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



214. Riva degli Etruschi and San Vincenzo

And so August gives way to September and for us here in Tuscany the hot weather doesn't let up. After cleaning and shopping and a couple of visits to the outdoor pool in Greve-in-Chianti our first week back at work is over and it's the weekend.


We head out to the Tyrannean to one of our favourite spots, the Riva degli Etruschi, just outside of San Vincenzo and settle on the white, powdery sand for an afternoon of relaxation.






After a shower and change of clothes, take a stroll in the buzzy town of San Vincenzo, which makes us feel like we're still on holiday and go for a seafood pizza in 'The number one Pizzeria'.


The summer sales are still on and as the shops are open here from 10pm to midnight, we bafg some clothing bargains. Hurrah! We're back in Italy!
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