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



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!
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