as they needed to defrost the airplane but arrived in Firenze in a much better weather (until the evening when it started showering!).
It felt so long since the last time I traveled. When I was in Firenze, Pisa and then Siena, I really enjoyed the train transport, especially the slow ones. They pass the countryside, vineyards, the sun shines through the train wagons and then you can look at the faces of the people who sit around you. There were these Southern Italians who are loud but warm, the Chinese, Japanese tourists who look at you trying to figure out whether you are also Chinese or Japanese like they are, and the American tourists who discuss about their own travel journeys. I met a Belgian couple who live in Antwerp during this vacation, they are federal polices, and super nice people. I intend to get in touch with them very soon.
The wine tasting in Italy is nice but less informative than those in France. We were given olive oil, bread, hams to taste as well. Maybe the funniest for me has been to be in the accompany of Alesjandro who is the tour guide to the Chianti region (there is no train to get there, so if you don't drive, you can join a group tour). His jokes, his accent, his sincere love for Tuscany made us all laughed with tears. I enjoyed talking to the owner of the local wine producer, Maria, I just can't forget how she raised her arms up in the air and said 'terrible, terrible, where do you find these" when I bargained the price of my total purchases :-) and then held my face and gave me a warm kiss. I also can't forget Andrea who asked me what was the name of the vine/cepage that they used to make their wines, when I answered " Sangiovese" (that is because I asked her several times the name since it is the first time I heard that vine), she said 'you passed the exam' , kissed me and wished me well.
That is really what I have missed from travelling, being in a new place, meeting people, nice or not nice, it is all part of the experience, I guess. Food in Tuscany is absolutely wonderful, especially for pasta lover like I am...Panini sandwiches, pizza, pasta, truffles, mozzarella, cheeses, hams, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh cold pressed olive oil, balsamic vinegar, bisecca florentine...I wanted to stay there forever! And leather goods, OMG, they are good quality and way cheaper. I bought shoes, bags, I went mad :-). It is not even the shopping, it is the whole experience of building a connection, a small chat, talk with those people, I bargained every where I went, even in a expensive clothing shop :-) and I got my discount, very good even. I just have my nice way to asking and I usually get it hehehe.
Anyway, the airport in Brussels changes a lot since I was there last time. When I got back, there was a fire, so couldn't get the train but took the bus. Luckily, it stopped in Luxembourg station, so I just needed to walk home (save me more money for next travel hahaha).
I plan to go around show casing my new shoes this weekend!
If you wonder how my holidays went, it was great! :-). Although beginning of March is not really the time to go there since the vineyards seem to be a bit dead and it is a bit too windy in Siena but all in all, it is still enjoyable. I left Brussels on a cold, rainy day and there was a delay at the Brussels airport as they needed to defrost the airplane but arrived in Firenze in a much better weather (until the evening when it started showering!).
It felt so long since the last time I traveled. When I was in Firenze, Pisa and then Siena, I really enjoyed the train transport, especially the slow ones. They pass the countryside, vineyards, the sun shines through the train wagons and then you can look at the faces of the people who sit around you. There were these Southern Italians who are loud but warm, the Chinese, Japanese tourists who look at you trying to figure out whether you are also Chinese or Japanese like they are, and the American tourists who discuss about their own travel journeys. I met a Belgian couple who live in Antwerp during this vacation, they are federal polices, and super nice people. I intend to get in touch with them very soon.
The wine tasting in Italy is nice but less informative than those in France. We were given olive oil, bread, hams to taste as well. Maybe the funniest for me has been to be in the accompany of Alesjandro who is the tour guide to the Chianti region (there is no train to get there, so if you don't drive, you can join a group tour). His jokes, his accent, his sincere love for Tuscany made us all laughed with tears. I enjoyed talking to the owner of the local wine producer, Maria, I just can't forget how she raised her arms up in the air and said 'terrible, terrible, where do you find these" when I bargained the price of my total purchases :-) and then held my face and gave me a warm kiss. I also can't forget Andrea who asked me what was the name of the vine/cepage that they used to make their wines, when I answered " Sangiovese" (that is because I asked her several times the name since it is the first time I heard that vine), she said 'you passed the exam' , kissed me and wished me well.
That is really what I have missed from travelling, being in a new place, meeting people, nice or not nice, it is all part of the experience, I guess. Food in Tuscany is absolutely wonderful, especially for pasta lover like I am...Panini sandwiches, pizza, pasta, truffles, mozzarella, cheeses, hams, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh cold pressed olive oil, balsamic vinegar, bisecca florentine...I wanted to stay there forever! And leather goods, OMG, they are good quality and way cheaper. I bought shoes, bags, I went mad :-). It is not even the shopping, it is the whole experience of building a connection, a small chat, talk with those people, I bargained every where I went, even in a expensive clothing shop :-) and I got my discount, very good even. I just have my nice way to asking and I usually get it hehehe.
Anyway, the airport in Brussels changes a lot since I was there last time. When I got back, there was a fire, so couldn't get the train but took the bus. Luckily, it stopped in Luxembourg station, so I just needed to walk home (save me more money for next travel hahaha).
I plan to go around show casing my new shoes this weekend!
posted by Vagabonder @ 4:41 PM
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