We went to Italy, all four of us (Chris, Mandi, Brian, and me), to live on a vineyard near San Gimignano over the Christmas and New Year Holidays in 2002. Christine and I stayed 3 weeks and our daughter and son-in-law came and stayed 10 days. The vineyard does bed and breakfast so we had plenty of rooms. There were no "paying guests". We were fortunate that we had several friends from the USA, Germany and New Zealand that were able to stay with us sometime during those 3 weeks. We were house sitting or more accurately, dog and cat sitting so the owners could go on holiday. We've stayed here before as guests but have never stayed here with the keys to the wine cellar.

Here are some photos we took during the three weeks, some are panoramic (+++) photos which will open in a new window. Use your Back button to return to this page:

• Christmas card of San Gimignano made by Chiara, age 8 in 1990.
• Christine walked up the hill with the dogs, Cleo and Phoebe almost every day.
• The House at the Vineyard with the valley in the background
• The lounge and fireplace at the vineyard.
• +++ Panoramic view of the vineyard and valley from the house.
• +++ A small cafe in Volterra.
• +++ The Hills between Volterra and San Gimignano.
• +++ San Gimignano, Piazza del Duomo.
• +++ Looking at the house from the vineyards.
• +++ Florence, Italy, Piazza Della Signora and David.
• Tuscan door to the house.
• Cleo, Christine and Phoebe return from a walk.
• Mandi, Brian and Christine at dinner.
• Christine enjoys an evening in front of the fire.
• Mandi and Brian in front of the fire.
• Christmas markets in Siena
• Our Christmas Tree.
• Cleo and Christine with our Christmas Tree.
• San Gimignano, Piazza della Cisterna.
• Mandi and Brian on top of the castle Rocco in San Gimignano.
• Mandi, Brian, Chris and John at Castle Rocco, San Gimignano.
• Stefan, from New Zealand, with the dogs.
• San Gimignano from a distance.
• San Gimignano up close.
• San Gimignano, another view.
• John cooks breakfast.
• Nancy and Lou at Rocco, San Gimignano.
• The Olive Festival, Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano.
• The Olive Festival, Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano.
• Marc and Stephanie at the Olive Festival, Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano.
• Marc and Stephanie at the Olive Festival, Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano.
• The Olive Festival, Piazza del Duomo, San Gimignano.
• Free toasted bread at the Olive Festival, San Gimignano.
• Nancy samples some olive oil in San Gimignano.
• Marc and Stephanie sample some olive oil in San Gimignano.
• John and Chris sample olive oil at the festival in San Gimignano.
• Stephanie and John outside having coffee in San Gimignano.
• Chris, Nancy, Lou, Marc and Stephanie at the San Gimignano Olive Oil Festival.
• Stephanie teaches John to make spetzle.
• We all visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• We find the Leaning Tower.
• Marc and Stephanie at the Leaning Tower.
• We all stop for a glass of wine.
• After the wine we went for a swim! No!
• Andrea Poggi and some happy guests at the La Spiaggia Hotel in Monterosso al Mare, Italy.
• The Beach was not friendly on this day in December.
• The vineyards at Vallebuia (Dark Valley).
• The vineyards at Vallebuia (Dark Valley).
• Vallebuia from the vineyards.
• Nancy and Christine on our New Year's walk.
• We cross our first stream.
• John and the dogs on New Year's Day walk.
• Our second attempt at crossing a stream.
• Marc and John in front of the house.
• Florence and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge.
• Jewelry Stores in Florence.
• Jewelry Stores in Florence.
• Marc and Stephanie on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence.
• Nancy and Lou on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence.
• Streets of Florence.
• Nancy finds something she likes, Lou laughs.
• If the coin drops in you will return to Florence.
• Markets on the streets of Florence.
• Italian gelato everywhere.
• Florence, the Duomo.
• Leather on the streets of Florence.
• Second floor, Public Market, Florence
• John finds a bakery and a cannoli.
• Vineyard kitchen, preparing New Year's Dinner.
• New Year's Day Dinner.
• Marc, Stephanie, Chris and John with the dogs.
• Christine and Nancy try on hats at a Siena Market.
• Il Campo, Siena
• Joan, the female Pope, in the Duomo, Siena.
• Coffee outdoors in Il Campo, Siena.
• Nancy and Lou at coffee, Il Campo, Siena.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• Have your picture taken here in Florence.
• San Gimignano after a snowfall.
• John joins the old men at the market.
• Siena Market on Wednesday, flowers in January.
• Hell, as painted by Bartolo di Fredi. Note some of the horrors.
• Hell, as painted by Bartolo di Fredi. Note some of the horrors.
• San Gimignano after a snowfall.
• Montauto after a snowfall.
• San Gimignano after a snowfall.
• San Gimignano after a snowfall.
• Cortona, Tuscany, without the phoney fountain erected for the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.
• Cortona, Tuscany, with the phoney fountain erected for the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.

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