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



246. Milan vs Fiorentina at the San Siro

My good pal, Milanese Davide has invited me up to one of the Meccas of world football, the Giuseppe Meazza stadium, better known as the San Siro, in his home town, Milan for the big Serie A game against our adopted city, Florence's Fiorentina. It was fifteen years ago when I last came to Milan and saw the mighty San Siro stadium from the outside, but this evening I get to go inside...



It'a a rather long four hour drive up to Milan from Florence, a quick underground and tram trip and we're at the enormous stadium nice and early to soak up the atmosphere. There are around 7,000 travelling Viola fans and they certainly make themselves heard in this 80,000 seater stadium. We have a great view  sitting near the halfway line, but unfortunately we are seated in the home section, so I may have to subdue any cheers should Fiorentina score...





We don't have to wait very long for a goal as Milan's Andrei Schevchenk scores after only seven minutes! Our 'bomber' Luca Toni manages an equaliser with a cracking goal and the score is 1-1 at half time. Unfortunately in the second half Fiorentina are completely outplayed. A headed goal from Brazilian, Kaka  and twenty yard volley from Gattuso finish the game off 3-1 to Milan and I'm yet to witness a 0-0 game.



A very happy drive back home for my friend Davide turns into a five-hour 'odyssey' as the motorway is closed at Reggio Emilia. The clocks go forward tonight as well, so we arrive home at 5am in the morning!!!
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