TUSCANY Part Three -- Montalcini, Pienza, Terme di Saturnia
May 15, 2003

Thur May 15, 3:39pm, Montalcini

Following my guidebook, I led Uli and I up a steep climb to the top of a forested hill overlooking the town. The book had said that a fort was built in the 1300s soon after the town fell under Sienese control, and that the fort was built on the highest part of the town. But the fortezza is just next to the town, not above it, like the hill we walked up to. And it turns out we could have driven to the top of the hill. But it was a good workout.

What gets me is why wouldn't you build the fort up at the very top? If you don't, your fort can be catapulted upon from above!

I am now sitting at the fort, which nowadays has an enoteca (wine bar) inside which is playing vocal jazz. In the middle of a fort -- I love it.

I decided to try some of the famous Brunello wine at an extremely scenic square. I was telling Uli earlier that I take pictures when I see something that strikes me and that square absolutely stunned me.

So I went into the wine bar and learned that the 1997 Brunello di Montalcini was 7.50 euros for a glass, the 1999 €5 and the 2000 €3. So I had the 2000, plus a nice ham and cheese sandwich and some peanuts. If I had had more time I would have tried one of the other years in order to compare, but perhaps I'll find an inexpensive bottle back home. [I've looked. There is no such thing.]

I had a nice glass of Brunello sitting right there under those umbrellas.

Sitting down at a table outside, I was treated to some entertainment via a group of mentally disabled Italians and their 3-4 female keepers. One was in a wheelchair, one was sitting and smiling at everything, and the most active was a woman in a red sweatsuit whose only words were "LA LA!" And she'd go from caretaker to caretaker, hugging them tightly and screaming "LA LA!" towards one of the others.

A woman who seemed to own the cafe I was at came by and she received a mighty "LA LA!" to which the owner lady smiled. She was dressed in a smart olive green pantsuit, and she had very short dark hair with bits of light highlights.

The activity from this group was a pleasant diversion from the hordes of German tour groups which Uli has taught me to hate. They paid far too much attention to the LA LA girl. Then again, I was the one who was taping her inconspicuously.

The view down a Montalcini alley

Thur May 15

Later that day we hit Pienza, where we only spent a half hour, but it was quite a lovely experience.

In Montalcini, Uli and I accidentally split off. Well, sort of. At the top of the hill, I exclaimed, "Now that we've had our morning constitutional, it's time for some wine!" To which Uli just walked away. So I walked down the hill by myself.

Later on after finding each other at the fortezza, Uli asked if we could talk about why it is I sometimes walk away from him, which makes him feel like he has to follow me like some doting wife. Not only did I have no idea what he was talking about, but it sounded too much like the type of conversation a boyfriend and girlfriend might get into. So I said, no, I'd prefer not to talk about it. He said he was simply interested in my experience, of what I was feeling. This was too much. "You really are like a girlfriend," I said, turning him down flat.

But enough of that! The point was that in Pienza, we agreed to split up and meet back at the park in 20 minutes. Of course, it's such a small town that we kept seeing each other.

In the Piazza Pio II, I went into the Cattedrale dell'Assunta and was surprised to find the sunniest church in Italy. There were many windows, all clear and not stained, and the sun was perfectly splashed on the walls. As I was walking through I smelled flowers, and I couldn't tell where it was coming from until I got to the pulpit where there were baskets of lilies. The signs said no pictures, but I just had to take some video.

Outside there was an old man in an automatic wheelchair, and he had a red metal donation box with the word GRAZIE engraved. I thought about giving him a coin, then didn't, then said I would if I saw him again, then saw him again, then tried to get away.

I saw Uli again, and asked him if he saw anything good, and in typical Uli fashion he responded in the negative, proving it's generally a bad idea to ask him anything.

But then he said there was a good view back behind some of the buildings, and indeed there was, so go Uli!

I took this for my friend Carita

Dig that red and green outfit!

The view was from an overlook from the town wall. There were three people there, including a giggly old man who didn't respond to my saying "Buona Serra." He just laughed and puttered on.

I set my sunglasses on the wall and took out my video camera. I tried to turn it on and nothing. I had been charging the battery with the car charger I brought with me, so that wasn't the issue. I thought for more than a few seconds that this may be retribution from God for daring to take pictures in the church. But then I finally figured out that the stupid switch was on LOCK. [Later on in Sorrento I finally asked a merchant for a piece of tape and glued that stupid switch in place].

And then the man in the wheelchair came along again, so I finally put a euro coin in his red metal box. I'd found it on the car seat. Probably Uli's. *grin*

I left and attempted to fulfill my one goal in Pienza: find a grande bottiglia di Fanta, but no dice. In the midst of my search I realized that I'd forgotten my shades back at the wall. They weren't expensive sunglasses (I don't believe in paying a lot for shades -- they're meant to be lost or broken), and sunglasses -- both cheap and waaaay expensive -- are plentiful in Italy. But I didn't want to waste the time trying to find some.

So I went back and asked the giggly old man, but that was a waste of time. Then the wheelchair man came rolling up, and I thought for sure he'd have them, and then I'd take his picture with him wearing the sunglasses. But no.

Finally some local women who I surreptitiously took video of while they were standing at the wall earlier started laughing, and one of them pulled them out of her front red jeans pocket. I thanked the both of them and skedaddled.

Thur May 15

Last night was magnificent. After Vigno di Bagna where Nostalgia was filmed (I'd see it again if I thought I could stay awake), we found Terme di Saturnia after some asking around. See, there's the town where people stay in hotels with hot springs, then there's the rest of us, who delight in the natural setting (and have a friend who brought a tent). Bellisimo!

We camped across the river there. This picture doesn't do Saturnia anywhere near justice.

So having gleaned directions from a guy who spoke German, we parked in this little alley at the end of a road, rounded a corner and instantly I was treated to my second favorite sight on this trip after Venice. Amazing blue water forming in pools from a central jet of waterfall, with a blue stream flowing past green, lush hills. An incredible image. Cameras could never capture the feeling of it. Later, the full moon rose big and orange on the horizon. And as if it couldn't get any better it did. Fireflies! Only a couple, unfortunately.

Crossing the stream with our camping gear (and camera equipment!) was a little nerve wracking. But after that first time, crossing was a breeze. After swimming I'd just float across, since I wanted to stay in that perfect body temperature water as long as possible.

There was another couple camping across the stream with us. Uli suggested we set our tent up right next to theirs, but I didn't think that was a good idea. The sight of them making out next to their fire later proved me right.

That amazing place settled my nerves, which is, I assume, why people have been going there for thousands of years. Of all the ancient places I've seen on this trip so far, that was the one where I really got to thinking about how many people from all walks of life through all vestiges of humankind had been through there.

Unlike the night before, Uli really is wearing clothes here.

Our timing on this trip has truly been incredible, and Saturnia was no exception. Since it wasn't a weekend, there weren't as many people. But really, the time to be there is at night. Only 2 or 3 lovers in their own special coves, and then another 6 or so.

Of course by the time we left the next day there were 50 Germans, none under 60 years old, all sitting there in the water like frogs on logs.

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