Our voyage begins in Dublin, with an Aer Lingus flight full of hot Irish stewardesses, and a morning feast of blood sausage and runny eggs. Passing by a bar, where tourists and locals alike were drinking at 8 am local time, we flew to Rome. A short train ride to Firenze, and the adventure really began. Due to some logistical foul ups, we didn’t have lodging arranged. We wandered around the city until 2; taking in the Duomo without the hordes of tourists, and then hunkered down in the grass by the train station. It was sort of like camping, but without less wildlife and more drunks and homeless folks. I actually didn’t really sleep, preferring to stay awake and watch passersby. And they say chivalry is dead…
The next day we got a bus to Panzano, and met Janet and Lou to take us to the Villa Bracciano. It’s an incredible 500 year old castle, with a pool, stocked wine cellar and stunning hillside views. This is travel Sable-style, and we made to sure to enjoy it while it lasts. We toured charming hilltop towns, ate hearty meals and drank wine until we could drink no more. Then the next day, we did it all again. My favorite meal was at a restaurant in Panzano called The Butcher’s. He is a friend of Jamie Oliver, and it’s apparently frequented by Jack Nicholson. There is no menu, just wave after wave of meat dishes. I had more wine than normal, and ate myself silly on rare lamb balls. Our last night we dined on our patio under the moon, and finished the evening with drinking games and Hannah Montana style Uno (apparently she’s kind of a big deal). Ali dubbed the trip Sable Crunkfest 2008, and I have to agree. Next year in the Greek Isles!
With teary goodbyes, and firm warning to come home alive, we departed this morning and continued to Lucca and Rome.
Ali
crunkfest08!
Grandpa called Jacki about that photo. You can explain to him what “crunk” means.
Jan
Grandpa is also all over Lou about the guzzling of the wine. She tried to say it was a staged photo but I was laughing pretty hard in the background and told him to ask about the drinking game that preceded the photo.