Scratch La Foce?
In late February as Marianne and I started to decide on our extra tours in Florence, and then the third week, the driving week, I started really reading about some of the places we had decided on going in a ‘sane’ and focused’ manner. I knew if I were to screw-up the driving portion of the trip I would, number one, cause some major problems with treno schedules and albergo bookings, and two, Marianne would never let me live it down.
And so it happened one unusually sunny weekend in late February, that while reading in “Blue Guides: Tuscany”, I learned that La Foce, the garden estate of writer Iris, and her husband Antonio, Origo is only open on Wednesdays—in the afternoons to the public. I read it again several times just to make sure it was true. I couldn’t believe it. We wouldn’t be near that area of the Val d’Orcia on that day of the week; we would be in Lucca. I was dumbfounded that I had not discovered this important fact months ago. I didn’t panic, much, at first, and decided that the book was a good ten years old, and surely they would have surely extended the hours since then. Confidently I went to the La Foce website (lafoce.com) and read that, yes, indeed, they were only open from 3 to 7 PM on Wednesdays, but that they had included Saturdays, 9 to noon and 3 to 7 PM.
Oh, great, I thought! I have truly blown this portion trip. How could I have been so stupid as to have not read this information and planned accordingly months ago, before the treno tickets, the car rental, and the booking of hotels? I was beside myself with anger.
Marianne, in her calm, comforting way, just said “That’s just the way these things work out. You can’t do it all.”
I thought “oh hell, yes, you can!” and began to devise an alternative travel plan, that literally, threw everything I had done ‘high into the air’. Quite a ‘paradigm shift’!
I envisioned that we would have to leave Firenze on Saturday giugno 26, rent a car in Empoli, race down to Montalcino by 3 PM, check into the B & B, drive to La Foce for a 4 PM reservation, and then try to take in Chiusi after 6 PM. That even sounded stupid to me.
I panicked and emailed La Foce hoping they would let us in for a quick visit, since we were coming from so far away:
Buongiorno:
My wife and I have been planning the trip of a life time to Tuscany in June of 2010. We have worked very hard make sure we could visit the many amazing and beautiful sights of your area. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the gardens of La Foce. I tired to plan carefully and schedule correctly, planned a place to stay and rent a car so we can drive the countryside of Val D’Orcia and visit the gardens and estate. We can't tell you what pleasure this privilege means to us.
Unfortunately, I did not see your only hours of operation are only Wednesday afternoons. We are absolutely devastated. We are planning to be in Pienza, Montepulciano and Val D'Orcia on Tuesday afternoon, giugno 29th only. We are heart broken that we will come all that way from the west coast of the United States and not be able to see La Foce.
Mi dispiace. Per farvore. Is there any way that we could stop in for a short look around on that date? It would be such a shame to just drive by on our way to Chiusi. Please let us know if it is possible.
Molto Grazie, David and Marianne Jones
The response was quick and decisive:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jones,
I'm terribly sorry, but the Villa is now available for weekly rentals and the guests have the exclusive use of the gardens and the house, therefore we really can't open to gardens to anyone in any other day but Wednesdays. I really hope you'll be able to change your schedule a little bit.
Best regards, Benedetta Isidori
No go, Joe. I even emailed Fernando, in a vain attempt to maybe switch days of Assisi and Spoleto on Wednesday for Pienza and Montepulciano (Thursday):
Buongiorno Fernando and Rosetta:
I am sorry to keep bothering you. I have made a foolish mistake as I was planning places to see our third week in Italy. We wanted to visit La Foce to see the gardens and the estate. Unfortunately, I planned it for Tuesday, giugno 29th. Upon reading the information of the La Foce website, they are only open Wednesday afternoons.
Have you ever visited La Foce? Do you know if they make any allowances for 'dumb' Americans who have trouble reading? We would love to see it while we are there and it seems such shame to just drive by and not stop. If you have time let us know.
Grazie, David and Marianne Jones
…but I didn’t hear back from him, so I assumed I set American/ Italian relationships back at least 50 years. What a ‘stupido’ I was!
As I looked at the scenario, I came to the awful conclusion that, yes, you can’t do everything. The change would involve rescheduling everything. There was go guarantee that any of these places would have opens at the new dates. I was too much to do to re-book and reschedule. I, wisely concluded, that there would be no formal gardens in the countryside of Val D’Orcia. Sorry Iris and Antonio Origo, the cosmic ‘Travel-Nazi’ says ‘No “La Foce” for you--David!
Then, less than a week later, Fernando emails:
Dear David and Marianne,
sorry for delay ! We are at the moment in holiday in Australia .. a very
biiiig country!
Back to you: About La Foce, if it's: La Foce 61, Strada della Vittoria - 53042 Chianciano Terme we will try to visit it, perhaps we will exchange the tour of Wednesday with the one of Monday a.s.o.
Once we will be back home we will work through.. it's enough also to arrange it on your arrival, just let us remember.
Saluti, Fernando
I fired back:
Fernando:
You are a blessing. I don't want to push anything or mess up any of your planning.
Whatever works we will be content with. Thank you.
We are both just delighted to hear that you are visiting Australia. What fun! You will have to share your adventures in the land down under when we see you in June.
Grazie! David and Marianne Jones
Maybe there would be hope still. I would just have to patient and wait.
Apartment Woes
Buongiorno Cristina:
We do not want to jeopardize our renting the Calzaiuoli apartment that we have reserved and paid for giugno 19 to 26, 2010, but after consulting with several friends who have traveled to Italy, and especially Firenze, and a several people who run albergos and B & B's there, we have decided not to send you the copies of our passports by mail. They warn us that the right time to give documentation is upon arrival. We understand that by law you do need these documents; we have every intention of complying with the law fully and punctually on our arrival.
We are very concerned about these documents, and the personal information they contain, may not get to your offices without other eyes seeing them. Identity theft is a very real and growing problem in USA, as I am sure it is all around the world.
We just do not think it is wise to put our personal information out in such an unsecured manner. The copies have been made and we would like to hand them to you or your representative, along with the cleaning deposit and security fees, when we meet you in person Saturday, giugno 19, 2010.
We sincerely hope that you understand our dilemma and will tolerate our concerns. Let us know if this will be all right. We await you response.
Molto grazie,
David and Marianne Jones
Firenze! Calcio Storico/San Giovanni Festa
Not sure you can get ticket on line, check eventually with your hotel if the y can get for you prior to your arrival. Normally the match starts around 5.00 pm so the consider for the parade a couple of hours before. The fireworks will be at 10pm or 10.30pm.
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