161. Vino e piacere - wine is pleasure 2 - Impruneta

And so on to Impruneta as our weekend wine festival double header continues. Although we actually come on the Friday evening to get started and with over 600 wines on offer, you can see the dilema! So we spread ourselves over two days. As well as red wine, there's also white wine, spumante, dessert wine and grappa and of course cheeses, salami olive oil, biscuits and cakes. All for a 10 euro or £6 entry fee.

The setting is wonderful, amongst the cloisters of the Basilica of Santa Maria in the main square. We start off with the dry Spumantes of northern Italy and move onto the cool crisp white wines. There are some very expensive wines here to taste, the most expensive being the 249 euro 'Il Caberlot' from Podere il Carnasciale. There are a dozen or so Brunellos and a dozen Barolos and Barbarescos to try before finishing off with the very sweet dessert wines. I have to try a few grappas. I haven't really taken a shine to these very strong digestive spirits as they are usually tasteless, a bit like vodka, however my mind is changed by a 10 year old golden grappa riserva from Udine in the Veneto which is quite sublime and I buy a bottle!

Battle of the Bands

On the Sunday we pop into Florence and there is a marching band competition in Piazza Signoria. It is a somewhat 'noisy' experience as different bands try to outdo each other... we have our ears blasted for a truly bizarre evening.

160. Vino al Vino 2 - Panzano -in-Chianti

After the fiasco in Greve we move up the hill to Panzano for our second editition of this year's wine festival and this is how it's done...

A memorable visit here last year is followed by an even beter second year. We come on the Saturday afternoon after work in the morning and enjoy a lovely drive through our beloved Chianti arriving in Panzano by about three o'clock. The tiny square is already packed and the booths are stacked with wine. There is also a four piece jazz band playing and adding to the heady atmosphere.

There are some fabulous wines on offer and we manage to prize some hidden 'specials' from under the counters. The sublime 110 euro D'Alceo from Castello dei Rampolla, Villa Caffaggio's San Martino and Annette's favourite Cortaccio and the wonderful  100 euro Tzingana. We buy some pecorino cheese and prosciutto ham and salami from a local bar to accompany these great wines and have a very enjoyable afternoon... We love Panzano!

In the evening we are at work colleague Jane's for a party and I drink no red wine!

159. Casonzoli - Sassetta, with Saverio and Pina

Saturday

This weekend one of our good friends, Saverio and his wife, Pina have invited us to their lovely farm in the picturesque Sassetta on the Tuscan coast. Annette hasn't seen Saverio for five months as he has had a double attack of cancer and some major surgery. He's lost twenty kilos and nearly died, but fortuntely now is making a good recovery.

An early start on the Saturday morning means we have several hours to relax on the beach before joining our hosts. We decide on Riva degli Etruschi, which turns out to be our last visit of the summer. As ever it's a sunny morning, but the sea a bit cooler. We enjoy our morning and packed lunch and then head up the hill to Sasetta to meet Saverio. It's great to see him in such good spirits after his operation, he looks a lot thinner and treats us to a pre-dinner prosecco at his local bar. He escorts us to his farmhouse to a waiting Pina. She has been busy preparing a banquet for this evening with her sister and brother-in-law. the farm looks great, Saverio has cleared some ground ready to plant some new olive trees and he shows us some other fruit trees and picks us some figs and pears. the chickens are running all over the place and we fire up his new outdoor oven, which he has had built along with a large outside seating area and is the size of a small house! 
We catch up on all the latest gossip before beginning our feast...

The menu goes something like this...

Home made schiacciata (which Annette has helped to make)

Cucumber relish and pecorino cheese

ham and cream canelloni

Baked Cinghiale and roast potatoes

Chestnuts soaked in rum

freshly picked pears and more pecorino

All washed down with our Vernaccia di San Gimignano white and Nipozzano red wines

A wonderful 'Al Fresco' evening with great company and food.

Sunday

Am and we drive to nearby Castagneto Carducci for a cappuccino and pastry breakfast in an outside bar. I indulge in a little wine tasting and purchase a couple of bottles of the local red  Bolgheri wine. On our drive back to Sasetta we bump into Giovanni, a local steel worker we met at Saverio's May 1st party last year. He treats us to a prosecco and a little pre-lunch gossip. Pina has returned to the farm with her sisters and is cooking up a banquet lunch to compete with last nights feast.

Menu no. 2

Antipasto- Prawn cocktail and anchovies

Primo - Farfalle with Scorfano fish

Secondo - Mormore fish and potatoes

Dessert - pears, fresh figs, chocolate cake and Spumante.

It was Saverio's birthday last week so we raise our glasses in a toast...

Happy birthday Saverio!

Suvereto and Bolgheri

And so it's goodbye to Saverio and Pina. We promise to come back and help tyhem with the olive harvest... we drive on to a small town called Suvereto, which turns out to be a real gem of a place. There is a Sunday market on, so the walled town is packed. We meet a Scottish guy who lives here, called Alan. He is selling little wooden toys on one of the stalls. We stop at an outside bar and enjoy a glass of wine from local winery, 'La Tua Rita' and soak up the great atmosphere here. 

Next we drive onto the town of Bolgheri. Even though we've driven down the famous avenue of cypresses several times we've never actually been to the town at the top. Today we fix that and very pretty it is too! There are some little windy streets and several small squares with many enotecas selling the famous Bolgheri wine, the Giosue Carduuci museum and some pretty impressive views of the countryside. We have a pleasant time here before heading home after our wonderful weekend.

158. Greve wine fiasco - part 3

Well I swore last year would be my last, but Annette is working today and so rather than sit at home and twiddle my thumbs I decide to go anyway, surely it can't be as bad as last year, can it?

Oh yes it can! At all the other wine festivals in Tuscany you pay an entrance fee of between 5 and 10 euro and you can taste whatever you want... Everybody is serious, nobody gets drunk and goes home happy. Here in Greve you buy a card for 8 euro, ok, sounds fair. When I enquire, the assistant assures me that you get eight tastings, ok so that's 1 euro per taste, not too bad. When I ask whether that includes all the wines, she again assures me it does. When I go to start tasting the sommelier punches a hole in my card. The only problem is, at the 'riserva' tent, they insist on punching two! Thereby giving you a miserely 4 tastes and when I say tastes, I mean a mouthfull... That's 2 euro a sip... On the ticket there is an extra row of circles that nobody seems to know what to do with! When I return to the 'cassa' to ask her why they are punching two holes she looks at me like I've gone completely mad! A few other people have noticed this too, so I stay by the cassa and listen... they are telling people that they have 8 tastes, "or 4 if you have riservas" I add! So basically people are being tricked! Playing on the fact that most people are tourists and won't really notice...

Greve  -  Shame on you!!!

157. The Rificolona

Yet another Florence festival! This one goes back to the middle ages and has been revived in modern times. Apparently farmers from the Casentino and Pistoia would bring their wares to the city to sell and sleep under the cloisters in Piazza S.S. Annunziata, sing hymns to the virgin Mary and hold a market the following day. In derision of these country women and their shabby clothes, local Florentines made caricatures with candles under the skirts, christening the women 'fierculone' or 'firey big arses'!

Today a procession of people carrying various coloured paper lamps and lanterns makes its way from Piazza Santa Croce, through Piazza San Giovanni and finishing upm in piazza S.S. Annunziata. Complete with marching band and followed by small boys carrying pea shooters trying to extinguish all these lovely creations... it's a bizzare sight!

156. Windsurfing in Baratti

The weather is still scorching and another invitation from friends Alberto and Nadia for a day at the beach and dinner at their house in Campiglia is too good to pass up. A late start on the Sunday morning and we arrive on the beach at Baratti just before lunch.

All the usual gang are there and I'm treated (or rather pushed into) my first ever impromptu windsurfing lesson by Dario! It is far more difficult than it looks I can assure you, but I have great fun trying. The boards belong to the sailing school, so I can use it for free .

After a very relaxing day on the beach we drive up to Nadia and Alberto's house in the hills og Campiglia Marritima and enjoy another wonderful meal courtesy of chef Alberto. Stuffed courgette flowers, pasta with a nice tomato and carrot sauce, pecorino cheese and pears etc etc.

They have sky tv set up and after dinner we introduce them to the Naked chef, who much to Nadia's disappointment is fully clothed! He's cooking an Italian dish of course...

(Original journal entry 5/9/04)

155. MTV/Coca Cola Live

Book 7

'This century being a truly golden age, has brought back to light the liberal arts, which had almost been destroyed: grammar, poetry, rhetoric, painting, sculpture, singing to the orphic lyre - and all in Florence'

Marsilio Ficino

Well the holidays are over and it's back to work, but to erase the pain of the 'October blues' we have that little epilogue that is September! 

Our first week is fairly quiet workwise and so some opportunity for some last visits to the outdoor pool in Greve and some evenings in Impruneta for our big glass of Brunello. 

The week culminates with this free concert in the Cascine park. One of my favourite Italian bands, Le Vibrazione are performing, as is American soulstress, Kelis. We have a very enjoyable evening boogying away in the park with around 30,00 local Florentine youth!

(Original journal entry 4/9/04)

154. Osteria San Guido

We saved this restaurant for a special occasion and tonight is that night!

Fresh from our holiday to Elba we have an evening to kill and as it's on the way back, decide theat the opportunity is too good to pass up! We've driven past the restaurant many times, nestled at the entrance of the famous avenue of cypress trees that lead to the small town of Bolgheri. This elegant osteria belongs to the owners of the wine estate that make the world famous 'Sassicaia' wine, Mario Incisa della Rochetta and his estate, San Guido.

We book a table and then go away to change into some decent clothes and as we have some time, pop into the town to have a peak... We return in time to see a wonderful sunset over the vineyards.

The outside seating is very atmospheric and I cheekily ask for a taste of the estate's second cru wine, Guidalberto and the waitresss willingly complies!

We then gorge ourselves on a great mixed antipasti, mushroom and rabbit tagliatelle, aubergine crispy pancakes, main courses of pork and peppers, guinea fowl and some wicked chocolate cake all washed down with a bottle of the estate's 'La Difese' red wine. A super meal at a very reasonable price and a beautiful setting... A nice way to end my journal no. 6!

153. Isola d'Elba

Well we try to book a holiday to Greek island of Kephalonia, but it didn't work out and so here we are on the beautiful island of Elba for our 'official' holiday.

This little gem is practically unknown to English tourism, but is a favourite weekend retreat for Tuscans and former French emperors! (Napoleon being its most famous former resident.)

The only question is, can an island roughly the same size as the Isle of Wight have enough to keep us busy for a week? Let's see...

Arrival - Rio nel Elba

With no hotel or ferry reservations, we drive from Florence to the port at Piombino and manage to get a ticket! We're straight on the 2.30 ferry heading for Portoferraio, the capital of Elba.

After locating the tourist office and phoning round several places, we have an apartment for the week! It turns out to be the gorgeous little hill-top village of Rio nell' Elba and we're in the main square...

It's only a half-hour drive away and in no time we pick up the key and settle in and go for dinner in our local bar/ restaurant, 'da Cipolla'.


La Biodola and Il Giardino

Day 2 and we force ourselves out of bed for cappuccino and pastry  at bar Cipolla, last night's band have cleared up and left and the bell tower didn't start ringing until 8 am!

We head straight to the island's best beach, La Biodola - it's jam-packed, but the sand is powder white and the sea a wonderful transparent turquoise!

After a relaxing afternoon we drive back home for a shower and head out to Porto Azzuro and settle on a restaurant just out of town... It's called 'Il Giardino' and after an hour's wait we have a table! I think maybe we need to book next time...

The wait turns out to be worthwhile... We order a 12 dish antipasti, which is just incredible!


L'Inamorata and Il Chiasso

Or roughly translated as 'in love and noise'!

Day 3 and an earlier start - we head off to the pretty 'lovers' beach, which is a lot smaller and less crowded than Biodola - with beautiful, emerald green sea... We stay until 7 pm, drive back home, shower, change and then decide to check out nearby town, Capoliveri. It turns out to be the most popular town on the island, perched high on a hill and buzzing with activity. This is what we came to Italy for! We find a cozy restaurant just off the main square, 'il chiasso'. The food is superb! We munch away on some wicked pasta dishes,  meaty main courses, all washed down by a very nice Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine from Panizzi.

After, we wander the elegant streets and I buy myself a cool Armani watch. There is a live band playing in the main square and we enjoy some dancing... La dolce vita indeed!


Zuccale and 'il Cantinetta'

Day 4 and we have a lunch date in the picturesque harbour of Porto Azzuro. We've had our eyes on this restaurant and we enjoy a long lazy lunch here before driving onto what turns out to be Annette's favourite beach at Zuccale. Small, quiet and peaceful.

In the evening we finally manage to eat at home and catch up on some Olympic action...

Cavoli, St. Ilario and 'la Cava'.

Day 5 and we journey to the centre of the island, first stop is the gorgeous sandy beach at Cavoli - some big waves make for some amateur surfing, after which we drive up to the pretty little village of St. Ilario and have a pleasant stroll and happen upon an interesting looking restaurant with a spectacular panoramic view. We enjoy a wicked lobster pasta dish and a lovely bottle of chardonnay from Castello di Ama as we watch the sun set and moon rise... lovely!


Morcone and Tony Coleman

Day 6 and yet another warm, sunny day. We  spend a lazy morning breakfasting in our local bar in the pretty square of Rio nell'Elba and check out some of the old parts of the town.

Our search for the beach of Remaiolo proves fruitless (it turns out to be private and only reachable by boat or shuttle bus from a nearby hotel) so we settle for Morcone - renamed by me 'jelly fish cove' and I have the sting to prove it!

We pop home for dinner and then back out to Capoliveri for our concert date at the 'Sugar Reef' with funky, blues drummer, Tony Coleman - ex band member for James Brown, B.B. King etc. A 1 am start and a very funky evening ensues... at 4.30 am we stagger out, find the car and eventually our way home...


Poggio, Marciana, Paolina and Procchio!

So how many places can we fit in to one day? The answer apparently is five! 

A late start for our drive to the west of the island and we arrive in Marciana Marina for a nice relaxing lunch on the water front. We then drive up to the quaint little village of Poggio and then on to neighbouring Marciana Alta where we have this ridiculous idea to go up a very large mountain in a very small chair! Going up is definitely more scary than coming down, but we are rewarded with some spectacular views of the whole island...

After successfully coming back down what turns out to be the 1,100 foot Monte Capanne, we recover on a tiny beach where Napoleon's sister, Paolina used to bathe. Afterwards we drive back up to Poggio and find a cool bar with a magnificent view to have a very civilized aperitivo. On the way home we spot a 'sagra gastronomica' at Procchio and decide to investigate... It turns out to be a huge fish banquet and some traditional dancing... too good to pass up! And we enjoy a very pleasant evening.

Departure 

It's our final day on the island. We pack up our bags, pay up and check out and have six hours before the ferry leaves from Portoferraio...

A breakfast stop at one of the island's most well-known wine estates, Sapereta, where I indulge in a little wine tasting and come away with a bottle of the island's famous dessert wine 'Aleatico'. 

We try to find the beach at Capo Bianco, but fail! So settle for a small, shingly cove at Seccione, where we soak up the last few rays of sun... We head back to Portoferraio and have time for a last 'cafe shakerato' before embarking at 5.30pm. The crossing back to Piombino is calm, as we watch the beautiful island of Elba disappear... 

Will we return?

 Hopefully...

(Original journal entry 29/8/04)

152. Sun, Salsa and Seagulls... Uk summer

Well what a surprise we arrive in England to 2 weeks of glorious sunshine! The last week of July and first in August are both gorgeous... 25°C and no rain! (When can we move back?) We're working at Swandean EFL school in Worthing, I'm teaching in the mornings and doing the social programme in the afternoons.

However true to form, the second and third week of August see a complete change as the temperature is back down to the late teens and it rains practically every day!

The seagulls provide the soundtrack to the summer, their endless warbling driving us to near suicide!

This summer we manage to hit the Salsa dance floor twice, now we're really getting somewhere...

On our first weekend we manage to see the Rainbow theatre's performance of Shakespeare's 'A Comedy of Errors' at Highdown gardens, we take Annette's mum, Mavis and it doesn't rain!

London

On the first and second Saturdays I get to go up to London for free! In fact I'm being paid to take some goups of students up on an excusion, so I get to do the touristy bit.

On the first Saturday during our free time I spend some time in the National Gallery... it's only my second ever visit, I came here in 1996 and remember seeing the Leonardo da Vinci cartoon, Michelangelo's paintings and Van Gogh's Sunflowers. I revisit these pieces with several students , but lose them somewhere in the 1900's... while I'm enjoying Seurat's Bathers and Monet's Water lillies! There are some Italians checking out Piero della Francesco's Risen Christ and San Sebastian, who is still being pierced with all those arrows!

I sit back and lose myself in the blue, grey mist and cloud of some Turner masterpieces... oh, is it time to go already?

Cambridge

Always one of the highlights of our trips back to England to see Annette's brother Phil and his lovely six-year old daughter Leonie...

Annette trains up to Cambridge on the Saturday morning (while I'm trudging round sunny London) and spends the afternoon at Phil's local country club pampering herself! I meet up with them in the evening for dinner at 'the Back street Bistro' restaurant.

Phil is off to California in a few days, so after a pain au chocolat/raisin/apricot feast for breakfast, we head out for a wander round Cambridge... it's a beautiful, hot, sunny day and everyone's lazing in the parks, on the river Cam and generally enjoying themselves...

We walk through Phil's college and oldest in Cambridge, Peterhouse, past Christchurch and cool our feet off in the river! If only every day of summer in England was like this...

Family musings...

It's only been eight months since we've seen most of our family, others we haven't seen for two and five years! Here are some highlights...

We stay with Annette's mum and dad, Charlie and Mavis, we have dinner at my mum's and see my two sisters, Rita and Cassandra and also have lunch out with her and at her house. I go for a drink with my dad and with Annette to his house.

I have lunch in Worthing with my sister, Rita, Michael and Holly and Annette and I go for a curry round their house. We see Annette's sister, Ruth and Joe on several occassions and Rory and Bernice at Salsa and for drinks. I pop in to see my brother Alan and family, but don't get to see my other brother, Carl, who's in Somerset.

We take my grandmother out for a 'Tex-Mex meal in Worthing , see Annette's auntie, Alison and family before their move to Hong Hong and the rest of my family... auntie Tina, Frank, David and families at my auntie Lisa's house and Annette's neice, Felicity and son, Stanley!!! Phew!


Oxford

My third Saturday and Annette is joining me on a special school trip to Oxford. A nearly three-hour coach ride there and back meaning time in this most ancient and famous of English cities is of the essence! Unbelievably it's the first time here for both of us, so we're quite looking forward to it...

First stop is punting on the river and with 40 foreign teenagers this is no mean feat! The river Ouse is a bit out of the historic centre and not quite as pretty as Cambridge...

After lunch we go on 'the Oxford story' tour - a tour of the 'actual' city would have been better! However we have a pleasant enough day, there is some beautiful architecture here, my personal favourite being the Palladian inspired 'Radcliffe Camera', which is a real gem! The surrounding countryside is very beautiful too

The Parsonage

Now here was a pleasant surprise... We decide to take Annette's mum and dad out for a meal to say thank you for having us. We choose the Parsonage an Tarring high street for its traditional, quality and reputation and it doesn't disappoint! A beautiful 500 year old, so 'actual' Tudor, house that was converted from a museum into a restaurant in 1987 - when I was growing up in nearby Thomas-A-Beckett and would cycle past on many occasions...

We have a very enjoyable evening and the food is excellent! 

And that was that... four weeks in the UK. Some sun (and some flooding!) some Salsa, two trips to London, two days in Cambridge, Oxford, lots of family, a bit of work, getting paid to drink beer! Bacon and eggs, grape nuts, hot java lava (it's the only coffee I can now drink in England) crumpets and England beating the West Indies at cricket... for a change! 

Rule Britannia!

(Original journal entry 18/8/04)

151. Parco di Rimigliano

Our last week in Italy before leaving for a 4 week stint working in the UK is madness! Split between lazing by the outdoor pool in Greve and rushing about buying last minute presents and clothes shopping in the sales. We have time to pop open Annette's award wining Brunello wine – La Poderina's 1997 Poggio Banale! Which is rather spectacular...

On our last full day, a wednesday, we head to the coast for our last day at the beach, for a while anyway! Today's choice is the beach at Rimigliano, which is set amongst beautiful pine woods between San Vicenzo and Baratti.

We make the most of the sun, sand and sea and even have time to pop into San Vincenzo for a slap up fish supper.

Last work day tomorrow and then we're off to Blighty!

150. Badia a Passignano 'Anniversary edition'

This year we've decided to have our anniversary meal a week early, as on 24th we will be in the UK.

The lure of Badia a Passignano is just too much! We came here last April with Phil and Leonie and were mesmerised...

We make the half hour drive to this beautiful area of Chianti, it's a balmy evening and we have a very romantic outside table. While checking out the mouthwatering menu we share a glass of Krug champagne to get the juices going!

Complimentary hors d'ouevres of some homemade breads and 3 different olive oils set the mood for our first courses.

I have fusilli with guinea fowl in a nutmeg and parmesan sauce, while Annette goes for the red mullet with 3 different sauces. Of course we have a bottle of the local red wine! A 2001 Chianti Classico Badia a Passignano riserva.

For main course, Annette has stuffed pigeon with asparagus wrapped in pancetta. I have a veal fillet rolled in spices with a vegetable caponata. Both dishes are sublime.

On to dessert and Annette cannot resist the 'cioccolato al cioccolato' a dish of 3 different chocolate desserts. Last year I spotted an amazing looking cheese trolley and vowed to try it if we ever returned... I choose about 10 different cheeses and as a real treat order a glass of their premier cru wine, Solaia (which usually sells for around 100euro a bottle) it goes down a treat!

With the coffee they bring out a selection of chocolates, including little choc-ices and cherries dipped in chocolate! Mmm

Without doubt it's the best meal we've ever had!

Happy 5th Anniversary!

Protected fortress,

Passignano's wealth reveales,

Overflowing feast...

(Lee's Haiku - 17/7/04)

149. Alicia Keys at the Lucca Summer Festival

Last year we came here for two concerts and saw Alanis Morrisette and Craig David. This year we choose just one, American queen of R&B, Alicia Keys. There is only so much time...

We drive up in the early evening in time for our customary pizza stop, the town is buzzing and it's a balmy evening. Ms Keys is looking stunning behind her grand piano and treats us to a very steamy evening of her many hits, at one point even playing the piano while laying on it!

We cool down with some ice creams and disappear into the still warm Tuscan evening...

148. Porto Venere, Liguria

Summer is now in full flow, poppies have given way to fields of tall, bright yellow sunflowers and we have decided to take a dip into the Liguria region of Italy. Liguria actually borders Tuscany to the north, so is one of our neighbours! We came to this region two years ago on a day trip to Cinque Terre and I would like to visit Portofino one day, but today we settle on the less well known Portovenere.

The drive is surprisingly short and in no time we are walking along the very picturesque harbour, sipping on cocktails and settling down on a pebbly beach. The weather is gorgeous and we spend the afternoon swimming and diving off the rocks. We enjoy an ice cream and decide to stay in the evening for a slap-up fresh fish dinner.

Our first taste of Portovenere is a success, it's a very pretty, quaint and unspoilt harbour town of pastel coloured houses set amongst a rugged coastline somewhat reminiscent of Amalfi.

Aphrodite sleeps,

on still Ligurian shores,

awakens passion.

(Lee's Haiku)

147. Jazz in Prato

Another summer festival, this time in neighbouring Prato at the modern Pecci art museum. There is an outdoor amphitheatre.

We are checking out Ravi Coltrane, son of the famous saxophonist and one of my heroes, John Coltrane.

It's a balmy evening and the man is on form and performs an impressive concert with his quartet of musicians...

Here's the link to the concert details

http://www.jazzitalia.net/viscomunicato.asp?ID=2702

146. Sailing at Baratti and dinner in Campiglia Marritima

After my May 2nd trip to Baratti, where my good friend Alberto only took his 'one-man' boat out, this time he's got the 4 1/2 metre two-man boat rigged up and I'm ready for my first sailing lesson...

Again we've been invited to the lovely beach at Baratti and dinner afterwards in the gorgeous Campiglia Marritima. This time we finally make it...

We have a wonderful time, meeting three other couples from various towns in Tuscany, sunbathing, chatting and of course my maiden voyage in the very beautiful gulf of Baratti. We see some big jellyfish, 'shark island'(apparently someone was eaten by a shark many years ago!) fortunately for me there isn't much wind, so the sailing is slow!

After a long, hot day on the beach we drive up to Campiglia and enjoy a wonderful meal together... cooked by capitain Alberto of course!

145. Return to Cala Violina

Can you believe that it's only a year ago that we discovered this little corner of paradise. Definitely Tuscany's best kept secret. Even most Florentines have never heard of it! Only the most outgoing locals will admit to its existence in oft hushed tones...

It was only last August that we were being chased off the beach by a wasp invasion. This time we have a perfect 35°C day, not a cloud in the sky and no breeze.

After our long drive from Florence and stop for picnic, we find a car parking space and make the half hour trek through dense Mediterranean scrub. We fall onto the powdery white sand and chill out for the afternoon, total relaxation in paradise...

Afterwards we drive back to San Vincenzo and enjoty a 'Caciucco' fish supper and browse round the late night shops,which open from 9.30pm to midnight! Oh I do like Italian summers and the only question is when can we come back?

(Original journal entry 25/6/04)

144. San Giovanni and Ferrari 275

San Giovanni

Unfortunately this year I'm working on Florence's patron saints day, San Giovanni. Most of my work this year has been with Wall Street and in Prato today it's not a holiday...

I even have to rush back to catch the fireworks at 10.00pm. Annette has saved me a spot on the walls of the river Arno, just passed the Uffizi gallery. We enjoy this year's edition and afterwards stop for some Sangria at our 'local' Spanish restaurant.

Ferrari 275

The Ferrari 275 owners club is celebrating it's 40th Anniversary and has decided to stop for the evening in the Grand hotel in Piazza Ognisanti. They park their cars up in the square, for the general public to oggle... there are about 60 classic beauties to admire from all over the world and with price tags from £300,000 - £2 million it's quite an expensive car park!

(Original journal entry 24/6/04)

143. Mozart in Boboli Gardens

Every summer as part of the Classical music season, there are some free concerts, operas and ballets around the city. This evening the local 'orchestra della Toscana' are performing three pieces by Mozart.

The concert starts at 9.30pm and it's first come first served! I arrive nice and early to save some seats. By 8.30 when Annette arrives all the seatys are filled up!

The concert is in front of the Buontalenti Grotto and is a very beautiful setting. We have brought some salad and white wine and settle down to enjoy the evening...

Two of the pieces feature flute and bassoon solos and the evening goes smoothly.

(Original journal entry 21/6/04)

142. Monte Morello

The weather in June has kind of settled to a pleasant, if not spectacular 25°C. Days are a mixture of sun and cloud, slighty frustrating for trips to the beach or pool. There are however plenty of other things to do.

This afternoon we decide on a lazy drive up to Monte Morello, which at 2,600 feet (that's nearly as high as Mt. Snowdon in Wales!) is Florence's highest spot. Needless to say the views are pretty amazing. We can see most of the city and surrounding hills from up here, including the dome!

We walk up to a grassy spot and settle on our trusty rug for some reading and relaxation.

Far too difficult to cook this evening we drive up to the Forte Belvedere to the south of Florence and find a cozy enoteca cxalled 'Fuori Porta', we indulge in some glases of wine and cold cuts...  a good find

(Original journal entry 20/6/04)