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I got up about 6:10 and took my camera for a walk above Villa Rosa. My goal was to find the road that Bill had mentioned. I got as far as the road, but ran out of film and had to turn back! I had only stuck one spare roll in my pocket, knowing that I had just started a fresh one. The photo on the right is one of the photos I took of the vineyards behind the Villa. Oh, well. I got back to the Villa about 7:30 for breakfast.
Ursula and Giovanni showed up a little before 8:30 and we were off again. Giovanni may not understand much English, but he understands enough. He was quite patient with the crazy photographers and what they were looking for. And he was always there to assist us getting out of the van. And taking backpacks off our hands when we returned. He even got pretty good at collapsing tripods! It only took him about a day to remember which camera bag and which tripod went with which person. I’m very glad he was our driver.
Our first stop of the day was Volpaia. We wound up spending more time there than originally planned, it was so lovely. And there was a road leading out of town that gave us a couple of really nice views back over the rooftops. It was a very good stop.
The three photos above were taken in Volpaia. I had wandered into a back street and came across this doorway with a stairway leading off from it. I found several photo possibilities in this narrow dark space. The photo on the left shows the doorway that initially attracted my attention. The other two photos show the stairs with a pot of phlox on the stone handrail. You can also see the pot of phlox in the left photo, to give you an ideal of the positioning.
The three photos above were also taken in volpaia. The photo on the left is a view across the edge of the town along the village walls. The center photo is back in the same alley as the previous three photos and shows some flowers in pots near a stump that partially conceals a drainpipe. The photo on the right shows a private flower garden with some nice white roses and a lovely gate. This was along the road we climbed to get slightly above the town to shoot back at the rooftops.
the three photos above are among the rooftop photos I took from our vantage point above Volpaia. The ones on the left and right were taken through a vineyard.
On to Vertina, near Gaiole, for lunch and more pictures. Lunch was at the Blue Bar and was very good. Lunch consisted mostly of crostini with different toppings. My favorites include the ones with diced fresh tomatoes, the ones with olive oil and a smear of garlic, and the ones with a slice of mozzarella melted onto it. The fresh pate (warm) was okay, but I’m not that fond of goose liver... All of this was accompanied by wine, of course.
Then we shot for a while, meeting back at the Blue Bar for a quick potty break and gelato. The gelato I selected from their freezer came in a glass, which I was able to keep! Good ice cream - rich vanilla with whipped cream and cherries on top.
The three photos above were taken in Vertina. The photo on the left shows the cypress lined driveway entrance to a hotel. the center photo shows a private doorway. The photo on the right shows some shallow stairs leading to a cat.
The three photos above were also taken in Vertina. The photo on the left shows a jasmine covered doorway. The center photo shows a shuttered window and door. The photo on the right shows a street scene with the road going through an archway.
From there, we drove to Radda, another of the main towns in Chianti.
There are six main producers of Chianti Classico, which is a wine produced in a small section of the Chianti region of Italy. Chianti Classico must contain at least 90% of a specific grape (Sangiovese). The rest is determined by the wine producer. Better than the Chianti I remember from college days....
The three photos above were taken in Radda. The photo on the left shows a street scene with a tourist taking a picture. Sitting on the steps are our guide, Ursula, and our leader, Bill. The center photo shows some details of a church. The photo on the right shows a fountain on the main square.
The three photos above were also taken in Radda. The photo on the left shows some of the surrounding countryside through an arch overlooking a parking lot. The other two photos shows some cats on the streets. They seemed unconcerned as they napped while people walked by within feet of them!
While in Radda, Michelle’s camera decided to quit on her. It had been acting flaky, but finally gave up the ghost. Bill and Judy put together enough equipment for her to finish the trip.
Then it was back to the Villa for showers and a bit of rest before dinner. No notes about what it was today.... I must have been tired.