The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia
257. Montaione
In our eternal search to buy a house we have been brought to the town of Montaione... It kind of sums up the futility with which we've been subjected to.
We meet up with an estate agent at Gambassi Terme, which is in itself in the middle of nowhere and follow them up over 1,000 feet to what resembles a horrible concrete bunker!
The house is an empty shell, with no kitchen or bathroom fittings! It takes us less than ten seconds to realise that this is not the kind of place we wish even to be buried in, let alone live... oh well the search continues!
256. A fishy evening
Our good friends Davide and Rossana have returned the favour and invited us to their home in Castello for dinner.
We arrive at 7.00 with some Gelateria dei Medici ice cream and a bottle of passito wine from Villa le Corti and we enjoy an aperitivo on their terrace overlooking the Villa Petraia.
Fish is on the menu this evening and lots of it! We start with bruschetta and an octopus salad. The wine is a crisp pinot grigio from Livio Felluga (one of my friend Stefano Chioccioli's wineries) next it's spaghetti alla vongole, with clams.
We continue with some wicked crayfish and branzino, sea bass.
For dessert of course we hav our ice cream and Rossana's millefoglie washed down with our muffata passito from Pomino - wow! You could say the evening went swimmingly...
We arrive at 7.00 with some Gelateria dei Medici ice cream and a bottle of passito wine from Villa le Corti and we enjoy an aperitivo on their terrace overlooking the Villa Petraia.
Fish is on the menu this evening and lots of it! We start with bruschetta and an octopus salad. The wine is a crisp pinot grigio from Livio Felluga (one of my friend Stefano Chioccioli's wineries) next it's spaghetti alla vongole, with clams.
We continue with some wicked crayfish and branzino, sea bass.
For dessert of course we hav our ice cream and Rossana's millefoglie washed down with our muffata passito from Pomino - wow! You could say the evening went swimmingly...
277. Punta Ala & Castiglione della Pescaia
After another hot night in the tent, we pack up and drive on to find a new beach between Follonica and Punta Ala and what a find! Half empty, white powdery sand and very clear water. We spend a wonderful afternoon on this beach with no name... so where to spend a cool evening?
You've guessed it, our new find at Castiglione della Pescaia. We park up and nab a shower before wandering along the beach to the very lively town. We settle down to a nice spaghetti allo scoglio and mingle with the beautiful people...
You've guessed it, our new find at Castiglione della Pescaia. We park up and nab a shower before wandering along the beach to the very lively town. We settle down to a nice spaghetti allo scoglio and mingle with the beautiful people...
276. Regatta at Baratti
This year we've been invited to the annual regatta at Baratti, where our good friend, Alberto is taking part, as reigning champion.
A nice early start and at 10.30 am we're sitting snuggled on the beach having greeted all the gang. the place is a hive of activity, with all the participants readying themselves. The 11.00 am start has come and gone and turns into 2.30 pm! But we we have time for a swim and lunch.
There are about 20 big boats and 10 small ones for children, so it makes for quite an impressive sight... The actual course is a long way out, so it's difficult to see who is leading, unfortunately Alberto has misjudged the wind and only finishes fourth, but of course it's the taking part that counts! We watch the prize giving and then head on to our camp site to put up our new tent. It's only a five minute drive away and takes us the grand total of two seconds to put/throw up. We have a really quick shower and dress, five minutes back and we're in the Baratti pine woodsfor the regatta party. A Chilean teenager DJ is playing old skool hip-hop, there are seafood starters, porchetta, lasagne and plenty of drink. Everybody is in party mode and we dance the night away...
Wednesday
And we stagger out of the tent and try to find, the secret beach of Buca delle Fate (fairy's hole) After a few attempts we find the correct route and reach the sea at a spectacular opening on a huge rock! We enjoy some sunbathing and swimming in the deadly waters we make the difficult upward walk back to the car park... a trip not for the faint hearted!
We spend a few hours on the 'safer' beach at Riva Degli Etruschi, before heading back to the campsite for a shower and change. Tonight's special destination is 'La Pergola' restaurant at Baratt. A place we visited a few years ago and had a wicked 'Caicciucco' fish soup. Tonight's offering doesn't disappoint. An all fish affair with 5th choice wine a nice Attems Toccai from Frecobaldi, a bit pricey, but hey what a setting!
A nice early start and at 10.30 am we're sitting snuggled on the beach having greeted all the gang. the place is a hive of activity, with all the participants readying themselves. The 11.00 am start has come and gone and turns into 2.30 pm! But we we have time for a swim and lunch.
There are about 20 big boats and 10 small ones for children, so it makes for quite an impressive sight... The actual course is a long way out, so it's difficult to see who is leading, unfortunately Alberto has misjudged the wind and only finishes fourth, but of course it's the taking part that counts! We watch the prize giving and then head on to our camp site to put up our new tent. It's only a five minute drive away and takes us the grand total of two seconds to put/throw up. We have a really quick shower and dress, five minutes back and we're in the Baratti pine woodsfor the regatta party. A Chilean teenager DJ is playing old skool hip-hop, there are seafood starters, porchetta, lasagne and plenty of drink. Everybody is in party mode and we dance the night away...
Wednesday
And we stagger out of the tent and try to find, the secret beach of Buca delle Fate (fairy's hole) After a few attempts we find the correct route and reach the sea at a spectacular opening on a huge rock! We enjoy some sunbathing and swimming in the deadly waters we make the difficult upward walk back to the car park... a trip not for the faint hearted!
We spend a few hours on the 'safer' beach at Riva Degli Etruschi, before heading back to the campsite for a shower and change. Tonight's special destination is 'La Pergola' restaurant at Baratt. A place we visited a few years ago and had a wicked 'Caicciucco' fish soup. Tonight's offering doesn't disappoint. An all fish affair with 5th choice wine a nice Attems Toccai from Frecobaldi, a bit pricey, but hey what a setting!
275. Home!
After a marathon journey home, via Genova and English airport security tighter than a Swiss person's arse! We're home!
The electrical storms are over and the sun's out. After sleeping all day we go out for a pizza up Fiesole at Le Lance and ice cream at 'Medici'.
Monday is action day, as we buy our Eurostar train tickets for Naples. We pick up our holiday documents and a new case. We also pop to Prato and buy a tent, sleeping bags and a blow up mattress for our new adventure into the world of camping...
The electrical storms are over and the sun's out. After sleeping all day we go out for a pizza up Fiesole at Le Lance and ice cream at 'Medici'.
Monday is action day, as we buy our Eurostar train tickets for Naples. We pick up our holiday documents and a new case. We also pop to Prato and buy a tent, sleeping bags and a blow up mattress for our new adventure into the world of camping...
274. Sunny England
Week 1
A trouble free flight from Pisa to Gatwick and my dad is waiting to pick us up. We arrive at the end of the biggest heatwave England has had in 350 years! A relaxing weekend, only broken up by a huge thunderstorm. Bernice pops round on Saturday. Sunday evening and I pop round to my grandma's to pick up my bicycle that I will be using for the next three weeks. Swandean's schedule has changed and I'm working 9.30-4.30 with Monday and Friday afternoons off! My brother Carl has had a major breakdown and is big news while we're there.
Monday - and I have lunch with Cassandra.
Tuesday evening and we have a drink at the hare and Hound with big Rory.
Wednesday is Chinese night with my grandma.
Friday and we have our first look at my big sister, Rita and Mat's new baby, William - born on Tuesday at 12.27 am and only 3 days old...
Cambridge - the 'Peterhouse' edition
We've managed to swing a 'Cambridge' visit with Annette's brother Prof. Phil. His house is a mess (single guys!) but he's fixed us up with Cambridge's oldest college, Peterhouse's most exlusive fellows room.
We train up and arrive at 12.00 and meet Phil and Leonie at the station. A quick coffee outside King's college and we're off to meet Phil's (not so new) girlfriend, Jane..
She seems really nice and down to earth (even with her Mercedes convertible!) and we have a hot date at where Phil calls the best restaurant outside London... The setting on the river Camb in Midsummer park is impressive. We have a table in the conservatory and begin our mammoth 3-hour lunch. Two bottles of pink champagne, courtesy of Gosset (at £100 a pop!) keep the conversation flowing... Pink grapefruit champagne mousses and an avocado and tiger prawn cocktail get the juices going! I opt for the foie gras cannelloni, followed by the lamb cous cous. Many scallops are consumed and after two more pre-desserts Annette and I have an incredible chocolate cake with warm chocolate sauce... mmm The bill clears £500 for the five of us! Top five ever? Maybe... but not quite topping 'il Pilone' in Alba earlier in the year...
We relax back in Jane's garden, before heading back to our 'suite' at Peterhouse. A brief repose and freshen up and Phil picks us up for an evening appointment with the 'Bard' - Midsummer night's dream in the grounds of Trinity College... and the forecast rain holds off. A late night wander for grub proves fruitless and we even bump into some drunken yobbos - yes, they're even here in
Cambridge...
After a well earned night's rest in our BIG bed and breakfast courtesy of Café Nero'. We meet up with Phil and Leonie for a spot of punting on the river Camb - no one falls in and even Annette has a go! We finish with a drink on the lawn, before bidding goodbye to Leonie, lunch is a ploughmans at 'Auntie's tea house' outside Great St Mary's church. We have a browse round the shops and relax by the river in gorgeous sun. Phil and Jane meet us back at Peterhouse and drop us at the station as our Cambridge jaunt is over... back to Worthing.
Week 2
Tuesday and we're with Lisa and Derek at Joanna and David's new house in Limbrick Lane (it turns out to be our old friends, Gary and Sam Woodhams old house)
Wednesday and we're at Ruth's for dinner and I meet Bernice's new boyfriend, Grahamee, although I don't get to speak to him much as Joe gets going...
Thursday and it's fish and chips at Felicity's in Findon. Although we buy the fish, the chips, the wine and the pudding!
London
After last year's 7/7 bombing chaos, we make it up to the capital. A quick train journey and we're strolling down the King's Road. By 11.00am. Some browsing and another flavourless English coffee outside an antique shop and we're ready for Portobello market. A quick hop on the tube at Sloane Square and off at Notting Hill Gate. We check out some cool shops and pick up some book bargains. The market is very long and lunch is beckoning. We find a cool restaurant and enjoy a nice meal on the outside terrace. We're soon back out and Annette is mesmerised by all the silverware in the market and comes away with a silver teapot!
In need of some serious rest, we chill out by the lake in Hyde park (with about 5,000 muslims!)
Our last stop is Covent garde. We listen to a cool opera singer and an even cooler dancer/trumpet player, from New Orleans and a crazy guy with a huge crowd who is juggling chain saws!!! We move on...
Some evening falafel refreshments and then we make our way back to Victoria and home to Worthing...
Sunday
A relaxing day dodging the clouds and an evening date at my mum's for some pasta and Buona Sera Mrs Campbell with Gina Lollobrigida.
Week 3
Monday
And a visit to see Alan's three girls, Olivia, Amelia and Scarlett, but Alan who is working nights at the moment stays in bed!
Wednesday
A nice drink with Bernice and Grahamee and I finally get to have a chat with him!
Thursday is games night. I cycle to Rita's and see little Will. Then I take a taxi with Mat to the Henty Arms in Ferring, where for tonight I am Mat's pool and darts partner. We lose 7-1 at pool and 7-1 at darts. We both suck at pool, but I throw some nice arrows, with a 130 and our only check out of the evening!
Friday
I drop the bike back at my grandma's and say an emotional farewell. Mavis drops me at Rita's for a last look at baby Will and I even get to feed him! Holly demonstrates her num chucks and I get to watch Little Britain. Last stop is at my auntie Fiorella's, where I get to see her new'den', this summer's hottest topic! A few glasses of cheap wine and run down of Fiorella's 6 holidays so far this year and taxi home.
Saturday
We're all packed up, Annette's sister Ruth pops round to say her goodbyes, as does Joe (separately) I even manage a smile from Elise, maybe she's happy to see us go?
A trouble free flight from Pisa to Gatwick and my dad is waiting to pick us up. We arrive at the end of the biggest heatwave England has had in 350 years! A relaxing weekend, only broken up by a huge thunderstorm. Bernice pops round on Saturday. Sunday evening and I pop round to my grandma's to pick up my bicycle that I will be using for the next three weeks. Swandean's schedule has changed and I'm working 9.30-4.30 with Monday and Friday afternoons off! My brother Carl has had a major breakdown and is big news while we're there.
Monday - and I have lunch with Cassandra.
Tuesday evening and we have a drink at the hare and Hound with big Rory.
Wednesday is Chinese night with my grandma.
Friday and we have our first look at my big sister, Rita and Mat's new baby, William - born on Tuesday at 12.27 am and only 3 days old...
Cambridge - the 'Peterhouse' edition
We've managed to swing a 'Cambridge' visit with Annette's brother Prof. Phil. His house is a mess (single guys!) but he's fixed us up with Cambridge's oldest college, Peterhouse's most exlusive fellows room.
We train up and arrive at 12.00 and meet Phil and Leonie at the station. A quick coffee outside King's college and we're off to meet Phil's (not so new) girlfriend, Jane..
She seems really nice and down to earth (even with her Mercedes convertible!) and we have a hot date at where Phil calls the best restaurant outside London... The setting on the river Camb in Midsummer park is impressive. We have a table in the conservatory and begin our mammoth 3-hour lunch. Two bottles of pink champagne, courtesy of Gosset (at £100 a pop!) keep the conversation flowing... Pink grapefruit champagne mousses and an avocado and tiger prawn cocktail get the juices going! I opt for the foie gras cannelloni, followed by the lamb cous cous. Many scallops are consumed and after two more pre-desserts Annette and I have an incredible chocolate cake with warm chocolate sauce... mmm The bill clears £500 for the five of us! Top five ever? Maybe... but not quite topping 'il Pilone' in Alba earlier in the year...
We relax back in Jane's garden, before heading back to our 'suite' at Peterhouse. A brief repose and freshen up and Phil picks us up for an evening appointment with the 'Bard' - Midsummer night's dream in the grounds of Trinity College... and the forecast rain holds off. A late night wander for grub proves fruitless and we even bump into some drunken yobbos - yes, they're even here in
Cambridge...
After a well earned night's rest in our BIG bed and breakfast courtesy of Café Nero'. We meet up with Phil and Leonie for a spot of punting on the river Camb - no one falls in and even Annette has a go! We finish with a drink on the lawn, before bidding goodbye to Leonie, lunch is a ploughmans at 'Auntie's tea house' outside Great St Mary's church. We have a browse round the shops and relax by the river in gorgeous sun. Phil and Jane meet us back at Peterhouse and drop us at the station as our Cambridge jaunt is over... back to Worthing.
Week 2
Tuesday and we're with Lisa and Derek at Joanna and David's new house in Limbrick Lane (it turns out to be our old friends, Gary and Sam Woodhams old house)
Wednesday and we're at Ruth's for dinner and I meet Bernice's new boyfriend, Grahamee, although I don't get to speak to him much as Joe gets going...
Thursday and it's fish and chips at Felicity's in Findon. Although we buy the fish, the chips, the wine and the pudding!
London
After last year's 7/7 bombing chaos, we make it up to the capital. A quick train journey and we're strolling down the King's Road. By 11.00am. Some browsing and another flavourless English coffee outside an antique shop and we're ready for Portobello market. A quick hop on the tube at Sloane Square and off at Notting Hill Gate. We check out some cool shops and pick up some book bargains. The market is very long and lunch is beckoning. We find a cool restaurant and enjoy a nice meal on the outside terrace. We're soon back out and Annette is mesmerised by all the silverware in the market and comes away with a silver teapot!
In need of some serious rest, we chill out by the lake in Hyde park (with about 5,000 muslims!)
Our last stop is Covent garde. We listen to a cool opera singer and an even cooler dancer/trumpet player, from New Orleans and a crazy guy with a huge crowd who is juggling chain saws!!! We move on...
Some evening falafel refreshments and then we make our way back to Victoria and home to Worthing...
Sunday
A relaxing day dodging the clouds and an evening date at my mum's for some pasta and Buona Sera Mrs Campbell with Gina Lollobrigida.
Week 3
Monday
And a visit to see Alan's three girls, Olivia, Amelia and Scarlett, but Alan who is working nights at the moment stays in bed!
Wednesday
A nice drink with Bernice and Grahamee and I finally get to have a chat with him!
Thursday is games night. I cycle to Rita's and see little Will. Then I take a taxi with Mat to the Henty Arms in Ferring, where for tonight I am Mat's pool and darts partner. We lose 7-1 at pool and 7-1 at darts. We both suck at pool, but I throw some nice arrows, with a 130 and our only check out of the evening!
Friday
I drop the bike back at my grandma's and say an emotional farewell. Mavis drops me at Rita's for a last look at baby Will and I even get to feed him! Holly demonstrates her num chucks and I get to watch Little Britain. Last stop is at my auntie Fiorella's, where I get to see her new'den', this summer's hottest topic! A few glasses of cheap wine and run down of Fiorella's 6 holidays so far this year and taxi home.
Saturday
We're all packed up, Annette's sister Ruth pops round to say her goodbyes, as does Joe (separately) I even manage a smile from Elise, maybe she's happy to see us go?
255. Villa Le Corti (special edition)
The long awaited return of our favourite wine festival in San Casciano.
This year is a bit special... We arrive in time for me to try a few white wines, before my mammoth vertical tasting of Castello di Fonterutoli's Supertuscan, 50%Sangiovese 50% merlot , called Siepi.
It's an incredible experience,especially coming after my first experience last year, when I attended a vertical tasting of Tenuta di Ornellaia's 100%Merlot, Masseto. This year oenologist, Carlo Ferrini is on hand to help owner Filippo Mazzei in the presentation and the wines, which sell for about 70 euro a bottle are fabulous! Afterwards I join Annette on the rug and we indulge in a wicked cheese board courtesy of Corzano and Paterno and who should we bump into, but our landlord, Silverio and his ex partner, Jane! I finish up with some more red wines before we head back home.
Sunday and I had invited my good friends, Davide and Rossana, nut they can't make it, so I drive up by myself at midday and clear up some of the red wines that I missed yesterday!
I also have another date with one of Tuscany's mythical wines, Tenuta di Trinoro. I get to attend my second vertical tasting of the weekend with their 250 euro a bottle Supertuscan. Owner Andrea Franchetti is present to talk us through 7 vintages from 1997- 2004
This year is a bit special... We arrive in time for me to try a few white wines, before my mammoth vertical tasting of Castello di Fonterutoli's Supertuscan, 50%Sangiovese 50% merlot , called Siepi.
It's an incredible experience,especially coming after my first experience last year, when I attended a vertical tasting of Tenuta di Ornellaia's 100%Merlot, Masseto. This year oenologist, Carlo Ferrini is on hand to help owner Filippo Mazzei in the presentation and the wines, which sell for about 70 euro a bottle are fabulous! Afterwards I join Annette on the rug and we indulge in a wicked cheese board courtesy of Corzano and Paterno and who should we bump into, but our landlord, Silverio and his ex partner, Jane! I finish up with some more red wines before we head back home.
Sunday and I had invited my good friends, Davide and Rossana, nut they can't make it, so I drive up by myself at midday and clear up some of the red wines that I missed yesterday!
I also have another date with one of Tuscany's mythical wines, Tenuta di Trinoro. I get to attend my second vertical tasting of the weekend with their 250 euro a bottle Supertuscan. Owner Andrea Franchetti is present to talk us through 7 vintages from 1997- 2004
254. Mille Miglia
Saturday
This year I am working on Saturday morning, so I stay in and check out this year's Mille Miglia car race in Florence...
This year I am working on Saturday morning, so I stay in and check out this year's Mille Miglia car race in Florence...
It's the usual array of classic cars interspersed with some new Ferraris! The weather is kind and I enjoy a very pleasant, if noisy couple of hours cheering the drivers on...
253. Flick and Stan
Annette's niece Felicity and her now 2 1/2 year old son, the very cute Stanley are arriving this evening on their first trip to the 'Bel Paese. A very late pick up at Pisa Airport and we arrive back home at 12.30am
Thursday 4 and an early morning trip up Piazzale Michelangelo for their first look at Florence. It's a nice sunny day and the sky is blue and cloudless over the Renaissance city... We pop into the iris garden and most of the flowers are hitting full bloom. Stanley races round and has no trouble with all the steps!
Friday 5 and I'm working most of the day, but Annette has the day off, so she shows them round Florence for the day and I think Stanley liked the bronze pig! In the evening we go for a pizza at Antica Porta in Porta Romana. The pizza is a bit disappointing, but the couple on the next table adopts Stanley for the evening!
Annette is working in the morning, but I have a cancellation, so I take them down the local park, for some swinging fun!
Saturday 6 afternoon and we pack up the picnic basket and head out to San Gimignano. Our usual picnic spot is covered with dead branches, so we stop in a vineyard! It-s a gorgeous day again, no one kicks us off our spot, under a huge cypress tree. On to San Gimi and the usual wander through the medieval streets. Annette gets her new ring enlarged and I pick up my two bottles of Vernaccia wine! We check out a cool art exhibition and enjoy a wicked champelmo ice cream at Dondoli. Would you believe it our mug shop is closed for the afternoon! We mosey on up to the rocca at the top for a panoramic view and stop at our favourite café for a drink. Felicity picks up some more souvenirs before we head back home...
Sunday 7 Lucca and Pisa
Despite a busy Saturday, we're out at 11.30 for our trip to Lucca and Pisa. The request for a cycle on the walls of Lucca and that leaning tower are fulfilled. We arrive in the walled city at about 12.30 and head to Piazza San martino for lunch at one of our favourite restaurants. Annette's seafood pasta is pick of the bunch and after lunch we walk to the Piaza Duomo and Piazza Anfiteatro, where we stop for coffee, while Stanley chases and feds the pigeons!
Then it's off to find some bicycles. and we have a great one-hour tour of Lucca on the ols walls, which are packed with other cyclists. We just have time for Pisa and make the short drive. I park outside the old walls of the Piazza dei Miracoli and wait with a sleeping Stanley, while felicity and Annette check out the leaning tower.
Mon &Tue Annette and I are both working and Stan is ill, so they stay at home.
Wednesday 10 and their Tuscan experience is over as I drop them back to Pisa airport...
(Original journal entry May 3-10)
Thursday 4 and an early morning trip up Piazzale Michelangelo for their first look at Florence. It's a nice sunny day and the sky is blue and cloudless over the Renaissance city... We pop into the iris garden and most of the flowers are hitting full bloom. Stanley races round and has no trouble with all the steps!
Friday 5 and I'm working most of the day, but Annette has the day off, so she shows them round Florence for the day and I think Stanley liked the bronze pig! In the evening we go for a pizza at Antica Porta in Porta Romana. The pizza is a bit disappointing, but the couple on the next table adopts Stanley for the evening!
Annette is working in the morning, but I have a cancellation, so I take them down the local park, for some swinging fun!
Saturday 6 afternoon and we pack up the picnic basket and head out to San Gimignano. Our usual picnic spot is covered with dead branches, so we stop in a vineyard! It-s a gorgeous day again, no one kicks us off our spot, under a huge cypress tree. On to San Gimi and the usual wander through the medieval streets. Annette gets her new ring enlarged and I pick up my two bottles of Vernaccia wine! We check out a cool art exhibition and enjoy a wicked champelmo ice cream at Dondoli. Would you believe it our mug shop is closed for the afternoon! We mosey on up to the rocca at the top for a panoramic view and stop at our favourite café for a drink. Felicity picks up some more souvenirs before we head back home...
Sunday 7 Lucca and Pisa
Despite a busy Saturday, we're out at 11.30 for our trip to Lucca and Pisa. The request for a cycle on the walls of Lucca and that leaning tower are fulfilled. We arrive in the walled city at about 12.30 and head to Piazza San martino for lunch at one of our favourite restaurants. Annette's seafood pasta is pick of the bunch and after lunch we walk to the Piaza Duomo and Piazza Anfiteatro, where we stop for coffee, while Stanley chases and feds the pigeons!
Then it's off to find some bicycles. and we have a great one-hour tour of Lucca on the ols walls, which are packed with other cyclists. We just have time for Pisa and make the short drive. I park outside the old walls of the Piazza dei Miracoli and wait with a sleeping Stanley, while felicity and Annette check out the leaning tower.
Mon &Tue Annette and I are both working and Stan is ill, so they stay at home.
Wednesday 10 and their Tuscan experience is over as I drop them back to Pisa airport...
(Original journal entry May 3-10)
252. Monte'caro' and Villa Torrigiani
Well Annette is back home, we have a relaxing day at home on 25th -which is a national holiday here, 'Festa della Repubblica', as the weather isn't so good.
Today is the workers' holiday, or May day in England and the weather is a little brighter, so we decide to visit the Villa Torrigiana, which is near Lucca. The gardens are pretty and the villa is impressive. The heavens open briefly, so we seek refuge under the terrace and spend some time reading our books, which we have brought with us.
On our way home we decide to check out the very picturesque hill-top town of Montecarlo (not the French one!) and have a very expensive cup of tea!
It's only a week until Annette's niece, Felicity and her 2 1/2 year old son, Stanley arrive for a visit...
Today is the workers' holiday, or May day in England and the weather is a little brighter, so we decide to visit the Villa Torrigiana, which is near Lucca. The gardens are pretty and the villa is impressive. The heavens open briefly, so we seek refuge under the terrace and spend some time reading our books, which we have brought with us.
On our way home we decide to check out the very picturesque hill-top town of Montecarlo (not the French one!) and have a very expensive cup of tea!
It's only a week until Annette's niece, Felicity and her 2 1/2 year old son, Stanley arrive for a visit...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)