Tuscany - The Fourth Day

Well like I said we went to Orvieto :( and Montepulciano on Wednesday like the true tourist we were.
AND you wouldn't believe how well were are speaking Italiano Engalisha

The problem hence the frown face about Orvieto was that it was siesta time and everything was closed.  Except for restaurants.  So, if you go, know that at about 1:00 all the shoppes close their doors for business from around 1 - 3.  When I read that I thought it was surely a joke.  Nope, it's the truth.  As disappointed as we were, we just did some window shopping and walked around the beautiful cobble stone roads. (Which are VERY narrow)

the pottery of course in Italy is just amazing

they drink "diet light" over there

and we "W" had many plates of this!!!! (he is a big lover of spaghetti with meat sauce

see how narrow the streets are?

Now on to Montepulciano.  This really was my favorite of the little towns we visited.  Not sure why, maybe because we had to hike straight up hill. Tim said come on it's only a 15 minute walk up, we don't need the bus!  UM>>>>>> let's try a 1 hour HIKE STRAIGHT up winding roads.....I'm back in Atlanta and it's Saturday morning - and yes I've been up since 3:30 (jet lagged) and still sore from this one fine day. But it was still worth the pain. I need a foot rub bad.

this was an art gallery (closed of course)  I loved this sculpture of I'm guessing an old vagrant.  It was one of my favorite things  that I saw.  The detailing was amazing.

a fabulous little linen shoppe

more narrow streets.

being an artist, this SO intrigued me.  All of this artist's work is done in mosaic.  I wanted this piece really bad, but decided I was going to come home and work on doing some mosaic's myself.  Isn't this beautiful?

now we're talkin..the next few pics are of a winery we visited which is considered to make one of the finest wines in Italy. 

I can't remember this sweet old man's name, but fell in love with his spirit and his love of his craft.

I do know that his family has lived there for 400 years and lives in one of the beautiful castles of Montepulciano.  He is from a very wealthy family in the town and is very well respected.

He liked Anita and me as well.  We gotta many a kisses froma hima.

a roof top view of Tuscany

NOW, be still my copper lovin heart........this is a copper shoppe that we visited where all of the copper is made right there.  UM,,,a few purchases were made, yup, one for a very lucky couple who are getting married soon!  Seriously, I wish you could have seen this man's work.  Simply divine

he will copy anything you send him.  Like this crest.

And finally this little man hits the bell every hour.  We just missed it!
Have a great weekend y'all.  I'm going to blog about the Vatican and Rome and my NEW Louie sunglasses (oh they are SO cute) tomorrow.  Afraid all the pics would overload you and me both!
Where did the time fly????
kb