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



227. Chocoblocoflop!

I was reading a newspaper article reviewing several chocolate festivals - one of which was the Perugia 'Eurchocolate' festival from 15-23 October and remembered that we missed last year's event by one week!


So this year the pilgrimage had to be made... We had planned to go last Sunday, but due to illness couldn't and choose the last day of the festival. Will there be any chocolate left?





We leave at 10.00 am and are taking our good friends, Gemma and Tiziano. A brief brunch stop off at the pretty Lake Trasimeno and we enjoy some glorious sun and views across the lake.


We arrive outside Perugia at around 1.30pm and decide on the park and ride option of getting into the city. Our first journey from the car park is a bus ride to Ellera station, followed by a train ride to Perugia station and then another bus ride to the city centre!


It seems as if the world and his wife have come to Perugia today and we spend the next few hours walking around like sardines in a can! It is totally overwhelming. We split up from gemma and Tiziano and fight our way through the crowds. There aren't many 'freebies' and people are scrabbling for a few tiny handouts. We eventually manage to see a 'lindt' show and a 'choc and wine' seminar, where they give us the most measely bit of chocolate you've ever seen in your life!!! We can't get away quick enough...


Exceptr the return bus, train, bus, car journey home is a complete nightmare... Never again!
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