Beinvenutti

Who cares about lost luggage when you have food and a view like this!!
Toscana, 5 days and counting, so, ok, ok, I know this is not the Cote d' Azure, but stay with me here, we'll segue into that life very soon.
Little Lucca, an absolute charmer. Wanted to go here for 10 years or more- now, not disappointed. An elegant but petite Florence or Siena but with style all it's own and the real treasure, it's wall!!!! 2.5 miles in circumferance, grassy, walkable/bikable. A real joy and the view from the wall was the best! 360 degrees of Lucca! Also, I can't remember another town I've been in with more pedestrianized areas, piazzas and with more bicycles, everyone was riding! Belissimo!
Just off the plane and I'm thinking dinner means a little backstreet mom&pop pasta place. And so it was. Simple, delicious and so satisfying. Sadly I must sample Lucca's culinary charms better at somepoint.

Siena, we return to time and time again.
And, to the Hosteria Il Carroccio, Via Casato di Sotto 32 (no site ,tel#0577 41165), an old favorite of many a visit and absolutely in my top five resturants anywhere!! And , it didn't disappoint.
Me tomato bread soup to start followed by what must be the most outrageous lambchops ever. Perfectly grilled little jewels, a touch of orange zest & EVO. The fat and carmelization stuck right to your toungue, and oh, with a yummy side of cippiolino onions carmelized in vin santo. Contorni, white beans in tomato broth with sage and slathered in local EVO. Sandy, a starter of red chicory, pinenuts and cheese in pastry, amazing she says followed by grilled pork rillettes over a bed of arugula dressed with EVO "local" and shaved pecorino.
Heapings of praise to the kitchen brought out the gratutious grappa from our host, flavored it was with their blend of herbs and berries. Only time I've ever really appreciated grappa, yumm, hic-up! Finally, their home-made biscotti dunked in "local" vin santo wine. It was perfection!
Also in Siena, on a backstreet backstreet, we found the Osteria Il Campaccio (www.osteriailcampaccio.it) on the street of the same name. Down a few steps and into a most inviting little patio (too chilly this evening, too bad) we dined in what has to be the most charming petite little room I can remember. only 8 tables under brick caterniary arched ceilings, this place was awesome. Me, pecorino and pine nut raviolis sauteed in EVO with a scallion/courgette blossom sauce, followed by Pollo Sienese, a pan roasted quarter with rosemary, egg, lemon and oiled cured galleta olives washed down with a delicious 1/4 carafe of "local" Castilano white. Sandy started with pasta "packets" with pecorino and pear also delicious she says followed by a carmelized beefsteak with balsamic reduction and carmelized cippiolino onions. No complaints!! 1/4 carafe of "local" Castilano rosso, what could be better.
Sandy's pick, this one, and might I add a most perfect evening.
Also worthy of note, both of these establishments were female owned and staffed. Hats off.
Oh, and I almost forgot, the Albergo Bernini (www.albergobernini.com), been trying to get in here for 10 years, finally, and the view, bellisimo!!! Two windown looking at the Duomo and old town with breakfast served on a cozy terrace with views alternating between the Duomo and Santa caterina and the Tuscan Hills. finally! And well worth the 65e.

My So-Called Philosophy of Travel

I've purposefully become obsessive in travel. When I'm there- I want to really be there- not somewhere else or in some other time.
You will come to recognize my favorite expression "In The Moment", it is to become my guiding principle in life.

So, I

Go Slow
Go Small
Stay Local
Eat Local
Do Less
Dig Deeper
Open My Mind

Go Slow
The slower you go the more intimate your contact with your surroundings, so.
Don't fly on planes- ok, so I have to cross an ocean and there aren't many boats anymore, Do.... take trains- they are affordable, fast, easy, let you off in the middle of everything and I meet cool interesting people, local as well as fellow travelers. Do take boats to islands, it's what they're made for. DON'T drive cars- they are expensive, often inconvenient, too American, unwanted in many towns and cities and often just a pain in the ass. When all else fails, do a car rather than not do at all.
Do ride subways, trams and buses. They make big cities easy and when you know how to get around, big can be way cool.
Do bike or walk- the most intimate form of transport- you'll see so much more.

Go Small
Don't try to see it all in one trip! Don't try too many countries- Europe is bigger than you think. One country is usually way big, you'll find plenty to see and do, if you just slow down.
Do stay 2 or more days in a place, it takes that long just to begin to get a sense of place. Do day trips out from a well located town.
Don't be afraid to change your plans-it's ok to think on-the-fly.

Stay Small
Don't stay in big overpriced 3,4,5 stars, in resorts or American branded hotels.
Do stay in small 1,2 star family run hotels, inns, pensionnes, auberges, rooms above restaurants/cafes, guest houses, convents/monasteries, B&B's or even hostels. Don't be afraid of "bath down the hall" you know they work just fine.
Do these things and it will trim your budget and better plug you into the local culture.
Don't book thru 3rd party sites or rely on their "customer feedback". Don't book thru slick Internet sites sight unseen- you see what they want you to see.
Do use well-known guidebooks, tourist information offices or personal recommendations. Their only agenda is you.
Do, once you "know the lay of the land", try renting and apartment, gite or agritourismo thru a reputable site. These longer term rentals with kitchens and all the "modcons" can be the ultimate in "full immersion living".

Eat Local
Some travelers would say that you really haven't been somewhere until you've eaten the local dishes and drank the local wine and done so among the local people.
This is how I feel and more!
Don't eat in big hotel restaurants, or go for overpriced "stars", places with English or tourist menus, places "with a view' unless of course the view is what you're there for and not the meal. Don't do places where English drowns out the local language, and need I say it- never, never in an American branded fast food joint!
Do eat in small mom & pop restaurants/cafes on the backstreets, where a crowd of locals are, where it smells outrageous and where the menu is on a chalkboard and changes at the whim of the cook or the market.
Do try different things, eat more lunches- they're cheaper- and less dinners. Do picnic- go shopping- the local market, the grocery, deli, local wines- it's as local as it gets.
Absolutely do local outdoor cafes with a view, front and center. Do be sure to take time to "people watch", to sense the buzz of the place.
Do drink the local drink, inexpensive carafes of wine in a wine country and big cold glasses of beer in a beer country.

Do Less
As said before, Don't try to do everything- Do a few select things really well.
Don't go to every museum or ruin 'cause it's there- educate yourself about what's in there before you go, otherwise you can just be looking at random things- or just don't go at all. Do go to the principal cathedrals- they are the highest expression of mans creativity with an unlimited budget and they're easy to understand.
Do go to public markets- these are for the real people! Do go to a grocery store, they are real and a unique window into the local culture.
Do, make sure you allow some time to just "stop and smell the roses".

Dig Deeper
Do try to learn all that you can about where you will be. Do try to learn even a little of the language- it will so endear you to your "neighbors" Do try to talk to these "neighbors"- what is their everyday life like?
Do limit yourself as much as possible to walking- you will see, hear, smell and feel so much more.
Do look for the beauty in everything- big & small- do try and see it "through the eyes of a child"
Do try to imagine as often as you can, yourself living in this place.

Open My Mind
Do go as a guest- leave your judgements, prejudices and preconceptions. Do see everything anew. Do give the benefit of the doubt.
Don't be ugly
Do try and see life thru the eyes of the other.
Do always practice humility and respect.
Do try to always carry a smile.
And, DO ALWAYS TRY YOUR MOST TO BE "IN THE MOMENT"!!

Cousin