Finally here

Its now just after 4am local time and my body decided it was time to wake up for a bit. Jet lag does weird things to a body. The trip was quite an experience. Flight from Seattle to Frankfurt (shuttle bus * 2); Frankfurt to Florence (shuttle bus); local bus to Florence train station (45 minutes of confusion while determining that the train station is not in the same building as the bus station); just over an hour by bus from Florence to Sienna; off at the wrong stop - I got off at the bus station (to catch another bus) and apparently needed to be at the train station; another local bus from Sienna bus station to Sienna train station; many hours for the late arriving train to Montepulciano. Called my hosts and found out that I should have taken the bus as I was at the wrong station because alas they are 10 miles apart. Tried to find a bus from the train station to the bus station - no luck. Found a couple who had just called a cab and asked to share a ride - 40 minutes later the cab arrived. 20 minutes later we arrived at the bus station and minutes later my beautiful hostess Sandra arrived - warm and friendly she gave me the low down on all the other volunteers and guests at the farm. Amazingly, a mother son pair from Seattle who are long time regular visitors to the farm and a sweet girl from Penticton (that's in the BC Okanagan).

I arrived just in time for dinner; a many hour affair with easily 12 cheeses that they are making on the farm - I am in heaven - each one was better than the last. At 8 am I will help Sandra with breakfast for the guests and continue with touring the property; cheese making will wait a day or two to begin.

I am awe of the true beauty of so much of what I have seen so far. I must go back to Sienna and explore - I see a day trip in my near future. And in Montepulciano I witnessed an older gentleman and two younger ones rolling a giant wine cask down the street - of course I have pictures, but they will have to wait as I left my cable to upload them at home and am awaiting it to be sent to me.

More updates soon - must go help with breakfast . . .