Last Day in Europe

We're nearing the end of our three-week time in Italy, France, and UK.  Seems like a long time since leaving Puslinch, and we're both looking forward to returning.  Paul and Marylu are leaving France tomorrow and will have to get up early to take the train from Gare Nord and then on to Charles de Gaulle airport.
We are taking a taxi tonight from Dan and Andrea's flat to a B&B adjacent to Gatwick, then on a 9:45 flight to Pearson.

In Paris

It's been a while since the last entry, but time flies when there are things to do and places to explore.
We drove from the last villa in Italy (near Lucca) to Milan last Saturday morning and arrived around 10:30.  Dropped the car off near the train station and got on the 12:30 train headed for Geneva - a four-hour trip.  The trains travel somewhere been 150 and 200 km/h, so even with several stops along the way, the time goes quite fast.  From Geneva with an hour stopover we traveled to Lyon where we had hotel reservations for the night.  The hotel was fine, but rooms were small and the beds "firm".  Got the 2:00pm train for Paris.  The train was a TGV train (Train Grand Vitesse), and it did move quickly with only I've stop en route.  Took taxi from train station to our room.  Tonight (Tuesday) we have reservations on a river dining boat that will travel along the Seine during dinner. 
Overall the weather has been superb for this time of year with daytime highs of 18 to 22, and overnight 12 to 14.
Yesterday we scratched the Eiffel tower off our imaginary bucket list.

Day Ten - Saturday

Time to leave La Colonica and head to next villa that is north of Lucca. About a 160 km trip, but most of it on the autostrada - amazingly like US interstate highways, except you don't want to hang out in the passing lane.
We were on the road by 9:15 and made great time to Lucca.
Check in time is not until 4pm, so we had a chance to walk around Lucca. Lucca has very imposing walls that circle the city, 100 churches and many sites to see. We parked near the train station and walked through the central district. Saturday mornings are very busy with local friends and family enjoying the city as well as the many visitors.
In the first square we tried fennel chips and Marylu bought a bar of pistachio nougat.
Fascinating tiny stores with food, leather goods, wine, toys, kitchen gadgets.

Our second villa, Il Mulinetto (the Mill) is north of Lucca past the small town of Capella. The GPS noted that the location was not on a digitized route, so could not give us turn by turn directions for the last part of the journey. The directions from the owner were accurate and complete, describing the long colonnade of lime trees, then the winding road 2 km  up into the hills, and to go 'straight on' after the olive trees lined both sides of the road. Straight on barely applies to this road that snakes and doubles back on itself many many times. This villa is set back into a hillside and has been completely renovated without losing all sense of the original structure. The kitchen is much bigger than La Colonica and better suited to more than one person cooking at the same time.

We ate a large lunch in Lucca  consisting of everything from Pizza to pasta . Dinner was not necessary again.  Paul ,Bob and Delores went to grocery store to get eggs and bread and milk and coffee. I went to bed early after finding a great book to read.

Day nine... Fri

Cloudy day today but the sun is supposed to come out. Paul made a big breakfast ..eggs ,left over potatoes, some pancetta ,tomatoes , toast and croissants with cherry jam. Then we headed off to wine country. Bob drove on very windy roads and we saw a lot of winerys' with the grapes hanging heavy and ready to be harvested. We stopped in Montalcino  and walked around. We bought a nice bottle of local wine to drink tonight. I left it in the church when I was visiting and it was still there when I ran back. Whew! Headed back down the hills and stopped for lunch in a very small village. Torrita di Siena  Had bruschetta , Caprese salad , and pasta with meat sauce. So good . Bob and Delores had bruschetta, spare ribs, French fries...no ketchup or vinegar. Very good food and very good prices. The gelato was all gone so we had to get some later.
Paul is driving now...Bob needs a break. The hills and twists and turns are amazing.
Stopped on way home to try to phone Paris to put deposit on Seine cruise. Can't seen to get through so we will see what happens. Did find a Gelato shop , so we felt better.
Arrived back at villa after a fun day ...had ham sandwiches for dinner and I forgot to take a picture :( we have to eat up the food in the fridge because its travelling day tomorrow . We are all packed and ready to go...but time for Skip Bo before bed... We both won a game. Now Paul is downloading pics and Bob and Delores are playing scrabble. I'm ready for bed .

Day eight...thurs

Woke to sunshine with some clouds today. Plan to stay home and do laundry and walk around this little village. My feet  need a rest. Bob and Delores head out to car rental place to find out what to do about accident. Paul and I do laundry and tidy up our room a bit. We have two more nights here then off to next Villa. Hard to believe we have only been here a week. We have done so much .  All good with the car so that's a huge relief. Back to eating and drinking. Bob and Delores go to the market on the way back and get chicken and potatoes to BBQ . Paul and I explore this little town  Marciano di Chiana. It's very old. We find a church that was restored in 1591. It's surprisingly large for such a small place. Find a quaint grocery store and buy some tomatoes!!! and Zucchini . Have a great dinner as usual . Paul and I walk down the road to a small vineyard and take some photos. I have to know what these grapes taste like so I pick a tiny one. Very good ...just like you buy in the store. Must be illegal to pick them...we walk up to get gelato again and back before dark so Paul doesn't fall InThe ditch again.  Going to play Skip Bo again.

Siena for Paul's Birthday

Day seven ..weds

Wake to another beautiful sunrise behind the curtains. Happy Birthday Paul . the end of the 50's ! Try to get an early start ..bit longer drive to Siena.  Looks like an amazing place with a must see church..Duomo Santa Maria. Apparently there will be steps. Finding the train station to park is a little tricky. Hamilton's brought their Tom Tom GPS but the car connection doesn't work so we are using the one in the car.. Not as easy to understand.  (That's our excuse) anyway we know we are heading in the wrong direction so Paul pulls into a parking spot and stops. We are there about 30 seconds when we hear a bang and scrapping sound as a car hits ours as it is Parking beside ours!  GREAT!  Luckily we were still with the car and the guy who hit us ( no English ) knows the guy who has the store in front of us and speaks some English. The four men figure it all out and fill in all the forms. I take pics of everything and a little movie just in case. Not the best way to spend your Birthday. Thank goodness he didn't break our light so we can continue on. Found the train station and then went up a lot of escalators...a lot ..to reach street level. Walked into the walled city. Siena has a lot of history. By now it's 12 o'clock. So much for our early start. Walked for a little while and decided to have lunch in the famous Palio area.
After lunch we split up and Paul and I head for the church. The churches here will blow your mind. Very hard to describe and the pics don't do them justice. They are so huge. We did walk a lot of steps. After hours of walking up and down and being amazed we headed back . We stopped for a piece of traditional fruit cake and coffee for Paul's birthday. Very good ..why doesn't our fruit cake taste like this? Met up with the Hamiltons and headed back to car  but oh look there is a Gelateria! Must have a try! They all have different flavours. Four very tired friends make it back to the car. Home for a very simple but delicious dinner...those yummy tomatoes!
Happy Birthday Paul..hope you had a great day. Xoxoxo. Love you
More Skip Bo. Then a little knitting and chatting...then bed