DAY 19 WEDNESDAY, JULY 13
Daniel decides to to hang out at the villa while Bryan and I venture out to no where in particular mostly searching for photo opps. I am hunting for that perfect shot of sunflowers. There are fields of them in bloom here and I vow that before we leave I will have my shot.
In our wanderings we trip over Sant' Anna in Caprena a tiny monastery in need of some attention. One humble little man seemed to be its only caretaker. Build in 1324 the goldmine here was the unfinished frescos painted by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi (Sodoma) a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci. The artist was just 25 when he painted this, his first commission. Out came my tripod, somebody pinch me.
We stop for a picnic at this very tiny town made up of a few villas an old olive press and a small church.
Here is Bryan opening a bottle of chianti for our picnic lunch of bread, cheese, olives and fruit. We made use of this stone bench overlooking this beautiful valley.
shutter.
sheep.
Monte Oliveto Maggiore
Before heading back to our villa we paid a visit to the large benedictine abby of Monte Oliveto founded in 1313. This large and active complex housed an extensive library, gallery, church and cloisters with more frescos by the artist Sodoma. No tripod please. Bummer. The church was the first that we encountered that had rigged a tacky touristy coin-activated system that would light up the hand-carved choirstalls if you fed it a euro. Kinda cheesy.
The library.
That night we ate in Pienza at La Buca delle Fate.
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