And on the 26th day they rested.

Almost four weeks of being on the go and away from home finally hit us as neither one of us wanted to get out of bed to make the espresso this morning. It was decided (After Ann made the espresso) that this day would be spent close to home. It was Saturday for heaven sakes.

When we finally did get out of bed we went to the town of Montepulciano Stazione for their version of a Saturday market. We did need fruits and vegetables. The market was ill attended at closing time when we got there. We got our fresh products and decided on a classy lunch.

We had heard about a restaurant in Nottela between the market town and our town. Nottela is not a town actually but one fattoria or farm that includes a restaurant and a retail outlet in the stone buildings near the road at a crossroads out in the country. If you did not know this restaurant existed you never would have seen it.

Nottela grows, produces and bottles their Nobile di Montepulciano wine. We are now in the season of the crush and Sangiovese grapes were being harvested for crushing and the beginning of fermentation. This is something Ann wanted to see when we knew we were going to be here in October. Wandering behind the restaurant waiting for it to open at 12:30 pm, I followed the smell of newly crushed wine grapes and timidly entered the cantina building. A cantina is the wine making building – not like a Mexican Cantina in Tijuana. As I poked my nose in I was welcomed by two workers motioning me to come on in. I did but knew I would be in huge trouble if I did not get Ann first. I rounded her up. She was watching the grapes coming in on little motorized carts with trailers. We were treated to a tour of the winery by workers who spoke only passable English. Wow, did they enjoy telling about their winemaking.

We walked across the gravel path to another stone building on the property and sat at the outdoor terrace to have lunch. We drank a half bottle of their own Vino Nobile di Multipulciano wine (Excellent), ate a great lunch and finished it off with vin santo with cantucci to dip for Ann and a Vino Nobile Grappa for me. We usually do not spend $70 for lunch but we thought of all of those poor folks who had to settle for lunch while slumming in the Napa Valley today instead of looking out over the Valdichiana sipping some of Italy’s finest wine. That did not help though. It was still a $70 lunch.

As if that was not enough excitement for a relaxing day we were treated to three local city bands marching from the bottom of the town up to the Piazza Grande on the little road past our apartment. Each would stop to rest and play a piece every so often. I believe it was because the journey up the hill is only made for mountain goats. It was like being at the Rose Parade (with no floats). OK, not really. We followed them to the piazza and listened to a “concert” which was to start at 6:00 pm. We listened to the three pieces of music that started promptly 40 minutes late. Ah, Italy.

Lesson for Day 26: After spending 26 consecutive days with Ann joined at the hip it is now obvious that there is no person in the world I would rather be with. What a great chick!