Arriving at the train station in Sant’Agnello, well in advance of our planned departure time for Florence, we found it odd that the ticket office was closed. Inquiring minds needed to know…what the heck?! Communicating with other would-be passengers of many different languages, it became apparent that there was a Rail strike.The strike was to be”on” from 9:00 to 13:00. Interesting. Seems they even publish – in advance – when they will strike. Of course, it’s published in Italian in newspapers & on their website. Sigh. Well, we decided to wait them out since the alternatives were not any more helpful than waiting. We took turns taking walking breaks while the other stayed with the luggage. The 3 sets of extremely steep stairs with two 50 lb. bags was an effective deterrent to both of us leaving at the same time. Schlepping the bags up & down and then wheeling them everywhere was a non-negotiable. 13:00 eventually arrived. Tickets were purchased. The first train was packed – SRO. So we waited for the next one. A wise decision. We were able to get a seat & have space for our luggage for the one hour trip to Napoli to catch our train for Florence. It was a long travel day.
We figure that each day that we change location is a work day. This is not a complaint but a reality that is part of ‘the adventure’: Up early, packing, check out, getting to the train station, figuring out the tickets, platforms and proper coaches. And stairs -always the stairs. No lifts. Stairs, steep and multiple staircases. Then it’s anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to our next destination. Upon arrival, we venture out into our new city to find our Airbnb. It can be challenging – especially with the terrain. Cobblestones, uneven pavement, uphill, streets with no names etc. By the time we arrive, we’re spent. Next, it’s unpacking, settling in and determining what to do that night about dinner. It’s all for a good cause and with a worthy outcome. But it’s work.
Thank goodness we stayed in Florence for a full week. That gave us a bit of a break.
First of all, we loved Florence, the birthplace of gelato. Si, it’s true! We celebrated its birth each day that we were there. Yum!
Our walking tour guide, Ricardo, introduced us to the city and shared its history. We strolled through piazzas, learned more about the Medici family who governed Florence during the Renaissance. They were exiled 3 different times & came back each time. (Like yo-yo’s) Powerful people! We hiked over bridges that span the Arno and we’re able to navigate this city quite well.
We spent an entire day in the Chianti hills, visiting a Castle that is also a winery and enjoyed an exquisite lunch prepared by a guest chef … with lots of wine – multiple bottles of wine for each delicious course after course… for 6 of us in our group. A delightful day!
We also spent a day participating in an Italian Cooking Class. We went to an amazing market – all under one roof – with everything from cheeses, pastries, fish, all kinds of meat, gorgeous produce and more. I would love to shop there all the time! Then we were whisked off to the outskirts of town to a palatial villa where we were all sous chefs. We made the most outstanding bruschetta I’ve ever had. And there was wine. The kitchen was state-of-the art. A stove & ovens to die for. We made a pesto for pasta that was fantastic. And we made pasta – from scratch – Si! ’we’. Michael was a willing and fun participant as well. He did everything. And there was more cooking. Bolognese sauce. Pork roast. Tirimisu. The class was large -30 -but the kitchen accommodated us easily. We even had a separate work area for making our pasta. Of course, after our afternoon in the kitchen, we enjoyed the meal. A delicious finish!
We were told “When in Florence, eat like a Florentine.” We were encouraged by Ricardo to eat ‘beefsteak’ – served only rare and 4 fingers thick. We took his recommendation for an authentic Osteria that was known to make the best. OH MY! What an experience. When presented table side, it was about 2.5 lbs. – for the two of us. Granted, there was a bone. It was uniquely grilled and flavored and oh sooooo delicious. The carnivore in both us was satiated.
We were told that it’s a law in Florence that it’s a crime to cook steak any other way….
Ciao for now!