Day 17: San Gimignano

On to Radda in Chianti, a gorgeous stop about 15 minutes up the road from Gaiole in Chianti. It's a walled city, but tiny so we walked it in about 30 minutes. Maxie bought a snazzy hat (and more slugterra cards) and we stopped for a coffee and some croissants. On to Certaldo, a pretty ugly and more modern town that also had an old town centre on the hill that proved a great find. The car said it was 43 degrees on the drive there and it felt every bit of it as we climbed from the car park to the entrance of the town. It was preparing for an art street festival tonight and there were interesting little artworks on walls and street stalls setting up everywhere. The place was buzzing and the locals didn't seemed too bothered by the heat.  A group of spunky young men had gathered in a square under a tree and were playing cards.  I think Tony was wishing he was young again and minus us, so he could stay and join in.  We dined at pretty much the only place we could find and I have to say to was fabulous, the best food we've had in Italy so far and the cheapest. Sandra had gnocchi with gorgonzola, walnuts and raddichio . I had a porcini salad and chicken done with artichokes, olives, mushrooms and peppers. It was really lovely. On to San Gimignano in the blazing heat. We checked into a lovely B&B complete with comfortable beds and air conditioning. Finally! The kids and I went for a swim while Rick caught up on some work. I quickly figured out the place was full of couples looking for a romantic getaway in Tuscany.  Not so romantic with three kids doing bombs in the pool. Off to the Garbins Agriturismo for the much anticipated degustation meal booked months ago. I even frocked up for the occasion. There is a cooking school attached to the B&B and I had thought about trying it out to learn some traditional cooking. Thank god I didn't, the food was dreadful. No Nonna in sight. We were entertained by a dottery old couple that looked more suspiciously English (think Faulty Towers) than Italian. We had to eat outside on the terrace (in the heat, great), with the mosquito's and were tormented by their big (albeit friendly) dog sniffing around us under the table for food.  They tried to bedazzle us with meat from the furno, which tasted more like a "smokehouse" and was just plain awful. No salad, no vegies and more of those leftover roast potatoes yet again.  Dessert was the highlight - a bowl of "Bulla" icecream with a chocolate waifer cigar (straight from the packet) on top.  Someone get me out of here.  It cost us three times as lunch and no one was happy.   I was convinced someone was secretly filming the experience and would jump out of the bushes yelling "you're on candid camera", but no such luck.  It was a complete rort and I think I should be teaching the cooking school.