Music and Markets - - Following the Music

Arrivederci Florence

2012-01-30T08:38:00.015-05:00

Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Florence, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Our spring tours in Barcelona, Venice or Prague

How about a stroll up to Piazzale Michelangelo after that delicious lunch at Z EB?
The somber façades of Florence's typical rusticated stone buildings are surprised with a flash of terracotta rose on an Oltrarno street. You'll often see dark mustard/gold buildings with green shutters - but I do not recall seeing this color in central Florence before!
We walked through the San Niccoló neighborhood because we were anxious to see if the San Niccoló Tower was open today. We'd heard it was recently renovated and opened this summer to the public for the first time since it was built in 1324! Though its toes are at the level of the Arno River, from its crenelated rooftop,160 steps up, we've heard, the 360 degree views of the city are breathtaking. It was built as part of the defensive wall when it was expanded during the 13th and 14th centuries to protect the neighborhoods that had sprung up on the other side of the Arno. A huge gate on the tower's ground floor regulated traffic and commerce into and out of Florence . Of all the towers with gates around Florence that provide evidence of her powerful past, only this one has never been decapitated. Unfortunately, there was a sign on the entrance saying it was only open from June 24 to October 1st.
No problem, for exercise we'll take the short and steep route to Piazzale Michelangelo. As soon as we head south of the tower we discover we're outside one of the remaining stretches of the 13th century city wall. The road ascends by zigs and zags but we're never far from the Tower of San Niccoló. First we notice we're about as high as its halfway point then before we know it, we're looking down on it as we step into the parking lot with the most famous attendant.

The Piazzale's a popular spot both day and night, and a favored place for wedding photos. This couple is framing the Duomo, far below and across the Arno, with heart-shaped arms. Couldn't tell whether they love each other or their Duomo the most.

Here the third actual size copy of Michelangelo's David watches over the city. And since it's such a climb to get up here, there are fewer tourists and we can admire the artistry from all angles and from any distance.

while far below the ever-present crowds look off of the Ponte Vecchio - I wonder if there's a musician entertaining today?

The gold-topped Duomo bursts into view as we try out the Macro setting - nice!

Across the Arno Valley on the opposite hill, Fiesole's tucked into a cleft to the north of the city - another great place for sunset views.

From this perch you can really see how Florence is cradled by hills on all sides - what a setting!
On the west side of the Piazzale Michelangelo, two terraces below the parking lot, a sign points down a little path to Il Jardino della Rosas. Can we get back down to the San Niccoló neighborhood through the rose garden? Or will we be unable to exit the other side and have to retrace our steps back uphill to here? The Garden of Roses looks like it's worth the risk, so we descend the path and find the roses and other flowers share the spotlight with interesting sculptures by Jean Michel Follon, such as this bronze walker.

The charm of an old terracotta design graces another pause in the slope.
We enjoy the landscaping and art and even find an exit and soon we're walking down Via del Monte alle Croci through another city gate into the neighborhood of San Niccoló again.
It's been a marvelous few days in this beautiful city, and yet there are far more places to see and trattorias to try than we could fit in. Guess we'll just have to put them on our list for next time.
Arrivederci, Firenze!

Florence - Old Favorites and New Discoveries

2012-01-25T15:13:00.017-05:00

Monday - Tuesday, January 2-3, 2012
Florence, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Our spring tours in Barcelona, Venice or Prague

Florence's Mercato Centrale - a must visit each time we're in the city. And it's even more fun than usual since we're in an apartment, and are on the hunt for dinner inspiration. We'll stock up as well with take-home-to-Virginia essentials, Olio Nuovo (just-pressed olive oil) from the Conti's, a hunk of Par- miggiano, and some tender sun-dried tomatoes, which are just better than any we've found in the States.
I'm looking as well for a travel tote. For some reason (could it be because we're always traveling???) mine wear out sooner than I'd expect. Several shops are still closed - Monday is a frequent off-day for shops and museums in Europe. I need compartments for phone and makeup, length and depth enough for files, magazines, and newspapers, something relatively lightweight since I load it so full of must-haves, and with a closure so things don't escape when slipping through security.
I've looked in myriad shop windows, tried out several totes on my arm, but haven't found what I want. Kirk suggests the leather shops near Santa Croce, and as I walk into one, he goes into another, through a courtyard across the street. The shop I'm in has pretty much what I've already seen in all the market stalls - not interested. So I join Kirk, and just fall in love with an embossed leather bag - but will it hold magazines, etc? It looks small. The saleslady assures me that it will, and brings a few magazines from the office to try it out - yes!
I see so many things I'd love in here - it's Bottega Fiorentina, and their designs are just lovely- not what I've seen everywhere else. Gianluca and his family have been crafting unique and beautiful leather goods since 1961. I'm sold! We'll certainly tell our Music and Markets guests about this place. Such wonderful quality, fair prices, and friendly non-pressure owners. (And the purse/tote worked wonderfully on our flights home, I'm glad to say).
After all of this hard work, we treat ourselves to a warm Bomboloni (like a filled doughnut - chocolate for Kirk, cream for me) from our favorite spot on Via del Corso, stroll around some more, then spend the evening relaxing in the apartment (and enjoying the delicious fresh pasta we picked up at the Mercato!)
We start the day slowly on Tuesday - Kirk's fighting a mean cold. But we don't want to miss what has become an annual pleasure - the Uffizi's I Mai Visti (never before seen). Each year a particular selection of masterworks that have long been in storage are curated into a lovely small exhibition, which is always free.
This year the theme is Volti Svelati - Faces Revealed: an intimate viewing (love the small room - keeps the works accessible and not overpowering in number) of classical sculptures from the collection of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

The works of art coming out of storage include 44 busts of ‘Cesari in marmo’ (‘Marble Caesars’), as well as one of the best collections of Classical portraits ever seen in the Uffizi. Isn't this stone drape exquisite?

There are also several portraits gracing the walls, showing the importance of classical sculptures and collections to artists through the centuries. This was unique to me - Giovanni Damon's self-portrait in which his real hair shows below the requisite wig. Truly I Mai Visti ;)

Across the calm Arno is the quieter, less-visited San Niccolò quarter of Florence. The tower of the same name was built in the early 1300's to protect this area of the city.

I smile as we pass a parking garage - one of the reasons I love Italian is that it is so very musical! Adagio = slow, in music, and slow for cars too! Draw out the soft "g" as you pronounce it - it just SOUNDS slow, doesn't it?!

This quiet part of the Oltrarno is getting better known as new restaurants move in. Our destination today is ZEB, a former grocery store that the mother and son team of Giuseppina and Alberto Navari reinvented as a lunch and dinner counter.

A carefully chosen wall of wine on one side, stools lined up along the counter on the other.... and the smells and sights inspire as we gaze.

The longer we sit, the more we see that we want on OUR lunch plates.

First a generous portion of tortelloni in a creamy pecorino sauce, blanketed with layers of pear.
We share a plate of main course dishes - a peposo (beef stewed with pepper- corns), an intriguing and delicious mash of potatoes and artichoke, cippolline, petite onions in a sweet and sour marinade, and a smoky eggplant parmiggiano. Each bite is fabulous... and it's such fun to watch the Navaris, with their lovely smiles, enthusiastically describing the dishes in Italian or English as the counter fills with hungry clients.
What a feast! Now for an afternoon walk.... (to be continued)

Sunset Beauty in Florence

2012-01-10T14:45:00.017-05:00

Sunday, January 1, 2012, part 2
Florence, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Our spring tours in Barcelona, Venice or Prague

We never tire of this glorious city - summer or winter, spring or fall.

A stroll across the Ponte Vecchio's accompanied by music this afternoon - we stand, listen and just take in the view .

Like the crowds around us, we're just taking it easy, meandering across the Arno,

watching as the sunset paints the sky.

We're glad to be bundled up warmer than Signore Winter, on of the Four Seasons on Ponte Trinita!

After that delicious traditional seafood lunch, we're going cutting-edge tonight, at a relatively new restaurant, Filipepe, in the San Niccolo area of the Oltrarno.

The intimate candle-lit dining room, with stylish mismatched chairs and glasses, is a perfect setting for the creative contemporary take on Italian cuisine.

We start with complimentary prosecco and freshly made croutons, and ooh and aah over the menu - can you imagine licorice gnocchi?

They're served with a spicy Calabrian sausage/tomato sauce - a wild combination, no? We ask how they are made - hard licorice candy is ground up and mixed in with the dough for the gnocchi. Believe it or not, it's delicious!

We share a main dish of roasted pigeon breast with a reduction of Tuscan Rosso (red), licorice (yes, again!) rice, and caramelized fig - just mouthwatering!
We haven't had anything like this in Tuscany before.... we're rather reminded of the nouveau meals we enjoyed in Barcelona.
It's fun to taste such innovative takes on tradition - an exciting contrast to the good old Tuscan meals we've enjoyed through the years.

Duemilladodici (2012) begins in Florence

2012-01-03T17:22:00.005-05:00

Sunday, January 1, 2012
Florence, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visi o n s of Venice

We begin the New Year lazily, sleeping in after our very late night. The streets of Florence are so quiet - few cars, people walking around, but plenty of room to meander, unlike the packed streets and piazzas of last night. It's always a delight to catch sight of Brunelleschi's dome rising down a lane.
Today's one of the few days of the year that the outdoor stalls around San Lorenzo are closed.... how unusual to see these streets as we've never seen them, no crowds, no leather jackets, purses, belts or gloves, no silk scarves, no florentine paper. Cosimo de Medici reigns over his quiet kingdom.
Both Rachel (of Florentine Flats) and Gloria (who recommended these apartments to us) have told us not to miss Trattoria Roberto, just around the corner from the apartment. As we walk in we see lots of paintings of the Amalfi Coast, and not just the renowned spots such as Positano and Amalfi, but off the beaten track hamlets such as Scala, where we enjoyed a mountainside walk years ago. We're shown to a table by a smiling gent and ask if he's Franco (the owner, who kept the Roberto name since it has been called thus for generations). No - Franco's in the kitchen. He reaches out a hand to shake from the kitchen window, and we tell him that we're in Rachel's apartment. He welcomes us and tells our waiter to take good care of us.
It's rare to find a fish restaurant in Florence, but Franco has brought all of the local flavors of the Amalfi Coast with him, and the menu's full of tempting seafood dishes, such as this Spaghetti allo Scoglio. We couldn't resist all the wonderful seafood, ordering stuffed calamari, a carpaccio of tuna, octopus Amalfitana... and I asked if by any chance they had fried artichokes, although they weren't on the menu. Our friendly waiter said he would see, and after our main dishes came out, Franco brought a platter of crispy lightly battered artichokes - fabulous! We wanted to continue the Amalfi tastes and chose the lemon tart for dessert.... then were told it was "finito" . Too bad.... nothing else grabbed our fancy. Then Franco brought a small bowl of creamy lemon filling to our table - "This is all that's left - enjoy!" Yum!
Every other table was filled with Italian speakers - families, "ladies who lunch", a sister from a nearby convent... and no wonder! The food is the best, and very well priced - no credit cards, though - cash only. I see by the Trip Advisor reviews of Trattoria Roberto that it is definitely "discovered" - but it remains truly Italian and unspoiled, and a great value!

Hilltowns and Fireworks

2012-01-03T10:57:00.034-05:00

Saturday, December 31, 2011
Orvieto, Lucignano & Florence, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visi o n s of Venice

Piazza del Popolo looks quite different this morning. Rather than cars, jazz and revelers, it's filled with market booths and shoppers. Plans today are for a special lunch on the way to Florence, where we've rented an apartment, and a delicious dinner chez nous (can I use that phrase in Italy??) So we've got a simple menu planned and are on the prowl for fresh and tasty Italian ingredients.... some 2011 olive oil, just pressed in November, arugula, artichokes in olive oil and some smoked goose breast and aged balsamic vinegar so we can recreate last night's salad. A chunk of aged Parmiggiano from the cheese man, fresh pasta filled with zucca (pumpkin) from the pasta shop, a slab of butter and a few sage leaves to dress the pasta.
We get a few staples at the little grocery shop, where Kirk waits in line for at least half an hour - EVERYBODY'S shopping before places are closed for the holiday. I return to the pasta shop to pick up the tortelli which they've prepared for us... and on the way run into smiling Marlena de Blasi and Fernando and we chat a bit. Kirk and I so enjoyed reading "The Lady in the Pa lazzo" together - describing the ups and downs of their life in Orvieto.
We've already got some Vin Santo (sweet "holy wine") from Siena, so we add some ricciarelli (almond cookies) and hazelnut cookies from the pastry shop and we're set for dinner - it'll keep cold in the car on this chilly day.
Arrivederci, Orvieto - that Italian goodbye actually means we'll see you again, and it's easy to depart when we WILL be back soon - for a Wine Tourism Wo rksho p in early February. We've chosen the Umbria post-tour, and our last night of the trip will be in our own favorite Palazzo Piccolomini in Orvieto! It will be fun to be led around the city on a tour - we're hoping to learn some new secrets!
Now we're off to Lucignano, which is rather off the international tourist track, but is an Italian favorite, and has easily become one of ours too.

Tucked into the wall is little Oste Matto (Crazy Host), a highly rated restaurant that we're eager to try. And what a treat it is! Quirky design - such as this web of light fixtures, some bulbs brighter than others, emerging from a twist on the wall,

mismatched water glasses, and fragments of '20's ads peeking through the distressed paint on the walls.

The cuisine carries on the playful theme, with new twists on typical Italian flavors, such as tempura battered balls of parmiggiano with pear conserve and dried fruits and nuts ( a don't- miss appetizer for sure!) , or a sunny side up egg on melted peccorino cheese topped with shaved black truffle.

This pear/ gorgonzola/ walnut risotto was superb - hmmmm, can I make this at home?

We control ourselves today, sharing a main course of duck breast with fennel and orange, and just one dessert - a fabulous gianduja mousse garnished with caramel créme.

Loved these cool little coffee cups - they're ceramic, but look like old-fashioned tinware.

We ask if we can take the rest of our bottle of wine with us - "Certo!" (certainly!) and the waiter whisks the bottle away, corks it, and brings it back in a little shoulder sling - cool!

We take a few minutes to walk around the hamlet, which circles like a snail, rising to the church-topped center, where people are arriving for a wedding

in the white rose adorned sanctuary.

This has got to be one of the most gorgeous 31 December's we've ever experienced - can you believe this sky??

It's an easy drive to the Florence airport, where we've arranged to drop off the car since it's so very difficult to avoid any ZTL (limited traffic zone) fine in Florence city... there have been WAY too many times that we've gotten a multi-100 euro bill from the car rental company as much as a year after a rental, much as we try to avoid any "forbidden" street. Well this rental return turns out to be a fiasco .... the car drop off is no longer at the airport, but off site. Did anyone tell us that this just changed earlier this month? When we arranged the rental or picked up the car? No. So we drive around and around, calling Europcar to find out where to go, calling the apartment owner to let her know why we're late. We have to get there soon to check in since she has a New Year's Eve party of her own to attend! Finally we find the off site lot, poorly signposted and not official looking at all, gladly hand off the car, and taxi to the apartment - whew!
Rachel of Florentine Flats smilingly greets us and shows us around her darling one bedroom flat close to the Uffizzi - we love it! We're eager to get out and see where the celebrations are tonight - just around the corner at Piazza Signoria is one.

Florence has gotten creative with the lights this year - love these fleur-de- lis on Corso

and these old- fashioned lanterns on Calzaiuoli. These shop- filled streets are more enticing than ever!

We whip up our yummy dinner at the apartment - here's our version of the smoked goose breast/ arugula salad - and it's as good as the restaurant's!

And now it's time to party!
We dance to the tunes of a jazz band on Piazza Republica,

sway to a Viennese waltz by the Ukranian Symphony on Piazza Signoria,

then stop by the apartment to pick up our bottle of Prosecco and join the crowds by the Arno to toast the New Year while fireworks shoot up from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Lots of families have brought their own - we're surrounded by booms and sparkles!

Welcome, Duemilladodici - 2012 is so much fun to say in Italian!
Auguri!

Jazz on the Hilltop

2012-01-02T14:54:00.012-05:00

Friday, December 30, 2011, part 2
Orvieto, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visi o ns of Venice

After that wonderful lunch at La Porta in Montichiello, we continue our drive south, and soon approach the cliffs of Orvieto. We zigzag to the top, and find the streets already filled with Umbria Jazz Winter revelers, making the drive to our hotel rather challenging.
Warm greetings await us from our friends at the lovely P alazzo Picco- lomini, and we quickly drop our bags in the room in order to grab some cliff - edge views before the sun goes down. Another vista we just can't help shooting every time we're here!
Orvieto is a favorite any time of the year, but it just sparkles and zings with life during Umbria Jazz Winter.

On our way to Palazzo del Popolo to get tickets for the concerts, we join the crowds listening to Funk Off as they strut through the streets. And when we return to the hotel to unpack and get ready for our first concert, they march right by below our window and down to the ancient gates of the upper town!

Every year we're delighted with unique jazz at Umbria Jazz Winter and this year is no exception - how about Argentinian bandoneon sensation Juan Pablo Jofre Romarion with a string orchestra of soloists from Perugia? An unexpected combination and a WOW of a concert - enjoy a snippet here. The audience called him back for three encores and wanted even more!

Just across the piazza, we've reserved a table for a post-concert dinner at Piazza del Popolo Restaurant. Kirk's choice of a smoked goose breast, artichoke and arugula salad is so delicious we jot a reminder to make it ourselves while at the apartment we've rented in Florence. It wouldn't be easy to find smoked goose breast in Virginia, but we're in the land of fabulous materia prima (raw material) as when we're in France.
My salad of farro (that Italian grain that we love - rather like spelt) radicchio and caccioricotta, a sheep's cheese ricotta, is also terrific, as are our main courses. And the desserts are so enticing that we can't resist - TWO chocolate ones - a rich dark chocolate tart and a deliciously moist chocolate, pear and ricotta cake.
Back to the hotel to catch up on email, then we're on the streets again - look at that time!
Yes, it's nearly 12 am, and every night of Umbria Jazz there are 'round midnight concerts in several venues.

We mistakenly thought that the late concerts wouldn't be as crowded as the earlier one, where there were seats open. Silly us.... it's SRO, but the staff brings us a couple of chairs and we pick up a glass of Orvieto white and enjoy an hour or so of a jazz combo.
Buona notte, Orvieto - and the jazz goes on!

South from Siena

2012-01-01T12:46:00.019-05:00

Friday, December 30, 2011
Siena, Montepulciano & Monticchiello, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visi o ns of Venice

Last night Kirk googled a walk to a restaurant on the outskirts of Siena for us, through quiet neighborhoods, down deserted lanes, with the majestic Duomo shimmering above like a mirage.

After dinner we walked by the sanctuary of St. Catherine of Siena, ascending the steep lanes above the Fontebranda - what a fountain! Looks more like a fortified stronghold.

This morning we're off to see what's behind those imposing walls across the street from our hotel - its the vast Fortezza Medicea, built in the 1500's. Well there's not much inside - just a lot of unused open space. It would be a nice place for a botanical garden, we think.

We bid goodbye to Siena from atop the fortress walls - the Torre del Mangia (on the Campo) on the left, then the bulk of the Basilica di San Domenica, just around the corner from the Fortezza, and the Duomo complex on the right.

Where shall we meander today, on our way to Orvieto? How about another hilltop Tuscan beauty, Montepulciano?

Enter through the ancient portal, and the knee- shrieking climb up the Corso begins.... past Palazzo Bucelli, studded with Roman and Etruscan marble plaques gathered by Pietro Bucelli, an avid antiquities collector in the 1700's.

I like these vintage signs on an old latteria, which now sells more than milk, butter and oil.

High atop the clock tower on Piazza Michelozzo is a clock-ringer you wouldn't expect in Tuscany - a Pulcinella , beloved figure typical of Neapolitan Commedia dell' Arte. Turns out that a priest from Naples, a long time resident of Montepulciano, gave it to the town generations ago.

Take a deep breath - the higher you go, the steeper it gets!

Have you seen the movie New Moon? We haven't, but perhaps we will when longing for a Tuscan view - it was filmed in Montepulciano, and they have the tee shirts to prove it!

Although we hadn't originally planned a stop here, we can't resist a meal at beloved La Porta, just inside the town gate in tiny Montichiello.

Daria greets us with her lovely smile - it's always such a pleasure to see her -

and feeds us fabulously (succulent beef cheek and grilled polenta, here), sending us off with a bottle of her brother Dario's Luna d'Oro Vino Nobile as always.

How many times have we taken a photo of this same view? It's a stop- in- your- tracks vista every time!

And over there on the left is that distinctive hillock of Radicofani - now we finally know what's up there!

Treasure on a Hilltop

2011-12-31T04:08:00.026-05:00

Thursday, December 29, 2011, part 2
Radicofani & San Quirico, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visi o ns of Venice

As we've spent time through the years in our favorite part of Tuscany, the lush and picturesque Val d'Orcia, a Unesco World Heritage valley,we've often peered towards a unique fortress topped rocky spur far to the east.
When we were visiting the gardens of La Foce a few years ago we asked the guide what that distinctive clump was - it's Radicofani.
Can you relate to the idea of a far-off viewed spot that intrigues and draws you?
That's what Radicofani has been for us, and we're as close as we've ever been, with time to explore, so here we go!

We squiggle up the spur and find a village more alpine than Tuscan, sturdy stone homes, and the scent of woodsmoke drifting through the lanes.

Radicofani's unassuming church is a treasure chest of Della Robbia delights....

not just one, but 4 beautiful works of this 16th century master of glazed terracotta grace the simple nave.

This Madonna and Child with Saints is a lovely exposition of the vivid blues and touches of yellow that add such interest to his works.

And the tiny chapel of Saint Agata holds another beauty - once again a Madonna and Child with saints and angels.

Take a peek at the charming Annunciation behind the manger on the lower border...

Tucked into the mountainside is La Grotta, and it looks like the whole town has stopped in for lunch - a table full of hunters beside us, a family or two at another table, and blue-smocked town workers across the aisle. Guissepina, the chef, rings a bell when the orders are ready, placing steaming plates of pasta on the pass-through. And when guests leave, they call out an Auguri and reach in to shake her hand - Happy New Year!

As we walk to the car, our eyes are caught by columns of cloud shimmering in a ray of sun - what is that? we ask a local. Geo-thermal activity, of which there is an abundance around nearby Mount Amiata - such as the hot springs we've just enjoyed in Bagno Vignoni.

There are so many can't- miss- this towns and sights in Tuscany that some lesser-knowns never get a visit. San Quirico d'Orcia is such a one, tucked inside its ancient walls.

It's a gentle climb to the central plaza, with a warming fire for the holidays.

Glance down the lanes as you stroll, for vistas of rolling hills to the horizon.

Inviting a wander, the cobbled streets hide cozy homes and colorful boutiques.

Near the main portal is the Leonini Garden, where a late August music festival sounds quite interesting...

The Christmas lights twinkle on as we walk back to the car,

through the portal

and past a brilliant sunset. We certainly have enjoyed a day in this new- to- us part of Tuscany.

A Soak with a View in Tuscany

2011-12-30T03:26:00.011-05:00

Thursday, December 29, 2011
Bagno Vignoni, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Visions of Venice

These ancient steaming waters have soaked the Medicis and Saint Catherine of Siena and we have long wanted to experience them for ourselves. Bubbling up from the depths of the earth at around 100 degrees F, they're a fabulous place for a winter soak while gazing through the mist at the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

We spend a relaxing hour paddling in the warm pool, positioning ourselves a few minutes at a time under the cascade for a pummel of heat on our backs.

The original pool is no longer open for bathing, but is the center of the ancient village, with several interesting boutiques and eateries.

The hot springs bubble up at one end of the basin,

with a sheltering loggia, bearing a plaque with an ancient text dedicating the pool to nymphs of Roman mythology, at the opposite end.

The never-ending supply of water is good for more than just baths. At the edge of town are the ruins of multiple mills,

the stony ground webbed with millraces and dotted with crumbling stone walls.
Bagno Vignoni is a charming and relaxing experience - one we are eager to share with Music and Markets guests on future tours.

Dueling Duomos of Tuscany

2011-12-29T12:40:00.013-05:00

Wednesday, December 28, 2011
from Florence to Siena, Italy

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

The journey to Italy started Monday morning when we boarded our flight from Austin to Washington Dulles. On time, smooth and comfortable - can a flight be better than that?! A few hours at home to unpack and pack, and then back on the next flight - a late one to Frankfurt. Why did they change our seats, we wonder, and when we board we find out the reason. The aircraft was changed, and we're in the new configuration of United's 777, with lay-flat seats in business class thanks to our complimentary upgrades. Best sleep I've ever had over the water!
Not one, but two connections in Europe, and we're finally in Florence at 7 pm Tuesday night.
We wake to a gorgeous Tuscan morning, enjoyed some favorite Florence sights (here's the Duomo, magnificent against a bluer- than- blue sky) , then pick up a car and drive to Siena. Although we had 8 guests planning to come on our New Year's Jazz in Italy tour, one by one they had to cancel, so it's just the two of us and we're looking forward to exploring some new places for future tours, as well as enjoying some old favorites.

Hotel Villa Liberty is just outside the ancient walls of Siena, an easy and quick walk to the Campo or Duomo in the center of town, and the views are great as we head to the center for lunch.

Recognize this homey spot? Our favorite lunch place in Siena, Il Tro mbicche, fills us up with warming Tuscan soups and chianti from the barrel.

The Campo, Siena's shell- shaped main piazza, is rather quiet today. I'm sure it'll be raucous on New Year's Eve, but for now we don't have to dodge the crowds as we do on summer visits.

The sun's hitting the Duomo just right, and we catch a beautiful view of the colorful triptych high above.

I love these trumpeting angels....

A new place for dinner this evening - L'Osteria, which we've often passed as we walk into town on via Rossi from our usual parking area. Beppe leads us to a cozy spot in the rear under the vaulted brick arches and our mouths start to water as we read the menu:

Pear and Pecorino Bruschetta? Yes!! Wow - it's as lovely as it is delicious.

And Tagliatelle with black truffles? I'll have that too!
Oh - a unique preparation of cinghiale (boar) - with chocolate, nuts, and raisins. Have to try that!
Our first day in Siena leaves us with a delicious taste in our mouth - can't wait for more!

Gaudi and Goodbye

2011-12-22T10:27:00.017-05:00

Saturday, November 25, 2011
Barcelona, Spain

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Our last day in Barcelona, and we'll fill it with Modernista sights of Gaudi et al. On our way to view a lesser-known early Gaudi commission, we're once again drawn in by a market, along with the entire neighborhood, it seems. There's a holiday charity event going on, as locals bring in donations for those in need, and a youth jazz band entertains the shoppers.
Displays of fresh vegetables decked with strings of dried peppers and intriguing shellfish - such as percebes, a type of barnacle that's harvested by brave rock scramblers as the surf crashes around them, and those razor clams we enjoyed a few nights ago.

We metro to the Gracia district and ascend to streetlevel, where we're greeted with an impressive Modernista building with artful dragonfly grilles on the sinuous windows.

Gaudi's Moorish- influenced wonder, a private home, is very different from his later works - more straight lines here, a surprise from the man who declared that God makes curved lines, straight lines are man's idea.

It's fascinating to note how every detail is an essential part of the whole - from the bougainvillea - laden balconies to the fence design to the tilework.

Fanciful Park Guell is a few minutes walk uphill, with its Hansel and Gretel inspired houses at the entrance

and the fabulous terrace lined with curving benches strewn with intricate designs of broken tiles (a Gaudi technique - trencadis - he instructed his workers to pick up every stray piece of broken ceramic they could find wherever they walked).

We laugh to see a Coca-Cola vending machine in trencadis- creative and pinpointed marketing for sure!

Next stop, Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia. One day we'll see it without construction cranes, but for now work continues, as it has for over a century. The goal of completion is the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death, 2026.

Time to pack for our early flight home tomorrow, and then one more seaside dinner and a stroll along the beach, where the W gleams across the surf... Hasta la vista, Barcelona!

Up in the Air Again!

2011-12-20T15:47:00.010-05:00

Friday, November 24, 2011, part 2
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

We return from Montserrat to Barcelona for a quick jaunt up another mountain, the museum- topped Montjuic. The funicular chugs up from Paral-lel, and a few steps away is the reason we're in Barcelona, the Fundació Joan Miró. Our May tour, Barcelona Discoveries, is inspired by the exhibition, Joan Miró and The Ladder of Escape, currently here in Barcelona, which will debut in May at the National Gallery of Art in DC.
We'll have the opportunity to leisurely peruse the exhibition in DC. Today we're packing in the sights and experiences, all to include in a more relaxed manner in May. So we're soon up in the air once again, swooping over the port on our way to Barceloneta, one of Barcelona's beachside neighborhoods. Barcelona's a highly popular cruise departure port, and why not, with the ease of access from ship to city and beach?

That's Columbus over there, high on a pedestal gazing towards the New World (with the cucumber in the smoggy background).

The exhilarating tightrope across the water ends just steps from the beach.

And there's where we came from - Montjuic. My least favorite part of the ride was when we approached and departed from the "pole in the middle of the clothesline".
From here it's a quick elevator ride down to earth,

and we're on our way to a beachside lunch at Can Majo.

The food is terrific, the staff smiling and welcoming, the fresh sea air inspiring... one of our best Barcelona meals. A pan of Fideua, Barcelona's answer to Paella, is delicious... and the relaxed atmosphere could keep us here all afternoon.

Eventually we force ourselves to leave, and enjoy a walk down the boardwalk - Gehry's huge coppery PEIX
(fish), placed on the waterfront for the 1992 Olympics, stalwart ahead of us.

Through the Clouds to Montserrat

2011-12-19T09:41:00.014-05:00

Friday, November 24, 2011
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

The most popular day trip from Barcelona is the ascent of craggy Monserrat, topped with a vast monastery and dotted with hermit's caves. First a short train ride from Plaça Espanya, as we watch the serrated pinnacles piercing the clouds ahead,

then the Cremallera de Montserrat, a cog railway that zigzags up, up, up through the clouds to the holy mount.

Shrouded in mystery and rife with millenias- old legends (Saint Peter brought an image of the Virgin here?) the jagged mount is the site of a Benedictine monastery tucked into the crags.

The pure voices of the Escolania boys choir, Europe's oldest choral school, soar to the vaulted ceiling of the Renaissance- era basilica daily at 1 pm.

A pilgrimage site second only to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, Montserrat is laced with walking trains to caves, chapels, and photo-worthy vistas. Funiculars can take you even further up the pinnacles.

Our trip down, via the Aerie, goes much faster than the zig zag ascent, which took about twenty minutes.

We swoop down through the clouds

and in about five minutes we see our destination and gently swing into the station.

That's where we were!

Gracious Girona

2011-12-16T14:44:00.031-05:00

Thursday, November 24, 2011
Girona & Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

On the road today, driving east toward the snowcapped Pyrenees. Our destination's just over an hour away - the beautifully restored medieval heart of Girona.
We find a parking spot and walk across the Onyar river, dividing the old city from the new.

Girona is packed with picturesque corners,

and we choose one with a nearby café and bakery for a breakfast treat.

The town's a workout for our legs, with winding vaulted stairs and lanes lacing one level to the next.

We decide not to try these steps,

but opt for the gently sloping lane instead.

Interesting Christmas lights color the streets both day and night.

An Eiffel - constructed walking bridge crosses the Onyar

lined with colorful houses.

We could spend hours along these charming lanes

with so many intriguing boutiques - cupcakes are popular here too, we see!

Before their expulsion in 1492, the city's many Jews had their own district: the Call, whose web of streets are among the most beautifully preserved in Europe. We're serenaded by a clarinetist as we enjoy the views.

Up yet more stairs to upper town,

crowned by a baroque cathedral and views to those snowcaps we approached on the drive here.

We come down by another way, passing a don't - miss Girona view.

We look up, down, and around to catch all the photo- worthy angles.

There are some highly recommended restaurants in this town, one of which we'll enjoy sampling with our guests in May, but we only have time for a quick bite.
The friendly owners of Colmada L'estuca whip up a couple of delicious sandwiches to go

and we munch them on a riverside bench by a neighboring seagull - I think he's hoping we'll drop some crumbs.

Can you tell we're not in medieval Girona anymore?
Barcelona has its own cucumber - not quite as tall as London's.

Joan Miró's Woman with Bird is the centerpiece of Parc Miró, and just beyond is Barcelona's bullring, artfully re- purposed into a shopping mall! Bullfighting was voted out here several years ago - what a great idea to salvage a neglected architectural beauty!

Gothic Sights and 21st Century Tastes

2011-12-14T10:55:00.030-05:00

Wednesday, November 23,2011
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Plaça de Sant Jaume, in the center of the Gothic Quarter, is the political center of Barcelona, with the Municipal Hall on one side, and the center of regional government on the other. We meet in the square for a walking tour of the ancient quarter, and begin with the oldest remants, those Roman columns we saw on Sunday.

The current day entrance of the government HQ is on St James Square, but the former entry, guarded by a now- spearless St. George, led into a courtyard on the narrow side street. How about that baby hanging tight onto the flying gargoyle?
One of the most photo- graphed spots in the city is a beautiful more-recent Gothic fake, Barcelona's own Pont dels Sospirs (Bridge of Sighs), added in the 20th century.

Our storied stroll takes us through many beautiful buildings, with a peek into the Archbishop's Palace,

a pause in a gracious courtyard of the former Viceroy's Palace, now the Archives of Aragon-

don't miss the magnificent coffered ceiling above the staircase. From the middle of the 16th century, this masterpiece even has a galleried balcony. Wonder how you get up there?

Here's a favorite corner for the locals, with patron Saint Eulalia's gentle gaze falling on the lane ( Baixada - descent) on which she was rolled down in a nail - pierced barrel, one of the many persecutions she suffered from pagan Romans in 303 AD.

Another lovely courtyard

this one graced with abundant ceramic tiling.

We have to leave the tour a few minutes early, since we have an appointment to visit a hotel we're considering for Barcelona Discoveries in May. The rooms and lobby did not make the cut, but what a glorious rooftop!

Catalan chefs have been in the forefront of revolutionizing cuisine since the 80's, and we're looking forward to lunch with one of the best in the city, Jordi Artal at Cinc Sentits ( 5 Senses). With the ambiance of a chic and sleek club - dark walls, copper screen swirling above us, hushed but enthusiastic service from staff dressed in black with copper ties, we begin our tasting odyssey with a creative take on the usual olives and charcuterie - the olive is stuffed with garlic, the sausage is a crispy pretzel.

Then a wooden box is opened at our table. It holds two shots, which our waiter suggests drinking all at once so as to savor the flavors together. A sabayon of cream and Cava (Catalan "champagne") sprinkled with sea salt atop a smoky maple syrup - stellar!

Ready for soup? It's a chestnut cream poured over quail breast, garnished with cubes of sherry gelatin and a coffee crisp.

I've chosen foie gras on pasty with glazed leeks, and Kirk scallops with Jerusalem artichokes, ham chips and a sweet onion reduction.

Followed by rockfish with potato confit and arroz sec - "dry rice", an Ibizan specialty so delicious that I use the wooden spatula to scrape every last toasty grain from the mini paella pan.

Hours later, it's time for dessert... a lacy tube filled with mascarpone, with coffee crumble, apple cubes and porcini (!!!) ice cream.

But wait, there's more! A pomegrante gelatin cube in one spoon, a mint and chocolate bon bon (eat it all at once - it's filled with liqueur, counsels the waiter), and a cuplet of violet flan.
What a delicious and marvelous experience - one we can't wait to share with our Music and Markets guests in May!

Where Would I Go for Christmas?

2011-12-14T10:20:00.005-05:00

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Today I join fellow Travel Belle bloggers in answering the question " If someone said you had to go visit another country for Christmas, where would you go and why?"
Yes, I love France and Italy and spend a lot of time there, but the first place that comes to mind is London!
I would LOVE to fly our kids, spouses, and grandchildren over for a memorable English holiday. As we did so many years ago with our son who was studying in England, we'd include the Christmas Eve service at St. Martin in the Fields,

stroll the holiday-lit streets and arcades,

feast on traditional Christmas treats and snap our crackers,

and be sure to include a couple of days in the glorious English countryside.
Maybe next year?!

Tapas and Modernistas in Barcelona

2011-12-12T18:42:00.023-05:00

Tuesday, November 22, 2011, part 2
Barcelona, Spain

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Kirk takes me on a mini- Modernista walk on our way to dinner, past yet another impressive example of the genre just a block away from our flat: a confection of brick and sgraffito inspired by the Alhambra in Granada.

The Moorish keyhole shapes and decorative ceramic show up in unexpected places, such as atop the windows of the pharmacy on the ground floor.

We're tempted once again by a market, and just have to peruse the colorful stalls... artfully stacked fruits,

the requisite jamón ibérico

and sausages of all shapes and sizes.

There are several Modernista pharmacies throughout the Eixample district, and this one boasts fanciful glass panels - shopping with a monkey???

A lace-y more traditional Art Nouveau doorway graces this façade

Then we see an inimitable Gaudi doorway - HIS unique take on Art Nouveau

on the craggy, cliff- like La Pedrera on Passeig de Gracia.

Even the pavers on the sidewalk of Gracia are Gaudi designed.

Our eyes are sated... now to give some attention to our stomachs!
We're going on a Tapas Crawl in the hip Born district, and our first stop is Euskal Etxea, its counters laden with tasty Basque bites,

each one a work of art, and each one only 1.80€!

Next stop, Xampanyet, another Basque spot, and quite a contrast to sleek Euskal Etxea.
They're advertising fresh beer from the barrel,

and we can hardly get in the door!

The jolly guys behind the counter urge us to try one tapa after another and after a few raucous minutes, filling our mouths with tasty morsels, we seek out a quieter spot to finish our evening.

Bar del Pla quietly satisfies us with roast suckling pig, fried artichokes, and the ever-present pa amb tomaquet (bread rubbed with tomatoes).

Buenas noches, Barcelona...

Roman Relics by the Sea

2011-12-11T08:37:00.021-05:00

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Tarragona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Two thousand years ago the happening place in Spain was not Barcelona or Madrid, but the Roman town of Tarraco, now Tarragona, an hour south by train from Barcelona. And before the Romans arrived, this was an Iberian town, perhaps even the most important town in Iberia.
Exiting the train, we can hear the boom of the hearty waves pounding the sandy shore not far from the station. Up curving streets and flights of steps we climb to the "Balcony of the Mediterranean" ,

where, just like the guidebook says, men stand and watch ships approaching the port, one of Spain's biggest.

Capital of Roman Hispania, Tarragona slants uphill from a Roman ampitheater to the sit of the ancient forum which crowned the town.

A cathedral has long stood where the Romans once ruled.

Human castles, Castells, are a part of Catalan folk tradition, and Tarragona is quite proud of their castle-building ability. In addition to ceramic and frescoed depictions, there's a life-sized Castell sculpture on the edge of town.

The town is a fascinating mix of Roman, pre-Roman, medieval and modern. Portions of millenias-old walls still stand, clearly showing the massive Iberian stones at the base, topped with rectangular Roman stones, and smaller medieval stones higher up.

Roman columns dot a spacious walkway ascending from the lower town,

with intricate pebble mosaics underfoot.

Open a front door, and you gaze down on the bleachers of the Roman circus.

A playful façade introduces more recent history beside the two thousand year old pleasure arcade.

This proud ruler in front of one of the remaining Roman towers is Pontius Pilate, reputed to have been born here.

Throughout the town roman walls make their presence known, as in this colorful square.

Traces of medieval beauty remain as well.

We join a few romans for lunch at Les Voltes, a welcoming restaurant constructed under the vaults of the ancient circus, and then train back to Barcelona.

Vistas and Tapas in Barcelona

2011-12-07T09:53:00.022-05:00

Monday, November 21, 2011
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

We like to choose a different route each time we walk in a city or town, so we can see as much as possible. Meandering through the Eixample district of Barcelona is an adventure. You never know what you'll see - the district is quite a showcase for Catalan Modernista architects. This morning we walk down Carrer Ausias Marc and spot a tree holding up a balcony. The grafitti rather subdues the pleasure of the view, but it's still intriguing.

Just down the carrer we pop into an open foyer to admire a swirly door, Barcelona's Art Nouveau at its traditional best.

In a few minutes more, now in the historic district closer to the beach, we've stepped back into the 18th century, with the elegant sgraffito of this 1763 beauty.

But the Modernistas have made it to this street too, with the over-the-top extravaganza of the Palau de la Música Catalana.

Designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner in the early 1900's, it's covered inside and out with astounding detail.

Even the ticket window is a wonder!

We've been reading about the newly-hip and renovated Born District and are eager to get to know this area. The Santa Caterina market, a cornerstone of the Born since 1848, was brilliantly renovated in 2005

and is a stunner inside and out.

Where better to find a market-fresh lunch than right in the market? With a wall planted with herbs at one end,

and a tapas bar at the other, Cuines Santa Caterina satisfies us with a delicious lunch of small bites (full meals offered as well).

And once again, we see that US product, one of two that we've noticed in nearly every eatery in every country we've visited - tabasco sauce! The other US stalwart? Jack Daniels!

We peek into an ancient courtyard on our way back to the apartment - we've learned that if a door or gate is open, to look inside, where beauty often awaits us.

An afternoon of research and preparation for the next couple of days, then we walk to Tapas 24 to meet friends for dinner. We met Gerhard and Darlene a couple of years ago at a French tourist office conference in San Francisco. They happen to be in Barcelona for two days, researching for a future tour, as we are and we're happy to see them again and hear of their latest adventures. They'll return to Germany on Wednesday for one of several Christmas Market Tours.

The highlight of this meal was an appetizer- looking dessert: "olives" shaped of luscious dark chocolate, served with mini toasts drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. Oh for another plateful right now!

Day to Night in Barcelona

2011-12-02T18:15:00.014-05:00

Sunday, November 19, 2011, Part 2
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

We'll continue the music with a Spanish guitar concert tonight, so explore further in the Barri Gotic to find Santa Maria del Pi church, where the concert will take place. The plaça fronting the church is filled with artisan food stalls - honey, breads, cookies and more.

Across the plaça is a beautifully sgraffito-ed eighteenth century guildhall.

The one area we do remember from our short overnight here about 5 years ago is this charming Barri Gotic, and once again we stop to read a few of the ceramic signs on the narrow lanes - a favorite memory from our previous visit. This one says "From sunrise to sunset, all day the people pass".

Walking towards the Eixample, we see a Quatre Dauphin fountain, similar to the Aixoise beauty we love. This one has a definite Spanish flair, though, topped with a flirting damsel with a fan.

In fifteen minutes or so we're back on Bailen street, and there's our apartment, the one with lots of greenery on the balconies. It's on the first floor, but up 7 short flights of stairs! Fortunately there's an elevator, which we used when we brought our luggage, but we usually climb the stairs. There's the Entresol, then the Principal, and FINALLY the Primero (1st).

The compact studio has everything we need - excellent wifi, a very comfortable bed and sitting area on the other side of a shelf/closet/drawer divider. Raimundo, the owner, met us when we arrived at Lorca, the apartment, and showed us how everything works, and described the neighborhood and how to get to different places we wanted to visit, where the closest metros and train station are, etc.

We recommend this place highly and would be happy to stay here again!

Just around the corner from Santa Maria del Pi is Taller de Tapas, and we enjoy a couple of plates of delicious seafood - razor clams and calamari, and a mound of paper thin artichokes, crisply fried. Accompanied by a flute of cava and some more of that tomato rubbed bread that's a yummy staple of every meal, it's a satisfying pre-concert supper.

In a simple side chapel with rough stone walls, we're seated on the first row of the balcony - a great view, and super acoustics,

the perfect spot to appreciate Manuel Gonzalez' artistry.The intricate melodies of Albeníz, Mozart, and Asturias are a wonderful intro to our Barcelona week.

Remember how we mentioned the changing façade of Casa Battlo? Here's the night- time view of the house on Passeig de Gracia that we passed on the way home - a contrast to the daylight vista of this morning.

Travel in a Word

2011-11-29T15:29:00.002-05:00

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Once again I'm joining the BootsnAll bloggers from around the world, answering the question:

What does travel mean to you in one word?

EXPERIENCES...

the first word that comes to my mind after an exhilarating 8 days in Barcelona, filled with delicious tastes, sights, and sounds.
We are dedicated subscribers to the creed that experiences matter much more than things... and the most priceless experiences have been shared with those we love, such as memorable days in France and Italy with our children and grandchildren, never-forgotten hikes in the canyons of Ecuador with parents, splashing in a Georgia river at a family reunion, our family of four sloshing through water-laden lanes in Mexico after a spring downpour.
I can still picture these moments in time, and eagerly look forward to adding more memories to the ever-expanding mental photo album.

The Barcelona Dance

2011-11-26T16:44:00.020-05:00

Sunday, November 19, 2011
Barcelona, Spain

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

I've heard and read about Barcelona's Sardana, a circle dance, for decades, and today we finally have the opportunity to see it!
It's about a twenty minute walk from our apartment in the Eixample (expansion) District, the area that was designed and developed in the mid-1800's when Barcelona burst through its medieval walls. Modernista (Catalonian Art Nouveau) architects, the most famous of whom was Gaudi, designed sinuous masterpieces for their wealthy clients, and his shimmering Casa Battló greets us this morning as we walk down Passeig de Gràcia toward the old town. This wondrous building changes color throughout the day and night, depending on how the light hits it.

Mask-like balconies dot the scaly façade - sometimes the house looks like a dragon, sometimes like an undersea fantasy. Amazing!

What a difference as we enter the Gothic Quarter, closer to the Mediterranean. Traditional ceramic tiles adorn exteriors and palm shaded courtyards.

Sunday morning mass fills the Seu, or Cathedral, with alleluias, and incense fuzzes the altar as we peer through the intricately carved marble choir screen.

On the Cathedral steps the band is tuning up, with several unusual instruments unique to Catalonia (Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is one of Spain's regions that clings strongly to its own language and customs).

I am sorry to say that none of my videos of the unusual music and dance came out... I so wanted to share it! There was one large circle, and several smaller ones. As people entered the circles, they would bring their coats and bags into the center, then join the ring and the slow and intricate steps, raising and lowering their hands, sometimes jumping up and down together. I could have watched for hours!

There was no dress code, but several of the ladies changed into ankle-laced espadrilles to dance.

In stark contrast to the ancient buildings (even a portion of a Roman aqueduct) surrounding the Plaça (plaza) is a modern high-rise, the Architects' Association, decorated with graffiti-style Catalan folk scenes designed by Picasso in the 1950's.

From the celebration in the front of the cathedral, we walk to the peaceful palm-shaded cloister in the rear.

A lovely place, a little noisier than most cloisters, since thirteen geese, representing the thirteen years of Saint Eulàlia, Barcelona's martyred patron saint, live there!

Down the winding narrow lanes behind the cathedral are further traces of the city's Roman origins - four remaining columns of a first century BC Temple of Augustus.

Through the centuries the city's been built around them - how would you like to hang your laundry out beside an ancient Roman pillar?!

Didn't see any of these Spanish dancing shoes in the Sardana rings....

Can Culleretes has been dishing out traditional Catalan cuisine since 1786.

Multiple rooms decorated with huge oil paintings, colorful ceramic tiles and vintage bullfight posters (I liked the one trumpeting "6 Hermosos Toros" - 6 beautiful bulls) are filled with families enjoying Sunday lunch.

We begin with tasty salads - mine with smoked duck breast - and continue with duck and plums. Usually we choose different dishes to get a better feel for the menu, but we both really wanted that duck!

To be continued....

A Tasty Welcome to Spain

2011-11-19T14:05:00.004-05:00

Saturday, November 19, 2011

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Our first bite of Spain? Tapas, of course! When we saw the platter of roasted artichokes topping the tapas selections at this Barcelona bar, we knew we were in for a treat.

With a couple of glasses of Rioja we enjoyed shrimp- stuffed red peppers, a plateful of potato rounds topped with chunks of octopus and drizzled with spicy olive oil, and a couple of those appetizing artichokes.
Just what we needed before falling into bed early to make up for a short and uncomfortable night on a plane.
Tomorrow we'll begin exploring this fascinating city....

Another Washington Celebration!

2011-11-14T11:05:00.006-05:00

Sunday, November 13, 2011

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Congratulations, Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, on twenty years of beautiful music!
It was a perfect way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon in Washington - listening to some of DC's premier musicians playing chamber music in the intimate venue of a spacious home in McLean.
Autumn reds and golds shimmered a gorgeous backdrop through the wall of windows behind the performers, who charmed friends of the orchestra with an eclectic program of music.
Maestra Silvia Alimena, Eclipse colleagues, and even talented friends of the group combined in a variety of ensembles, such as a clarinet or woodwind quintet or a violin duo. Here's a snippet of the Mozart clarinet quintet to enjoy.... and another with more outdoor vistas.
The orchestra's next concert, February 26, features a premier of Truman Harris' Serenade for Orchestra. Since another piece we enjoyed Sunday afternoon was Mr. Harris" (the bassoonist of the orchestra) Flowers, with six miniature movements portraying blooms from lavender to tulips to pansies, I'm sure we'll appreciate his Serenade. Concerts take place at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria.
Happy 20th to a Washington treasure, the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra!

A Gypsy Feast

2011-11-11T10:25:00.005-05:00

Friday, 11 November, 2011

Once again I'm joining the BootsnAll bloggers from around the world. Today with a memory on the theme of FEAST:
For some of us, food isn’t just a part of our travels, it’s the reason why we travel. Whether you travel the globe to try new foods and use food to form a deeper connection with the culture or just eat to live, food plays a big part in the travel experience. Share a food-related story from your travels or describe your best meal.

Here's a recent tale of a distinctive meal with a welcoming family in Romania:

It's lunch time in the little village of Valeni, and a nattily dressed man in black trousers and vest, dark shirt, and broadbrimmed hat waves us into the front yard, a pretty little girl with long beribboned braids welcoming us with a smile beside him.

They usher us into the kitchen, where mama and grandma are stirring pots of polenta, as popular here as it is in northern Italy.

Margaret and her father proudly show us their home, where the rooms beyond the kitchen are piled high with pillows, beautifully woven carpets, hangings and blankets. Stacks of silver and brightly colored pots and pans, sets of china, goblets, and silver line the shelves from top to bottom, precious items that the husband and wife received for wedding presents, and that show their status and respect in the community.

These items are never used, but are kept on display. There is no bedroom or living room as such, each room is multipurpose, so I guess the pillows and blankets, at least some of them, must be used by the family.

Chuck, an American who became fascinated by Roma culture years ago, now lives in an apartment above the garage, and explains the gypsy ways to us. He has encouraged several gypsy families to open their homes to visitors. This family are Gabor gypsies, and are responsible members of their community, with the valuable trade of metalworking passed on from father to son. The Gabor are working, settled gypsies, not nomadic.

The grandfather, now deceased, made this well, standing proudly in the front yard.

The man of the family shows us his atelier and demonstrates some of the craftsmanship he will someday pass on to his son, an impish five- year- old who's now glued to the TV set, watching cartoons.

Appetizers await us in the front yard, a platter of home grown vegetables, home made cheeses, and chunks of pork fat (hear those oinks coming from the back yard?).

Spear a chunk of fat on a twig and sizzle it over the fire til it spreads easy on the bread - baconey butter.

Then into the kitchen for lunch, where we're seated in front of more displays of wedding gifts - JUST to look at, please!

Ladies, don your dancing clothes .... we're all invited to swirl on a many-pleated skirt and matching apron, then Margaret gets us all twirling to some lively music.

The home has a complete modern bathroom, but Chuck has explained to us that it is considered unclean to use an indoor toilet. Out the back door by the pigsty is a modern outhouse,

some of our group don't realize what's behind that door and end up using the rickety old wooden outhouse in the yard.

A sweet goodbye from the three generations and we're on the way to our next adventure.

Across the Cafe Table - My Favorite Shopping Find

2011-11-09T09:27:00.002-05:00

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Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

I join fellow Travel Belles in choosing my favorite shopping find today. As you can imagine (with a company name like Music and Markets!) it's difficult to think of one thing that's a favorite. The first thing that comes to mind is actually a category, and that's clothing in Amsterdam!
As a tall woman (centimeters short of six feet) I was thrilled to find, on my first visit to Amsterdam many years go, that I could walk into any clothing shop, large or small, and easily find pants that scaled the entire length of my stilty legs - wow! My husband commented "you're the shortest one in many of these boutiques!"
Since then, even if we're traveling to or from another country, I'll often schedule at least a layover of a few hours in Amsterdam to hit some of my fave stores (it's just a 20 minute train ride to the center of the city from the airport), some of which have branches right in the airport.
We combined a few wonderful days at Amsterdam's Grachtenfestival (Classical Music on the Canals) last August with a birthday shopping trip (mine's in September). My wonderful husband patiently waited and critiqued as I tried on one outfit after another... and we came home with a duffel full of birthday presents which I have repeatedly enjoyed.
That's my favorite shopping find - what's yours?

Ancient Ways in Moldova

2011-11-08T12:32:00.028-05:00

Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Moldova

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

We've ascended from the wine catacombs, and will be heading below ground again later today, but now it's time to enjoy the fresh air with an alfresco lunch in the tiny village of Orhei.

My favorite dish here in the garden? Melt-in-your-mouth roasted eggplant cornucopia-ed around a ricotta-like cheese. I could have eaten the whole platterful!

We share the country road (that cart's laden with bags of grapes) for a short drive to
cliffs, plateaus and plains heavy with history,

passing caves carved into the sheer limestone cliffs.

A more recent Orthodox church tops the ridge, but where we're heading is hidden beneath the ridge, safe from the Mongol hordes of centuries past.

The narrow path atop the ridge takes us to a steep stairway carved into the rock,

and here, deep inside the cliffs is a 15th century cave monastery. Throughout Moldova during times of invasion, beginning with Tatars in the 13th century, the interior of churches were destroyed - frescoes, icons, and precious relics - and the buildings were used as prisons, hospitals, or just left to decay.

How to protect the precious elements of Orthodox worship?
In the 1400s a series of cave monasteries were built, each 20 kilometers - one days journey on horseback - apart. Twelve of the monasteries remain today, most even more difficult to reach than this one.

Victoria describes the lives of monks who lived here in seclusion, guarding the Orthodox teachings until they were once again free to share them publicly. The low ceilinged rooms were the monk's cells.

By the doorway leading to a narrow ledge, an ancient monk, the sole occupant now, reads the Scripture in this sacred place, still a special holy site of the Orthodox rite.

We can easily see the valley below, but when we were on our way here we could not tell where this cave was located - a good hiding place!

Out of the dimness of the cave to the light - how thankful we are to be free to worship and live in the open!

Once again we share the road with the carts and horses, and on this narrow dirt lane there's not much room for us!

Cultural Romtour has certainly exposed us to a wide swathe of their countries - both Romania and Moldova.

It has been a rare experience to see so much of life in the country - and we finish our day today in the tiny village of Trebujeni, full of colorful houses

with prolific gardens!

And we learn yet one more tidbit of country lore: why are many of the houses in the country painted blue? Because mosquitoes do not like blue, so they stay away!
Who knew????
Tomorrow we'll say goodbye to our newfound touring friends, and fly to Kiev for a couple of days on our own before returning home - how will we do in a country where we can't even read the signs? Stay tuned...

The Phillips Collection is 90 - Let's Celebrate!

2011-11-05T15:32:00.038-04:00

November 5, 2011
Washington, DC

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

It's a glorious day in Washington DC - perfect for a celebration! The sky is sparkling blue, the leaves shocks of gold and red against the staid brownstones of Dupont Circle, and the Phillips gives us a gift for their birthday - free entry!
We drive in from Virginia, planning to leave the car and our bag at the Fairfax a t Embassy Row. Our room is already ready so we quickly check in, then walk the block or so to the Phillips Collection, to get an idea of how long the lines are before we find a place for lunch. The Phillip's 90th birthday celebration is the reason for our Washington Weekend, with music and arts events scheduled all day today.
We grab a quick lunch at Teaism, just down the street (note - this Dupont Circle location has a much more limited menu than the 8th Street branch. They do of course, have their fabulous salty oat cookies and one is enough for both of us for dessert!)
Degas awaits us, his graceful ballerinas adorning the museum walls.... sketches, oils, even a bronze or two.
A crowd is gathering in the adjacent room, and soon we're all enjoying the sights that inspired the artist generations ago
as the graceful young dancers of the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington delight us with their moves.

They're mimicking for us what Degas watched as he sketched .... the stretches, poses, and practice moves as each performer waited for her on-stage moments.
I could stay and watch for hours - such peaceful grace and beauty....
but we've got a Renoir to see... his vivid Luncheon of the Boating Party, newly installed in a 90th anniversary return to its original location, a Washington treasure for sure.
And in the Grand Gallery another treat awaits - the Teiber Trio, sharing works of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and more.
In the glorious space, added to the original Phillips house in 1907 as a college graduation present for their sons Duncan and James, the trio delights us with their artistry. Imagine the gallery with a roaring fire and a pool table, as it was for the young men over a century ago. Today, it's one of Washington's finest small venues for chamber music - the acoustics are marvelous.

There's more to come, from jazz to pop, from guided tours to gallery talks, but we've got to get outside on this gorgeous fall day, although I can't resist another peek at the ballerinas -

pure artistry at the barre.

The neighbor- hood itself is a living gallery, with topiaries and sculptures in one front yard,

architectural details galore,

and the vintage fire and police call boxes installed after the Civil War, many of which have been restored.

A charming remnant of old Washington, they were actually in use until the 197os.

Then back to hear some jazz at the Phillips... but look at that line!!! We'll stay flexible and change our dinner plans from late to early.

Continuing with the "old Washington" theme, we enjoy a terrific dinner at Darlington Hou se, an historic Victorian row house, where the ambiance is warm and elegant, the service is great, and the prices are very reasonable - highly recommended!

And now, as we did this morning, we can walk right in to the Phillips, and take a few minutes to say good night to Van Gogh (here's a street in Arles where we've often walked) and a few more favorites before returning to the hotel.

Sunday morning grants us yet more treats. It's another glorious fall day, and as we walk to a nearby café for breakfast, we spy a bustling open air market. We've had the feeling of being in Europe throughout the weekend, as we've walked by such marvelous architecture, viewed stellar art, and listened to wonderful music, all just steps away from us, and the Sunday market just transports us to the plazas of Aix or the street stalls of Paris markets. We've been life-long suburb dwellers, but sure do love being right in the city for a change.

The changes of the seasons are so vividly up-front in the markets...
eye-popping pumpkins and squash

crisp bright apples, bursting with flavor

the samples are going fast!

Have you ever seen so many types of radishes?

And a street musician or two - pleasure for the ears as well as the tastebuds.
The Sunday morning market goes on all year long... makes me want to get an apartment and start cooking!
It's been a stellar Washington weekend - so thankful to live where we do, with the beautiful Virginia countryside a short drive west, and our wonderful capital city not too far east.

The Wine Underground

2011-11-03T13:44:00.013-04:00

Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - Part 1
Moldova

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Where is the largest wine collection in the world stored? Deep under the Moldovan plains, where over two million bottles are kept along miles and miles of underground roads of Milestii Mici.
This 200 - year- old labyrinth, a limestone quarry dug with hand tools by prisoners until 1960, then by machine, is 200 kilometers of winding tunnels, 55 of which are in use today.
In 1968 Moldovan vintners saw the caves and realized that they were the perfect environment, with the constant temperature and humidity, for storing wine.

Above ground are the wine fountains - take your pick, red or white. But just for show - the real deal is below ground.

Stefan, our guide, can keep us from getting lost in the caverns, and joins us in the bus as we descend underground, the large vehicle carefully turning onto bottle- lined streets named Chardonnay, Cabernet, or the local grape, Feteasca Negra.

The roads we're on are not lined with the best wines - who wants auto exhaust polluting their treasures? Those for keeping are carefully stored and labelled in the "houses" as they are called, on walking -only streets.

Each house can hold 1500 bottles, and as you can see, some of those bottles have been untouched for a looooong time!

The deepest part of the labyrinth is 80 meters underground. Behind heavy stone-backed doors is an elegant tasting room, where a group is entertained by musicians while they taste some of Milestii's treasures.
To be continued...

Why Music and Markets?

2011-11-03T13:05:00.004-04:00

November 3, 2011

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Once again I'm joining the BootsnAll bloggers from around the world. Today with a memory on the theme of MUSIC:
Music and travel memories often go hand in hand. A song can inspire our explorations, or it can take us back to a specific place and time. Tell us about your travel playlist and what it means to you.
The suggested theme for today brought a smile to my face as I remembered the birth of Music and Markets:
Why did we name our company Music and Markets Tours?
It all began as we were listening to a concert in a wooded glade at the chateau of La Roque d'Antheron. It was the summer of 2002, and as the pianist delighted us with beautiful transcriptions of familiar orchestral pieces, birds accompanied in song from the trees above.
As we sat there, I realized that I had heard no English being spoken, all of the attendees seemed to be locals, French, or European. "This is so wonderful, I thought " people would LOVE it if they knew about it." And in that instant the name "Music and Markets" came to mind.... we could share this wonderful music, the amazing beauty of Provence, the colorful and abundant daily markets, with others if we could put together a week- long tour!
Provence was an area we knew well, and through the daily markets we could introduce others to the charming villages and towns we had come to love. Music was also an easy choice, from my years of piano performance, teaching, and related travels. Music was mostly what had been bringing us to Europe for years, an ongoing part of our life, a deep love for both of us, and something we eagerly shared with others too.
In our few days in Provence that week, the tour itinerary came together. Our first Provence tour was in 2003, and we never get tired of sharing this wonderful part of the world with music-loving travelers!

Travel Goals

2011-11-01T10:27:00.002-04:00

November 1, 2012

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Here's a question from BootsnAll to ponder: What were your travel goals last year? Did you accomplish them? What travel goals do you hope to accomplish this year?

One of our long-time goals has been a trip to Istanbul, and last year we made it. We went to Turkey for Thanksgiving - appropriate, no?
Here are our impressions on the first day:
We've only been here a few hours, but have already been astounded by the history and sights within a few feet of our hotel in the old Sultanahmet district. We walk out the door, and there's an ancient bazaar, full of tempting treasures,

with the majestic Blue Mosque towering behind. A few steps further and there's the Haghia Sophia (above) , the former center of Orthodox Christianity dating from 537 A.D.
It's Thanksgiving Day, and we got to Dulles airport extra early yesterday, expecting long lines at security on such a busy travel day, with the possibility of an "opt-out" protest as well. Well there was no one in line ahead of us, we breezed right through with normal security procedures, the new scanners were not in use. Nothing to protest there, not that we planned to do so anyway.
About twelve hours after taking off from Dulles, we're descending over Istanbul, floating by neighborhoods dotted with graceful minarets, usually in pairs on either side of a broad dome.
There's that Bosphorus we've been reading about for weeks, on our right as we're driven to the hotel. Huge ships are lined up for the trip up to the Black Sea - this is one of the busiest straits in the world.
We're welcomed to the Hotel Seraglio with Turkish coffee and Turkish delight - both delicious. We're both surprised by what Turkish delight actually is - we expected something overly sweet, more candy-like. But this is rather like a chewy marshmallow, not sugary, rolled in shredded coconut. Yum! We're looking forward to trying more flavors.
Through the years, we've learned that Rick Steve's travel books are just right for a first-time visit to a city. Kirk is leading us on the Historic Core Walk from Steve's Istanbul tourbook. We gawk at the mosques, then go under- ground.... and into a forest of columns, reminding us of the Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain.
Is this another center of worship? No, it's an underground cistern, built by the Emperor Justinian at the same time as Haghia Sophia to provide water for the city.
It's an astounding engineering feat, with its 336 columns supporting brick vaults high above. There are just a few inches of water in the cistern now, but it used to be 6 feet deep.

A couple of impressive Medusa heads, remains of an even more ancient building, were casually used as bases for columns.

Back above ground, we enter the Haghia Sophia, ascending a stone ramp to the upper gallery. Emperor Justinian demanded the biggest dome in the world way back in the 6th century, and that's what he got.

A beautiful pattern of lights adds to the
beauty of the space, suspended from the dome far above.
They were added in the 1800's by Ottoman rulers - candlelight at that time. Must have been magical! It is as bright as daylight when you stand beneath the lights on the ground floor.
Covered with plaster or whitewash during the Ottoman regime, exquisite Byzantine mosaics have been carefully exposed now that the space is a museum rather than a mosque.

We've seen photo after photo of the glittering Deesis mosaic, Christ responding to his mother Mary and John the Baptist, but the gaze of those eyes, in person, is soulfully shiver- inducing. To make such a realistic face with tiny pieces of stone - amazing!

As we walk from Haghia Sophia towards the Blue Mosque, the call to prayer
trembles the air above.... wafting from first one mosque, then another, then another.
We are charmed with this city - and eager to continue our discovery.

A goal that's still on our list? St. Petersburg (the Russian one, not Florida - been there, done that) We had hoped to get there this year after our Romania trip, but visa constraints made it impossible.... so it's still on the list.

A Soviet Holdover and Tastings Galore

2011-10-27T11:46:00.025-04:00

Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Moldova and Transnistria

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: New Year's Jazz in Italy

Snaking along the Istria river is a remnant of communist rule, the skinny Republic of Transnistria, 30 km. long and 5 wide.
We'd never attempt visiting on our own, since it's quite an involved process. Cultural Romtour has obtained the necessary permission, and Victoria patiently shepherds our minibus through the lengthy border patrol process.
We hand over our passports, wait to receive individual visas (the passports are not stamped - this country is not recognized by most of the world), half of which the patrol keeps, the other half we retain to turn in upon departure." Be SURE to hold on to this visa, Victoria cautions. "You will not be able to exit the country without it!" The bus driver has to complete a separate registration, and pay 40 euros with his assurance that he will not drive more than 40 kilometers, and will exit the Republic within three hours.
Our guide, Alexander, a young Transnistrian police officer, joins us on the bus, and we're on our way. Victoria has cautioned us not to ask any controversial questions, so we're all on our best behavior. We're also warned to ask about taking photos since there are places where that is not allowed, and we would all be detained if one person took a photo in an unauthorized place.
The ancient military fortress in Bender, originally constructed in the 1500's by the Ottoman ruler Suleiman's architect, still stands proud today. It was used as a rocket base for the Soviet Union, and only in 2008 was part of it opened to the city. Our guide tells us that we should consider ourselves lucky, since we are some of the very first foreigners allowed to see it.
The recently opened museum inside the wall shows the many nationalities that have ruled from the fortress, such as the Ottomans after their conquest of the area centuries ago.
A high school group is visiting the site, and is fascinated by we foreigners. The designated English speaker of a giggling group of girls haltingly asks where I'm from, what I think of Transnistria, and why we're here. "Do you know Hollywood?" one wants to know. "Yes, I respond, "I grew up in California." "Oh, excitedly, "do you know Paris Hilton?" "No." Are you a star? "No" again. "Well, you talk cool."
Kirk had noticed a very Soviet looking façade as we drove up to the fortress and asked if we could take a photo on the way out. Alexander agreed, but as we and others snapped our photos, concerned guards came out of the building. Oh no, will be be detained? Whew... just cautioned.

Transnistria used to be a part of Moldova, but preferred to stay a communist republic after the liberation of Moldova. Their flag and coat of arms still show the importance of Moldova to the Soviet state... it was a major breadbasket for the republics.

This heroic horseman was the founder of the city of Tiraspol, the capital.

The Sheriff emblem blazes from super- markets, car dealerships, gas stations, and more. It is a monopoly owned by a relative of the current President.

The park boasts the obligatory Lenin statue

and bag-laden shoppers chat on their way home.

Alexander points out the tank enthroned in front of an Orthodox temple, "This is the tank that won World War II for the Soviets".
We spend a cognac-soaked hour in the kVint factory, also now owned by the Sheriff group, where, after a tour of the facility we're treated to a tasting/lunch.

Silver, china, and crystal await us in the dining room.

Although the liqueur is made like cognac, it can not be called cognac since that name is only allowed for the French brandy. I've never had SIX cognacs for lunch before... actually have never had ANY for lunch. Just a sip of each is enough for me!

My favorite is the ten year old that tastes like a boozy crême brulée.
We doze on the drive back to Moldova, crossing the border at a different place, handing in our carefully saved visas, and in a couple of hours pull into the Purcari Winery, where we'll be spending the night after a wine tasting and dinner.
We've heard a lot about Purcari wines, renowned in ages past alongside the famed wines of France, and found on the tables of Queens and Kings throughout Europe. Then came Soviet rule, when thousands of acres of wines were torn up and land was used for other crops.

Once again, excellent wine is being produced on the gently rolling hills of Purcari, and this is a serious tasting, we see... a chart for tasting notes, and an array of glasses artistically set out at each place.

The winemaker talks us through whites, a rosé, and an assortment of reds. Let's see.... six tastings at lunch, and ten before dinner. I'm glad we just have to walk up the stairs and down the hall to reach our beds!

Dinner in Uzbekistan???

2011-10-15T14:18:00.017-04:00

Monday, September 26, 2011 - part 2
Chisinau, Moldova

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

After our delicious lunch in that lovely garden setting, we're ready to explore Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. Our guide begins the tour at a gleaming white Russian Orthodox monastery (the monastery designation is the same for either men or women in this religious tradition) on the edge of town, St. Teodor Tiron. Before Communism it was a large community, now there are only 6 nuns remaining.

As in many churches in the former Soviet republics, the precious icons and relics were removed and hidden in people's homes during Communist times.

Also as in other churches we've seen, the luminarias, places to light candles, are outside to avoid damage to the interior frescoes. Victoria had told us previously about the division of candles, and on these newer luminarias we can see clearly, the one on the right marked sanitate (candles/prayers for health) and the one of the left morti (for the dead).

Don't have a scarf? Borrow one from the stash on the door and come on in.

The interior style of the Russian Orthodox churches is different from the Romanian Orthodox we've seen this week. I notice more silver and gold in the icons, with faces peering gravely through the gilt.

The main street is named in honor of Moldova's hero-king, Stefan cel Mare, who ruled in the late 1400's and is lauded to this day for strengthening Moldova and holding her strong against Ottoman invasion.

The prominent statue fronts a welcoming park, in which wifi is free and easily accessed - bench after bench is filled with web-surfers.
A different hotel every night - not our usual mode of travel! We're covering so much ground on the tour that Cultural Romtour has us spending just one night in each location. Tonight we're at the Best Western Hotel Flowers, a newly built hotel with super spacious rooms, free wifi, and sparkling bathrooms. After checking in we explore Chisinau a bit on our own.
Although we didn't take any photos, we looked around a remarkable- to- us department store, blue-smocked attendants at the top and bottom of the rickety escalators. We've never seen anything like this - multiple booths, like in an antique consignment bazaar, selling the same thing. A dozen or so selling women's coats, a score selling ladies shoes, and on through the whole gamut - household items, materials and trims, furniture, and family clothing - with not much variety that I could discern. Down the street are more current chain stores, but this is certainly a throw -back to the way things were under Soviet rule.

I'm not sure how far away Uzbekistan is - too far for dinner, I'm sure - but Victoria has planned a unique meal at Caravan, an Uzbeki restaurant, for us tonight. We sit on carpets and cushions, leaning back on plump pillows, in a curtained alcove.

It's a pleasure to enjoy the delicious contrast to the Romanian meals we've had for the last few days. The food has been good, but each meal has been very similar to the one before. This is quite different - a veal salad, a choice of lamb or veal pilaf with fresh pomegranate seeds, sesame bread, lamb riblets, grilled vegetables and some quite good Moldovan wine - this area is where the good wines come from.

The atmosphere is exotic - even in the bathroom!

Tea is served with flaky pastries for dessert, and our smiling waiter shows us the proper way to serve tea in Uzbekistan. Pouring from on high, he fills a shapely bowl, then hands it to me with hand over his heart, signifying care for his guest - what a lovely tradition!

Welcome to Moldova!

2011-10-14T09:58:00.013-04:00

Monday, September 26, 2011 - part 1
Chisinau, Moldova

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

"Passports ready?" Victoria asks as we get on the bus. We're crossing the border into Moldova today, changing country and currency like we used to in Europe. It's an hour plus to the border, and we enjoy our last glimpses of Romania through the bus window.

The farmers, too, are getting an early start, clearing the fields of cornstalks.

We admire the colorful houses with tin covered entries

or elaborate shiny well roofs.
Our border crossing takes a while, one procedure to exit Romania, another to enter Moldova. This republic got rid of their communist leaders just two years ago.

By the time we get to the outskirts of Chisinau, Moldova's capital, it's lunchtime, and Victoria has chosen such a picturesque spot to introduce us to her country - Roata Vremii, The Wheel of Time.

It's not just a restaurant, it's also a museum of old Moldovan country life, with a typical common room, spinning wheel in one corner, cozy fireplace in another. The children would sleep on the platform above the fireplace and the parents off to the side.

Down in the cellar the shelves groan with home-canned fruits and vegetables,

ham, peppers, and garlic aplenty hanging from the rafters.

We've been hearing about "famous Moldovan chicken soup" and here's our first taste, out in the garden. Yes, it's delicious on this crisp fall day!

Across the Cafe Table - My Favorite Museum

2011-10-12T17:52:00.006-04:00

I join fellow Travel Belles in remembering a favorite museum today and the first one that comes to mind is a long-time treasure, the Musée Jacquemart André in Paris.
Set back majestically from bustling Boulevard Haussman, this sumptuously appointed mansion surprises with its world-class art collection- works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Boticelli, Fragonard. Even ceiling and wall frescoes from ancient Italian villas have been incorporated into this Belle Époque jewel of a home.
The excellent audio guide gives one, along with the interesting history of this home and family, a sense of participating in a gala evening, surrounded by turn of the century “crème de la crème” of society…the murmur of conversation accompanied by lilting tunes from the orchestra in the gallery above.
Linger in the art-filled rooms, then pause for lunch or tea in the gorgeous café to prolong the sense of visiting a friend in her haute home for the afternoon.

Monks and Wine in Romania

2011-10-07T17:48:00.012-04:00

Sunday, September 24, 2011 - part 2
Iasi, Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

After our countryside lunch on a winery hill, we drive to Iasi, the former capital of Romania. The capital was moved to Bucharest to be farther away from encroaching Russia.
A pretty filigree-topped church (locally described as "embroidery in stone") , the Monastery of the Three Holy Hierarchs,

the bank where Dracula kept his money (not really)

and an open-air tango party in front of the hotel where we're spending the night are a few of the sights we enjoyed in the city before hopping back on the bus for another wine tasting.

High on a hill outside of Iasi is the Monastery of Cetatuia. As the sun sets, we enter the peaceful walled property and hear worshippers responding in song to the priest leading the evening service - a lovely welcome to the gardens.

We descend a staircase with a barrel-rolling cleft in the middle. You can tell what this cellar is used for!

After walking through the corridors lined with huge wine barrels,

we're seated at a tasting table, and this evening the wines are considerably better than at lunch.

A quartet of monks stand under the arches and their medieval melodies are a wonderful addition to the tasting.

Awakening in a Monastery

2011-10-01T15:04:00.013-04:00

Sunday, September 24, 2011 - part 1
Mountains and villages in Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

Sunday morning we wake in the Neamt Monastery guest house - rather like a bare-bones dorm, and walk to the adjacent historic complex, the most revered monastery in the Moldovan region of Romania.

The original buildings date from the late 1400's,

and as Victoria begins our tour of the property, a rhythmic clicking comes from high in the bell tower.

The insistent tattoo draws the monks to pra y er and services, then, to call the townspeople to worship, deep peals soar from the powerful bell above, along with repeated jangling of a string of smaller bells - quite a cacophony!

We walk through a peaceful graveyard and to the oldest church,

now reserved for meditation and a resting place of neatly inscribed bones of monks from centuries past.

Back in the bus, Victoria's music of choice today is a melange of symphonic melodies, many from Georg Enescu, Romania's most famous composer. She's chosen this music because this Moldavian region is the area from which the country's renowned poets, writers, composers and intellectuals have come from.
Out the windows, the entertainment continues as we see wagons with towering piles nearly toppling over -

is it junk collection day today?

We pass through the city of Iasi (Yash, remember?) then drive about 50 kilometers further to our next stop, a local winery. Our walk up the hill is accompanied by a raucous gypsy band - the most enthusiastic brass players we've ever seen!

The owner introduces his (forgettable) wines, nothing worth writing about, but we enjoy a relaxing couple of hours in the shady pavilion.

Heavenly Vistas, Heavenly Melodies in Romania

2011-09-30T14:55:00.018-04:00

Saturday, September 24, 2011 - part 3
Mountains and villages in Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

A Dracula- tale village, a gypsy lunch, and Cultural Romtour still has more to show us today - they are packing this week full of experiences for the nine of us on this "fam" (familiarization) trip so we can learn as much as possible about the countries we'll visit.
Did I already mention that we've seen more horse-drawn carts here than anywhere in our travels? As we drive out of the village we pass on after the other...
one moving at a quick trot

another providing a soft bed for a fluffy pup

and through the bus window, this one with a lady driver while a passenger relaxes on the bags of potatoes in the cart. The motion of the bus often puts us to sleep... but we don't want to close our eyes and miss any of the action and scenery outside!

Victoria asks the driver to stop in one village and points out the intricately carved gates of homes and churches of this Hungarian enclave.

She, of course, can recognize the ethnic background of the different homes and buildings we pass - we've been intrigued by the many differences and quirks of the properties in this country settled by so many different peoples.

A raw mountainside high above us has a story to tell - in the late 1800's, due to heavy rainfall, a huge section of the mountain tumbled away in a landslide, creating a lake from three rivers that had flowed through valleys below.

We take a quick break to walk down to the lake - feels good to be out of the bus after another couple of hours of riding.

About an hour later, we're out again, for a walk through the towering Bicaz Gorge, one of Romania's natural wonders.

We've seen tidy piles of firewood outside many houses, especially as we've entered the Carpathian Mountains - here comes some more to warm a log cabin for the winter.
It's after dark - a loooong day on the bus - when we finally arrive at the Vovidena monastery where we're welcomed by a black-frocked monk who ushers us into the simple dining room. He and a group of students studying in Iasi (pronounced Yash), about an hour away, waited for our arrival before eating, and we all enjoy a delicious dinner (all, including the wine, grown, prepared, and blessed by the monks living here) served by the student interns who are here for the weekend. The best part of the evening, though, is an unexpected treat - the students, who will sing in the service tomorrow morning, delight us with some heavenly music - we hope you'll enjoy these excerpts as much as we did!

Lunch in a Gypsy Village

2011-09-27T15:14:00.020-04:00

Saturday, September 24, 2011 - part 2
a gypsy village in Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

From Dracula's birthplace to a gypsy home in the village of Valeni, the adventures continue...
Just past a house with red onions for sale by the street,

a nattily dressed man in black trousers and vest, dark shirt, and broadbrimmed hat waves us into the front yard, a pretty little girl with long beribboned braids welcoming us with a smile beside him.

They usher us into the kitchen, where mama and grandma are stirring pots of polenta, as popular here as it is in northern Italy.

Margaret and her father proudly show us their home, where the rooms beyond the kitchen are piled high with pillows, beautifully woven carpets, hangings and blankets. Stacks of silver and brightly colored pots and pans, sets of china, goblets, and silver line the shelves from top to bottom, precious items that the husband and wife received for wedding presents, and that show their status and respect in the community.

These items are never used, but are kept on display. There is no bedroom or living room as such, each room is multipurpose, so I guess the pillows and blankets, at least some of them, must be used by the family.

Chuck, an American who became fascinated by Roma culture years ago, now lives in an apartment above the garage, and explains the gypsy ways to us. He has encouraged several gypsy families to open their homes to visitors. This family are Gabor gypsies, and are responsible members of their community, with the valuable trade of metalworking passed on from father to son. The Gabor are working, settled gypsies, not nomadic.

The grandfather, now deceased, made this well, standing proudly in the front yard.

The man of the family shows us his atelier and demonstrates some of the craftsmanship he will someday pass on to his son, an impish five- year- old who's now glued to the TV set, watching cartoons.

Appetizers await us in the front yard, a platter of home grown vegetables, home made cheeses, and chunks of pork fat (hear those oinks coming from the back yard?).

Spear a chunk of fat on a twig and sizzle it over the fire til it spreads easy on the bread - baconey butter.

Then into the kitchen for lunch, where we're seated in front of more displays of wedding gifts - JUST to look at, please!

Ladies, don your dancing clothes .... we're all invited to swirl on a many-pleated skirt and matching apron, then Margaret gets us all twirling to some lively music.

The home has a complete modern bathroom, but Chuck has explained to us that it is considered unclean to use an indoor toilet. Out the back door by the pigsty is a modern outhouse,

some of our group don't realize what's behind that door and end up using the rickety old wooden outhouse in the yard.

A sweet goodbye from the three generations and we're on the way to our next adventure.

Transfixed by Transylvania

2011-09-26T16:04:00.002-04:00

Saturday, September 24, 2011 -Part 1
Sighisoara, Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

Transylvania, the Saxon (Germanic) region of Romania, charms us from first sight, with its rolling green hills and picturesque villages. We've stepped back in time, seeing more horse-drawn carts than anywhere we've ever traveled, neighborhood wells still in use, dirt roads,

Hansel- and- Gretel cottages, and babushkas galore.

We take a bathroom break at a gas station, and are jerked back into the 20th century by a roadside missile.

The story of Dracula, Bram Stokers creation, began here, with Vlad the Impaler, son of Vlad the Devil. Born in the 1400's, Vlad the Impaler and his brothers were sent to school in the Ottoman empire, where they learned Turkish military techniques, including impaling. Vlad was born in the golden house beside the stunning 14th century clock tower in the main square.

We attempt to access the main square via the usual paths, passing squares lined with brightly colored homes,

but are blocked at one entrance after the other - movie filming is in progress.

The third way is a charm, and we weave our way through extras for the film and cars crawling up the cobbled lanes for a wedding or two,

Dressed in forties style for the WW II film, extras wait to be called onto the set.

In the boutique where we stop for a tasting of fruit brandies, there's a poster of Vlad the Impaler - a scary looking guy! He ruled from 1456-1462 and is revered for unifying sections of the country - no one dared stand against him!

We stop in a couple of boutique hotels with charming courtyards and rooms tucked into the original Saxon houses, here since medieval times. This room, with frescoed vaulted ceilings, is occupied by an actor in the movie - clothes for the next scene laid out on the bed.

A wedding party poses for photos at the bottom of the ancient 175- step Schoolway Staircase - we've never seen a covered stairway from one level of town to another. Would be fun to climb if we had time.

As we're standing by the old Deer Inn, with frescoed deer on either side of the antlers poking out of a corner,

the scrim protecting the film site falls down, and we can see the actors and the Nazi flag at the base of the town tower. We've been told that Gerard Depardieu is in the movie - could that be him over in the corner?
Just one more village where we'd love to spend more time... but it's time for lunch - at a surprising location!
to be continued....

The Serene Charm of Sibiu

2011-09-25T15:31:00.007-04:00

Friday, September 23, 2011 Sibiu, Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

All aboard the bus as Cultural Romtour introduces us to their part of the world. It's a long drive - 4 1/2 hours - to our first stop, the Cozia monastery. The first part of our trip is 150 kilometers of highway, just about the sum total of highway in the country, even though there has been abundant aid designated for transport received from the European Union. The rest of our travels will be on national roads, usually two lane. The highway tale is just the first of story after story we hear about corruption in the country: millions of euros diverted from their intended purpose, leaving the infrastructure suffering.
The peaceful property of Cozia houses Romania's oldest historical and art monument, an orthodox church complex from the 14th century.

Cyrillic writing was used in Romania until 1861, and the centuries-old frescoes are notated in that exotic-to- us script.

Beyond the loggia, the first room of the three room church, in the Romanian Orthodox tradition, is frescoed with the 365 saints days of the year.

The next room is where the worshipers stand, and beyond, the iconostasis (icon wall) separates us from the altar, hidden beyond.

Curious haystacks dot the countryside, lopsided, with long sticks poking out of the top.
As we were landing we could see how surrounded the capital was with farmland, and sure enough we drive through mile after mile of fields of hay, corn, cabbages and fruit trees.

We stop at the Hilton Sibiu, a beautiful new property, to drop off our suitcases (in the huge elegant rooms - our Aix apartment would fit in the room!) , and enjoy a quick tour of the hotel, including their new- build barn, a typical country style for the popular restaurant.

The buffet features cut-your-own sausage, just pick up a knife and hack off a piece of the hanging hot dogs.

Historic Sibiu is a charming gem in the Transylvania region, a 2007 European City of Culture filled with colorful homes and buildings protected through the centuries by three fortified walls. Not much of the ancient walls remain - here is a stretch with three towers, each one named for a guild of the city.

Eyes peek out from the rooftops,

the eyelid vents an ancient feature that allowed air to circulate in the attics where the famed local sausages hung to dry.

The historical town is arranged around two squares, the Big and the Little Ring.

In the center, the curve of the inner walls can be clearly seen as we cross a bridge and stroll a quiet lane.

What a pleasant town - we would love to return and stay for a couple of days to soak up the charm.

But now it's time for a drive out along winding roads to a tiny village, where a horseman in traditional dress greets us at the gate of a country home.

The welcoming family has dinner waiting for us - fresh produce from their garden, a hearty soup, and homemade wine. We leave with a "Merci" - how convenient that one of Romania's words for "thank you" is the same in French - we can handle that!

Welcome to Romania!

2011-09-23T16:28:00.005-04:00

Thursday, Friday, September 22- 23, 2011
Bucharest Romania

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

We've been invited to Romania for a wine tour, and wow are we immersed in wine from the first event, dinner just minutes after we arrive Thursday evening. A driver awaited us at the airport, took us to the hotel in downtown Bucharest, and when we checked in we were asked when we would be ready for a taxi to take us to the restaurant, where the other guests had already gone -"just ten minutes," we said, enough to freshen up and change clothes.
The cab pulls up, gets instructions from the doorman, and we're on our way. Does the cabbie know where to go? Do we remember the name of the hotel we left from? Or the name of the tour guide we're meeting? No - have left all of that info in the room. Fortunately we arrive at the right restaurant and meet the little group in the vaulted cellar of Trattoria Tatoli.
The multi-national group hails from Norway, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Australia, and all but us have been here long enough for an afternoon city tour. We're here just in time for the pouring of the wine, as a sommelier introduces us all to the wines of Romania.
Platefuls of delicious appetizers - local cheese, caviar, paté, and fresh vegetables - arrive
and we begin with white wines from the Transylvania region,

followed by rosé, then reds,

a light dessert wine, and finally - the eighth of the evening - Vinars, a Romanian cognac (which they can't call cognac since its not french). It took a lot of glasses to get through the dinner!
Back at the hotel, we fall into a deep sleep and get up just in time for a quick bus tour of Bucharest.
We're disappointed to have arrived too late for yesterday's walking tour... you can't see that much from the window of a bus. We stop by the massive Communist era parliament building, the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon), and learn that Ceaucescu ordered the destruction of twenty churches, five monasteries, and hundreds of houses to make space for the wide boulevards and apartment blocks surrounding the Palace of Government.

Nearby is one ancient monastery that escaped destruction, although it came close, as can be see by the soviet-era blocks behind. The churches are very vertical - narrow and tall... there is no seating, the worshipers stand, so I guess less space is required!

Our guide points out houses being restored and tells us that the process of returning houses to their original owners (homes and property were all appropriated by the Communist regime) is still ongoing - it can take years in the court system. The houses being restored are those homes that have been returned.

The architectural style of the Orthodox churches is unique - many have a portico across the front, with mosaic icons above.

The crosses, too, are different than the ones we usually see.

Different designs, and many with rosary beads strung beneath them.

Frescoes have been damaged over the centuries, so lighting candles inside is no longer allowed, and there are luminarias beside the churches where people light candles and pray.

Some are simple metal structures kind of like a barbecue, others are beautiful small loggias, such as this one beside All Saints Church high on a hill in Bucharest.

Women stand on one side and men on the other as the priest chants and they respond.
Just a quick glimpse of Bucharest for us, then we're on the bus and on our way to explore this intriguing country.

Au Revoir Aix

2011-09-20T14:25:00.006-04:00

Monday, August 29, 2011
Aix en Provence, France

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you! Next on the itinerary: Mozartfest in Bath, England

We'll use any excuse for a stroll through the beautiful places (squares) of Aix... need a baguette? I'll go!
Need a recharge for the mobile phone? I've got that!
One one side of the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville is our favorite bakery, and on the
other is the telephone shop... so we dawdle through the place on our way.

Kirk takes a trip or two down to the dungeon-like cave (cellar) to store some personal items until our return. Walking down those old stone steps really lets you know you're in a building from the 1700's.

We bookend dinner with a couple of concerts - the Opéra Trio, trumpet, trombone, and piano, entertain us with, what else?, opera arias. Engaging & fun, the musicians teach at the Aix conservatory, and are in the local symphony.

And as the sun sets, a gypsy jazz group, the Clair de Lune trio, play in our next-door square, the Place de l' Archeveché.
What a great time we've had - now that we know about Mu sique dans le Rue, we want to plan a visit here at the end of August every year!