Cara Mia, Oh My!!!: A three hour two...part due

When things don't go right, eat gelato!!

When Dan and I went to France in 2011, we took a tour of the Camargue, a natural area just west and south of Arles. Our tour got delayed when we had a flat tire just a short time into the tour, which resulted in a delay of almost two hours, leaving Dan and I sitting on the side of a road with a bunch of other people in France.
Fast forward two years to beautiful Tuscany, the rolling country side, the beautiful little town of Panzano glistening in the sun. Three travelers sitting on the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck because the tire blew on our rental car. Blew? There was one big freaking hole in the side, about the size of a 3 x 5 index card.
It was hard to describe the problem in Italian. When the tow truck driver arrived, he said one word we understood: "Kapoot!"
Kapoot, as in,"I don't have a tire to replace this in my garage and by the time I order one and get it in stock you will all have gotten old and lost your hair." At least that is what it sounded like, said at warp speed.
So he hauled our VW away. We are not sure where. Hell, we are not even sure he was legit!!
Anyway, Emily and I are making a run into Florence tomorrow to pick up a new car.

this is my biking twin!!

Which is not as simple as it sounds. John and Kathy have to go to Florence tomorrow to catch their train to Rome. Carl and Ruth want to go to Florence and see David and some other well known works of art. A car holds five....so Julia has to drive me in her car to the train station in Figline so I can ride the train into Florence with Emily, Carl, Ruth, John and Kathy. Then Emily and I will drive back out to Panzano where I will imbibe in a rather large glass (or two) of wine.
Up until that time, it was a perfect day.
John, Kathy, Ruth, Carl and I went to Castellina in Chianti, basically for lunch. This town sits on top of a hill, hence it's a hill town. Small, not real touristy, not a lot of shops, not a lot of people. We strolled the street, had lunch in a restaurant that was in a tunnel that stretched underneath the town, and I happened upon a gelato stand...where the young girl seduced me into a cone of mango, fallonegelli, (which was like a cookies and cream, only with cake....and I am not sure of the spelling or the name, to be honest) and tiramisu with a hint of pistachio.
Then we got the call from Emily and waited two hours for the tow truck.
To top off Kathy and John's last night in Tuscany, we went to where it all started: a little restaurant off a tiny square called la Cantinetta Sassolini. We went there the first night. The owner greeted us like old friends and we sat out doors in the garden, ate delicious food, laughed, drank some wine, and talked.
This is a place run by a family. They use olive oil made by a local person. They make some of the wine they serve. They buy bread from a local woman. Local dining with local people and local food. They invited us back.
The moon looks pretty full, the night is warmish, some people are sitting outside on the terrace drinking a late glass of vino, John and Kathy are packing.... a quiet ending to a noisy day.