Ah Italy! Bella bella bella! It is gorgeous here. Firstly the house we are staying in is amazing. Views looking over a valley, beautifully appointed and not too far from anywhere it seems. It has taken us a few days to get organised on the computer front but thanks to the connections of the landscape gardener come tourism adviser, Michael, we have finally got connected. After everyone has had their fix I’ll get back on and sort out some photos – so come back soon.
Simply speaking – I want to live here.
We had a great meal in Ealing with Richard, Jane, Max and Nuala. Max and Nuala visited us on their honeymoon and now have two little girls, Kiera (6) and Sasha (3) who are very sweet. Jane somehow magicked up an Indian feast and we loved catching up with all the news.
In the early hours of the morning we stole away to the airport to catch our flight to Rome. Rory warned me that I would be responsible for organising train tickets when we arrived so I spent some of the flight searching through the phrase book for some helpful words. We arrived and I managed to get us tickets to Rome – I also didn’t count my change and got shorted E10 which was a pain but I learned my lesson! Then in Rome we caught a train to Orte. A bit trickier this time but we got there! It is so much fun speaking Italian! Understanding the replies is a bit of a challenge but I love it.
We got to Orte and had some fun trying to work out how to dial international to dad’s mobile. For the record just put 00 then the country code ie 61. That required a conversation in Italian with the guard – very amusing but eventually successful – and dad picked us up in the people mover he hired.
When we arrived at the house we were overwhelmed. I had seen the house in photos but the reality is much more impressive. Our little family pod has an entire wing! Mum and Dad are upstairs and when Cath and Georges arrive they will be in the other wing. Some holiday home. And beautifully appointed. I am sitting in the study looking out over the valley with a huge Voigt painting opposite. Stunning.
The first day we stayed close to home. Enjoying the ambience and the food – unbelievable!! Rory and I took a brief trip to Verni to try and sort out the internet – I did manage eventually to find an internet laundrette (brilliant idea eh) but not the information I needed. We also had fun in an enormous iperstore – big supermarket – where I asked someone in Italian if I could by some cream…. so exciting when they understand you! In Italy you need to wear a little plastic glove (provided) to choose your vegetables and fruit. Then you weigh it and get a little sticker with a bar code on it to take up to the front till. This may never happen unless the canadian viagra sales learningworksca.org US government through its infrastructure management experts and government agencies make an aggressive move. What makes Penegra highly preferred? Penegra is beneficial over other options as it is highly effective as compared with find out my page cheapest viagra tablets other mineral waters, does not have toxic heavy metals. One thing to be kept in mind is that the best sildenafil does not cause problems in your system and you get succeed mean you can easily do to more without taking medicine. There are many diseases that affect the physical or mental concerns.* In case you experience an erection for higher than 4 hours; run to a healthcare provider directly.* Kamagra oral jelly buy cialis pills looks to spur the urge of sex; it only promotes man to get sexually aroused. Yes – we had to go back and do it! Fun though.
Rory had to drive in peak hour traffic which was interesting. Road rules in Italy appear to be a concept. The gardener Michael advises “Just look straight ahead and do whatever you need to with a firm expression – never look back!” Whatever… red lights don’t seem to be very effective and if you stop sometimes you get beeped at by the other drivers. We always stop though just in case.
Yesterday we went to Siena. The buildings in old Siena are all about 4-5 stories tall and quite oppressive. The only green space seems to be through the gaps of the buildings where, if you sneak through you find vistas of green Tuscan countryside rolling away below you. Most towns seem to be built on the tops of hills which I understand was to get away from the swampy ground full of disease and mosquitos. They are so picturesque.
I will write more of the places we visit as captions under the photos when I eventually put them up but I must write of the Duomo or Cathedral in Siena. The outside was amazing – so ornate – but inside was incredible. Completely over the top. Every surface be it wall floor or ceiling was decorated – and decorated lavishly. I got in trouble for having a singlet top on (so warm here) but my brother Mike lent me his jumper and I avoided the little paper capes that they have as emergency garments.
Today we went for a walk to the little town we are staying near – Penna in Teverina. Not the prettiest of towns I must admit but it was fun having coffee in the main square and buying bread in Italian. I think I would be good at Italian if I stayed here for a few months… Then Michael (the gardener – not the brother) took us into Amelia to get the computer sorted.
Amelia is amazing. Older than Rome there are gates to the old city more than 2000 years old. We found a little cheese shop with a great range of cheese and stepped inside a little chapel – well it had a lot of ornate statues on the wall – where the mothers of the town were displaying some children’s artwork. We had an animated conversation with them in which neither of us understood too much and they now think that dad is a farmer. Well I guess he is of a sort.
Anyway I’ll get back on soon to upload some photos but I must get off and allow the rest of the family their fix. Ciao tutte.