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



208. Zubin Mehta in Piazza Signoria

What a difference a day makes! On Wednesday London was celebrating getting the 2012 Olympic Games  and yesterday, Thursday 7th July four terrorist bombs killed 50 people. So tonight's free classical concert in Piazza Signoria is dedicated to the families of those poor victims who lost their lives.



Our old neighbour, Hungarian conductor, Zubin Mehta is conducting the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and they are performing Beethoven's ninth symphony - complete with full choir. The Piazza is packed and the forecast rain holds off.



We endulge ourselves in an ice cream from 'Perche no' and check out a classical guitarist in Piaza Repubblica, before heading home.



(Original journal entry 8/7/05)
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