Grapes of Wrath

I'm getting over a cold at the moment, kinda crabby because of it, but still grinnin'. My last day in Florence was spent on a day trip to the little hill town of San Giminano. I spent the afternoon wandering around in a little piece of italian country side. It was most tranquil and the weather has been a perfect 65 degrees under cloudless skies and no humidity. The kind of day where you're plenty warm in the sun and chilly in the shadem you take your jacket on and off 17 times. I had two chilled glasses of Vernaccia di Sangiminano in the town itself. Its been pretty cool drinking the wine that comes from the ground underneith your feet. Each glass was only 2 or 3€ so its easy to get pretty loose on the stuff. There was some great photography yo be had at the bus station; two old gents just sitting out side with canes, hats, and coke bottle glasses. As usuall I was too chicken to just walk up and get a good photo. I usually just sneak one from the side, through a window, or if I can actually speak the language and Im feelin kind of bold, I'll ask. The photos I really like are pretty personal and lately its been tough to ask for the permission because I feel like a dumb american tourist. There are rivers of tourists here by the way. Not so much in Bologna where I am now, but there were so many Asians in Florence I was half expecting to see Godzilla poke his huge lizzard head around a church flushing a crowd of picture snapping tourists out of the brush. As far as the photo thing goes, its all in my head as I know but I like to moan...

In Bologna where I now write. Im actually late for a tasting meal at this restaurant called Ceasare. I was introduced to the chef by an awsome woman who owns this artisanal (sp?) gelato shop with her husband. She's actually an artist with work in museums around the world and he's a former carpenter. But I was sent there by my friend in Florence and from the gelato shop I asked for a good restaurant recommendation. After a cone of some serious pine nut gelato, she walked me around the corner and introduced me to the chef. He invited me into the little kitchen where he started filetting fish so I could smell the difference between two different breeds. He was amazingly friendly and in his broken english offered me a table to sit at so I could read through his cookbook and have a glass of Prosecco. More hospitable people I could not find. I'm due back there at the moment for a meal which he calles his "fantacy" which means he will make the choices for me I think.

Tomorrow I'm going to check out the Ducati Motorcycle Factory for a tour. Its supposed to be the biggest employer in the state.

The web sited for the two excellent places I've met the chefs so far are:

Cibreo's Teatro del sale in Florence: www.teatrodelsale.com or .it not sure on that.
and www.artefood.com for the place Ceasare in Bologna

I actually have'nt used either so bare with me.

ciao for now as they say, they don't say, but you get the idea..
dave