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Showing posts with label Tuscany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuscany. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Florence American Cemetery, San Gimignano, and a Winery Tour

We had a world wind couple of days. I'm going to post Monday's events. Tuesday's activities will be posted in the morning. Collette Vacations took us on a surprised tour to the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. It is at this location where we were able to see the grave of original Tuskegee Airman, Captain Erwin Lawrence. His grave is among the more than 5000 men and women, including names on the Wall of the Missing, who died during the last phase of the Italian campaign from June 1944 to May 1945.










San Gimignano

From there we went to the windy, but very scenic San Gimignano. Lots of shops, including La Buca for salsiccia cinghiale (wild boar sausage) which we read about in Doing Italians...Oops...Italy by The Delusional Divas'.










Finally, the part of the day that everybody was waiting for: WINE TASTING and it didn't disappoint. Chianti is the wine made in the Tuscany region. This particular brand was produced by Tenuta San Vito.

Tomorrow we will post about our visit into Florence and our first of three interviews here in Italy for Take A Leap with BET/AOL Travelista Host Andrea Adams.

With those who are not familiar with Take A Leap, we are chronicling the lives of African-American expats. The pilot episode will feature our interviews in Italy.

Grazie,
Rhonda W

Friday, October 12, 2012

Mail Delivery & Italian Cuisine

We had a nice surprise in the mail the other day: our travel documents from Collette Vacations.  More specifically, our airline tickets and hotel reservation confirmations.  We also received our itinerary, tote bags, and a little booklet with travel tips.
Collette Vacations travel documents & tote/bag
I'll share more about the travel tips on an upcoming post as a part of the Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival set for Tues. Oct. 16.

Over the next few weeks as we countdown to departure, I thought I'll share some tidbits about our travel destinations of Florence and Rome, Italy.

Italy is famous for it's delicious food.  Italians eat their meals in courses during lunch and dinner.  Courses include an antipasto (appetizer); primo piatto (first course) - which is often the pasta or risotto dish; second piatto (second or main course)- which is the meat or protein; contorno (the side item); and dolce (dessert).  While you may not have all courses at each meal, you often will have at least three.

Italy is known for pasta, and it comes in many different shapes and sizes.  There is also a variety of sauces that vary from region to region.  Thin pizza with an array of toppings is also a local favorite, as well as grilled meats or seafood and fresh seasonal vegetables.

The Tuscany region is known for its hearty vegetable soup know as ribollita; pappardelle pasta with wild boar sauce; local sausages; and sheep milk cheeses.  And last, but not least, Tuscan wines.

This is short excerpt from our Collette Vacations travel guide.  I'll share more as we countdown to departure.  Less than 20 days and we're off through the skies...Take A Leap!!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Take A Leap Facebook Page

Take A Leap has a Facebook Page. Check us out at www.facebook.com/WCPTakeALeap

Spread The Word!


 Currently seeking to interview African-Americans who live abroad in Rome, Italy; Florence, Italy; Shanghai, China; and Beijing, China.



Upcoming Trips: 
Tuscany (Rome & Florence Italy) November 1-10, 2012 Collette Vacations via Midlands Technical College Continuing Education Department

China (Shanghai & Beijing) December 27, 2012-January 6, 2013 Friendly Planet