Feb 24, 2008
Pienza and Montepulciano
Yesterday we went to Montepulciano (known for its wine) and Pienza (known for its cheese).
It was a fun trip, although fairly tiring. Pienza was quite pretty, it’s interesting because it’s almost like a time capsule. When Pope Pious II became pope, he decided to revitalize his home town (Pienza) in the modern Renaissance vision. The town center was built with a large church and town hall. Several other buildings were built as well, but when Pious died, his vision died with him. The town now rests in its half completed state.
Known for its cheeses, walking down the streets of Pienza you can see about a dozen shops with stacks of cheese wheels. The town is most famous for Pecorino, sheep cheese. I bought a small wheel (about 1lb) along with some Cinghiale (chang-GAL-ee) sausage… wild boar. I sat on a bench near the main square taking bites out of my wheel of cheese and sausage; I got some weird looks.
We arrived in Montepulciano during siesta, so not many shops were open. I ate a nice lunch of Mediterranean chicken and walked around the town. I didn’t buy any wine there, but I did go to a wine tasting. The shop where we stopped was having a special event. The new vintage (2005) had just been introduced. It was not available to buy, but they allowed us to try them for free. It was a fun experience, but I wish there had been a little bit more life in the town.
As for the blog and the future, I’m hoping to post my first future lesson today. I think I’m going to focus on consumer electronics, virtual reality, and basic world stats.
Perpetually yours,
Jason
