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



140. Party time in June

It's the end of our annual courses at school, the heat has been turned up a notch and all the outside concerts and festivals are beginning to start... it's party time!

Wednesday
evening and a trip to Prato for a pizza courtesy of one of my employers, Wall st. and boss, Luigi

Saturday
evening and my teenage class have booked a table in Florence for another pizza.

Sunday
evening and I'm at work colleague and friend, Peter's house for a meal and a heartbreaking 2-1 loss for England at the Euro's against Portugal.



Thursday
evening and we've been invited to a barbecue at Scottish friend, Caroline's house in the hills of Montelupo. It's their end of term party and we enjoy the food, company and views.

Saturday
and the party moves to work colleague, Alison's house in the fashionable, Borgo Pinti in Florence. An evening of music, food, drink and friends goes on till the wee hours and we finally stagger home some time after 3 am!



The Heat is on!

This evening we are in Piazza S.S. Annunziata to watch Italy vs Bulgaria on the big screen, even though Italy win, Denmark and Sweeden play out a calculated draw and Italy are out of the Euros... our local team, Fiorentina eing demoted to serie C and B for match fixing have been promoted back to serie A, so some good news!

Forza Viola!


(Original journal entry 20/6/04)


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