Trip to Fiesole and Impruneta

So after running around all morning to get ready for the VISA interview tomorrow we met with the Euro Girls to get ready to go to Impruneta and Fiesole. We had lunch at my house.

Kathie and Liby

Lunch: Capocollo, Salamino tartufato Robiola and Galbanino. These are among the things that I really miss from Italy. I could eat "salumi" all day long the taste so good!!!

After lunch we decided to go to Fiesole. It is a place really close to Firenze. It is the oldest place around. Romans where there since it was up on the hill. Now it is the place where rich people live. The big church in the old Piazza it is dedicated to San Romolo and it has over the main entrance a terracotta by Givanni della Robbia.

From the main piazza there is a small alleyway that goes up to a vista point called San Francesco where you can see Florence it is a really good place for kissing and as to prove me right, there was a couple smooching up there.

On the way up there we found this leather shop with some really cool handbags. I thought of my hometeachees. Hey girls if only I have more money!! Maybe next time when I am rich! I also found out that there is a new out lest one hour north of Firenze and they sell famous brand like Armani, Versace, Valentino at a discount. I hope I'll be able to see it is really a good place to shop.

Once we got to the top at the San Francesco vista we took some pictures of the valley of Firenze. Too bad the sun was really bright and high in the sky I need to go back there close to the end of the day when the sun is going down, maybe I should bring a girl with me. Ah! Ah! too bad all my loves are in the US. Ah! Ah! Ah!

So this is a fun sing. I guess if you don't know Italian you won't really understand why it is funny so I guess just Steph P. and couple of other people are going to smile at this. Sorry! Italian 101 for all the one that are interested will start at my house when I comeback, maybe just for the girls that are interested, you know big classes are very confusing and not too productive. Ah! Ah!

This still Fiesole from the San Francesco vista point.

La mamma and zia (aunt) Lucilla, I love my aunt she is so fun!

This is part of the amphitheater in Fiesole. It it happens that you are there really don't pay the 10 bucks to see it is a waist of money. Just walk 1 minute too the right of the entrance and you can see the same thing for free. If you are really interested in Roman's ruins just go to Rome!

The group looking at the ruins for free. And as Peter would say the Italian spirit of free-rideness is getting back to me stronger and stronger. I am getting back my Italian way of thinking, Peter by the end you'll be so proud of my!

After Fiesole we went to Impruneta in the middle of Chianti. We went to visit this pottery place and they let us in the shop were they create the vases, here is how they do it. First of all they get clay from the quarry and they bring it to the Mill. Then according to what they need to do they mix it with water. After they create the vase or statue or whatever they want, usually with a mold, then they let it dry. This process it takes usually 20 to 30 days. After which they put the piece in the kiln to cook it. The cool thing is that the clay from Impruneta is called black clay because it is supposed to be darker then all the others but when it cooks then get its charatteristic red or orange color.

This is the semi finished product, after few hours of rest it will be freed from the mold and it will be added the top decoration. The artist was there making it but I decided to no display him since he was shirtless and I wanted to keep the blog G rated...at least for now. Ah! Ah!

This is one of the coolest dogs ever. His name is Camillo and he was just laying around the shop enjoying the sun and just waiting that one of the visitors would pet him.

The outside of the shop with all the art pieces in display. We found that some of the big vases were ready to be shipped in Germany and Kwait.

After Kathie bought her souvenir then we were all really happy to go back to the city center to get some gelato! Of course what would you aspect. Anyway this is the main church in Impruneta, San Mary something...something, she performed a miracle here and healed everybody from the plague!

And just as you thought we got gelato. This time I got crema and bacio. Stephanie P. asked me specifically to get bacio since is one of her favorite flavours and so I did. Today she also told me another of her favorite flavour and the place where she likes it the most. Festival del gelato in via del corso, I like that place and it was definitely one of the gelaterie that I was going to visit. Tough life :D:D:D

Now the whole group for one last picture before the departure.