On Friday after Christmas we drove into the Chianti hills to Castello Gargonza, a 12th century fortified village that has been restored as a luxury hotel. We had arranged to meet up with our friends Barbara and Steve Haslem and their kids Ethan and Edie for an overnight stay while they were on a three-week tour of Europe.
 |
| The Haslems arrive |
There are 44 guest rooms and suites spread throughout several buildings, both inside the old fortress walls and just outside of it. Here are some scenes from the castello:
That night we went to dinner at the hotel ristorante just down the path from the castello. Before she retired, Carmen worked with Barbara at Cal Western, and she got caught up with all the school gossip during dinner.
Our rooms were both spacious and cozy, with a fireplace in the living room and a supply of wood to burn for the entire night. The next morning, we had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures.
As you can tell by how we are dressed, it has become quite cold here. You know what that means: layers, layers, ... And it also means there is snow in the local mountains. And THAT means...well, maybe a future blog will be a ski report!
Hi Carmen/Gary - this is the first I've seen these! We got back earlier this week. Thanks for posting. We had a wonderful time with you guys and loved Italy. --Barbara
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara, we had a great time too!
DeleteYou two look great. We am so glad you are having such a wonderful time. Thanks for letting us live through you vicariously. Great pictures. Steve and Kim
ReplyDeleteHi Gary and Carmen,
ReplyDeleteI just went thru your last several posts and really enjoyed all of the pictures and comments. (Sidenote Gary, did I see a quote from Jimi Hendrix at that castle in Croatia??) Janet and I are contemplating a Spain-Portugal trip in October so this latest journey of yours was of especial interest to me. Sounds like your two are really enjoying your time as ex-pats! Things are good here, just got back from a ski trip with Janet and her two sons to Vail. Take care, John T.
Thanks for the kind words John! We have got a bit behind in our posts, but look for one soon about the Algarve coast of Portugal. We would go back there in a heartbeat. As for the quote, Hendrix did the definitive version of the tune in question, but it was written and originally recorded by another artist. To have some fun with this, let's have a little contest for the first reply that names the original artist. "Contest" is a bit of a stretch because we can't think of a way to offer a reward. Hopefully, recognition in our blog is a reward;-)
Delete