Italy:
A treat for
the senses

In June 2001, while on assignment for Classic Journeys, I traveled for five days with a group on a walking tour through Tuscany. I loved everything about Tuscany. The hills are shaped like those in the Ozarks, where I make my home, but they are covered with grapevines and olive groves and cypress trees surrounding ancient villas. Everything seems kind of muted and dreamy and rich and vibrant at the same time. The air is some fruity, aromatic mixture of earth and herbs and sun. Every meal is an event to remember and is given all the time it deserves, both in the preparation and the savoring. The wines were the best I have ever tasted; I had no idea how good a really fine Chianti could be. The people we met were robust and healthy and brimming with love of life. It is a place I could stay a long while.