Greve & San Gimignano in the Chianti Region

Well. Our day had a rocky start. First off, I don't think I've conveyed the road condition here.....we are on the mountain with super curvy and skinny roads. The driving situation is crazy, let alone being in a hugh tour bus!! We were not in an accident but there was an accident at one of those scary curbs in the road and the tour bus had to back up a good way up the mountain. We eventually found a place to turn around and we were on our way. Secondly, thank goodness for anti-motion sickness medicine.

We stopped in Greve (pronounce gray-vay) for their open market in the middle of town. It was like a flea market with lots of food. I thoroughly enjoyed my panino con porchetta (pork sandwich) and a coke for lunch. Yes, I finally broke down after 10 days of only water and coffee. Oh Coke, how I've missed you.

This was my lunch. Yum!

 Fresh fruit everywhere!

We're in Chianti wine region. 

Vineyard take the place of olive groves....although there are still olive trees around.

Wild boar is the specialty meat of the region.

 Chianti wine is the only wine that is wrapped in these little grass basket thing. Cute :)

The meat! Notice more of the "moldy ham."

Wild boar salami is the specialty here!

At 12:30 p.m. we hopped back on the bus and headed out to San Gimignano. This was probably the most beautiful drive I've seen since being here even though the drive was stomach churning. We finally got into San Gimignano and it started raining. Boo.

My first stop in San Gimignano was the gelato shop. I had read up about this little town in my Rick Steves' Italy book. Even though it's a small town with not much to do or see other than the town itself (another well preserved middle age town thanks to the black plague), they have a gelatoria that won the gelato world cup! Whoa! Who knew there was a gelato world cup ?!?!Gelato was delicious. 

The piazza in middle of town.

 Hello friends!

 Notice the creepy metal man on the left.....he's all over the town. 

I have no idea what the significance of the metal man is.....

More Chianti wine and moldy ham....these ones are still hairy!

 The beautiful handmade pasta. So colorful!

It was raining pretty bad and my pork sandwich was not heavy enough, so I ducked into a little pizza place and had a slice of pizza and waited until the rain subsided. I didn't get to see too much but I was happy that I did get some pictures of the town.