Wifi is difficult to get but found it today free in the lovely little piazza in Spello .

Sitting now with some very fashionable nonnas who are into their fashion. They are all beautifully dressed and are talking about their clothes. All have lovely leather shoes on, beautifully done hair, and big sunnies. They are gorgeous to watch and listen to.

Managed to collect the car and find our way out of Rome on a wet rainy day. Not too stressful and “Out lady of directions” as we call the nat sav is very quiet sometimes and gives directions at the last minute which puts us off.
Arrived lovely Spello in the afternoon only 15 mins late and got into our lovely apartment after walking down quite a steep rocky  path. All good going down but we are slightly worried about dragging the bags back up.
The apartment is wonderful and I could stay a month just here.
The first day we got to know Spello and then in the afternoon went to nearby Foligno for a big festival called Quintana . It is something everyone should experience but beware, they say it started at 9.15 pm so we got to the town in a booked taxi at around 5 to walk the town watch the preparations etc which was all fun. It reminded me of the festival we went to in Chuisi when with Ginetta and Wendy back in 2001. Only this one started late . 9.15 came and went and it became windy and cold we walked around , everyone else looked quite happy to line the barriers with nothing happening but we were getting a little anxious as we were being picked up again but the taxi and 10.15. Well the time passed and we saw them wandering around loosely forming into parade style in magnificent costume . The horses  were dressed and everyone young and old were parading and just as the main thing was starting we left! Never mind there is always another time.

Next day the weather was gorgeous so we headed off to the wine festival in nearby Montefalco. Is a lovely hill town and was packed with the young and gorgeous all with festival bag around their neck with their wine glass in storage for all the tastings.
Headed off to Bevagna another gorgeous little town. Had our usual gelato and toured the quiet Sunday streets. Came upon a palazzo that had been converted into a beautiful hotel and got ourselves a little tour around with a gorgeous young woman. Such a lovely way to pass the time.

Back home to Spello for a gorgeous dinner at our local trattoria. Heaven and many laughs with Anne and Narelle.

Our last stop for he day was Giotti – the most wonderful old fashioned gelateria . We learned about flavours etc. I. Had fichi and banana. Delicious. Remember small serves!

We are now back at home- in the apartment in Campo de Fiori listening to the rain. We’ll head out soon for our evening passeggiata .
Later: what a night of the beautiful ( young models in Rome) and the not so beautiful -us in rain gear looking rather second hand!

Tomorrow a new adventure as we pick up the car. 

We had our last day together in Florence. It was beautiful. Strolling the streets , rounding a corner to see the glittering walls of the Duomo, the slow moving Arno River, the vespers zipping around the corners. A visit  to the Medici Chapel had me downloading a book about the Medici reign onto my Kindle. 
A little treat  was a visit to the Gucci Museum! It’s in prime position in the piazza opposite David and is in an ancient Palazzo. What a charming place. The history of the label spread over 3 floors. Fascinating social history. We got a little weary and stopped in the reading room for a glass of wine and a view over the Piazza. All really lovely. 
I had a little treat for myself as well. 
I bought ( after careful negotiation – skills honed in Beijing)! A beautiful ring , on the Ponte di Vecchio- a kind of retirement 
present to myself. It’s white gold with coloured stones around the ring. Really  lovely. 
Then back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. After dinner we were leaving the restaurant when I bumped into Mark Allen I naturally asked  where Annette was – to be told her father had
passed away and she had gone home for the funeral. Sad time for
them . She’ll be back in a week so Mark was still with their friends.
Annette and I taught at St Joseph’s together .

Back to the hotel to pack my slightly bulging bag, bed and a
restless night . Must be sad about leaving Cathering but excited
about seeing old school friends.

Catching the train at 10.48 to Rome. Catherine off to Bologna. Hope I get to meet the girls ok! 

I’m enjoying Florence so much more than I thought  I would. It’s not quite as crowded as I imagined and it’s so beautiful. We visited the Pitti Palace and were so early we got into the gardens before anyone else. It was glorious. We have walked along the streets in the footsteps of the Medicis .
I just downloaded a book about the Medici family so will be absorbed for a few days.

Sunday night we went over the river to find a restaurant a local lady we met had told us about. We  got to the piccolo piazza and found them setting up for a concert. We got a great table and were given yet another complimentary Prosecco ” gratis della casa” . The restaurant was called quatro leoni and the place was jumping. We sat outside with a view across the piazza and just watched the evening unfold with mostly locals dropping by for a drink or …….

Whilst they waited for the concert to begin. We thought it would start around 8 as the band were on and off the stage tuning, fixing lights, having a ciggi, drinking vino, chatting to locals etc. so we enjoyed our antipasti, our vino della casa, the pollo alla limone, vedura etc.  it was a constant floor show for us.
We saw lovers  kissing, children running, a man making pork rolls ( like a BBQ only better) waiters flying around, people choosing seats for the concert, oldies greeting each other with cascades of kisses, people of all ages licking gelato,  ladies in lovely linen dresses reserving seats for their friends, a lady with her dog taking up a whole seat and no one seeming to mind.

The camera man had the stage and at times the audience projected onto the white wall of the ancient building behind, just above the holy water font on the wall. We waited and waited and 8-8.30 and even 9 came and no concert , just a bit of tuning up by the various members of the band. The drummer was a George Clooney Italian style look a like, ( sigh)  a cute female keyboard player, male sax player in a Hawaii type shirt, a flute player looking like a sixties flower child, a long haired guitarist, and a groovy lead guitar with a little hat on.
Well the concert finally started with a L.  o.  n.  G.  Speech made by a good looking local followed by an even longer one by his off sider.  Finally it started at 9.50 and every one seemed happy  -except by now we were tired. Seats became scarce and someone wanted the dogs seat. So the owner lifted it on toher lap. Every one got up – moved  along and let a little old lady into sit down. They are so kind to their older people .
After several songs of a very Italian nature we decided the show for us was over! We walked back
through the streets still alive with those enjoying the wonderful weather along the river Arno.

What a night. 

The last few days have been busy and lots of fun. On Thursday after class , I had my hair cut. Under our building I had noticed a hairdressing salon. It looked good – and I was quite amused to hear music coming out of the salon during siesta. Beatles music sung by a man on guitar. “what would you do if I sang out of tune!” well Catherine and I nearly called out ” we’d shut the window! Anyway on my way to class we stopped in and I made an appointment.
So after class I returned and we started.
Lovely Guissepi , told me in Italian that he worked on his own as he loved hairdressing and wasn’t ready to retire. I asked him about the singing and he admitted that he loved the Beatles! He said he was born in 1952 (same as me) and grew  up with their music! I told him I was a big fan as well. So we  chatted in Italian ( and sometimes English when I  forgot a word) . He complimented my hairdresser in Brisbane and said I had a very good stylist! So I’ll have to tell Nea! After finishing the hair we rushed to the wall of the city where we met the other members of our class to get the bus to Villa Mainochi. My teacher Stefano took us and was”tour guide” . He’s very nice but doesn’t know when to stop talking! The “fatorria” was situated about half an hour out of Lucca . It was really beautiful and we toured the vineyard and the gardens. Italian gardens are so different to gardens in England and France. They are for produce more than just to admire! After the tour we went into the cellar and tasted the olives, oil, cheese, meats and of course lots of different wines. What a great  afternoon. All the class became much better friends after this! We had some wonderful Irish dancing by Finnoula and Frances!

The next day after class ( our last day) we again had to rush off as we were being
picked up by Sue ( a friend of Catherine’s from Sydney Italian class) and her Italian partner Pierre Luigi. They took us to Torre del Lago where we had a lovely lunch and then visited Puccini’s house. Sue has written a book on him so has a wealth of knowledge about him. Music was playing as we toured the house and there was a very good collection memorabilia.
After that we went along to ViaReggio – a sprawling beach resort with some wonderful ” Liberty ” style buildings.

Since Catherine arrived I’ve been so busy!
We had a lovely Saturday . Settling in , farewelling Pat and our first lovely dinner . It rained when Catherine arrived and has done so ever since- so very different to last weeks heat.
Sunday morning we took it slowly and went to St Michel church for Mass. There were lots of locals there so it’s always a good experience. Then we did the Sunday  passeggiata A little shopping and a walk along the wall. Sunday night we had a lovely dinner at Cantine Bernadini.

Then Monday our school. I get so nervous! Had our test to determine our level. Well I know Catherine is better than me but I seem to be in the level just one down. My class is made up of  all Europeans who all sound like they know what they are doing because of their accents. I can hardly understand them in English! Their English is not that good! So we have to speak Italian even in the breaks. So tiring for me.
In the class there is: Simone a nice girl from Switzerland : Gerhard an older gentleman from Austria : Signey from Norway ( my age) Silke from Berlin also around my age: Clara from Austria -young and asks lots of questions , which is good: Dee from USA but very quiet: and Hans Peter from Germany. So very mixed. I thought I was the worst but yesterday I realised I was one of the better ones!

After class Monday we returned home for lunch , a siesta and a walk along the wall before another rain storm hit.
We had dinner at Pasquale and arrived early as our evening passegiata was cut short. Well Pasquale was charming and poured us a complimentary Prosecco! Then he was a wonderful help explaining
and advising us. We had the best meal. Delicious . We ended with another complimentary drink . This time limoncino which I decided I need to sip every night as it helps me sleep! Yes, it really does.

Tuesday back to class. Stefano my teacher is quite dashing and can be funny but isnt the best teacher. Barely explains anything then says va bene! And says Si or non? Well the class have begun to answer non, which throws him a bit as he thinks we must be able to ‘get it’.
After class today we met Catherine’s friend Sue( she lives in Pisa with Pierre Luigi) and Sue’s son who is visiting from NZ. We had a nice lunch at a local trattoria and came back to our lovely apartment for cafe e dolci. After they left we had siesta then went back to school for the Volare singing evening. Only problem! Got the time wrong and we missed it. So we walked some of the quiet streets of Lucca before dinner at a lovely place in Piazza San Francesco. Ran into Gerhart from class and then ended up chatting to the English couple at the next table. Mostly because they kept interrupting us! He was a dead ringer for Bill Nighy the actor but was boring really.

Anyway dinner was delicious -stuffed squid and stuffed zucchini flowers with string beans as a side. Really delicious. Sounds like we eat a lot but not really. We don’t eat anything between meals and our serves aren’t big.

It was Rob’s 29th birthday today. Can’t believe my baby is now that old. Peter was 31 two weeks ago. Happy birthday to my two lovely boys.
Homework before bed!