Day two: Montepulciano


Another semi sunny day when we wake up in Tuscany.
The plan is to go to Montepulciano and Pienza. Van loaded with 7 people, off we go. A crinkling hill path, I hold my breath with some of the U-turns, not as bad as the Rocky Mountains, but still pretty high.
The first view of Montepulciano is the Gate in the Wall. Used to have portcullies, now you can enter the city without danger of being pierced.



Funny, walls chipped in Birmingham would never look as good as chipped off walls in Tuscany...




Another little place clamped against a hill side, the Etruskians knew where to build cities in order to get a good defence. Not unimportant in medieval times as there was always one fighting the other.

Lots of the cities in Italy were little states on their own, always eager to put the claws on some more rich substates...




We enter the heart of the city, and one beautiful image is followed by the next beautiful image. Thank my husband for my 3 four gig cards I have in my pocket, forget RAW, I shoot jpeg, that way I can get 400 plus pics on my card. Only 244 raws on a 4 gig card, there is no way I can get along in Tuscany with 244 pics on a card. I am memory hungry on this trip. Both for the camera and myself...




We are there by ten in the morning, the city is waking up. Same ritual as yesterday, you start at the lower point in the city, close to the city walls, and climb your way up, in this maze of little 4 meter wide streets, flanked by the four story buildings. I never get tired of that view.
The light is wrong, hard to shoot the shadowed streets without blowing the sky out, one has to choose. I am not an anal photographer, I know the light is wrong, and exposure is difficult, but wait is not in my dictionary. There is no way I will get back here, so I have to shoot today and now... Forget the waiting for the right light... Now and then, I see a glimpse of my fellow travellers, busy shooting...




The high street is adorned with a lion on a pole, it probably has a more respectable name, I just don't know it. The lion is the symbol for a lot of small places, mirrorring them to the bigger cities ruling over them. Florence, Sienna, impressive names in the history of Tuscany, they will keep crossing our paths and minds.




Decisions, Decisions, do I wander off in the side streets or just follow the high street, up to wherever it will take me...

In one of the first side streets, I see the police office, let me tell you, even a police headquarter is charming in Tuscany. Carabinieri is their name. Most handsome men, eyecandy...
(it is not because you are on a diet (married) that you can't enjoy the menu)




This is Pinochio land... I would not be surprised to see Geppetto coming out of a door way... followed by a crazy cricket, calling out a name...



This is Italy, say again: FASHION.... Not Milan, but hey, even sleepy hill towns have nice stores.
I dare not look at the price of this elegant brown vest, feels like heaven, but can't break the bank on my first day...




The city would not be complete without some gorgeous churches, looking rather bleak on the outside, but breath taking if you enter their holy space inside.
Some artist must have carved this triptique out of stone ages ago, literally...
I can't even begin to imagine how they find the craftmenship to carve like that. Centuries later, the statues are as expressive as if they were just created.




I decide to snap the church reflected in a window instead of the classical shot of it straight on.
And I like how it came out...




No furniture, Italians stand up in mass, you can't do anything else then sigh and let your eyes explore ceilings.




Back out in the tiny streets, new things catch my attention... A facade, a lantern, a sign... Never a dull moment in Tuscany.



I look into a street, alleyway, pavement, tunnel, I don't know what it is, there is some doors, and a strange magical light is coming from the right. I only dare go in so far, as this looks very much a private property or gangway, I take a shot of it with a wide open aperture (2.8).
The picture comes out exactly as I recall it was in reality.



Back in normal daylight, I start talking, well, more gesturing, with a guy who looks like a butcher. His grin goes from ear to ear, and he is happy to be in my photograph. Lots of little fun moments like this make up for a good day in total... I love to snap people, and I am having double fun if they have fun.



I decide to continue my walk upwards, and the little bell tower behind me is chiming 12. Time is shrinking, I want to explore more.





I do take a look inside another church, and am astonished by the feel of peace and tranquility there is... The sun peeks in, if there is a God, he is here.



Time to go back to the meeting point, next town is Pienza.

One last look back at Montepulciano...



To be continued...

I'm happy to read and see part 2.

I had to chuckle about the wall texture comment -- looking better in Tuscany than it would in Britain...

It is funny how things that either we don't take notice of or think "that should be fixed or replaced", back "home" is often times what we are enthralled with when we visit another country ...

Again another wonderful journey thru a Tuscan Village...Under a Tuscan Sun......So Beautiful....

Did you not set camera on tripod and jump infront so you could be immortalized in a TuscanScape....I know I forgot to when in Bohemia and Moravia.....

THANX AGAIN.

I love seeing these!

Some really nice shots, there, photocat. Even better is being transported to another part of the world. Great stuff.

thanks guys... Glad that you like them. Wonderful trip... Sequels to be posted ASAP.
It is a beautiful part of the world!

Funny, I imagine if I were to visit Birmingham, I would love the chipped off walls there as well! You've lived my dream...I was to take this trip a couple years back before my Mum got sick. Some day.............Beautiful shots, Cat, love, love, love the rich colors and textures. Surprised not to see more people? You are such a people-picture taker (and a good one!). Very enjoyable!