Our villa here outside Cortona is absolutely fantastic. We have a large room where you can see the original wood beams and stone floor. The staff is great as well. They seem to love our blond blue & green eyed children and never hesitate to stroke Jillian's cheeks.
Last night after a glass of wine in the courtyard, we had dinner in the hotel. Pasta for the kids, soup starter for Jas & I followed by steak for Jas and bacon wrapped pork for me. Oh and some wine. For desert Kaitlyn had a coffee creme brulee. Jason had some carmelized pear and I had a strawberry tart with cream followed of course by espresso. Ok-the food here is good, not much worth mentioning in Venice-but here is another story.
We explored Cortona today. What a charming village of Tuscany. Hints of Etruscan life are everywhere. We decided on getting lunch from the grocery in the main piazza. The kids scarfed down pizzettes (small hand sized cheese pizzas) while Jason and I enjoyed eggplant, peppers and cheese on toasted foccia. Of course the meal isn't complete without a scoop of gelato.
The kids were playing on the steps of a bank while Jason and I contemplated our next move. A women came up the steps and tipped Kaitlyn's chin to see her eyes while saying "bella, bella bella." Like I said-a very family friendly country.
Despite the constant grumbling we forced our very ungrateful children to climb to the top of town and see the Medici Fortress. As we were walking a gentleman passed by and said something to us in French. (I was also approached in Venice by a French speaking teen). When I gave him a blank look he said "Non Francaise?" I responded, "no, American." "Oh, well happy walking."
We made it about halfway before realizing that the stroller was NOT going to make it up the ancient cobblestone road. We abandoned it and carried Jillian instead. Upon reaching the top, a bar was waiting for us ready to make an espresso at our request.
No sooner had we finished when the skies opened up with an April shower. Earlier, as we left the hotel, we decided coats were not needed and only had 1 umbrella between the 5 of us. Jason and Griffen decided to walk down the hill to fetch the car while the girls and I waited under the shelter of the Church of St. Margaret. Being a Monday and midday-both the church and the Fortress were closed. After about 5 minutes the rain let up and we walked down to catch up with the boys who were waiting by a soaked stroller. (gotta love cell phones)
We made it back to Cortona before the rain really let loose. We also found a nice pottery shop with reasonable prices...must come back on a driving weekend to stock up on pottery and wine.
Dinner tonight was at La Tufa in Ossaia, a nearby village. We were the first to arrive at 7:15 (most restaurants in Italy don't open for dinner until 7:30). By the time we left it was 9 and the restaurant, a recommendation by hotel staff, was packed with locals. The parking lot was a dirt plot up the hill and we almost couldn't make it out with all the other cars that arrived after we did.
Our dinner was delicious-Kaitlyn ate pizza, Griffen cleaned up a whole bowl of minestrone soup and ate a bit of everyone else's food. Jillian ate almost a whole bowl of pasta-penne with a meat ragú, Jason & I each had bowls of pasta mine was a short cut spinach pasta with tomato sauce followed by some steak sautéd with cherry tomatoes, rocket (arugula) and pecorino cheese smothered in a healthy portion of olive oil. I can still taste it. Add the requisite bottle of wine, desert and espressso and dinner is complete.
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