The Golden Hills of Tuscany

In lieu of spending more time in Greece I quickly made up my mind to head back to Italy. There are many other countries I want to visit, of course, but Italy is all prime vacation spots, good wine, good food, friendly people, and home to some cousins of mine.

After Delphi with Saffron and Talenn I headed back to Patra to catch a ferry (Grimaldi lines) to Ancona, Italy. It seems to be a special route - the ferry had very few passengers like myself and was mostly truckers heading to Italy. Needless to say we had to wait to disembark until the trucks were off (which took a while). Because of this I missed my train (the last train!) to Florence and got to hang out in a train station until 2am! Will wonders never cease. Thank goodness for Kindle's with long battery life and Italian espresso.

The ferry was cool but ridiculously expensive. Lesson: ferries from the UK to mainland are cool. Greek ferries to Italy are not.

Thankfully there are always wonderful views on ferries regardless of any other factors. This adventure included: almost missing the ferry because of a local bus route (lots of stops!), being at the wrong ferry port and having to pay a (very expensive) taxi to take me, booking a "deck seat" which meant that I had no bed (too expensive), and being one of approximately 8 females on board.

It's a good thing I tend to find all adventures beneficial in some way.

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Welcome to Tuscany!!  After a long wait I hopped on a train to Florence (via Bologna) and then to Castelfiorentino. My next host, Lorenzo, picked me up with an English woman and we were whisked off for a horseback ride!

Lorenzo and Sharon, an English woman who is living the dream, run a farm that specializes in horse riding holidays. Their stable is called La Fiaba which in Italian means "the fairy tale". They have 3 barn cats, 2 dogs (Fiona and Lizzy who live at home with them), and 12 horses.  While I was there Sharon and I tried to ride out twice a day to get the horses ready for the busy season. Sound like paradise for this animal lover yet? It should! 

 Welcome to La Fiaba! Check out the link above for their horses and rides!

 Here is does not matter where you ride. In Italy there is what's called the "right to ride" law (or something to this effect) which allows horses on all roads and paths that are not paid and posted as private. Very different from the US where you need a "license tag" on your horses' saddle or bridle (and that costs just like your car)!

Putting Francy, Wilma, and Biondina in for the night. Sharon is out there in the blue filling up their water buckets.

The horses here are a real mix of personality, background, and size! I was able to ride an Irish Cob by the name of Looby, take her 3 year old daughter on walks (Perla), ride an ex racehorse (Tom), prance with a beautiful Arabian (Hari), figure out a Trotter's odd trot and canter (Dariff), relax with a sweet Haflinger pony (Wilma), and be schooled in the school ring by an old pro, Pancho. My time here, which was sadly only 1 week, was both exciting and peaceful! This is not to say it was easy, short work! Sharon and I worked long days feeding, watering, riding and working horses. Thankfully Lorenzo was always ready and willing to help us back on our feet with his simple yet satisfying and tasty Italian lunches! It took me only 2 days to appreciate the Italian afternoon siesta.

In addition to horse work and treks, Sharon and Lorenzo introduced me to friends who run their own accommodation and restaurant. Their names are Lara and Tiberio and they run Soiano. Please check out their website, Soiano. Welcoming you into the heart of Tuscany, their "farmhouse" is a large and warm Tuscan home that sits in the hills of Tuscany. Offering simple, farm-to-table food that is often made by Tiberio himself will entrance you to stay and never leave.  Personally I could have eaten all of his bread on my own and asked for more (and I think I did!). On my first night in Tuscany, Sharon and I sat and enjoyed wine and Tiberio's food at a long communal style table with a roaring fireplace while Lorenzo and Tiberio frequented the kitchen. This, my friends, is what dreams are made of.  

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We also enjoyed a lunch out one day between horse chores which was a nice change and chance to get out into the (tiny) village of Iano. What is one big difference between American and Italian culture (besides siesta)? Read on...
I remember my cousin and I meeting on a couple occasions during her lunch break and the topic of wine at lunch - she informs me that it is OK for her to have a glass on her break but her American self cannot quite indulge. I have no such reservations. "When in Rome" and all that. Rest assured I did not forget the horses while enjoying lunch out with Sharon and Lorenzo!

I think it's plain to see I enjoyed my time in Tuscany very much. It is a place I will consider returning to on every European visit. Staying with Sharon and Lorenzo was natural,  felt like home, and I think was beneficial for all of us. And, according to Lorenzo, my Italian (though very limited) is quite good! Clearly this means I must return to La Fiaba and Montaione to improve it.

But, lest we forget the equine's who enthralled me...

My little sweet spot, Little Blue. He is privately owned and so we never took him out. At 3 years old and a stallion he is spunky and energetic...but tiny - Sharon and I stand to his ears!! There may be something off with his knees and how he grew when young, but he is so sweet that I am OK with having this pony as a pet.

Hari is yawning after a trek out with me, Looby, and Sharon. She was a bit lazy in the beginning and didn't want to canter when she was in front but couldn't resist the run when Looby decided she wanted to be in front! Two mares running for the barn! For reference, Hari is quite a bit faster than Looby but Looby is certainly dominant!

Sharon and Looby in the ring

Dariff and Marostica. Dariff is a trotter and has different movements, is tough to get actual canter steps out of and he loves to cut corners (literally) but I loved riding him! He is in the foreground. Marostica looks to be judging him for something.

This handsome devil is Nigel. Resident barn tomcat.

 Tom and me. The ex-racehorse (who I don't think ever won anything) is a gentleman. Very responsive to seat and leg, Tom is a dream for any experienced rider. Quite comfortable, too.

Little Blue got out and was waiting for us in the stable area. See how tiny he is??

 Gallante, Bess, and Pancho in their paddock - Tom should be around there somewhere, too!

Sharon and Francy

Things I highly recommend in Tuscany:  

 - enjoy a farm stay and dinner with Lara and Tiberio 

 - have a trek (or two) with Sharon and Lorenzo!

 -  visit Siena, San Gimignano, and Volterra - you can even see Volterra up on its hill while riding with Sharon! 

 - Florence is under an hour from the train stop at Castelfiorentino and the cluster, sea side villages of Cinque Terre are well worth a weekend trip!

- eat and be merry!