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



139. 'Secret' San Gimignano

Some lesson cancellations and all of a sudden we have a free day... yippee!

In desperate need of some mugs, there is only one shop on the agenda and it's in the gorgeous medeival town of San Gimignano.



We're usually here with guests so it's a nice chance to spend a day at our favourite town just wandering at our own pace. We park up and find a new small square, San Agostino, where we enjoy a simple lunch in an outdoor osteria. It's a beautiful, hot, sunny June day, we find our two green mugs fressh off the wheel, in the small pottery shop, Balducci - perfect!



Some browsing in the small art galleries and quaint shops, customary ice creams (Champelmo/Vernaccia white wine/Choco-ginger flavours of course!) follow.




We find a great looking terrace restaurant and agree it would be good for another time and a wonderful garden complete with harpsicord player and the most incredible views of the surrounding countryside...

More days like this please!

(Original journal entry 10/6/04)

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