the internet is expensive in heavan (certaldo)

so we have stumbled upon italy's best kept secret... certaldo. even though this place is in the italy lonely planet guide i'm not sure every reader comes through, and we picked up a flyer for the hostel from slovenia, of all places.

so only about 45min or an hour away from the big commercial tourist-magnet that is florence is little certaldo and the hostel of everyone's dreams. we left early from the mosquito-ridden backpacker hell of st piu X and planned to do one last day of sightseeing, but david was cancelled due to the extraordinary line at the firenze centrale trains station baggage storage. grabbed the next train to certaldo, which has been up there with one of the best decisions we have ever made. lucy was excited at the size of the supermarket and when i ventured in there today it was no wonder: a suprise in an otherwise small tuscan countryside town. along side this marvel of the modern world, is one of the best hostels in the world. the bassetto guest house is absolutely ridiculous; run by australians and stocked to the brim with communal food and a fully functioning kitchen (a nice suprise after spending time in kitchens with no utensils). the house and its lovely guests - mostly female i might add, and many australian - is planted on a hill overlokoing the vinyards of the tuscan countryside. it is all pretty special and we have decided to stay 4 nights here

only catch is that the internet is very expensive here so i must go...
more on monday when the library opens down in the town

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm not really anonymous, I'm Margaret! I just don't have time to register, and wanted to let you know that having read some of the travel diary - especially in Italy, and seen the pics. I'm more than a little pea green with envy. Certaldo sounds like Gubbio was for me, when I stumbled upon it and stayed in a lovely locanda which had great food, and a Swiss businessman (unbeknownst to me) paid for my dinner, because I accepted his invitation to share a table - we were the only diners that night. Keep having a wonderful adventure - love the braids; and don't go to Pompei without finding out if the ruins are open - I travelled all the way there, and as it was a Tuesday, they were closed!! lots of love, Margaret
2:13 am
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