Today will be our big driving day from Montalcino through Siena and Firenze to Bologna then over to the Parma area. Should take somewhere around three hours of driving time. Then we will find our rural B and B and meet Gary and Peggy at last.
Final Morning in Montalcino
Views of our beautiful room number two. Notice the typicap Tuscan brick wotk on the ceiling.
Another view of the power table and my lovely wife.
View from the front of Il Giglio
These tiles are placed each year when the star rating of the Brunello grape harvest is determined
Montalcino to Bologna
We left Montalcino for Bologna at about 10:15. We had hoped for 9, but no such luck. We took rural roads to Siena and then got on th A1 there. Took just about an hour to Siena and then another half hour to Firenze. We stopped at a rest stop and got an icecream outside of Firenze and then it was over an hour through several tunnels to get to Bologna.
The Porticoes of Bologna at San Luca
We had very little intel to go on but Christine and I were on a mission to find the Porticoes of Bologna mentioned in John Grisham's book The Broker.
One cannot conclude any history of Bologna’s porticoes without mentioning the 666 archways of the portico of the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin, the very famous San Luca, guardian of the city of Bologna. Rising 289 meters above sea-level, this portico starts at the Meloncello gateway to the city designed by Carlo Francesco Dotti (1678-1759). Every year thousands of pilgrims make the (on average) three hour journey on foot to climb the sacred hill. If it were not for the shelter of the portico, many could never complete the journey.
The porticoes are ever changing. Restorationists work constantly at keeping the porticoes in good repair without compromising the individual artistry given them by the families of this medieval city. Frescoes are restored when the city is able to afford artists, which is unfortunate as many frescoes have been blurred by unwise painters. Still others retain their detail and thus depict, an ancient, but not always civilized and easy time in which to live. If you have a chance to visit Bologna in your lifetime, be sure to allow extra time to stroll slowly beneath these marvelous outdoor art galleries, and don’t forget to look up, you just might see an arrow.
Portico 305 was the start of the climb back up.
638 was the final arch at the top.
On to Cancabaia B & B in Lesignano de Bagni, Via Martiri della Libertà no.70
We had an amazing dinner at a local pizzaria, degli Artisti, owned by Guiseppe from Napoli. The restaurant is filled with his artwork
This is the most unbelievable taste treat called Torta Fritta. It is make from pizza dough rolled thin then deep fried in oil which causes it to puff up incredible. As it turns out we had a smaller version of this at Gallopapa paired with our cullatello back in 2007. Who knew?
Peggy found her perfect bite
Guiseppe the owner and also the "Artisti."
Pizza Margerita
Angel hair pasta with shrimp.
Bargno Lino. A homemade liquer made with a local berry somewhat like a blue berry.
Guiseppe's "interesting" creations. Remind you of a specific episode of the Twlight Zone?
pappagallo or gallopapa...it's all good!!!
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