Oops I can here the bells and they are chiming ave Maria. It happens at 8pm every night. Bliss

As we sit here sipping Prosecco I can see the little blue train making it rounds along to the next beach, people back from the beach dressing up for dinner, music from the cafe, gelati eating kids, A man in a bright pink shirt and white shorts looking very gorgeous, ladies in white linen, a few English tourists smiling, boats bobbing, lights starting to come on as it’s 8.15, children playing games, people reading menus,  all of it entrancing.
Tomorrow we are going to go to the nearby island Palmaria for a swim and lunch. Then in the evening  to a nearby village for the Sagra – a summer festival kind of night and they focus on a food. This one is snails!
I’m sitting in my new vestiti de  cotone , molti colori con  fiore ( cotton flowered dress)

Hope you are all well. Send email or comments – its lovely hearing from you .

 We walked around the town, saw the castle and the rather lovely Cathedral had coffee and far welled Pip. She is returning to London for 2 more days before heading off to NY. We’ve had a great time with her along. She has a great sense of humour and we had lots of laughs together….and the line ‘I love Murphy’s” became our catch cry . It came from Ireland where we overheard a young boy plaintively telling his mum “I love Murphy’s” as he passed the ice cream shop (made by Murphy’s of course!)  ……you had to be there.

After leaving Pip we continued the tour . The hospital  where his uncle was brought when he died falling from a cliff. The cliff itself, the various houses…..etc….. It was interesting and mad my little trip to McGann’s pub look very insignificant.

We drove on to Crawley in the late afternoon and met up with Pat my friend coming to Italy with me. We hd dinner and now I  use get to bed.

So , domani Italia…… Buona Sera.

Brighton is something else. Big and busy and loads of people with many  tattoos and few teeth.
The pier was really great – lots of fun things to do and we tried to do them all!
We particularly liked this one of me saving life saver Steve.

We had breakfast in her conservatory looking onto the garden, meeting the other family staying. They had travelled all the way from Canterbury !
Pip and I set off after breakfast for a little look at the shops and Steve stayed to catch up on emails. The shops are rather good though not too many of them. I bought a new umbrella as mine was falling apart. Mind you it was from the time we were in Beijing for the Olympics.

We collected Steve and drove off to Eartham – a very small village Steve remembers visiting when he was a child living in London. He said he stayed in a large manor house near the church. We found the village and it seems the house is now a private school catering for day and boarding child’s from 2-13 . I certainly hope they don’t take the 2’s for boarding!  We looked in the little village church and then had a drink at the pub the George. It’s a great little local and I can see why people love to go  to the pub here in England. Especially when the weather is not so good.

Headed along the country style lanes to Climping a beach Steve also remembers visiting as a child. It was windy and quite un attractive and he must have had plastic saddles to reach the water.

We returned to Arundel to visit the castle rooms and spent a good 2 hours touring and getting to know the Howard family castle. It was rebuilt a hundred years ago and refurbished in mo recent years. It’s great. Is banquet room is amazing and the Duke hosted his cousins wedding to an Italian prince there last year. The dining room is lovely and the Library was my favourite. All red and dark timbers and comfy chairs. I could really spend some time there.  The upstairs bedrooms are still used for the Dukes overflow of guests and reminded me of the room we stayed in at Carton House  Ireland.

W walked to the large town Cathedral where we spent about 10 mins. I took 2 photos and sat for a few minutes. W walked across the road to the local pub for a drink and I realised I had lost my camera . I ran back to the church……..and it was gone! There wee only about 2 people and us and then by the time we left no one. So in ten minutes someone arrived and found my camera and took it!

So readers no photos for a while. We have Pips – but v few  of us. So tomorrow in Brighton I might be buying another camera. 

After it was over we walked through the area behind St Paul’s and went to Nix. It was a very nice stylish restaurant for oysters and steak. Had a lovely meal and still got home in time to share a wine and chat with Elizabeth and Peter McGregor and Erin ( waterpolo captain’s parents and wife) They are lovely people and that was one of the things we missed with Rob not in the team. We always share with them and this time it was different.

An early start to pack up our things then a drive across the river to Bermondsey. It’s just over Tower bridge. We met up with Georgia   and John and my friend Lynne from Canada. It was lovely seeing her again.

Then we collected our things and drove overe to Parson’s Green to collect Pip. What a lot of driving. Steve is great — knows his way around well and the little Our Lady of Directions was a good help.

We headed off for Henley and it was the most perfect evening. We arrived at a funny little pub and our rooms were really quite good. Headed down to the river and found the perfect summer pub and had the perfect summer drink. Pimms! Gorgeous night and several Gins and Pimms later we found a place for dinner and then back and watched some of the closing ceremony . I’m glad it’s finally over! It was sad tho think Rob was so close to being there but a %$%^$^ of a coach put a stop to it.

And so to bed because we have our visit to Highclere Castle otherwise or better known as Downton Abbey of the TV show. Pip and I can’t wait but Steve is not so enthusiastic. It’s a boy thing so I’m glad Pip is here.

Photos soon