114. Tijuana

Our good friends Francesco and Ilaria are back from their travels. While we were in grey old England, they were jetting off round the world, literally! Their destination was Hawai, to visit Francesco's sister, but they missed a connection in Munich. So it meant they had to travel via Rome-Munich-Tokyo-Hawai and back via LA - so literally round the world!

This evening we are meeting up for a meal at a very trendy Mexican restaurant, Tijuana, in Via Ghibelline. So jalapenos, fajitas, burritos and tequila! We have a great time, the restaurant is buzzy and food a nice change from the usual Italian fare.

Afterwards we go back to their flat and catch up on news. Francesco has brought us some more wines from Puglia... what a guy!

Unfortunately they are moving to Australia and even have their moving date, March 15th. So we only have them for a few more months, so a bittesweet evening.

http://www.tijuanaristorante.it/


(Original journal enrty 17/1/04)

113. Fiorentina vs Cagliari

Somewhat of a football weekend starts here as Cagliari are paying their visit to Florence's Artemio Franchi stadium. I'm going to witness my first competitive football match in Florence (the match I saw last year was only a friendly) Fiorentian now have their old name back and have been reinstated in serie B (the second division). This season they're doing ok, about mid-table and I've chosen to come and see ny old 'Chelsea' favourite, Gianfranco Zola. He has gone back to finish his career in his home town of Sardegna.

I ease my way into the 'curva ferrovia', the station end of the stadium along with all the 'ultra', the crazy hometown fans and enjoy a very entertaining match. The customary purple and red flares begin the game and the stadium looks pretty full.

Zola is somewhat frustrated all evening, only a few touches of the old magic that graced Stamford bridge for 7 seasons. The Fiorentina defense is playing him really tightly. Fiorentina's 'bomba' centre forward, Rigano scores a wonderful overhead goal early on, which gets the crowd singing. They unfurl a huge banner that says something like 'We welcome you in your own dialect - ba ba ba!' refering to the large sheep population of Sardinia! The first half finishes 1-0 to the Viola, with midfielder Enrico Fanti impressing.

In the second half Rigano scores from the penalty spot to make it 2-0. Cagliari then score a goal to make it 2-1 and have another disallowed as Fiorentina hang on for a 2-1 win.

Forza Viola!

(Original journal entry 16/1/04)

112. Montegufoni, Cerbaia and Montespertoli

January seems to be going quite well and the weather has been kind to us. While the rest of Italy appears to be under snow, so far we've escaped it! The temperature has kept above freezing and even reached double figures. A little rain and plenty of sun and blue skies... We are really looking forward to moving into our new flat in the big city and everybody seems to be throwing work at me!

This afternoon it's lovely and sunny, so we take a drive out towards Montespertoli. The road from San Casciano to Cerbaia is breathtaking and we spot this gorgeous castle at Montegufoni. The crenelated tower is like a smaller version of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. We enjoy a pleasant walk around it, there seems to be a restaurant inside, but some unfriendly guy refuses to give us any information... obviously they don't need our custom! We just admire the stunning views and can even see the snow-capped Appuan Alps. A short drive on to Montespertoli, where we have a wander before heading back home to Montefiridolfi.

(Original journal entry 11/1/04)

Isabel's first year Dec. 2010- Dec.2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9MyaYNINYU&feature=youtu.be

Isabel walking

111. Living in the City

After only five months in the house from hell we're on the move again! We've been offered the choice of two flats in the centre of Florence. On Friday we went to look at both of them. One was in the suburbs to the west of the city near viale Talenti, a nice cosy flat courtesy of work colleague, Jane. The other one we find through one of my private students, the Verdinis. It's in Corso Italia, behind the American Embassy, next to the Teatro Communale. It's dead posh and right in the historic centre of Florence! Too hard to pass up...

Moving date is February 1st. So we need to get packing! All the travelling has been killing us and while we've enjoyed Montefiridolfi, the village and the friendly people, Miriam's house was too big, cold, old and too full of her junk.

110. Bagno Vignoni and San Quirico

New Year's eve and day are spent tucked up at home with prosecco and toblerone and of course fireworks! Four out of the first five days of the new year are sunny... welcome back to Italy! We venture out for a few walks in the nearby countryside. Today is a beautiful day, blue skies and bright sun, perfect for a trip south to the hot thermal springs. This year we've decided to return to Bagno Vignoni and pack our towels and swimming costumes just in case we get the urge and head towards Siena.

We enjoy the wonderful rolling hills of the val d'orcia dotted with farmhouses and cypress trees. As we approach we can see the hot steam rising from the 52° C outdoor swimming pool...This year we can afford to come in and have a dip... it's heaven!  The scenery is breathtaking too, amongst the surrounding hills and the view towards Rocca d'orcia.                                                            

After our long soak we check out San Quirico, it's small, but very pretty and as the light fades we vow to return in the springtime...

(Original journal entry 5/1/04)

109. Grey, poo, rain and Eastenders

It can only be England!

We're loaded up with about 40 presents, including 4 panettone, 6 bottles of wine, off to the land of the eternal grey, rain, poo and Eastenders! Oh and the most often quoted phrase 'The weather isn't usually this bad' - (Yes it is, I know, I lived there for 30 years!) Of our 7 days, all 7 are grey and raining! All day and all night! Only on the Sunday does the sun show its face (in between showers). Our departure and journey go smoothly, despite planned bus strikes in Italy and Bin Laden terrorist attack threats in London. We pick up our hire car and drop friends Alison and Piero off at Kingston, before heading down to Worthing. in our blue Seat Leon.

It's kind of déjà vu, as our last visit to the UK was the same week a year ago. Nothing has changed much... only the kids, with Natalie and Kelly Anne most notably.

Tue 23- We settle into our routine of bath (as we only have a shower in Italy) bacon and eggs and visiting family. Unfortunately no Fast Show, Only Fools or Mark and Lard this year. A visit to Smiths to buy some cds and book-of -the-year contender, 'Crap Towns- the 50 worst places to live in England' surprisingly, Worthing is not included!

Wed 24- We have a nice walk up Honeysuckle lane with Ruth and Alison and the dogs, dodging the poo, but not the grey skies!

Dinner is at Ruth's and I catch up on the social life of Rory, oh to be 19! Oh yes, today is my birthday - 35...

Thur 25 - Christmas day and lunch is at my mum's with my dad and brother, Carl who is down from Devon. In the evening Chas and me challenge the ladies to a friendly game of bridge.

Fri 26 - Boxing day is 'taxi service day'. I drop Carl off at Lisa's and see my grandma and drop her off at Fiorella's and pop in to see the family. Evening is at Rita's, with curry courtesy of Shafiques and entertainment courtesy of Natalie and Holly!

Sat 27- Surprise, surprise it's raining again - all day! But we have a lunch date with mum, Rita and the kids at Worthing's premier attraction... the bowling alley! Burgers and fries are followed by some bowling fun. A pop into town, where Annette purchases some Next bargains in the sales and then we're off to Hove, actually! Where my grandma is treating us to a Greek feast at 'The Meze house'... and very tasty it is too!

Sun 28- We're at Lisa's for lunch, with Joanna, Jamie and the boys and back at Ruth's for a 'last supper'.

Mon 29 - We're all packed up and only Leonie  to see... (Phil has gone to California) she's with Phil's ex, Marie-Noel and treats us to a Christmas concert recital, lecture on the solar system! All this from the 5-year-old star of the Christmas edition of Eastenders.. We watch Leonie come on and pull Santa's beard!

(Original journal entry 29/12/03)

108. The Chianti trail. Greve, Gaiole and Castelnuovo Beradenga

We're off to England on Monday and so it's our last chance to buy presents. Greve market and a drive deep into Chianti to Gaiole to find the perfect Chianti Classico for Phil is the plan...

We find a packed Greve market and pick up some great gifts, including a rug for us! Lunch is the traditional 'porchetta' roll and then we're on our way to Gaiole.

We've been recommended to try a couple of wines and have decided to visit a couple of estates, Castello di Brolio and Castello di Ama. Unfortunately everyone seems to be closed up for the winter, so we decide to carry on to Chianti's most southerly town, Castelnuovo Bearadenga. It's very small and slightly disappointing, but we do find a bottle of 'Castello di Ama' 3-red glass winning wine for Phil.

We are also rewarded with some superb views of Mt. Amiata and the rolling green Sienese hills on a gloriously warm, sunny December day, with the sky as blue as a summer's day...

(Original journal entry 20/12/03)

107. Cena in Montelupo

The holidays start here...

It's my last day of work and this evening we have been invited to an end of term party at one of Annette's 'DELTA' colleagues, Scottish Caroline. She has been living in Tuscany for 20 years with her Lucchese husband Nani. They have this big, old farmhouse that they have restored in the gorgeous hills of Montelupo, to the west of Florence. It's set in about 2 acres, with its own woods, vineyards and olive grove... Nani farms the land and Caroline runs her own small school. It's taken them 15 years to restore the house and it has certainly been worth the effort!

We enjoy a very warm evening with some of her students and friends, munching on wild boar with chocolate and tandoori chicken! Mince pies and mulled wine. We were inviteed here last summer for a bbq, but couldn't make it... next summer I think we'll try to!

(Original journal entry 19/12/03)