[caption id="attachment_7729" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea!"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150062.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7729" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150062-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

One year ago from Day 354, I took off the training wheels and <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/09/15/day-1-look-mom-im-a-big-girl-blogger-now/" target="_blank">started a big girl blog</a> </strong>on my birthday.  Stuck in a funk, I dreamed up an idea of Living Curiously each day for 365 days.  On September 15th, 2010, I never imagined that I would be celebrating my 42nd birthday by cycling through the hills of Tuscany with my cousins.  This Late Bloomer had never been to Europe, although I had always hoped for "someday".  Living Curiously magically transformed "someday" into "now".

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(If you're wondering why September 15th, 2011 was not Day 365, good catch!  You can find out why <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/" target="_blank">here</a></strong>.)

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On Day 354, our group met on the veranda of the Hotel Elisabetta at 8 a.m. for a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

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Correction:  The group met for breakfast each day at 8 a.m. while Michelle swept in circa 8:11 wondering how <em>on earth</em> this early start-time fit into vacation parameters.  My breakfast of choice each morning was a thick slice of hearty, whole-grain artisan bread slathered with protein-rich ricotta and a drizzle of honey.  And a cappuccino, of course.  The first of many throughout the day.

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Fabio 1 and Fabio 2 -- always "on", organized, and funny -- showed up at 8:30 for a debrief of the day's itinerary.  All of the other 16 tour members had their directions handy and ready to mark up for the journey ahead.

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Baby M opted to continue to sip her cappuccino and munch on her newfound favorite breakfast because why <em>on earth</em> would I a) tax my brain with directions while I'M ON VACATION and b) mess with directions when I had Fabio 1 as my personal tour guide???  (If you have no idea what I'm referring to, please read <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/02/day-353-its-just-like-getting-back-on-a-bike-riiiggghhhht/" target="_blank">Day 353</a></strong>.)

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[caption id="attachment_7726" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Following directions is a drag. Personal coaching is much preferred."]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150060.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7726" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150060-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

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We set off to enjoy a 15 mile morning ride where we caught our first glimpse of the sea!  I'm an ocean baby at heart, and I couldn't have hand-picked a more satisfying birthday surprise.

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Walking our bikes along the shore, my cousin nearly threw his neck out whilst craning his head to watch a woman relax into her birthday suit.  She was probably around 70.  But she was naked as a jaybird.  American men are so predictable!

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Here's what caught my eye:

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150065.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7736" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150065-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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There are numerous reasons why I love Italia.  Their dog-friendly culture is one of them.  If I lived there, I would take Bella down to the dog beach every chance I could.  Even the dogs are living La Dolce Vita!

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At the end of the morning, after a pretty significant uphill (which I properly trained for with those hill-crazed spin instructors), we were rewarded with a view of yet another quaint medieval village, Casale Marritimo.  (The original settlement dates back to the Etruscans of the 5th century BC!)

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150089.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7737" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150089-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150078.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7738" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150078-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>

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Following our brief excursion into the village, we all gathered for a luscious picnic prepared by Fabio 2.  The picnic included some sort of Italian cake loaded with candles for birthday wishes, but since I was in the midst of this surprise, I didn't take a photo.  Ladies, hopefully Fabio 1 feeding The Birthday Girl pineapple juice will suffice.

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150088.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7739" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150088-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150066.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7740" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150066-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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With full bellies and a few sips of a REALLY POTENT Italian wine that I can't recall the name of, we headed into the pine forest for a cool and breezy 18 mile afternoon ride.  Our only stops were for water and G.O.D.

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[caption id="attachment_7741" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Water Break"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150064.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7741" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150064-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

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G.O.D. = Gelato of the Day.

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I tried the Fig and Ricotta along with the Vanilla Milk one that I can't remember the name of in Italian.

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As if all this weren't enough to make my birthday the Best EVER, how about . . .

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Half-naked Italian men unloading grapes back at Agrihotel Elisabetta (American women are so predictable!),

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150093.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7742" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150093-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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a taste test between homemade limoncello and "industrial" limoncello (homemade wins!),

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150099.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7743" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150099-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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a Fabio 1 tutorial on the wonders of grappa (I tasted it just as he instructed, and it didn't kill me!),

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150100.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7744" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150100-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>

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and a 2nd birthday cake and candle surprise!

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150098.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7745" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/P9150098-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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Surely when you are given the rare opportunity to make birthday wishes twice on one birthday day, it means that they'll really come true.  Right?

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oh, yeah.  and i forgot to tell you about the octopus.

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future post:  the chill dogs of tuscany

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