Train ride to Siena

If you’ve ever ridden a train in Europe you know they are usually right on schedule. If it says departing at 0743, at 0743.30 you missed it! Not so in Italy. If it says 0743, it may or may not leave at 0743, it may not leave until 0750 but who cares, there is always another train available if you miss your connection.

Fortunately, we got an early start so we had plenty of time to gas up the Fiat, return it to Sixt car rental and make the train. So much time that we had breakfast, walked the terminal (more than 10 times), walked around the outside of the terminal, and finally found a seat to wait for our train to arrive. Next time I’ll pay closer attention to when the car needs to be returned and when our trains arrives!

Train stations in Europe are really cool. Most have some incredible frescoes and architecture that reminds you of early 18^th or late 17^th century buildings. The baroque styling is everywhere with dramatic columns and ceilings, sculptures, frescoes and vast halls giving artists an interior canvas. These buildings are in themselves “art”.

Milan Centrale

Add a few modern-day touches like non-stop advertising digital displays, shops selling overly-expensive clothes, handbags and shoes, and of course, McDonalds and you have the complete bastardization of what was once someone’s life-long accomplishment. Hey, but who notices. Waiting on a train is not a fun experience, got things to see and people to do so let’s get on with it.

Our train is a high-speed express from Milan to Florence where we connect to a regionale train for the remaining 30 minutes. We’re going to Siena only because that’s the nearest car rental agency. Once we get our ride, another high-performance Fiat 500, we drive back almost an hour to the big city of Poggibonsi (pronounced, “Poe-gee-baun-see) for a little grocery shopping. From there it’s another 20 minutes to Agritourimso Vernianello, a working winery where we have an apartment for the next 8 days. To supplement the cost of our stay, I have hired out Collette to help with the harvest. Should be a good experience for her.

Train ride was uneventful, fast and relaxing. The trains were all clean and air conditioned so we both got a chance to sit back and relax, but that was then…. Got the rental car and off to Poggibonsi for groceries and continue on to our apartment.

Getting out of town was easy and now onto the winding road through the heart of Chianti country. Everywhere there are vineyards and wineries, lots of olive trees and my favorite, fig trees! Got a little warmer here in wine country, a nice 89F and humid as all get out. AC is on full the whole time in the car but once outside, wow! Thanks to my other half we brought along a package of “wet ones” for the wet one. These work really well in helping you feel cooler and a little less salty, great idea!

Arrived at Agritourismo Vernianello just in time to watch three of the locals buy olive oil from the owner, Fabio. Doesn’t sound too interesting except these men brought their own 5 gal jugs wrapped in wicker that Fabio was filling with a garden hose from inside the building. Put four or five of those in the back of your Fiat 500 and you just might need to add a little air in the tires! That’s where the show started, watching them load these jugs into their cars.

Enough fun, we meet with Ilenia, Fabio’s wife, checked into our apartment and unpacked for the duration. This farm happens to also have a very nice pool, so I imagine we may find our way there with a glass of the local Chianti.

Our apartment

Agritourismo Vernianello

Tuscany countryside

Tuscany countryside – Chianti

Man, another day down and a new locale to check out. Down day tomorrow so catch up on writing, maybe a little sleep and try out that pool.

Domani.