Real Life

Tuscany. Wine tour.

We got up early to leave Rome after three days and headed to the train station.

Our first train station experience went well and we got our ride. We laughed at the coffee amount. Tiny cups of espresso is what you get.

Our train ride was two hours at Roma Termini. We rented a mini Cooper and found ourselves driving through the skinny streets of Florence. We drove to Tuscany at our next hotel location. Fattoria la Loggia ... and it was a beautiful, quiet homestead! We loved it here the second we arrived!!!!!

Our room wasn't ready for us but that was ok! We had the two sisters that are running this hamlet look up a wine tour for us to do and they got us in an hour later. We were back on the road and heading to a wine tour!

It was incredible!!!! Everywhere you look it's vineryards and olive trees! Cypress trees. That's it! So many grapevines!!!!!

We got a tour of a winery that was dated back to the 1000's. Everything is so old! They are in harvest season right now and still making wine here today.

We were served lunch and had tons of food! Of course, lots of wine tasting too.

It was all so good!!!!

It was another hot day and as we weaved ourselves back the winding roads of Tuscany, it was so pretty seeing the countryside! We returned and walked into our "room" which was like a small cottage! I loved it! A small loft. King size bed. Tiny kitchen. Nice bathroom. Table with an anniversary gift! Just perfect!

We asked the host sisters again where we can eat dinner that night and they were right on it! They made us reservations with a sunset view and it was stunning!!!! Everything was perfection!

The food was so good! The atmosphere was quiet and so peaceful with the kitchen crew making pretty food! We drove back to have fireworks light up the night sky! Mike and I sat in the grass at the hamlet we were staying at totally loving each day so far! Rome was great but busy and noisy. Tuscany is quiet and peaceful and maybe a place I could live????

Spanish Steps. Vatican. St. Peter's Basilica.

Another day of cappuccino and a croissant!!!!

We walked to see the Spanish Steps and walked right up and back down!

We had a tour guide this time at the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica. The art work and church and buildings are so beautiful and incredible and pictures do not show the details that are everywhere!

It was another hot day for a tour!

Mike bought two suit coats to take along home. I guess we will fit them in our luggage.

We have no extra space but he will find a way!

We had more pasta for dinner and the food is just amazing!

Colosseum and Roman Forum. Mameritine Prison.

Day two: We grabbed a nice breakfast at the roof top of our hotel before heading out to see the Colosseum. Roman Forum. Mamertine Prison. We had the hotel help us get tickets and we thought we had a tour guide at the Colosseum but ended up walking it through on our own. It was another hot day!

Mike wanted to ride bikes around the city from point to point. There were bike stations at many street corners and easy to use. He loved it. I was just trying to stay alive in the traffic. Bikes are not my jam.

Colosseum ...

We got to see the prison that Paul and Peter were in a long time ago. This was incredible!

I can't begin to imagine the prayers that were prayed here! God was present!

It was hot walking through the Roman Forum.

Pizza for lunch. The food is amazing!

Passeggiata del Pincia at sunset was so pretty!!! We rode bikes but I ended up falling off. I was biking down a street trying to not swerve out toward a van that was passing me. I eased up and when the van passed, I went out to my left and lost control. My hat went flying. My camera feel on the road. I got up but my left ankle and elbow and wrist were really sore. I hobbled to the sidewalk. We took the bikes back and walked the streets.