Monday 28th April.

San Gimignano (by Leon)

Today was San Jimmy day, the weather was fine and we managed to get away from the Casa, around 10 ish. San Gimignano is a smallish medieval village about 2 hours south of Lucca. It is located right in the middle of the Tuscan tourist route, and is visited by countless tour groups and coaches per day. We approached San Jimmy from the North West and as we rounded the top of a spur, San Jimmy came into view, one could be forgiven for thinking you were about to enter a modern metropolis, as the villages numerous towers built at the height of San Jimmies popularity give it a skyline like a mini Manhattan. As with most Italian towns the central part of the town is surrounded by walls and Ramparts, that at one time would have shielded the inhabitants from the marauding Sienese or other miscreant’s hell bent on rape and pillage.

Following a fairly colorful and verbose search for a car park, we entered the Village via the usual large arched Porta and were immediately in the middle of the hustle and bustle of one of Tuscany’s busiest tourist towns. San Jimmy consists of three main Avenues that intersect at the main Piazza’s. The town is geared mainly for tourists so photo opportunities and retail goods are in plentiful supply, it is set on the side of a mildly steep hill, so one can fill the memory card fairly quickly with the views and streetscapes that present themselves.

We visited the museum and Duomo and were surprised by the fresco’s in the Cathedral that pictured quite graphically what might happen to you should you stray from the path of righteousness and be delivered to evil. Fresco’s of demons performing all number and variety of violent and canal acts were there for all to heed their warning. Charlotte was quite confronted by these historic images and was happy to see the back of her spookiest church yet. Following a fairly ordinary lunch, Belinda ticked one of her personal boxes and soothed the urge with a little retail therapy, alorra (and so) sporting a big smile and a new hand bag we departed San Jimmy for home.

On the way home it was beginning to get quite late, we still have not come to grips with daylight until 9.00 pm, so we decided to have dinner at “Emma’s”; this is the local Roasticheria/Bar that is located at one end of Ponte A Moriano’s Piazza, the place was recommended by our Neighbour the Maestro, and he described it as one of the best and most reasonable places to eat in all of Italy. As this came from a fellow who looks like he knows a good meal when he sees one, and is also extremely well travelled, we decided we had better check it out, Gustav had told us to be sure to mention his name when we went, alorra, as we entered we asked after Emma and were introduced to our host by her daughter Valentina. Emma’s is a deli and bar in the front and has a large well appointed kitchen and a huge wood fired Pizza oven in the back, with room to seat around 60 customers. True to the Maestro’s words we were treated to some very simple but delicious local cuisine and the charming surroundings were typical of a family restaurant that had been doing business for generations. Later we were to discover that Valentina the Maître de was in the process of finishing her Masters in art history, though at the moment she chose to toil away here and carry on the family tradition of catering splendidly for the locals and visitors to Ponte A Moriano.