Ciao!
Last night, we got back to our hotel in Florence, and it's strange to say, but it feels a bit like returning home! On Sunday, we woke up early and checked out, and a small group of us went to the Guggenheim Museum in Venice, which was about five minutes away from our hotel. The art shown there ranged from about the time of Picasso's later work up to Pollock's. Sorry, no pictures guys.
Afterwards, we went to a gelateria called Grom, where I had the best gelato I've tasted yet! It was called chocolate extra noir, tasting as if it was made of 80% cocoa. Later, I had a few slices of pizza (more pizza!) and was on the bus. It was a four hour ride down from the mountains, and although I tried to sleep, I couldn't. When we checked into our rooms, it was a relief to have a spacious place to keep our belongings. Granted, it's no house or apartment, but it's nice for 2 weeks.
Today, I had another day of classes, then went to a panini shop (the word for sandwiches) and had a great sandwich for 3 euro, which is pretty reasonable here. Later, I did some homework, and we were all back on the bus to go to Trebbio Castle, which was built by the Pazzi family in 1184. On our tour, we learned that they were the second most famous family in Italy, after the Medici's. Apparently, they tried to take power from Lorenzo di Medici, and Medici killed a hundred of the Pazzi clan in revenge. Lovely.
The castle is surrounded by a vineyard that makes chianti wine, extra virgin olive oil and pure saffron. The tourguide, who is the cousin of the current owner of the castle, told us facts about how the wine is made and what good olive oil is. After the tour, we had some wine tastings and dinner. We were served some pasta, crostini, meats and cheeses along with four glasses of wine. I choked down 2 and a half of the 4; I still do not care for the taste. We had a white wine, a chardonnay I believe, at first, which was probably the one that tasted the best of the four. Then, we had a chianti wine followed by a more aged chianti, ending with a dessert type wine. We dipped biscotti in the last wine as well. He told us how to drink wine, how to hold the glass (at the stem), what to smell for, etc. Interesting, but not my forte.
Now I'm back at the hotel, ready for another night warm in bed! Ciao for now!
On way up the hill to Castle Trebbio!
The newest part of the castle is the courtyard, made in the 1400s.
Down in the cellars, they store the wine up to three years in these oak barrels.
The owner's "sentimental collection" of wine.
Chardonnay- grin and bear it!
I tried hard to finish this glass!
Cheers!
By the way, it was freezing there. Just like everywhere else in Italy. I might as well be in the Midwest!
....then again, maybe not!
No comments:
Post a Comment