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



39. Al Fresco


Our last week in Tuscany, before the summer break has a somewhat familiar pattern to it... Swimming pool - Restaurant - Swimming pool - Restaurant!  All of course Al Fresco, or as they really say here, 'Al Aperto' (in the open air) Work has all but finished and the weather is still white hot! Today I must have had at least 10 cold showers!  Wednesday afternoon and I meet up with Annette for a dip in our local outdoor pool in Greve, (our 4th visit this week!) Too much effort to go home and cook! We decide to check out this restaurant in Montefioralle, the little hamlet above Greve.




http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/guerrino.htm

 They have an outdoor terrace with the most spectacular view and we share a huge Florentine steak and enjoy the balmy evening...

Saturday and Annette has her final exam for her Business English course and this afternoon she needs total relaxation.... so only one place to go then!




It really is too hot to do anything else and our outdoor pool gets another visit (we're thinking of taking up residence here!) and we're not even on holiday yet!  Saturday evening another new restaurant. This time we head to San Polo-in-Chianti, just down the road. There is an 'Osteria' (a traditional restaurant) La Paglietta, that's been recommended to us and the outside terace is bursting at the seems. At 9 o'clock we just manage to find a table. This evening we have a very tasty pizza, rather cheaper than our steak the other evening. The restaurant is buzzing with life and there is a great atmosphere, this could become our 'local'. Is this what Saturday evenings are made for?

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/San_Polo-143524/Restaurants-San_Polo-BR-1.html#0

(Original journal entry 24/6/02
Posted by at
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)