Cash's Holiday

Buon giorno,    (Tuesday)was fine ALL DAY, now ,as I put this together after our morning trip to visit the museum in nearby Viterbo we have had an afternoon of thunder storms. It’s still not that warm…in fact doesn’t seem to take much for it to feel cold to freezing. We are about 600m up Monte Cimino so got to expect to catch whatever wind blows. (Had planned our rooftop garden to be the dinner venue last night but soon scampered down to the heated rooms below when it got too unpleasant)

Have ventured around our immediate area the last few days…within an easy 1/2hr drive you find such treasures as a lake (Lago di Vico), Beech forest, Chestnut groves (some so old the trunks, wide and twisted, big knot holes….like out of a children’s story book) Many properties with their own vineyards, Olive groves……as you would expect being Italy. 

Extra snippets not mentioned.    *Smokers – so many,  its really noticeable everywhere we’ve been.        * Siestas – Italy closes down at 1.00pm ish or seems to, not much is open, and stays that way till 4.30 or so – Mondays closed all day.           *Sirens and church bells – we get a combination of the two  resounding through the town daily, apparently the district was/still is ? influenced by a combination of comunisum/catholicism…the siren is located very near us and is LOUD (its exactly like an air raid warning going off), may have been a call for workers to start/stop and has continued without question over the years? The bells help to keep track of the time of course as they ring at 7.30am, midday and later afternoon.    *Haze – Looking `beyond’ seems to be less then clear….Jim & Jules commented that it was typical Europe.  

We are getting to know a few locals….and they us, especially Dave as he wanders about  in his `stubbies’.  The men round here all wear trousers/jeans…we know its a current talking point for them….the looks say it all. While the men may find it amusing Dave has received favourable comments from the women shopkeepers.

Louise – Hi, Yes we did see through part of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The medici family as you said were powerful and dominated Florence rule for about 150yrs. The palace has embossed pillars as you enter, opens into a vast hall, once the meeting room of parliament, later for banquets and festivities (as we passed through, a public address acknowledging Florence Nightingale was just finishing). Various rooms were decorated to senior members of the Medici family ie painted ceiling depicting scenes, portraits.

Lago di Vico

Woodland - Lago di Vico

Soriano and beyond

Till next post – Arrivederci. (:) G