Andrew and Jackelyn Gogh to Paris: August 2012

Monday, August 13, 2012

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Aug 13th - Back in the USA, but First Paris Once More

We had a 9 hr layover in CDG, which allowed for one more impromptu visit to Paris.

"Strike a Parisian pose" yielded this photo on the Seine

Saint Michel with flaming sword (+5 str, +5 dex) killing demons and dragons and what have you.

Food of Italy

This may be the real reason to go to Italy.

"Drunken spaghetti" - pasta cooked in red wine with garlic and basil. From Osteria dei Benci.

"Pizza Margherita" in Santo Spirito

Tiramisu in some cafe

From the Montalbano terracde - stewed tomatoes. (What real tomatoes look/tasted like)

Also from Montalbano - Frittata

Pasta in Santo Spirito with Nippoziano Chianti Classico 2004

Art of Florence

Florence is a place that has so many great Italian Renaissance painters that you will become numb to any more Titians, Rafaels, Michaelangelos, Rosas, Boticelli, and so ons. Here's some famous art.

You've seen him grey-scale, now see him in fabulous technicolor!

The Rape of the Sabines statue. The balance, the technique, the dynamics are some of the reasons to love this statue.

Duomo Tower

Here are some photos we took at the top of the Duomo tower. No explanation needed, really. This is one spot that will make you fall in love with Florence.

Duomo (convex view) synagogue in the distance (green copper dome)

Andrew, Jackelyn, Sunshine

Medici Chapel

Not a synagogue despite the Magen David

Check out my new sandals

Florence Churches

Didn't want to blog over Shabbas, but here are the pictures (we were allowed to take) of churches we saw in Florence. Particularly:

Il Duomo (convex view)

Il Duomo (concave view)

Door to the Baptisterie

Melty faced lion outside of San Lorenzo (maybe?)

Inside of Santa Maria Maggiore

There were more churches we weren't allowed to take pictures inside of, and perhaps the most fantastic synagogue in the world we went to Friday night. This is just a taste.

Friday, August 10, 2012

August 8th- Monaciano

Here are photos of the Monaciano mansion. Bruno and Celeste gave us a nice tour. The place is full of family history and is as well maintained as a museum.

This is the piano room. Rev Levy and his family took the tour with us.

This is the master bedroom.

This is the adjoining sitting room that bridges the wife's quarters to the husband's quarters.

This is the view from the master bedroom window into the gardens.

This is the incredible staircase. The steps are made of marble which inter-lock to not need any additional supports underneath.

This is the courtyard with a well. It was very deep.

We are walking through the gardens.

View of the Monaciano mansion from the gardens.

The most beautiful pool next to the "chicken house" which is now a bath house.

Pool of travertine stone surrounded by Tuscan vistas. The water is salty instead of chlorinated.

The chicken coop.

August 8th - Tour of the Villa Grounds UPDATED 8/13

Wednesday afternoon Bruno gave us a tour of the 250 acre villa.

View from the family's house, Montalbano.

The trees to the left demarcate the edge of the villa estate, and also the very edge of the Chianti Classico region, coincidentally. Any wine made after this point cannot legally be called Chianti Classico, and can only be called Sangiovese.

Jackelyn, Bruno and grape vines.

Italy, where every plant is edible. Lavender in the foreground, olive trees, sunflowers on the right, and vineyards back left.

Don't remember the name of this house on the hill. Every house has a name.

View from the patio of one of the houses.

View of the monastery in an adjoining property which hid the Pipernos during WWII.

In lieu of a panoramic camera, here's a short video (now would be a good time to turn the laptop upside down).

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

August 8- Arriving in Siena

We arrived in Siena yesterday afternoon after a long day of traveling. It started with a 6:30am taxi to Charles de Gaulle airport, then we took a plane to Frankfurt, where we had a layover and then continued with a flight to Florence, where we took a bus into town and then another bus to Siena. The Piperno's, friends of Andrew's family, have been so generous to host us at their villa for two nights. These two pictures don't even begin to give justice to the beauty that surrounds us.

Jackelyn at lunch out on patio with large views of the Tuscan countryside.

Another incredible view.

We went into Siena this morning to see the town, and the views of the medieval city were very charming.

Siena is full of paths that are tight, winding, and steep. It's a miracle/nightmare that any cars try to pass through.

We went to the Duomo di Siena, which has alternating stripes of marble that pay homage to the symbolic colors of Siena (the black and white of the horses of the city's founders).

Dora, Ilmanuele, Giuseppe, and Sofia stayed up with us to play Monopoli (in Italian). The game hinged upon Vicollo Corto (or that's what kept being discussed every turn).