September 5 Sunday

Since we are on a popular street we were expecting more street noise last night, but I guess, even though not very religious any more, the pope still controls and things close at midnight ,the beginning of the day of worship. So we both slept well and I did not wake up until after 7. After first rolling up the shutters and then opening the floor to ceiling windows I was greeted to a brisk morning and clear skies. Vicki slept late and after her coffee and morning rituals it was late morning. We decided to run across the street to the t-shirt shop and see if they had a large t-shirt and some shorts. The t-shirt they had but no shorts. Back the apartment I quickly packed by throwing all my belongings in a shopping bag.

I almost forgot. I called the airport lost and found, the primary contact for my lost baggage, and got the usual nothing. Then I called Air Dolomite. They informed me that my bag had arrived in Frankfurt with no further information. Some news is always good.

Off to the airport in a taxi to get the rental car and meet face to face, I hope, with the mysterious Frienz Airport Lost and Found. The rental car check-in was swift and easy until the ugly American came shouting about how they gave him a "piece of shit" car and it was not the one he booked and "I have read on the internet reviews that you are horrible and I want a discount, etc, etc etc" Not the way I wanted to start the day.

We trekked out to the end of the lot where our little Reanult Cilio awaited to whisk us off. Well, if I could find how to start the damn thing it might. It has the start button, no key on the chain, and I tried everything. Push the clutch and hold the brake, just push the clutch, make sure it is out of gear, honk the horn twice and turn around backwards in the seat. Nothing worked. So, off I go back to the office and the nice gentleman escorts my back out to the car. On the way he is telling me of how challenging it is to sort all the stuff on the new cars and especially the VW as it has a touch screen and is designed to be set once by the owner and that is it but he deals with many people and many languages and goes into a very multi-step process of just setting the A/C. At the car he he takes the big square remote on the key chain and deposits it into a big square slot under the radio. ??!!

From there we drive 5to the airport that is just 300 yards away. Sounds easy but it is not. You have to dodge out into traffic in a mixing bowl of roads, move over five lanes quickly turn left mover over right 4 lanes and try and hit the little tiny entrance to the airport. This is a busy, but very small airport. Miss the entrance to the parking, back up with out getting hit, slide in the little hold of an entrance to the small parking arear after getting a ticket.

I grab my covid card and head inside. I met a security check point as soon as I got inside I hit a security check point. He had me stand on a ride dot before the metal detector and then sent my right through the machine. At the lost in found I had to wait for a French lady to do her business and then it was my turn. The man, behind what is probably bullet proof glass, was very nice and after about ten minutes informed me that I my back was in fact in Frankfurt and no, there was no way he was going to speculate when it would arrive with a big smile and shrug of the shourlders.

Back out side I looked for the kiosk to pay for parking. There were two right across from the tiny parking lot. Card in, credit card, it said "prego" and off we went. Exitting the airpot to the A1 interstate was not as diffuclt as moving the 300 yards for the rental car to the airport. Shortly we were driving down the super highway at 140KPH.

We are on our way to Lora Cuffinao in search of Il Poggalino the tiny cottage where we first stayed escaping the presidential election of 2004. Exiting the highway we meandered up the mountain, through town, all on speculation that we were on the right road. As we got closer we unable to find it but knew we had gone to far. We u-turned and and took the first road off the the left and road a mile and knew that it was wrong. We came to a turn to the little commune of Tavern??? We had seen this sign on the other road so we knew it would be a way back down the mountain. Just past T?? a few yards there it was, Il Pollaginio! We parked and went up and walked around it remembering how much we enjoyed the tines we spent there. We have a very strong spiritual attachment to this place for many reasons.

Back in the car it was now time to head to the retreat. GPS told us that it was 37 km and would take an hour. That well tell you the type of roads we were on.

We found the Via de Mezzano in Chianti with no problem and made the turn up the hill. liIt is a narrow meandering road and the further you went the worse it got. I had but in #23. We passed #32 that said B&B and BBQ and Vicki said this might be it and if not we should stop here and stay anyway. But I pressed on. Soon most of the asphalte had crumbled away and there were large wholes in the road, but I pressed on. There was a four wheel land rover behind us and I am sure he was wondering what these fools were doing in the little car that was slipping and sliding and having to get up a head of steam to make it around the steep 90degree turns.

When we ran into what was the last of the little pavement that was left we pulled over and the Land Rover continued up the unpaved goat track and rocky trail. In the old days I would have done something stupid, but instead, with modern communications I just called Montine. She said she had seen us drive by and stop and almost yelled but and in fact they were at #32. Back down the washed out road we went and arrived to a great welcome and a comfortable home for the next week.

IL POGGIOLINO

This before the road got bad! Really bad. But I stop,
NO. When I went back up to take pictures this is as
far as I would dare go.

Our home this week

September 6 Monday

I am choosing not to write much about the retreat and show no pictures except of food and physical things. This in respect for the purpose of the retreat.

Dear customer, your luggage UA710106 has been found. It may be collected from the Florence L&F desk, between 9.30am to 11.30am and 6.00pm to 8.00pm each day.

This small note showed up in my text messages this morning. I had told them to hold it as long as I was in the area. The less handling the better. I wanted to hop in the car and drive off the hill to get it right away, but all the important stuff of the retreat would be laid out this morning so I postponed getting it until the afternoon.

I will tell you that the retreat involves yoga, painting (not art) and great food.

Our day ended at 5 and I got into Clio and headed for the airport. The only real traffic back up was actually in the country where a minor four lane road intersects with the major highway. I decided to take the edge of town route and was able to squeeze around all the other traffic, me following brave and knowledgeable Italians. I did set through some stop lights twice but nothing serious. Only with the help of the GPS could I ever have made this meandering route through narrow streets, some two way through the edge of Florence.

The route near the airport was the same as coming from the rental car location and having accomplished it once I, was an expert, now even in rush hour traffic. It helps, that contrary to rumor, Italian drivers are polite and let me across the multilane without have to push my way.

Back at the Lost and Found counter, I found myself behind an Italian couple assisting their American friend trying to and retrieve his bag. He had put a Apple tracker in it and had seen it setting in a van in the parking lot all day. Do amount of talking and gesturing including the praying hands would help. She had explained, as it had been explained to me, Lost and Found just "finds" your bag. They then give to airline that lost it and it is their responsibility to deliver it. This is why I choose to pick mine up. So, you Apple people may have all the best technology but I got my bag.

I was out of the parking lot in a jeffy and headed for the autostrada. I was taking the easy way, though not much faster, home. I exited the strada after about 25 km and was back in rural Italy. In Strada de Chianti I stopped at the Coop and picked up a bottle of wine and some Grappa. Wine is supplied at all meals or any time you want at the retreat but I wanted my own stash. Especially the Grappa.

The good news is I made it home in time for dinner.

September 10 Friday

Today was the last of the retreat. To be honest I can not explain it in words. Really did not know what it was but Vicki saw "yoga" and "painting" and said that is for me. Intuitive Painting is a method to discover your inner self. There were seven participants and one facilitator, a chef and a yoga instructor. Through painting the facilitator brought out stuff. I can not explain it as I am not that good of a writer. If we see each other I will be glad to explain it to you in person.

It was a wonderful experience.