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There was only one restaurant in town (and only 1 taxi!!) so I had my carbonara and chianti for dinner. The guy at the hotel gave my a ride to the train station so I wouldn't have to walk it again! yey! 

So I took the train to Lucca - they have self-serve ticket machines that make it really easy. I just look at the departures for when the next train is to where I'm going - before I  leave so I know what time I need to be back. 

I called Maria - the lady I stayed with in Siena to see if she had any places she recommended in Lucca - She gave me La Gemma de Elena - a B&B that only had a single room for Sunday night - so I booked it! I got off the train in Lucca and stopped at the hotel that is right beside the train station - good for just dropping your bags off and going but not so cute. He helped me figure out where the B&B was since 
I really couldn't understand Maria very well when she was giving me the name and address! I walked and walked, dragging my bags, wondering if I should have just stayed at the other hotel. I am sooooooo glad I kept going until I found it - It is so cute!! and worth the walk. I even got some great photos along the way!  

I have to go now.........I'm on my way to meet Massimo!

Ciao!

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I found this spot in Lucca - knew it would be great for a photo! So I waited and looked for a couple walking by............and found Thersa and her boyfriend!

Just to let you know - I asked permission to photograph all the people I have images of. I also got their address information so I can send them photos.

Anyway.........I made it to Livorno but Massimo says to keep coming south. So I buy a ticket to San Vincenzo and watch the small villages by the water go by.

He is waiting for me as I came up the stairs.......with binoculars!
For his bird watching of the Civetta.
I thought it was pretty funny!

We put all my stuff in his car...he always travels with his bike too. We walked around to get something for me to eat since I'm ALWAYS hungry. It was a cute little town with lots of people in the streets. He says it's a popular place for holidays. Then we just headed north and enjoyed his company and the beautiful view.....he took the back roads like S62 up the coast and up thru the mountains. It was nice to just sit back and let an Italian drive on curvy Italian roads. I think I learned a few tricks for when I get my rental car!

We got up the next morning and drove up over the mountains. So beautiful - I will have to look at the map and see exactly where we went - I should have written down the roads and villages we went thru but I was just enjoying the ride. Massimo ended up dropping me off the the train station in Fidenza which is a small town above Bologna. We had a great time and I hope we can meet up again before I leave.

Okay.............I've covered a lot of ground in the last couple of days...........let's see if I can  tell you about it. So far I've been to Rome, Siena, Certaldo, Pescia, Lucca, San Vincenzo, and Bologna...and back to Siena!! Tomorrow Edwardo  (a friend who is a painter from Spanish Village) and I are renting a car and driving to Assisi. I'm going to take the back roads like how Massimo drove me.......it's much nicer than the autostrada.

I have to show you this photo.............Italians have the most stylish shoes!!

Okay, gotta go again.........just did laundry.
I will upload this and go get the car!!  Here we go!!

I took the smaller roads to Assisi I think Edwardo was a little worried that we were lost but I told him my rule.........expect to be lost at least an hour a day!! It was a beautiful drive - 
we saw this along the way.

We stopped at Cortona - I had been here before and knew Edwardo would like it. It was time for the "lost hour" part when we got to Assisi and searched for the hotel.....it is a campground also. I bet it is a busy place in the summer!!

The next morning I went to Assisi - after my croissant and hot chocolate.
I think I had two!!

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A hilltown in Umbria - they are so beautiful!

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I stayed in Perugia the 13th in the big old place - Hotel Iris.
The color and texture of it was great! 

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I walked around town and found an old theatre with a performance happening that night - so I bought a ticket! Again - lots of people hanging out in the main square.
I wanted to see the inside but I had no idea what I was going to see - it ended up being a Portuguese music performance with singing and guitars. It was really good - my seat was in the second row!! Then I met Claudia and Max who where sitting beside me - we looked at the brochure and noticed the main singer was 89 years old! We went back to Claudia's flat to eat and drink wine! They were so nice!! Claudia is coming to California in August so I hope to meet up with her again!! Max lives in Florence so maybe I will stop there later in my travels.

I  photographed Cristofer & Shelley's wedding six years ago!!
They were vacationing in Italy so we did a little photo session in Assisi!!  Ela is a cutie!! It was great to see them again. Family photos in Italy! Yey!

You can check out my kids and family portraits in San Diego at

www.rippeekids.com

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Edwardo painted the main piazza in Assisi.
He stayed there while I drove all over Umbria and Tuscany.
I think I might have to buy this one.

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Then I got in the car again and headed to Gubbio. This is a cute town too. The afternoon I got there they were having a small flee market - they have a big market on Tuesdays. I walked around town and found a great hotel with a great view!!

This is it - nice, huh?? Of course I heard church bells all night but it was worth it!!

It's funny how different times of the day determine how a village looks......the night I arrived the main road was really crowded with people just hanging out. The next day it was empty. It all depends on the day.

My favorite car!! In a good spot! The Cinquecento!! Flavio was even nice enough to drive me around town in it!!! It made my day! The car is for sale and if I had an extra $4500 I would buy it! It is a 1966 and was his fathers.

Here are two more Italian guys hanging out in the square!!

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 I stayed at the La Chiocciola Trattoria in Pienza.
They have a few charming rooms also - this is one of them.
 Dinner was bruschetta, pork chops, and a really great glass of red wine!
It is a family run place - I totally recommend it!

www.trattorialachiocciola.it

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I also found a couple more willing subjects!! These two were actually posing for me! Their Mom said she hadn't seen that before - they were cute!!

Trying to beat the sunset, I literally hike (almost run) for about 40 minutes. I left my car with no jacket and open toed shoes - not very smart but I was in a race to catch "the light".
I think about turning around a couple of times, talking to myself, saying "what am I doing out here?" but I keep going because I know everything will work out.

When I finally get there.....it seemed to take forever.......I see a young couple sitting by this little building. I ask if they speak English - they did!! So I asked them for a ride back to my car - no problem - Yey!! They are visiting from Bend, Oregon.

I ask them if they want me to take their photo.......they said no and go inside while I get to take photos of this incredible church. A few minutes later they come back out and say........"you can take our photo now.........we just got engaged!"
I congratulate them and told them that I was a photographer and did weddings.......let's take pictures!!

It's amazing how things happen.
They get great images of their engagement and I get to take them! Perfect!

I can't wait to photograph weddings in Italy!
Please check out my wedding images if you know anyone getting married in San Diego or in an amazing destination like Tuscany.

www.rippeephotoweddings.com

I told them they should come back here and get married and I should photograph it!
Congratulations Sacha & Thad!!

They give me a ride to my car........I drive away in search of a hotel. I didn't really want to drive at night because I'm afraid I'll miss something! So I stop at another restaurant that has rooms - easier to find in small towns.
I was too late for dinner so I had my banana and croissant from earlier!

I come upon this great little town called Frosini......I swear 10 people live there.
For me it was a favorite stopping point. I was taking photos of this chair and the little sign. Some Italian guys come out and look at me funny (I get that a lot!)
One guy speaks to me in Italian - I really need to work on my Italian - but I get the point across that I wanted to take his photo - he agrees - then we go into the bar so he can show me some signs and photos. I buy him a glass of wine - salute!
I show the owner the photos and he just laughs.
I get the name of the place so I can send them the photos! The image of the courtyard and the little church in in this small village too. Another great day in Italy.

This is one of my favorite images.
 Simple but I like it and the story that goes with it!!

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As I am trying to figure out the best way to enter Siena from I find this - okay, so it was a little out of the way! That IS Siena - from far away.

I'm on my way back to Siena so I can do laundry and get online. I swear I drove in circles trying to find the car rental place!! Come to find out there is a football game going on and all the parking lots are full and traffic is crazy. And I thought it was just me!  I end up right where I entered the city from.......and got a hotel with parking lot for the car. Then I took a taxi to the self-serve laundry place! The internet place is right down the street.

I  found out I drove 975 kilometers in my little car. I should have kept going for another 25 so I could say I drove 1000 kilometers!

I guess if I added the kilometers I drove with Massimo it would be way over 1000 - easy. I really liked driving around - stopping where ever I wanted for photos.

I got off the train in Florence and went in search of a hotel close to the station. I'm kind of tired of lugging my bags around! I like having my laptop with me but it's just more to carry - and I spend lots of time downloading and editing. I'm glad I'm still shooting film too - it was so much easier to just shoot all the film and get it processed when I get home!!

I called one of my new friends I met in Perugia, he lives Florence - Max - we went to this great little restaurant where everyone sits together. We sat with a couple from Australia - Dave`& Catherine - they were lots of fun. They had some great champagne so we went drank it sitting on a bridge with the Ponte Veccio bridge in the background. 

The restaurant was "Ristorante da il Latini" - it gets really crowded and they don't rush you for dinner. You won't leave until 10pm if you go in at 7pm!

www.illatini.com

The Duomo in Milan is incredible - I did some of my details shots inside to show you.

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Massimo was working on a job at the castle in Milan - they had some great sculptures and furniture for the show.
Of course I'm always looking for great locations for people images.
Here is another great kissing spot!!

This is the link to my information page for ArtWalk in San Diego.

http://artwalksandiego.org/artists/artistSD.php?prev=resultsPage&artistID=156

It was a really great trip : )
Saw lots of great little towns and country sides. Met new friends. I know Massimo and I will share many more experiences - maybe even Sicily next year!
Got to do portraits of true Italians and do my fine art work.
What could be better than that??

Until next time...............

Ciao!!