266. Calaviolina

Thank god it's Friday! and we both have a free day... It's a no brainer - Calaviolina! There is no traffic on the drive down and we arrive before lunch. It's a twenty minute walk through the woods and then we arrive in paradise! We enjoy a wonderful afternoon of unspoilt beauty on this incredible beach... Can we take up residence here?

My student, Stefano Chioccioli has cancelled his lesson for tomorrow, fortunately I have anticipated this and we have packed a few overnight things. So we now have three days at the beach, whoopee!

At late notice we manage to book a room for tonight at an agriturismo, il Marrucheto, somewhere near Scarlino (in the middle of nowhere!) we find it eventually. 

We shower, change and head to the nearby town of Giuncarico. Italy are playing Ukraine in the quarter finals at 9.00 - so I just have time for a wicked seafood spaghetti, before sneaking off to a local 'circolo', leaving Annette at the restaurant. Luckily, it's a 3-0 win for Italy and they're in the semi-finals!

(Original post: no. 328 - 30/06/2006)

265. Alberto's party

Sat 24


For the first time in five years we're going to miss the San Giovanni fireworks... But all in a good cause. Our good friend, Alberto is throwing a beach party in honour of his 'early' retirement. Fifty of his closest friends have been invited to the archaeological park at Baratti. 

We arrive after a mammoth journey in time for our picnic lunch on the beach. Alberto and Nadia are there of course. Matteo and his girlfriend, Barbara, their dance teacher, Letizia and all the usual gang are there as well as many other friends and work colleagues. We settle down for a relaxing afternoon of swimming and sunbathing.




At 6 o'clock we all depart from the beach. We check in to our agriturismo, Calzalunga, near Suvereto. A shower and change of clothing and we are ready to party!

A quick drive back to Baratti and the archaeological park, which is a great setting for a fabulous evening. We're normally used to seeing everybody in swimwear. so it's strange seeing everybody with clothes on! Aperitivos get the party started, before a great banquet, complete with retirement cake and then Alberto opens all his presents. We continue dancing the night away...

Happy Retirement Alberto!


Sun 25


We're up nice and early for breakfast, before settling by the pool for some early morning rays and a swing in some hammocks! At midday the pool is invaded by an army of kids on a pre-lunch dip. We pack up and head to Suvereto for a sandwich lunch and then we're back at Baratti (by popular demand) At five o'clock I disappear into San Vincenzo to catch England vs Ecquador in the second round of the World Cup. (A Beckham free kick wins the match for them!) I pick Annette up and we head back to San Vincenzo for a pizza at... yes, the no.1 Pizzeria and we have a stroll and ice-cream, before driving back to Florence.

(Original entry: no. 327 - 24/25/06/2006)

264. Renaissance Man

I have a free morning today and decide it's time to check out the current exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi, before it's too late!

An incredible collection of art from around the globe that support the ideals of this great Genoan humanist, author, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher and cryptographer, Leon Battista Alberti. There are also some of his books here on the treaties of Architecture, Painting and the Family...

(Original journal entry no. 326 - 16/06/2006)

263. Granducato and Davide at 40

Sunday afternoon and we take a drive out to Pratolino for some lolling about on the grass. The mood is somewhat spoilt by a children's festival complete with flag waving and a brass band!

But, hey, yesterday was my good friend, Davide's 40th birthday and this evening he's taking us out for a meal at the very posh Granducato Hotel in Campi Bisenzio. We're being joined by his Chinese work colleague, Kelvin. His book and Brunello wine presents seem to go down well - even if the food is not as spectacular as the place!




Tanti Auguri Davide!

(Original journal entry no. 325 - 11/06/2006)

262. Radda in the glass

This afternoon England are playing Paraguay in the World Cup, but the temptation of Chianti Classico wine proves too much!

 

And so after my lesson with Stefano Chioccioli I head out to the beautiful town of Radda and indulge in some glass swilling - a fabulous edition and some great new wines!

261. Open Pool

The outdoor pool in Greve has been open for a week now. Friday and a lesson cancellation for our first visit. It's fairly empty.


Sunday 18th and our second visit to the pool and of course its packed!


In the evening we have a great meal at Napoleone in Piazza Carmine.

Wed. 28th and our first visit to a new pool in Campi Bisenzio, the newly opened Hidron. Its only twenty minutes away and has an Olympic sized outdoor swimming pool.

(Original journal entry no: 323 - 09/06/2006)

260. Giambologna in the Bargello

Well, it's been nearly a week since my dad left and only one week until the new Giambologna exhibition finishes. I have my first lesson today at 1pm and the Bargello museum is only open in the mornings, so Annette and I tear ourselves out of bed and get on the bus to the centre nice and early.

 

Giambologna is one of our favourite Sculptors and was very prolific in Florence. The exhibition is superb. Some of his pieces are always here and some have been specially brought in. I even pick up an amazing sculpture book for 20 euros, what a bargain! And what a Sculptor... not bad for a Frenchman!

(Original journal entry no: 322 - 15/0&/2006)

259. Dad - part 2

Book 10

"When evening comes, I return home and go into my study. On the threshold I strip off my muddy, sweaty, working clothes and put on my robes of court and palace. And in this graver dress, I enter the antique courts of the ancients and am welcomed by them."

Niccolo Macchiavelli - on his days at his villa in Sant Andrea in Percussina

Dad - part 2

Monday am and I drop dad at Florence station, Santa Maria Novella, for his week at the beach.

Friday am and I make the drive down to San Vincenzo to meet up with him. Unfortunately the weather has been disappointing all week and today is overcast too. We meet up and walk into the town for a browse at the shops. We find a cozy bar on the beach for lunch. Everybody is having ribollita, (a winter dish!) so I order one for dad. In the afternoon we drive up to Populonia and the fortress. The little town is packed (due to the bad weather) and the views are spectacular. Afterwards we drive back down for our visit to the Archaeological park at Baratti. 

Usually we're here for the beach when it's too hot to visit, but today is perfect. It's a huge site where there used to be an iron works. We go on the 'iron way' and then have a guided tour of the Eruscan  tombs. A very cultural afternoon. 

In the evening we end up at the Number One Pizza place as several other restaurants are full. We enjoy a great fish dish and some nice white wine.

Sat. 3 and again the weather is overcast, but in true English fashion we are not deterred. There is still plenty to do in this beautiful area besides sitting on the beach! First stop is Bolgheri. The four kilometre drive down the cypress avenue is impressive. We wander round the town and indulge in some wine tasting and enjoy a coffee in an outside bar. Our next stop is Castagneto Carducci - via a gorgeous road I've never taken before, passing through the vineyards of Ornellaia. We stroll through Castagneto and stop for a cheese, ham and wine lunch. We have time for a visit to Massa Marritima, only my second time here. Fabulous, medieval streets and superb crafty shops make for a great afternoon. In the evening we have booked a table at the 'Ombrone' restaurant in Suvereto. We check out the town first and have an aperitivo before settling down in this very smart restaurant. The wine list is obscenely expensive (four times the list prices) but the food is pretty sensational. I have the papardelle with wild boar and escalopes of beef with a great gorgonzola and pine nut sauce. Dessert is a bit wicked too, chocolate millefoglie mmm


Sun. 4 and finally the sun has appeared! So after breakfast we hit the beach at Rimigliano. At lunch time we move on to Baratti, Where my good friends, Nadia and Alberto and the gang are (as usual). We pop off to buy a huge porchetta roll and then enjoy an afternoon of sun bathing and swimming.


And so my dad's 'Tuscan Adventure' is over... two weeks of sightseeing and feasting 'Italian style'. We drive back to Florence and he packs up and I drive him back to Florence airport where I bid him farewell...

(Original journal entry no: 314-321 02-04/06/2006)

258. Dad

I've managed to twist my dad's arm to come to Tuscany and finally after four and a half years of us living here, he's decided to come and see what all the fuss is about... His last trip to Italy was about 30 years ago to Naples and Venice, and this will be his first trip to Tuscany.


We pick him up from Florence airport after an hours delay at midnight and he arrives with newspapers, tea, grape nuts and crumpets!

 

Thursday and I've changed some lessons around so I can take him around Florence for the day. We visit the Ponte Vecchio, Cathedral, Palazzo della Signoria and Pitti Palace. We meet up with Annette in Piazza Santo Spirito for lunch at the Osteria. I have a wicked seafood spaghetti and they both have the risotto and we share a panzanella. The weather is incredible, sunny and close to 30 degrees! The queue for the Uffizi looks small, so I decide to take dad to check it out...  There is a special Leonardo da Vinci exhibition on, which we see at the end. Incredibly we get to see his self-portrait from Turin and San Jerome from the Vatican . I finally get to see Caravaggio's Medusa shield, which has been undergoing restoration for at least five years, but Raphael's Madonna of the Chaffinch is still absent... (on its seventh year of restoration!) After dinner we're back in Florence to see the DaVinci code...

Friday and again the weather is sensational. I take dad for a wicked breakfast at Giorgio, before heading out to the Chianti, via Impruneta. We stop in Greve and enjoy a stroll in the square. I pick up the usual pancetta in Falorni's and we press on through Panzano to Castellina. We stroll lazily through this beautiful town and dad picks up some white wine in the enoteca. We stop for a papardelle and wild boar lunch, with a sublime Chianti Classico riserva, courtesy of Felsina. I find the famous gelateria that has so far eluded us for four and a half years and we sample some of their ice creams. I have some lessons, so we race back to Florence along the lovely Chiantigiana road. In the evening Annette whips up a succulent fish dish.

Saturday and we're back in Florence. First stop is 'the History of Science Museum' that dad has requested. I've never heard of it, even though I've seen the building many times (next to the Uffizi) there are 20 rooms of instruments collected from Etruscan times up to modern times by various Florentine nobility. Mathematical, scientific and astronomical instruments. telescopes, microscopes, barometres, lenses, pumps, electro-magnetics, clocks, surgical and pharmaceutical instruments, you name it they were there! Even one of Galileo's fingers!!! What a pleasant surprise.


Next we decide to check out the Cathedral of Santa Croce. Preparations are underway for the Calcio Storico in a month's time. I show dad Giotto's frescoes, the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini, as well as Dante's memorial by Canova. we visit the Pazzi Chapel too and even see Cimabue's cross. We refresh ourselves with some quick granite before tackling the three busses neded to get home!


In the afternoon we join up with Annette for a visit to theis year's 'Centovini' wine festival at the Relais hotel at Certosa. This year it's being held around the outdoor pool, a very tempting prospect considering the hot weather! There aren't too many people, so we have an enjoyable and relaxing time. Dad gets an initiation into the world of Italian wines... we stagger home and I knock up some risotto and saltimbocca.

Sunday and it's Cantine Aperte - destination... Montalcino! An 11.00am start and we make it to our first stop, Altesino, just before lunch. We visit this pretty and welcoming winery and enjoy a very nice 'Rosso' and 'Brunello' with some pecorino and Parma ham. The views are stunning and we enjoy a picnic in their grounds surrounded by fields of wild poppies!


We press on to the actual town of Montalcino and fancy a cake, so we stop at 'il Giardino' restaurant for a very indulgent dessert and sweet wine - wicked! We carry on to Castello Banfi, the American owned and largest estate in the area. The drive through their vineyards is spectacular, as is the drive up to Poggio alla Mura, the ancient 13th century castle belonging to the estate. We join a tour of the cellar which is huge! After we check out the bottle and glass museum, which is fascinating. Unbelievably on this special 'Open Cellars' day you can't taste their Brunello... you have to pay for that privilege! Instead they have their two latest (and much cheaper) creations, a rose and a young merlot which are nothing to write home about! Scandolous, considering at Altesino, a much smaller winery we were able to taste their top two wines! We have a quick look round the town of Montalcino and stop off in Siena for a cool truffle pizza in the Piazza del Campo and watch the sun go down...

End of Book 9

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...

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...

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!

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...

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?

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

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...

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)

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...

251. Castelnuovo Bearadenga

Annette is off on a 4-day trip to the UK to see her family while I'm back at work...




Saturday and it's a nice sunny afternoon, so after my lesson with Stefano Chioccioli I take a drive down to Chianti's most southerly town, Castelnuovo Bearadenga.




I stop off on the way at Castello di Brolio. A few other wine estates I've marked, appear to be all closed up. Finally I find one open. It's the lovely estate of Felsina. I taste some great wines and buy a great 1998 supertuscan 100% Cabernet Sauvignon called Maestro Raro.




The main square of Castelnuovo Bearadenga is having a facelift, but I enjoy a pleasant stroll.


I drive on to Siena for an evening wander and look at the shops. Not as much fun on your own!