THE TOWERS OF SAN GIMIGNANO AND GELATO

The view of San Gimignano from Mormoraia's window.

We rested up for a few hours in our new apartment... well needed after today's ordeal of finding the place. After photographing the view from our window as the setting sun changed its look every few minutes, we headed out to San Gimignano for dinner.

The ride in is short--only about 8 miles--but pretty hairy with lots of curves and hills. And the Italians like to race around every blind curve crossing over the line (if there is one) or hug my tail as I (Pardon my safe driving) downshift through a downhill hairpin turn. These people (men & women alike) imagine themselves as race drivers in the grand prix. Today we saw an example of what must happen to some of these speed demons... a huge upside down 18 wheeler on the downhill side of a mountain road. It looked as if they just left it there many months ago.

We parked in a pay lot under the walled side of the village... there was an elevator up to the citta streets. A slow stroll took us slowly up toward the center... where we found an adequate restaurant with a table next to tall windows framing a wide view of the valley below. As we dined, the lights twinkled in the valley far below us. We then walked up to a grand piazza with half a dozen of the towers on all sides. A great gelataria called out our names. I had mezzo (half) chocolate, mezzo coconut. Lucas had chocolate and orange. Lisa had chocolate caramel. We enjoyed the cool air and gelato. Italians think it's winter... to us it's a refreshing night.

We sat on the steps of the gorgeous marble well in the center of the piazza... a guitarist played soft music in front of us. A great night finished this day.