Sky Blue Val d'Orcia: Friday, 9/16/22 - Monday, 9/19/22
La Moscadella - The Isabella Experience
A lovely outdoor spot for an early morning breakfast.
The next three days we stay at La Moscadella. It is one bellissimo experience that must be lived to be appreciated. The closest words come to describing it: The Isabella Experience provokes a renewed recognition for the incredible beauty in the world. It refreshes the soul and the spirit, and perhaps most importantly of all it reminds one of the fun of being alive. Oh my, do we have fun!
The astonishing beauty of La Moscadella is surpassed only by the lovely people who live and work here.
Time spent roaming the grounds of La Moscadella is bliss.
Val d'Orcia, Friday, 9/16/22
Brunello Winery Tour
Today we visit a family-owned winery in the Val d'Orcia region. The tour includes a history of wine-making in the region, and features an up-close look at an antiquated wine-making system (with antique machines).
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Below left, we tour the farm wine cellar, and learn about the storing and aging process.
After our tour, lunch begins with an excellent glass of family-made wine accompanied by an assortment of meats and cheeses (including home-made prosciutto, above right).
Our lunch features home-made lasagna, a speciality of the proud grandmother (right) as well as a favorite of her grand-daughter.
Multiple generations live and work on the family-owned farm, and everyone pitches in.
Our server (left).
Val d'Orcia, Friday, 9/16/22
Benedictine Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
After lunch, it's back on the bus and to our next stop. The Benedictine Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore is situated in a wooded area high on a hill. The bus takes us partway up, and we hotfoot it the rest of the way (a five-minute walk) until we find a path that leads down to the Abbey complex. It's lovely and shaded and cool. At the bottom (and I'm not sure how he beat us), Roberto waits in the courtyard for us. It's time for another great tour.
The Cloister walls (above) are lined with frescoes that depict the story of St. Benedict's life. The paintings were initiated by Luca Signorelli but ultimately completed by a different artist, Antonio Bazzi (aka il Sodoma). The story behind the artist switch is interesting on its own, but comes to life with Roberto's storytelling. As was the case during our tour of Siena, Roberto's narrative is informed by his expertise and knowledge and enlivened by his own special blend of humor.
I know so little about the Abbey that when we encounter several monks walking along the corridor, I'm surprised. Silently, we step aside before continuing our tour. Once again the tour is over much too soon. We have a few minutes to hit the gift shop, and then it's back to the bus and the hotel for dinner.
