Concert Night with Bistecca alla Fiorentina

We went to a Jazz Concert on Monday night in the main piazza and saw these fellows playing some wonderfully recognizable tunes. A great nights listening.



The Anfiteatro

Next day we went to the Supermaercato to buy the beast, Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a large slab of steak not less than 1 kg, to cook for our dinner with accompaniments.

Later that day after a long walk on the walls we arrived home threw open the windows and saw the very same musicians in our baby piazzetta. They were unloading their instruments and we assumed they were staying somewhere close by. Why else would they be here. Well bugger me if they weren't setting up for another recital right in front of us. We quickly set up our music machine and played to them the music they had played to us the night before. Tommy the Trumpet playing as Chet Baker and Max the Sax played Gerry Mulligan. Penny dropped, they heard, looked up and went 'Wow....' It was magic.....

Barnsley wanted to get in the action too. Ok, why not....He felt safe because he wasn't beef.

A good drop

We took time to drink in their music, our wine and cook our dinner all at the same time. The meat was perfetto and the patate not bad either

A masterpiece inside and out.....finished off with a wee dram of 15yr and 18yr old Bowmore. We tottered off to bed whilst they chatted into the night

Out of the Ordinary

As one walks the streets of the various cities in Italy, and for that matter, the world, one is constantly surprised and sometimes amazed at the things one sees. Out of the ordinary and some just plain weird.......


Peppa Pig is everywhere

As are Angry Birds











Italians love to advertise their washing

The Fishmonger is this cat's best friend



Trees grow on towers in Italy

Bad spelling is universal





Italians play cricket

Playgrounds are fun 

Kids learn to ride



 

 

Beer served in wine caraffs

 

Italian touch parking

The view outside my bedroom





Basically things are done differently throughout the world but in many ways, we're all the same. More or less...

 

 

Lucca

We have an apartment booked in Lucca for 2 weeks, which we're part time sharing with Pete and Ros. Joel has a B&B around the corner. Our apartment is spacious and cool but noisy in that Italian way. Italians don't do things quietly, but we're very comfortable.

 The first 3 days we poodle around showing them the town and doing our own things too. Then we have a 2 night trip to Siena, where we part ways with Joel who goes to Rome. Back to Lucca for 2 nights then a 2 night stay in Florence. Here we part ways with Pete and Ros who go on to Rome and then home.

Drinks in Lucca

Drinks in Siena

Piazza Del Campo

Barnsley in Siena

Off to Firenze

Firenze

Petit Milou in Firenze

Stupid in Firenze

We've eaten out and cooked in, walked the walls, drank the beer and wine, slept and laughed, played at our bad Italian, shopped the good Italian leather, annoyed the locals with our music and all in all had a good time I think. We've certainly made some good memories....

Levanto & The CInque Terre

On the train to Levanto and back to Villa Margherita, for 2 nights. The train arrives and Federico has taxis to greet us and deliver us to his B&B. Paola, his sister is there to welcome us and show us to our rooms. The weather is perfect and we're sharing the garden with a group of French who enjoy spreading themselves around. Luckily at beer o'clock they had all departed and we were able to sit in comfort and have a glass or two before dinner.

Add caption

We have booked the Fish Ristorante for tonight cause Ros has a hankering for a whole fish and when we were here last time, we had it and it was super. Sadly for her she wasn't up for dinner so being the good little soldiers we are, Joel and I had it for her and told her how 'just ok' it was. Poor Rooster....

We did the Cinque Terre the next day after reacquainting ourselves with Angela. Angela makes the best coffee in Italy according to John. Not Café Americano but Café Lungo, it's just a long black really, but apparently special when Angela does it! She was happy to see us and we were happy to see her still there.

The day was perfect, not too hot and not overly crowded, but unfortunately most of the walks were closed due to landslides. Very disappointing.

Riomaggiore

Manarola

Vernazza

Vernazza

Another dinner at Centro, creatures of habit we are, but the food has always been good here and they are in the habit of providing a Limoncello at the end of the night. However, this time it was Orangecello, different, and 'secondo me', not as good.

Good bye and thank you Levanto

Time with Pete & Ros

We've been planning this for a while now and today is the day our holiday with Pete and Ros begins. Their son Joel who lives in Korea is joining us which will be good for us to get to know him better, but even better for P & R because they don't get to spend  much quality time with him. It's just one of those things really, child moves away, child enters binding relationship, less quality time for parents alone....fact of life and most of us have to deal with it. Better make sure it works.

They arrived and bugger me if Pete is not really ill with a cold which he promptly shares with Ros. This is not the way their holiday should begin. Pete was so unwell he missed a day and night out and Ros missed a night. We feel so sad for them, bloody germy people on planes.

Poor Pete

We all did the Tower, Cathedral and Baptistry which was good and shared drinks in the Piazza.

The Baptistry

Pisano's Pulpit



The Duomo

On the last night we left Pete at home and went round the corner to an Osteria where John managed a fusion of Scottish and Italian cooking. It was a Malt Whisky Risotto made with crispy bacon and small scallops served with a glass of Talisker 57' whisky. It tasted amazingly good.

Home via the bridge and to bed to dream of Levanto and The Cinque Terre to come.....

Pisa by Night