Black Rooster Country - day 1

 The Classic Journey's portion of our trip begins.

We meet the guides, Anita and Johnny, and driver Antonio in the lobby of our Florence hotel, along with 13 other travelers.  Off we go.  First stop, Greve.  For lunch. 

The black rooster on the side of the building means we are in Chianti Classico territory!

Giovanni Verrazzano - the guy the bridge is named after

Fellow travelers

Back on the bus and off to our first walk.  A couple miles.  Up and down.  Wide lanes and narrow paths.  Smooth and rocky.  "Anita, you didn't tell us it would be like this!  What's with all the uphill?!?  ...and rocky ground?!?"  Poor Anita...

Our first walk.  Where is started.

...how it went

...almost there.  Forests and vineyards.

Black rooster...wine barrels...I believe we have arrived at a winery!

"Anita, what's with the black chicken?"  "Chicken?!? It's a rooster!  I'll explain later..."

Winery tour

Wine!

Here, we learned what Chianti Classico was and we had our first tastes!

Back on the bus and off to our first hotel. It was an old farm whose buildings have been converting into a lodging.  The buildings, room and food were all first rate!  ...and the grounds weren't too shabby, either. Here's a taste.

Agri-tourism has saved Tuscany.  Many old farms that would be insolvent, have bolstered their income and gotten tax breaks by hosting tourists.  We get to see how these farms work.  The farms get too keep on farming.  Everyone wins.

Day one is in the books.  Black Chicke...uh, Rooster and all.