Those of you who follow my blog know that I write only when traveling; or better still, I write only when something noteworthy happens. In fact, it has been so long since either one of those things happened, that I have forgotten altogether that I had ever even had a blog. It was not until much after our first adventures that I remembered that I should be writing this down. Now, on the sixth day of Italian adventures with Tracey and Jen, I am remembering to blog. Going back and recounting our fund will be hard, because it had so much: what will be difficult is remembering everything funny we have seen and done. So is that having been said, please forgive any omissions. So, on the first day, or D0, as I was calling it in anticipation of Tracey and Jen's arrival, I went to Pisa airport to retrieve my faithful companions. They were on the Delta direct flight from JFK to Pisa. They had already encountered glitches along the way: weather delays out of Reagan national and JFK, which put to their arrival almost an hour behind schedule. As I waited for them to emerge from my screen, I got to see all the people with whom they shared their journey. One woman was so noteworthy that she has earned mention in this entry (noteworthy because I never in my life seen such a thing happening.) A well-dressed thirty-something New York City – woman ran out from baggage claim with only her expensive LV handbag. She greeted a woman I assume to be her mother, then she ran outside holding a cigarette and lighter in one hand. When she returned a moment later, reading of cigarette smoke, she cannot remember and announced that she had left her suitcase inside and thought she could go back in and get it. When she heard she could not return to secure baggage claim area, she simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "I hope Andrea knows to get my back with hers." I assumed Andrea was traveling companion or sister. I bet Andrea is used to this sort of thing. I also bet this woman eventually got her bag. Things always seem to get taken care of by the long-suffering "Andreas" of her world. Shortly after all of this, Tracey and Jen emerged, bags in hand, and we went back to the house to drop luggage and formulate a plan of attack for the day. By the time we got out of Pisa and home it was closed today and the sun was blazing. We decided to clean up and hopped back in the car (a little Lancia Ypsilon) and make our way towards Volterra (http://www.volterratur.it/en/). Volterra is a quaint, walled city, famous for its Roman theater, Etruscan roots and museum, and being the home to a maximum-security prison. We were right alongside the Roman theater and headed into the wall fortress. Interestingly enough, this summer, Volterra is hosting an ancient theater series. They are presenting a number of plays from antiquity as well as a few modern pieces. A great series and a great venue. My only complaint is the addition of large-scale modern art pieces scattered behind the scena. This tendency to correct it distract from the architecture in situ is becoming more common. It is truly disappointing. After a whip around town (which is also hosting an installation by the "excellent" Signore Bartalini which seems to present live film action recreations of Rosso Fiorentino’s Deposition from the Cross, projected at sites around Volterra (http://www.volterratur.it/en/eventi/tribute-to-rosso-fiorentino/) ) we finally sat down to lunch: a simple nosh of prosciutto, melon, crostini, and panzanella. Not bad but not amazing. Simply adequate. The space is charming enough but better was to come. On the way back home, we made a stop at the grocery store in Pontecelli and got "provisional provisions." I always enjoy a grocery store experience and love it when my guests are similarly disposed. We went up and down every single aisle and inspected all of the packaging of all the produce and product. We came home and feasted on a dinner of cinta senese sausage (http://cintasenese.blogspot.it ), tomatoes, onions, and schiacciata. Everyone slept a hard, fast sleep.