Beyond the Tuscan Sun

Thank you Mom for the title...

This trip has been a dream come true for me. Since the first movie I saw that was set in Tuscany, I have done nothing but dream about visiting this region-- I swear, it surpassed all my expectations.
Multiply the beauty on screen by infinity... that's Tuscany for you! + good wine + good food + good weather + parents (lol) = WOW!!!

My Dad did the planning this time. Thanks to Karen Brown's personal itinerary for us, we were able to get through our 6 days contented, happy, and 50lbs heavier!


note: her itinerary only includes the suggested places that her staff has visited. restaurants and wineries are Delgado finds and some are from books we bought.

Dad planned the trip extensively. He downloaded updated Italian maps and inputted our entire trip into his trusty GPS system. (yup, he's that psycho about traveling!)

The 6 - day vacation that was planned for at least 2 months, went by so quickly, I wish I had a rewind button!


DAY 1


From Milan, Mom and I met Dad in Florence to rent our car. Challenge #1: Our trusty GPS was left in our Amsterdam hotel!!!!!!!

Solution? I went back to Avis to rent a GPS system. The nice Italian woman said to me: I'm sorry we no have. I only give you TomTom So we drove with TomTom. (reviews on this to come)

Pisa

This place is approximately an hour and 25 minutes away from Florence. I didn't really want to visit  knowing that there would be a gazillion tourists flocking this falling building, but mother knows best!

I give the place 3 stars... because, no matter how much you hate doing the touristy stuff, you still have to do it. And the view is gorgeous! In places like Pisa where you're sure tour buses will stop--and you're on a budget (but you want good food), visit the small streets or eat away from the hoard.. get lost! It's the best way to find that whole - in - the - wall restaurants.


Pisa deserves another * for entertaining me! As I said, it is a touristy place to go and do touristy stuff.. so, I saw a lot of people doing texactly that!! 95% of the people surrounding the tower had their pictures taken as if they were leaning, catching, etc the building... the cliche Pisa picture.
Even my Mom decided to embarrass me and have one taken of her leaning on the tower! And note that this was so hard to take, because these pictures take time, but around the tower, there are just way too many people, it's almost close to impossible to take time and take a perfect one... without members of the hoard in your picture... :p

Mom doing her tourist pose

More of Pisa?

Day 1: to be continued...