Tuscany

All those people who love the idea of Tuscany are now welcome to feel just a little green. I have fallen on my feet yet again. I found a small one bedroom flat (or actually Lyss has to take the credit for it) in the centre of Tuscany. Lucignano, and in particular, Croce, just out of Lucignano is the perfect springboard to the rest of all the great bits of Italy. (I will be uploading photos soon - there are even a couple soecially for Mandy who I know will appreciate the Chocolatier!)
On arrival, I was greeted by my landlord, Dario, who is delightful. He had put 2 bottles of champagne in the fridge along with a few immediate necessities. He also bottles about 700 bottles of his own wine each year and so he insisted I try a bottle - it was delicious. For those of you who know me, you will know that red is not a colour wine that I generally drink but this one was very good.
I have had many challenges since my arrival in Italy - most of them because I don't speak the language. This has made even the most simple task monumental. For instance, filling the car with petrol - it is all unleaded but not a 91 brew anywhere to be found so the LBR has had to graduate to 95 brew (seems to like it so far); topping up my mobile phone, finding internet access that I can understand - all the keyboards are quite different to ours and of course when I get on the net, it is all in Italian, so unless I know what I am looking at, I don't have a clue. Going to the supermarket, or indeed buying anything, is also a fun experience, but I am fine as long as I can see the total I have to pay because I can't keep up with the spoken word. It sounds like I am moaning and there have been occasions when I wanted to scream with frustration, but overall life isn't that bad.
Dario has given me a lot of suggestions as to what I might do while I am here so on Sunday, I began with a quick trip to Siena (only 45 minutes away). It is as beautiful as people say but it is also as steep as the pictures might indicate. I parked at the bottom of the hill (vehicle access is restricted - at least I think that is what the sign meant) and started to climb up to the Piazza del Campo, and then on to the Duomo even higher up. Despite it being the off season and the weather being overcast and cool, it was very busy. There was such a lot going on that I just sat and watched the world go by in awe.