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



96. Festa della Cacciatore - Sassetta


Another invitation from Annette's student, (assistant to the Tuscan minister for education and ex mayor of Sasetta) Saverio. This time it's to the annual hunter's festival in Sasetta down on the Tuscan coast. The festival is on Saturday and Sunday and he has invited us to stay in his farmhouse.

A nice leisurely midday start and we arrive at around 3pm. I disappear into Castagnetto Carducci for an initiation into the delights of Bolgheri wines and lose all track of time!



The festival is a 10-minute walk into town and it looks like everybody has turned up. The idea of the festival is to raise money for the local hunting society, but I suspect it's also a good excuse for the whole town to have a knees up! We take our place amongst the locals on long wooden benches and tuck into the fruits of their labour... wild boar, pheasant and venison! washed down with free-flowing red wine of course.



Afterwards there is traditional dancing until the wee small hours, with many showing their skills on the dance floor. It's a wonderful evening with everyone, young and old, enjoying themselves . No trouble, drunkenness or stupidity... a million miles from England. We stagger home some time after 1am in total darkness, no street lights here! and collapse into bed.



The following morning at breakfast Saverio and his wife Pina have invited us to stay for lunch, an offer we cannot refuse. So at 1 o'clock they arrive at the farm laden with several dishes which turns out to be a 5-course meal! All fish and all incredible... we sit outside in the bright sun, being shown the ultimate hospitality, I think we've found our adoptive parents!





At around 4 we bid our fond farewells and head to the beach. The park of Rimigliano just north of San Vincenzo is the chosen destination and we enjoy a couple of hours cooling down in the Tyrrhenian sea. Before our drive home we pop into San Vicenzo to check out Italy's pemier restaurant, the Gamberro Rosso and also stop off at San Guido, home of the famous'Sassicaia' wine...

(Original journal entry 10/9/03)
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