Jen met up 6/25 in Bologna with her friends Karen, Kim, and Karen's mom Linda who planned this whole trip.
Not with them, but very much on the trip is their friend Lynne who they always planned to go to Italy with. She passed away two falls ago. They miss her very much.
Jen writes on their first night in Bologna, "We went to a fancy restaurant Zenzero and had a wonderful meal. Things like quinoa and mushrooms.
Tomorrow we go to an art museum that has a special show of street art. The museum has a lot of history of Bologna. Then Tues. we are going to Florence. Thats all I know for now -- more adventure to come!
Street art, and Dave's pics from his walk through Bologna that evening:
"We had a great day. We all slept in, and had gelato for breakfast! We visited a printmakers studio, La Tartalana, in Bologna. Daniela demonstrated her press and technique for us. We had another great dinner of course."
"Took the fast train from Bologna to Florence for the day. It was fast! Went to the Bargello Sculpture Museum, The Accademia Museum, saw Michelangelo's David. We ate gelato more than once!"
After Bologna and Florence Jen and friends trained south to Arezzo and then up into the Casentino valley nestled against the Appenine mountains, where they'll start with 3 days in the Tuscan hill town of Poppi.
Jen writes, "We just got to La Torricella and it's absolutely gorgeous. Karen, Kim and I are sharing a room which has two floor to ceiling windows that face the castle in Poppi. I can see the castle from my bed! We might go to the castle this afternoon. There is a wonderful family-run restaurant here. From our room you look across to the iconic Tuscan countryside. It's like we are in Italy now. And we had homemade gnocchi for lunch...."
"Tonight we meet and have dinner here with Antonio, a friend of Linda's. Tomorrow I think we tour the Camaldoli Monastery."
"There are covered tables here outside with jasmine draped over them, like a canopy. We picture ourselves there reading or just looking at the countryside."
The next day, "Today we toured the Poppi castle, built in the 12th century. It houses the Rilliana Library which has hundreds of precious manuscripts. The most memorable for me is the first edition on Dante's Inferno which was on display."
Not with them, but very much on the trip is their friend Lynne who they always planned to go to Italy with. She passed away two falls ago. They miss her very much.
