...something of our 3 week trip. We had magical moments with local people and discovered more hidden wonders.  We visited wineries and castles that are not widely open to the public, we spent time with a very well known landscape photographer in the region, the best gelato maker in all of Tuscany, one of the last remaining crystal artisans who is over 70 years old, working in the same workshop on a wooden step-stool molded into a crescent shape from his 50+ years of standing in the same spot to create his crystal artwork.

We visited a privately owned castle, residence to a refined family in the area and also stayed in a former convent. We luxuriated in a spa town in Southern Tuscany where the ancient Romans used to bathe. As far as the delicious Italian meals went, we had a variety of Pecorino cheese and salami at an organic sheep farm and a romantic dinner in a wine cellar in a villa where Mona Lisa's grandfather used to live. We cooked Tuscan meals with Italian grandmothers and drank at least a barrique's worth of Chianti Classicos, Super Tuscans, Brunellos and Nobiles. The list goes on...