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



236. New Year's Eve in Piazza Signoria

Well I've never celebrated New Year's Eve outside before, so this year we brave the freezing weather and head for Florence's Piazza Signoria.

There is a classical concert being performed by Giuseppe Lanzetta and the orchestra of the 'Camera Fiorentina' in the beautiful Loggia dei Lanzi. The orchestra are wearing scarves and fingerless glove! And competing with huge bangs from fireworks all over the city.

The square is packed and at midnight everybody, us included, pops open the Prosecco and Spumante, bopping away to the can-can as we count down the new year...

We finally leave at around 1.30 am... after many encores for the poor orchestra!


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