Under the Tuscan Sun

Hello friends:)

I have been trying to cram a ton of daytrips in this weekend around Tuscany. Yesterday I went to Cortona and then today I went to San Gimignano, they were both gorgeous little Tuscany towns they each have such distinct character. It's crazy that you can sit on the train for an hour an end up in a town totally different from Florence and the other neighboring towns. I love it and I will miss it so much this summer.

I have been wanting to go to Cortona for awhile, it's where they filmed the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun," it was kinda cool seeing the piazza where they filmed, the villas were all outside the city so we didn't see them. I went with Emily and Maggie, Maggie definitely kicked our butts powerwalking up the huge hill (fyi Mom and Dad I think it was worse than Assisi) to see the church and castle. There wasn't a ton to do, but it was nice just walking around, popping into the little shops, eating pizza and gelato. Oh how I will miss gelato this summer! Getting back to the train station at the bottom of the hill was a little rough. The connector bus was running weird hours because Friday was Italy's labor day, so we decided to hitch hike down only we failed and ended up just walking to the next bus stop. Then we sat at the bus stop for a while, waiting, and then of course at least three cars proceed to stop and do the typical "ciao bella, etc" but at that point it was easier just to wait for the bus. It took forever buying train tickets at the machine and we literally ran to catch the train, Maggie had to hold it for me and Emily for a good minute with the door slamming against her every 5 seconds:(


Then today we hit up San Gimignano, this time it was me, Emily, and Emily Baird. Last winter break I was substitute teaching and a room dad told me if I was going to study in Florence that I had to go to San Gimignano because it was his favorite place in Italy. Well props to that room dad, but San Gimignano was great. It has tons of towers from the Middle Ages when the rich familes showed off their wealth by building towers. We climbed one of the towers and hung out at the top for awhile, Tuscany is just so pretty. We ate gelato from the "world champion" gelateria and it was really good. Emily Grubbe and I bought wine to take home, hopefully customs won't search my bags. Emily's teacher told her you definitely can take two bottles in one bag, so I should be safe. Tonight Emily Grubbe and I made Ruby's mexican dip recipe and feasted on tortilla chips and dip. Walking back from Emily and Ruby's I felt really nostalgic. It's going to be sad when we go home, because we all live so far apart. Emily lives in South Carolina and Ruby in Missouri... not exactly close:( I'm going to miss my florentine bffs big time!