WW1 monuments

It's always interesting to see the interpretations...It's the same here at lease one in every town ( could be WW2 as well)

 

Going back in time

We climbed up into the hay loft and helped Olinto and his friend tie up corn ( for rabbits and chickens)...to dry. It was like being in another time and I loved it.

You stripped the husks back, pull of some and leave some so as to tie those pieces to a second cob, and then they hand them to dry.

This man also had a big tank with trout for eating...the water coming from the nearby mountains, clean and cold. The tank must have been 15ft x 10 ft. You can see then jumping for the food Olinto was throwing. I thought that it would be not very much fun for the fish as they could only swim around and around...Olinto thought they were happy...we settled on that that was the only think they knew anyhow so were as happy as could be.

 

Upon arrival

 When I first got to my friends place, Olinto was down in the fields working on corn...so we walked down to see him....Here you see a wood pile that is just incredible...

Pra da Rito...my friends B&B in Graganella in the Garfagnana, Tuscany

my room

Olinto and Alessandra with their daughter Marta and her Portugese friend Diogo.

Diogo is an interesting cat.. He had never been to Italy, but he flew into Pisa at night, rented a motocycle and drove it up to Gtaganella. He had never driven a motorcycle before...He's crazy...he's a vegan and runs about 17 k every morning. Marta lives in Portugal now and has a good job. 

This is a very strong spirt, like Mirto, that Olinto makes...he shares it with guests and they write a little note. You can see mine from many years ago.

 

Lots of thwarting on the way home.

 I came to  stop behind 2 big trucks and a car stopped with flashers on...I didn't see anyone around so I thought I would just slowly go...and then I was yelled at!. There was a bunch of men and a carbiniere watching as a car was pulled out of the ditch...They motioned for me to park...with attitude...so I did and got out and watched...I felt like one of the Italian guys.

At another point I had to back up way way up as a massive truck tried to turn a corner in a small village.

Allesandra's cat

A fox crossed my path...It looked hungry.

 

A few stagglers..

Olinto's phone...we joked that it was unearthed in Pompeii its so old. I took it a little further. I said it belonged to Pliny the elder that was trying to call Pliny the younger to bring a boat and save him...The Italian's know Pliny...and you should too.

 

What do you think? Should I go?

I went once with a friend and it was painful...terrible food and stuffy people. The "Stuffy" American club...I like going to Monaco and would love to see the room, but is it worth all of the effort?

Then menu sounds terrible...so busy.

I saw cranberries from the US at the local market that I love to buy vegetables at. ( like a Whole Foods but worth it for the great vegetables and fish)... 

 

In the rain

 

By the numbers

 I drove 2215 kilometers and I took  2772 photos on my big camera...who knows how many on the Iphone that I used just from snaps...

I am shocked , myself, by the numbers.

Now comes time to edit the 2772.

I had a tiny scratch on the car. They are looking very closely with a flashlight even. I had insurance though.

Ride back to the car

 I was determined to get someone to bring us back to the car (2K)...There were men hanging around with all terrain vehicles. I worked on one group of men and Alesandra wrangled another...In the end, we got this young man with the top knot to drive us in his very dirty Mitsubishi. Olinto and I jumped in the back and held on for dear life. My phone camera got rattled and recored in stop play so you get just a jerky version of what it was like. In the end, it as a good thing as we got back just at dusk. My last day in Tuscany adventure complete.

 

Unexpected lunch experience.

WOW...food for days...We sat at a big table with all kinds of very large parties around us and the food was non stop, brought out by 2 older men. We started with a full plate of meats...each...yum...Then they brought out appetizers..polenta and fried something...I tasted...very good, but my favorite, as you know, is the Tuscan crostini...the chicken liver...

Then 2 pasta both with Ragu, I think with wild boar. The macceroni pasta was incredible...all was hand made. The macceroni is sheets of pasta, ripped. The other pasta was tortellini with the ragu, not as good.

All the while the house red wine was flowing...big bottles, little glasses. They asked if anyone wanted the meat course and the man to my left ordered the deer...no one else ordered  the meat course..they had boar, deer or chicken. He gave me a little to try and it was pretty good.   For dessert, I ordered and ate Tiramisu. We had a sambucca...It ws my last blow out meal till I get back to my routine in FRA.

The Italian man, Paolo, has a son that out of nowhere decided he was going to University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City to take an architecture major. The man had been surprised...Oklahoma? They asked me if I knew anything about Oklahoma. I know 2 things...The play and the bombing of the Federalbuilding...other than that, nothng. He said his son was not a good student...I asked if he spoke english and the man said, I hope so!

The name? La Guardia

Tortelini. 

white beans with red onions.

deer with olives.

Macceroni

Tiramisu