The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo



172. Allez Francais! Est Arrivé...

A surprise french evening - I spotted an ad for a cheese and wine tasting event and so after work we go and check it out... It's at the French institute in Piazza Ognisanti. There is a mélange of things going on... they are celebrating 50 years of the twinning of Florence and Reims, there are some great Beujolais Nouveaus and French cheese to taste and a photography exhibition.



We bump into our British Institute director, Vanessa Hall Smith... so this is how she spends her free time! There is a classical concert going on as well which we stay for and we also bump into another work colleague, receptionist, Leonardo.

Vive le France1
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