"Taking The Waters" (Sunday, September 18)

In her book, "Bella Tuscany", Frances Mayes talks about Italians' yearly visits to spas and thermal springs as an Italian obsession. Apparently, they consider it as a birthright and, believe it or not, their health insurance covers such visits. (Wonder how long that will last in their new economic state!) Jim and I headed out to the little hilltop town of Bagno Vignoni which is built around a large thermal pool where the Medicis used to "take the waters". The historic site is quite beautiful in it's simplicity. This pool is surrounded by picturesque mellow stone buildings, architecturally Very pleasing. The hot (51 degrees C) sulphurous water bubbling up in the centre of the pool, is actually volcanic in origin. To maintain the integrity of this historic site, no public bathing is allowed. However, there is a public pool in which you can dunk yourself. Jim and I had taken bathing suits and towels along so that we could "take the waters", but today was Sunday and the enormous (it was huge!)pool was full of Italian families. We decided to pass! Truthfully, it was an extremely hot day, so a dip in 51 degree waters wasn't 'calling to us', so to speak.
The countryside surrounding this area is " pecorino cheese" country. We headed off to San Quirico d'Orcia to visit the cheese outlet for Fattoria Pianporcino Cheesemakers. They offer cheese tastings of the differing pecorinos and Brunello wine tastings to accompany the cheese. Here is where I must day, "Duh!" As we drove into town, San Quirico d'Orcia felt virtually like a ghost town. OMG! It is Sunday and nothing is open. After three Sundays in Italy, you would think Jim and I would remember that everything is closed. Donna and David had a similar "duh" moment when they drove to Montepulciano today to visit the Contucci Vino Nobile cellars only to find them closed!!!
We began our drive home, opting to drive through what the Italians refer to as their "crete" area. Think The Godfather movie when Michael is sent into hiding in Sicily. That primeval landscape of such stark beauty is the kind of countryside we drove through. With virtually no other cars on the road, we passed through this barren landscape , dotted with classic Tuscan farmhouses and lone cypress tres. We attempted some photos ( which can never do the area justice), but a haze was settling in over the countryside (a harbinger of the thunderstorms to
come).
We enjoyed a lazy dinner (Mom's spaghetti recipe, Jo!).
David Welstead has been saying all along that he wants to experience one of the thunderstorms for which Tuscany is so famous. Jim keeps joking about wanting to see lightening hit a washing machine (his favourite scene in "Under The Tuscan Sun"). Mother Nature did not let us down. Well, excluding the washing machine, that is. Around midnight, a spectacular thunderstorm hit. Lightening that lit our room as if it were daylight, driving rain ( actually coming sideways
in our open window), and crashes of thunder that echoed off the mountainsides. Cathy said she felt as if she was in a drum when the thunder cracked! David, you got you wish and Mother Nature did not disappoint!
Tomorrow's weather forecast is " iffy" - a good day for the Etruscan and Signorelli museums in Cortona and some gift shopping!
Ciao!