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



31. Rufina


Sunday lunchtime and we're happily on our way into Florence, only today is the first in a series of 'Ecological Sundays'. An effort by the council to lower the pollution in Florence, by keeping all the cars out! Fine by us! So we can either turn around and go back home, or go somewhere else? It's a gorgeous, hot, sunny day and as we're on the Eastern edge of the City, we decide to go and explore Rufina.



Rufina is an area at the foot of the Apennine mountains, green, wooded and hilly and where the Chianti Rufina wine comes from.







We drive through the low lying towns and up through some stunning countryside. We end up in a small village called Acone. Narrow, windy roads cling to the hillside as we rise to about 500 metres. By now we're starving, so we go for a walk and happen on this restaurant. Fortunately they're still serving food and so we enjoy a nice big, hearty Sunday lunch.



Time for a siesta and we spot a gorgeous looking olive grove, rules are in Italy that if it's not fenced off, then the public have right of access! So we spend a few hours on the  rug, relaxing among wild irises and poppies, enjoying the sun and spectacular views... La Dolce Vita!

(Original journal entry 12/5/02)
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