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



61. Bagno di Petrioli



Six days left of our holiday and back to a very cold but dry Italy. New Year's Eve and a quick stock up of Prosecco and home made biscuits which we take up to the top of our hill, overlooking a distant Florence to watch the fireworks. We enjoy a very colourful 45 min show to bring in the new year of 2003.









There is time for a few trips walking in the nearby countryside and into the city for a few bargains in the Sales. Today however we are driving to the south of Tuscany to the hot springs of Petriolo. After last year's trip to Bagno Vignoni, we have discovered that there are more hot springs and are coming further south to Bagno di Petriolo in Monticiano. No doubt there are several hotels in the area, charging exhorbitant rates for copious treatments, but we are here only for the day. Last time we just dipped our feet in, but today we've brought our swimming costumes in case we can bathe...We follow the smell of sulphur and arrive in good time. Even though it's nice and sunny today it's also very cold, the problem being we have to take our clothes off! Fortunately the water is very hot, 43 degrees hot to be precise. So we strip quickly and plunge into the steaming waters... Very relaxing and good for our skin and respitory system we're told.

After our 'smelly' swim we head back and stop of in Siena for a nice cappuccino with a shot of brandy! Just the job!


As a special New Year's treat to all my blog followers here is a link to my 'private' You tube account with ALL my picture video diaries

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhum

Enjoy!

(Original journal entry 5/1/03)
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