So the village that was right by our hotel was called Tericciola. One day we decided to join the walking tour that took place each week for free. We met up with a group of Americans from our hotel and one Italian couple and it was a bit cloudy, but didn't really seem like it was going to rain, and even if it was Chris and I hadn't brought a single piece of rain gear or an umbrella. We waited patiently for Moira (the tour guide) while we took pictures of the view of the Tuscan hills from the parking lot. Moira was a bit late, but it is said that most Italians are not very prompt. Once she arrived she was greeted by many who knew her from other tours. We had met her on our private painting lesson. As she led us to our first stopping point we realized it was a bakery and Chris felt it was safer for him to stand outside due to his gluten allergy. I, unfortunately was bored by the history behind the bakery, so I zoned out and really don't remember much of what she said. At the next location we stood outside while she spoke of some dog statues that were outside of a building and a loud clap of thunder seemed to shake the ground. Moira looked up and spoke to the skies, "Please let us finish our tour" She said. We moved on to another outdoor location. This is one of the spots that I actually remember. She pointed at a white stone that was in a red brick wall. It was about 10 feet above my head and really stood out. She told us that there were gems like this all over Tuscany and that the people found these Etruscan Artifacts and started to use them in their buildings. Because Tuscan buildings are protected, the Artifacts can't be removed and remain there. As we stood there, it started to rain, but luckily our next location was inside. It was another bakery and a very kind couple from new york, let us borrow their extra umbrella, which we were very thankful for because after the bakery the rain really started to come down.
As the rain poured onto the streets, we made our way down slippery stone steps to a tomb. We all climbed into what seemed like a cave made out of sand. It was dark inside, but the light from the entrance kept me calm and Moira turned on her phone flashlight to show us different parts of the tomb. The most interesting thing that I remember about the tomb, is that they were at some point used for cellars for wine and food and things like that because the temperature remained constant inside. They were also used to bury loved ones long ago, but they only had 6 models for figures to show who's grave it was and they would just pick the figure that matched the best. After the tomb, I think we headed straight to the end of the tour because it was still pouring and even with an umbrella, we were still soaking wet. Our last stop was a little restaurant where we got to taste some wine and have some meats and bread. The owners got Chris and I gf crackers to eat which was very nice of them. We only got to try one wine and then we decided to walk back to the car instead of eat lunch there because we just wanted to get back to the condo and get changed and just make some lunch there. It was so nice to be back and in dry clothes and then we spent some time relaxing and being warm. It was wonderful!
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