Thursday Doors 7/10/21: Doors for lunch

Today’s post is an immersive experience. You will be fed doors for lunch in Tuscany on a glorious September day.

After yesterday’s new moon when our internet went on a 24-hour fast as well and I had to post via my phone, it’s so good to be back behind my big screen.

Our connection is at a quarter speed, but much better than nothing. If internet problems continue, I will be cut from my photo archives and forced to post only those photos that I can find in my email attachments, seeing that my phone takes photos too terrible to be posted.

It’s raining again, after a fully dry summer, and it was the thunderstorm that messed our connection (and bestia, but the older he gets, the more resigned he is). Today’s post is a memory of a lovely lunch from two weeks ago when it was still hot.

Uncle, bestia and I had just done a considerable walk along the Elsa river. It was more up and down than expected and we were tired and hungry. Our next stop was San Gimignano half an hour away, but it was already 2.30 pm and in Italy things stop and shops close for lunch, including most restaurants. I was not so eager to go to San Gimignano and fall into some tourist trap lunch. What do to?

As I was driving, I realised that there was a town around and I didn’t know what it was called. There are countless towns in Italy but I like to keep their names in check, especially of those that I have visited. And now I had no idea where I was. I kept seeing signs for centro storico, historic centre, but not of which town. Never mind, I said and turned that way. Centro storico means lunch.

The rest is history, as the photos will tell. We came, we ate, we conquered. The restaurant was open all day and everything was excellent, the view, the food, the service. I even discovered a new way of taking door photos: sniper style.

And finally, disclosure: The name of the town (and I had to check again since I forgot) is Colle di Val d’Elsa, and the name of the restaurant is Portanova Hosteria Enoteca. Welcome.

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  I saw this by the road and realised I had no idea where I was.

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  Historic centre of something, here we come.

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  Sensing another adult amusement park.

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  But uncle doesn’t know that I have already spotted where I wish to go next. Sharp left.

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  First up and inquire, and then down to tell uncle that they will feed us.

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  Not our table. I want to dine al fresco.

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  That’s more like it.

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  I make a quick circle around the terrace.

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  We will leave this town be after lunch so it’s catch-as-catch-can from up here.

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  The neighbouring tower is under construction. This is how history is made.

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  Appetizers.

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  I am already thinking how I’ll make a Thursday Doors post from this experience. The lamp has a door…

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  Here we go. Door sniper mode is on.

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  Doors and flowers.

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  A pharmacy. No green cross included. Crystal tells me in Oregon a green cross means something else.

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  My main course, the most surprising dish I’ve had in Italy: some sort of filled pasta, scallops, zucchini, with fried zucchini flowers on top.

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  We passed the wine cellar on the way out.

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  A glass door to downstairs.

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  The main restaurant door proclaims that no more than 54 persons can dine here at the same time. Hm…

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  Exit from the inside.

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  Opposite the restaurant, the St. Peter’s Conservatory.

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  A look back to where we were.

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  Across the street.

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  The view from our car. I must have seen this after I parked. It didn’t fully register, but suddenly I knew where I wished to go.

For Thursday Doors challenge hosted by Dan at No Facilities

This day in my blogging history

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  2015: Man-made and mad-woman-shot-and-picked.

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  2019: I don’t take windy frilly skirt selfies in poppy fields any more. Why?