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Once again, I set the alarm so that I could get some early morning shots of the poppies. After going to the bathroom, I climbed back into bed to warm up a little. Next thing I knew, it was 8!!! So much for early light today. After breakfast, we had a really short session, then everyone split up to go their separate ways.
Carl and I started out at Castiglione d'Orcia and the Rocca a Tentennano, a medieval castle that is still mostly intact. Well, they've rebuilt some of it and reinforced a lot of it, but it was still interesting. There was an art exhibit going on inside. Very modernistic. However, I didn't like many of the paintings or sculptures.
The photo on the left above is Rocca a Tentennano as seen from below. The second photo above is a view of the countryside from the entrance to Rocca a Tentennano. The third photo above shows some of the original masonry and the bricks used to reinforce it. A plant of some kind is growing from the older section. The photo on the right above shows some of the original ramparts with a fig tree growing out of the middle of them!
The two photos on the left above are of Castiglione d'Orcia from Rocca a Tentennano. Castiglione d'Orcia has its own hilltop castle built about the same time. After our visit to Rocca a Tentennano, we had lunch (sandwiches and apples) at a small cafe nearby. While we were waiting for our sandwiches, I played with our sunflower centerpiece and one of the apples (photo on the right above).
Then we drove on to Abbey de Sant' Altimo, a deconsecrated monastery which still houses seven monks. They come into the chapel on each of the holy hours and chant Gregorian chants. We arrived about 15 minutes before the afternoon chants began, so we had a chance to look around first and watch the monks arrive. The chanting was okay (I've heard better harmony), but hearing it in their chapel with its good acoustics was a fascinating experience. We only stayed for about 10 minute. It was enough.
The photo on the left above is Abbey de Sant' Altimo, from the road. The center photo shows the bell tower at Abbey de Sant' Altimo. The photo on the right is part of the remaining cloister and well at Abbey de Sant' Altimo.
Then we drove to Montalcino, which had had a market the day before. As a result, the town was pretty dead this day. We didn't really see anything picturesque there. Or perhaps we were getting sated with quaint hillside villages... We stopped for a gelato (ice cream) and sat in the park licking our cones when we saw a policewoman on foot rerouting traffic. It was a funeral procession. The hearse was the only motorized vehicle in the procession. The priest leading the procession and all the mourners behind the hearse were all walking. That tied up traffic for a while. We just sat and watched until it was over. The traffic had returned to sleepy normal by the time we were ready to drive off.
The three photos above were taken in Montalcino. The one on the left shows some of the old city wall and the fortress that guarded the main gate to the city. The one in the center shows some of the city itself and the road that circles it. The photo on the right is a rose I found growing in one of the piazzas in town.
So we drove back through San Quirico d'Orcia and the farmhouse. On the way, we stopped at the abandoned house again for some more playing.
The photo to the left above was taken inside the abandoned farm house and shows two bicycle wheels and an old door. The photo on the right was taken behind the abandoned farm house and shows the newly mown fields and a hay bale.
We went on back to the farmhouse to drop off our stuff and backup the photos, then drove into San Quirico d'Orcia for dinner. Vittorio and Lorenza have a small bar in town (Il Pozzo) that they are getting established. They don't have a full kitchen yet, but, in addition to drinks and espresso, you could get simple things, like salads and desserts. And that night, they were having some live entertainment - a group of saxophone players from Germany. The group usually stays at the farmhouse for their annual get together, but had to find other accommodations this time as our group was there. They have an intensive workshop for learning jazz saxophone. So, tonight was essentially their recital.
We ran into Marion there and she joined us for dinner (salads and drinks). Eddie showed up after a while and sat with us, also. With dessert, Carl (without thinking) ordered a latte, which in the States means a coffee with lots of milk in it. The waitress brought out a cup of warm milk only. After he quit laughing, he ordered a coffee. She brought out a thimble sized cup of espresso.... He wound up combining the two and got what he wanted in the first place. We had a good laugh. From then on, he ordered "cafe con latte" - coffee with milk.
It was a late night. We got back to the hotel late and decided not to set the alarm for the next morning...