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



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)
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