On our last full day in Barga, we went to tour and have lunch at a classic Tuscan vineyard and visited the small hilltop town of Montecarlo.  We went to the same vineyard last year and I was eagerly looking forward to the delicious lunch and the beautiful scenery.  Just walking up to the vineyard is a treat.  The gravel path is covered by a canopy of trees and dappled with shade and a smattering of sunbeams. The tables are beautifully set under open-air structures.  It’s a dream setting and it was a perfect day to visit this venue.  It was warm and sunny, but not too hot. Fattoria Il Poggio, the vineyard revisited, was the perfect balance between being high-end and having a comfortable family feel. Since I already toured the vineyard last year, I decided to sit on a bench in the shade to write in my journal

Well, when we were in Barga this year, we were asked by Dana (our host & guide of The Inspired Tourist) if we’d like to attend a cooking class.  Of course, my mom and I signed up for that!  When you have a chance to interact with locals through an experience like learning to cook local dishes from them, you take it. So, one afternoon, we headed over to La Mezza Luna, a bed & breakfast and cooking school, for Tuscan style cooking and dining with Rita.  It also happens to have a beautiful view. Rita was one of the most delightful people I met on our trip.  She is warm and boisterous; an Italian woman born and raised in Scotland.  Because of her Scottish upbringing. She still speaks English with a thick accent.  So much so, that you almost forget she’s Italian. Rita assessed group, which was the largest

On the afternoon of our first full day in Barga, we had the pleasure of doing a walking tour led by Keane, a man who moved from the UK 30 years ago and has made Barga his home.  We didn’t get to do this tour last year, so I was excited to learn more about this ancient walled town.  The main focus of the tour would be visiting the 1000-year-old Duomo at the top of the hill.  It’s a Christian church with a pagan history where the steeple bells are still rung by hand. Keane took us the long way up the hill through the winding streets of Barga.  One of my favorite things about these old European towns is the narrow streets.  I love the way the light falls into them creating sharp shadows and bringing the warm colors of the plaster to life. I love the little passageways

None of us were looking forward to an early morning wake-up call to catch our train from Paris to Milan to Florence, but that is what had to be done. Since train travel is less expensive then air travel, my mom and I decided to splurge on business class tickets.  Since we were on the train most of the day, it was a good move. Our seats were comfortable and the train car was less crowded and quieter.  That made for a great day to relax and enjoy the view. I just spent time to write in my journal and enjoy the view out the window.  One of my goals in taking the train was to get lots of pictures to use as references for paintings.  Taking pictures out of a train is a tricky business.   You have to start to feel the rhythm of the train and the cadence

Before we leave Paris and head to Italy, I thought I would share the “souvenirs” I purchased.  For me, I like to bring things home that I will use.  When I interact with them, they will remind me of my trip and, hopefully, a great memory that accompanies them. I already shared about the antique fountain pen and the lesson I learned about giving a situation a second chance. I also purchased a reproduction of a French handwriting primer… ..and my beret and books from Shakespeare & Co.  With my beret, I’ll remember being physically shown how to wear them properly.  Those books will always bring me back to the narrow aisles of the bookshop frequented by Hemmingway. The last items I purchased were from Charvin Arts. I selected items that I haven’t come across before or I most likely couldn’t buy at an art store in the US. I