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



272. Mercantia

On Saturday we recover from our late night in Lucca. We spend the afternoon, sizzling by the pool in Greve and go for a pizza in Impruneta at 'Cavallacci'.


Sunday and we have a relaxing day at home and in the evening check out this festival in Certaldo. It's our third visit here, but this evening is something special.


 Mercantia is part street theatre, part craft market, with lots of different bands and performers playing in every small square, on street corners and even while walking down the narrow medieval streets.


We pick up some ethnic presents to take back to England and enjoy wandering the ancient streets in this pretty hill-top town. Definitely one to remember!
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