"A farewell is necessary before we can meet again,
and meeting again after moments or a lifetime
is certain for those who are friends."
Richard Bach
Today's bittersweet ... looking forward to spending one last day with Paula before she heads home to Colorado and her terrific husband Don. We spent the majority of the day relaxing by Sassaia's beautiful swimming pool, reminiscing about the delightful last couple of weeks we've spent together. Paula and I first met in the 1980's when we were young moms ... we had so much fun together back then that we knew we'd always remain friends even though distance (North Carolina to Colorado!) has kept us apart for over 30 years. When I mentioned to her back in early 2017 that I was planning this trip to Tuscany (& Beyond), she responded, "Well, I think I'd like to come along on that trip!" I am so delighted that she did ... and that she, Mary McAndrew and I had such a fabulous time exploring Italy together!
Gladys and Jesus joined us at the pool in the afternoon and, after a bit of chilly hesitation, all four of us had a great, refreshing swim. I'm glad I brought my swimsuit, even if I only really got fully in the pool and swam on this one day! There were several other days warm enough to swim, but there is just so much pulling you away to explore that the days were happily spent going in other directions!
Giorgio, Marguerita and Anna returned from their wine tasting and lunch at Podere Le Ripi and Drogheria Franci in Montalcino, just in time for Anna to drop us at the Chiusi train station to hop on our train to Rome's Fiumicino Airport. From there, we boarded the sleek Leonardo Express from Rome's Termini train station which was fast and easy €14/person).
Once at Fiumicino Airport, after a few wrong turns, we finally found our way to the hotel shuttle bus stop and we were off to the Golden Tulip Hotel to spend the night. Recommended to me by a friend who'd stayed there last year, it was a great, reasonably priced (117 Euros for a double) hotel, immaculately clean ... and our room had a terrace overlooking a lovely garden and huge swimming pool.
Knowing that Paula had to rise very early to catch her 5:30 am ☹️ shuttle back to the airport, we had an early dinner at the hotel restaurant. Delicious shared bruschetta, pasta and pana cotta, but we didn't converse much because an Italian gentlemen was giving a VERY loudly amplified speech out by the pool (perhaps because tomorrow is a national holiday in Italy - Festa Della Republica)!
To bed ... for a few hours! I don't seem to require much sleep when I'm here in Italy ... there always seems to be so many interesting things to do and see - and I don't want to miss anything!
1 comment:
I found it very confusing that you went to Rome's airport and then to your hotel. I guess it was the fastest route? Can't wait to read what you are doing next!
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