It’s time for the final installment, recapping my recent “bucket list” vacation to the Tuscan region of Italy.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the sights and sounds of Italy as I relayed them to you each week throughout this series.  If you missed a week, check the archives to get caught up!

Wrapping it Up – A Last Day of Shopping, a Final Dinner, and Time to Come Home

After the previous night’s revelries, we had the chance to sleep in and finally awoke to another beautiful blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.  As we left the apartment on this morning, we passed two older gentlemen leading their draft horses down the road, loosely holding the horses’ bridles and walking beside them.  The “clip-clop” of their hooves echoed in the narrow streets – another iconic Tuscan image.  How many can one trip hold?

We parked at the farm in Pienza and leisurely strolled into the city, feeling more like “townies” than tourists.  We stopped for a morning coffee (standing at the bar, of course), and walked up the cobblestone streets to do some shopping on this final day.  I took Leigh back to the places I had visited on my previous tour, and the shopkeepers were just as accommodating and pleasant to us as a couple as they were with a group.  Both Leigh and I are now sprinkling in as much Italian as we can into our conversations, and even though we’re sure we are butchering the pronunciations, our attempts have been warmly accepted.

Following shopping and a restful afternoon in our apartment, it was off for our final dinner in Italy, a wine pairing with four courses in the nearby hill town of Monticchiello.  The hill towns are close together (as the crow flies), but the roads spiral down into the valley and then back up to the next town, often doubling the distance.

I accidentally bypassed the public parking at the bottom of the hill and headed upward, soon realizing that the car could go no further as I reached the city gates.  After an awkward U-turn, I was met by another car trying to come up the hill as I attempted to descend.  In the narrow streets, is seemed impossible for two cars to pass.  So there we sat, the other driver of the car staring at me for a few moments.  Then he blew his horn at me and my inner Italian took over.  I waved my hands at the man in a “where exactly do you want me to go?” series of gestures.  I tried to inch closer to the steep drop-off on my side, while he slowly moved closer to the stone wall on his.  Like two icebergs, we slowly crept by each other.  I could have literally flossed his teeth and patted his passenger on the cheek as we passed by.

The drama over, we parked down the hill and walked back up to the charming Osteria La Porta.  The owner, Daria, is a sommelier, and she expertly guided us through each course and its associated wine pairing.  We started with a “welcome” glass of Proseco.  We then moved on to the appetizer, a porcini mushroom soufflé topped with creamed pecorino cheese and truffles.  The smell alone of the earthy truffles was divine, and perfectly matched with its Chianti Classico pairing.

The primo – or first course – then arrived.  Hand-made ravioli filled with fresh ricotta cheese, served in a sauce of mascarpone and more fresh truffles, paired with a Vino Nobile de Montepulciano wine.  Amazing!

Next came the secondi.  Tonight it was slices of beef cheeks stewed in Brunello wine and black pepper, served over a potato puree.  I had never eaten beef cheeks before, but now am a raving fan.  It was fall-apart tender and wonderfully flavorful.  The Brunello di Montalcino paired with this course was especially exquisite.  Daria kept everyone’s glasses full.  This was no mere “tasting”.

Finally, it was time for dessert.  Out came plates of creamy and slightly sweet panna cotta (Italian custard), topped with local raspberries and blackberries.  The dessert wine was a Caruso, a red wine macerated with cherries and cinnamon.  I’m not much on sweet wines, but this was a perfect match for the dish.

Our dinner companions tonight consisted of a retired Episcopalian minister and his wife (from Utah) as well as a retired Baptist minister and his wife.  This couple (Gary and Claudia) were unique.  After visiting Cretaiole twice before on other trips, they took the plunge to make their Tuscan dream a reality and permanently moved to a small rental house outside of Pienza nine years ago.  I spent the evening chatting with Claudia about the pros and cons of becoming an American ex-pat, and the three hour meal seemed to fly by.

As Leigh and I departed into the night, a chilly breeze accompanied our walk back to the car, but the moon was full, eerily illuminating the countryside on our drive back to Castelmuzio.

We awoke to another beautiful morning (our last), had our final Italian coffees from the Moka, and unhappily packed the car.  I will miss the little village of Castelmuzio.  We said little as we drove back to Florence to drop off the rental car and check-in at the airport, savoring our last looks at the beautiful scenery.

As I sit here at the departure gate and think about our week, it is difficult to summarize the experience.  It is hard to imagine making such a strong connection to a place in such a short amount of time, but we have managed to do just that.  The Moricciani family has shared their love and passion of this land with us, creating an unforgettable adventure.

We’ve never been treated as tourists.  On the contrary, Isabella and Carlo have welcomed us as friends.  I am sure we have left a small piece of our souls in the Val D’Orcia – and will one day return.  I am forever grateful for this time, this place, and these people.

“Viaggiare e vivere” – to travel is to live, and live we have.  Our lives and memories will forever be enriched by this journey.

May it one day be repeated.