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OCT 23-29

Today we sadly said goodbye to Spotty, Manuela and Daniel. Our stay was wonderful but way too short. These are some of the nicest people I have met and Tuscany is as beautiful as it looks in the movies and pictures. I felt guilty as Manuela was preparing to go pick olives by herself and I had really enjoyed working with her. If you ever want a vacation of a lifetime come rent one of their apartments in Villa Cappeto or for isolation, Il Poggiolino. You will not regret it. We have already started working on our next trip back.

We had to go to Florence airport to exchange the car. Long story short - rental car A wanted lots of money to extend the contract so we turned it in and got another one from rental company B. The first car from B was the smallest red Toyota I have ever seen. Vicki said I looked I was in one of those clown cars. I trekked back across the lot to discuss another car. This time we got a Fiat Panda, a little smaller than the car from A and off we went on the autostrada. It cost about $30 on the autostrada from Florence to just west of Genoa. That includes about 20 tunnels and an equal number of high bridges.

Pulled into Ceriale on the coast between Genoa and the French border. As usual we did not know what to expect of the apartment we rented and as usual we were not disappointed. It is a brand new one bedroom on the 2^nd floor looking right at the Mediterranean across the street ,with no traffic as it is a dead end. The owners are wonderful and doing everything they can to make the stay a success.

Sunday night, winter came in with a vengeance. From midnight to about 2:30 it rained, it blew and there was so much lightening that I thought someone had put a strobe light in the room. The thunder would echo off the hills behind the town. When we woke up it was still blowing with sun and then rain and then sun again. Neither lasting more than a few minutes. But mainly the temperature had dropped and the high might have reached 50 but I doubt it.

We spent the next 5 days roaming up and down the old Rome highway from Savona to San Remo. They claimed there were some of the prettiest towns in Italy along here but we did not see them. We found one small, less than a village, place hanging on the side of the mountain that qualified, but it was about 20 old buildings and no one was home. There were some more “interesting” towns, but not the prettiest by far. The coast as you get closer to France is much more interesting. Not a French thing, just geological thing.

Our plan was to have a small lunch in San Remo and have a big fish dinner at a restaurant suggested by our landlords that night. We stopped into the Mini Bar Antonio. Basically a tent, with a kitchen the size of most American's closets, on the waterfront. The waitress explained the specials and some other items on the menu. After some Italian, French, and English we wound up with 2 “spaghetti and fish”. We wanted to split, but the waiter said no, that we would want two. We were expecting a plate of spaghetti and a few pieces of fish. Well, so much for dinner because this is what we got. It was fanstictico!!!! And inexpensive!! On the way out the owner took us to the little tiny bar, maybe 3 feet long, and gave us a limoncello. This is a lemon flavored, strong, alcoholic drink. Nice people, great food. Hope the Carbeniere do not pull me over.

it was so good it made my hair stand up

When we are on the coast of the Med I always have to go look at the boats. Here you see more mega-yachts than almost any place else in the world. And unlike America, here in Italy and France you have the right to walk on any dock you want. No gates, no “keep out” signs. I think everyone that reads this is in the 95% that President Obama gave tax cuts to. However, many of you are very concerned about that other 5% that are stinking rich not getting a tax cut. Don’t worry, they are doing fine and their yachts that are parked here are evidence of that. The mega-yacht market is still booming with the help your money that they fleeced you out of. The thing that I find ironic is, that though all their wealth mainly is from the U.S. and that they are the first to fund God Bless America groups, they are not proud enough to register their boats in the U.S.A. Does it cost more? You bet, but if you are so damn proud to be an American pay the price to fly the Stars and Stripes on your mega-toy. Many of the boats we saw today, Linda Lou, Alaska, Predator and others are American owned, yet only one flew the Stars and Stripes. Jim Moran of Florida had over 40 yachts in his lifetime. He had 2 175’ yachts at one time and they ALL flew the Stars and Stripes. He was a proud American and said he was glad to pay for the privilege to show his pride.

this little one, Nero, belongs to a poor british guy

http://neroyacht.com/

We went for a little ride up into the mountains. Despite looking like a prefectly clear day, if you looked towards the sun it was very hazy especially in the camera. After topping the mountain and heading back around through a valley, we stopped in Alassio, a nice little town on the coast for an afternoon coffee.

one thing about traveling this time of year...no parking problems

We went to Menton, France one day. The French do a much better design of their coastal cities or actually cities in general with broad avenues and parks on the water front. I really enjoyed being "with my people" as we roamed around the town. They have a very nice old town to climb up to also.

Though there was a great lunch special at the seaside reaturant, I had to order mussells and french fries. It is just a thing I have to do since I would not be spending any more time in France this year. The fun part was watching the waiters dodge traffic to bring you your food. Must be a real challenge in August.

Menton

nice roof parking

broad avenues and wide side walks are the norm in France on the coast

dodging traffic to feed the tourist

OCT 17-23

Sunday I took the day off as tour guide and Rich and Vicki2 and Vicki went to Arezzo for the International Gastronmic market. I guess I missed it as there was reportedly lots of food. Whole hogs on the spit, bread loaves as big as beds, licorice in huge junks and more.

I did not miss the half Rich drove around looking for a parking place.

Sunday night we had a going away dinner for Rich and Vicki2 and gave her yet another bottle of olive oil from Slovenia to fit into her bag.

Monday we waved good by to Rich and Vicki2 as they headed for Florence. As they drove away the clouds parted and the sun finally came out. We went to Montepulciano, a place I have tried to go for years as it is on a lot of wine bottles I drink. It is a beautiful city with lots of great vistas but a little too touristy for me.

Monday night we had happy hour with John and Sandy White who were staying in the other apartment. They are freshly retired and on the first post-retirement trip and loving it. They are great people and we are glad we got to spend some time with them. (Even if a United agent thought he was “despicable” for riding in first class while his wife rode in coach; I do not see what the problem was. In the end they both wound up in the fat boy seats)

Since they left we have just been wandering the countryside and helping Manuela and Spotty harvest the olives.

ps: I went early this morning to take some sunrise photos and found the problem with the camera. It has moisture on the inner-lenses causing the poor focus on zoom shots.

International Food Market Arezzo

Rich calls a foul. This stand was outside the shopping area and therefore disqualified from shopping. As you see, Vicki2 is ignoring the fool...I mean the foul

Leaving on a jet Punto

every town has a market in the streets once a week. in small towns it is a visiting social event as much as it is about shopping. little groups form and change members all morning

a final meal with Rich and Vicki2 and yet another birthday cake. that many cakes she must be turning really old!

happy hour with John and Sandra. all those hands moving they must be italian.

i will not complain about the price of good olive oil again. not hard physical work, but it takes a lot of time to get a liter of oil off a tree

harvesting olives is hard work. just ask spotty.

we visited Cortona, made famous by the movie "under the tuscan sun". it is a nice little village with mostly tourists, but not over- run this time of a year.

this view is pretty as a painting. i know this becuase the artist was painting it

when daniel and manuela bought villa ceppeto 16 years ago the apartments were an old barn. in the barn was a mother and four kittens. mom and one kitten are long gone, but the other three are still here. this is king lion. he will roll on his back for you and hang out, but don't even think of touching him.