We are in a postcard...

Literally! The place where we stayed in Pienza, the little farm, is on postcards all over Tuscany because it is so beautiful. We had to drive up a dusty, unpaved road to get there, about 2 km out of town, and it just kept getting more amazing....lots of "wows" from us in the car. Then, after we'd checked in, we went to the pool for the rest of the afternoon-evening, which is situated on a ledge that overlooks a valley filled with empty pastures with huge rolls of hay, the occasional stone house, and lone trees here and there. We took some funny self-timed pictures of us in the pool that required one of us to set the camera and quickly jump in and swim to other side so we could get the view. It was quite possibly the most peaceful place I've been in a long, long time.

Before arriving, we'd stopped in some hills towns, including Cortona of "Under the Tuscan Sun" fame. All quite as lovely as can be expected...but as we reviewed it today, we think 3 hill towns was enough...otherwise it would start to feel like they were all blending into one never-ending Tuscan landscape...and they would lose their charm.

Small note: We have come to affectionately call all of the older generation folks we see walking about arm in arm "the oldies". Often they say good evening to us as they talk in small groups, help with directions, or just peer down at us from their shutters. (People watching is very big in general here.) I've taken some surreptitious pictures of them...they're quite charming.

Other small note: We have also named our traveling companions. Which ones, you might wonder? Well, of course there is Rick (Steves), Lonely (Planet), and now Mama. Mama is my suitcase that has become so heavy she has taken on a personna of her own. "Come on, mama, time to get out of the car!" "Come on mama, you can make it up the stairs", and so on. We think she is about to give birth to a baby we shall name Duffel, and hopefully that will lighten her load.

:)
E & D