Arriving at the Farmhouse

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(Saturday March 6) Last day in Rome. We left very early (10am :-) and headed to the Fiumicino airport to pick up our rental car. Our cab driver was a young guy who spoke very little English. I tried to tell him in my best Italian that we wanted to go to the Hertz rental car counter at FCO airport. Unfortunately when I said "affitare macchina" it somehow translated to "I want to rent your taxi" at which point he told us that it would be 40 - 45E. Not the answer I expected. Turns out, there's a word for "rental car" (autonoleggio). Had I used that word he would have taken us straight to Hertz. In any case, we ended up at the airport and eventually found the Hertz counter.

We drove 3 hours from Rome to San Gimignano in Tuscany. OMG the countryside is unbelievable. So clear and green - it looks like a painting (in fact it looks just like the paintings hanging in our livingroom!).

After a somewhat hair-raising drive up a long hill on an unpaved dirt road (on which Scott managed to hit every possible pothole! I think he misses his F150 4wd), we arrived at Torraccia di Chiusi (Chiusi Tower) turismo rurale farmhouse. The farmhouse is situated atop a hill with amazing views of the Tuscan countryside and the San G skyline. About 15 minutes outside of San G, the farmhouse is remote enough to relax and feel unburdened by tourist craziness but close enough to town for dinner and shopping. Sadly, there are no cows here as originally expected, but plenty of dogs, cats, geese, chickens and a resident donkey.

Next stop...a trip to San Gimignano proper...

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Photos

Our rental car
At the Hertz station at FCO airport. A Fiat "Panda" -- slightly bigger than a Smart car. Fortunately my huge bag fit in the car or Scott would have had to ride on the roof :-P

Farmhouse
This is where we are staying.

Our hostess
Gracia, who runs the farmhouse.

San Gimignano
San Gimignano, as viewed from our room at the house.

Pond
The farm's pond - complete with a family of Geese.