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



41. San Giovanni

Three days to go and still loads of packing to do before we return to Blighty for July and August. Although we're not taking too much as we've decided to drive the Nissan Sunny back, so as to bring some more of our belongings that we left behind last year..




Today is the last chance to say goodbye to everyone.We won't be seeing them for a couple of months, which seems like forever! It's also a very special day in Florence and will go with a bang... literally!

June 24 is the most important day of the year for Florentines, as it's the festival of  the birth of John the Baptist, their Patron Saint.







When we were here two years ago, we witnessed a very colourful parade in Piazza Signoria, complete with historic costumes, horses, bulls, all on their way to Piazza Santa Croce for 'Calcio Storico' an ancient predecessor to football. It is an Italian style competition, no rules, anything goes, the team with the most goals wins. It's actually more like one big punch up!






Today we stay in the city for the grand finalé, fireworks at 10.00pm. They are magnificent and a fitting way for us to bid Florence a fond farewell... for the time being anyway! and as we leave, our hearts are already aching for the 'Duomo'...









(Original journal entry 24/6/02)
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