Kickback Sunday

Entrance

Cheers

Michael our attentive waiter

White peony and rose tea

Today is designated kickback day, after a sleep in its time for a chat with Stevie and then a late breakfast. With sunshine streaming through the windows we catch up on blog posts and washing. Before we know its time to glam up for the main event of the day.

Off we go to the Savoy for afternoon tea. The Savoy opened in 1889 and was totally refurbished in 2010. Its glamorous and divine a truly magnificent place. We are ushered to our comfy armchairs for a decadent afternoon. Starting with champagne we work our way through delicate sandwiches then move onto scones with jam and clotted cream. An extra bowl of cream is needed, I am sure it was Jane that used it all up. Now time for the cakes, chocolate celebration, rum, strawberry tarts all served by our waiter, Michael. The tea selection is amazing I try out white peony and rose. Just when I thought we had finished the waiter comes along with second course of cakes, brought on a trolley and cut as you wait and served to you. This is an experience like no other.

Now the main event gets a little bit more exciting as Jane’s teenage heartthrob walks into the room. David Bowie and his family have arrived. A ripple of excitement goes through the Savoy with staff and guests alike. Of course I was clueless but Jane knew straight away who he was. He looks so normal, out for a nice afternoon with his family and friends.

After we finally drag ourselves away we check out all the other bars and the museum that has memorabilia from all the stars over the years that have stayed here such as Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne and Bob Hope. We also learn about Kasper the cat, who is used when there are parties of 13 guests to break the curse set in 1889. The curse says that the first to leave the table will die soon.

Once home we enjoyed some classic David Bowie songs to finish off the day.

Bananas on the Strand

Home

Benzine on the Shell building 

My Bob Dylan moment 

Chilling out at Me bar

With weary eyes and feet we head into Covent Garden to meet Peter for another of his magical walks, this one is Odditites of the Strand. Joe the photographer is there from the Mayfair walk and a few other interested London walkers. George, a 10 year old with a curious mind is charge of Quality Street chocolate distribution and keeps Jane and I well supplied. We are energized again and ready for the tourist trail.

We start off in Stanfords map shop where the floor is totally covered with a map of London. Everyone has fun finding where they live. Then onto so many different places and stories, the theatre where the Major and the Miss from Quality street chocolates starred, where JMW Turner was born, the oldest magic shop on earth where the grandson of the original owner does a magic trick for us, Gordons Wine Bar  the oldest in London where the ceilings are about 5ft high, it is nearly pitch black inside and so much more.

Peter shares story after story about how London has been shaped into what it is today. One of my favorites is about the workers in the Shell building, nicked named Benzine as the clock face is bigger than Big Ben and a play on being a petroleum company. In 1969 the decade of peace and love a delegation of staff went to management and said they no longer wanted to wear bowler hats. Management agreed and the next Monday 20,000 employees turned up without their bowler hats. Over the next few months all the other companies followed Shells lead and bowler hats where no longer compulsory, changing the visual landscape of London forever.

We see where the Thames River used to be and go into the exclusive “ in the know only access” bar at Me with great views over London. I reenact a Bob Dylan song recorded behind the Savoy and then we end in a little pub for the traditional end of the walk celebration. We sit around and discuss street artists, Dr Who locations and cool apps about London, Jane and I are in our element.

Our bodies are still on a Italy timetable but by now we are even hungry and finally head off to the National Portrait Gallery for a meal on the terrace. With more views, slick staff and great food we celebrate our return to London with a champagne.

Ciao bella

The places we visited in Italy

Exhausted and with no makeup but happy tourists pause
for a breather whilst packing bags on last day

On the bus as we approach St Peter's

St Peters from the top of the bus

Colosseum shot as we head for the airport

We lay in bed for a sleep in like the exhausted tourists we are. Eventually we get going and have a lot of fun seeing what we have brought whilst trying to pack our bags and fit in all the extra clothes, books, handbags and tourist paraphernalia. Tonight we fly back to London.

Our last Italy breakfast awaits, the standard cereal, yogurt, boiled egg and bread. Then we are off to the hop on hop off bus to save our feet and see a bit of Rome from the top of a double decker bus. With 27 centuries of history there is a lot to see.The traffic is manic and the bus pushes along at a slow pace. After a while it is hot in the 30+ sunshine so we hop off and find a great place for lunch. The Prosecco comes in glasses as big as 44 gallon drums. Then some more bus riding, St Peter’s looks even better coming down the avenue straight at it. More angels to snap in a photo frenzy and then time to hop off and squeeze in one more Italian handbag purchase before we pick up our bags.

We get going to the airport its Friday afternoon and the traffic is mad, but our driver knows how to yell abuse and drive like he is racing at Bathurst. With tooting horns and the roar of Vesper engines we leave Roma. I will miss the hustle and bustle of this city.

Once in the airport Jane does a Baci chocolate run and then we squeal in delight when we find our favourite shop, Fabirano. On the flight home we entertain ourselves with one of our favorite activities looking at the photos we have taken and work out which ones we want to copy for each other.

Finally through sleepy eyes we see Ladywell Lodge and we are home, its midnight. But another surprise awaits Janes mum has been, we have a stocked fridge, fresh flowers and a union jack windmill between my pillows. What a nice way to come home I go to sleep with a smile on my face.

The swarm of the tourists

The scrum in the Vatican museums

A oasis of peace in St Peters

Sending postcards to our Mums

Jane and Catherine in St Peter's Square

Jane at Trevi Fountain

Today is the day I have been waiting for our Vatican tour. First obstacle is to find the train station. Tick. Then we buy a ticket then we even get on the right train. I love the adventure of trying out public transport in other cities.

We meet up with the hordes at the entrance to the Vatican museums after getting through security we wind our way through many different rooms and amazing sites. It was a great idea to go with a guide who shares many insights and explains what all the works are about. We have earphones on that are linked to the guide otherwise we would never hear her over the crowd. About 5 million people a year visit the Vatican and I think most of them have decided to do it today. I am impressed by a tapestry with shifting perspective that follows where Jesus follows you as you walk past, cannot fathom how you do that. I wonder about so many of the great techniques we see – could people do this today, or are all these skills lost in time?

The guide shares with us lots of stories, including the origin of Nepotisim, Micehlangelo’s habit of doing things his own way and how the map room is like an early version of google earth. The Vatican has amassed a lot of treasures over the years even a rock from the moon given by an astronaut.

Finally we get through the hordes into the exquisite Rapahel Rooms and the Sistine chapel. What can you write about such beauty and skill. This really is like stepping back into another time.

The last part is to enter St Peter’s itself. It’s like going through the crowd at a football grand final to get in. This is the largest church in the world and just as well with the amount of tourists it needs to cater for. The inside is massive and there are angels everywhere for Jane to snap when we are not getting pushed out of the way by tourists. The whole experience is a bit intense. Finally we escape and I see the famed St Peter’s square. It is also massive, a good place to hold a rock concert which the Pope does every Wednesday. We also see where he looks out the window at the crowds on Sundays. The first Sunday we where in Rome he had blessed 20,000 Harley Davidson motorbikes and their riders in the square.  The pope is very popular in Italy, there are postcards, flags and Tshirts everywhere with his smiling face. Everyone seems very positive that he will modernize the church.

Time to move on, the Spanish Steps are next, guarded by policeman that look like a cross between Nazi’s and super models with their harsh outfits and chiseled good looks. Then the Trevi Fountain to throw in some coins so we can return to Rome.

Finally using Jane’s innate sense of direction and improved map reading we make it back to Nationalze street, the shopping street just near our accommodation. Its been a big day but like the troopers we are we keep going. Desigual gets work out by all of us but Fabriano is still declared our favorite shop in Italy.

After showers we don our new clothes and head back to the historical centre of town for our last dinner together before Sue heads for Sicily.

Pax and problem solving

Assisi view

Saint Francis and Clare

Basilica of San Francesco

Time to explore Assisi. We learn that Asissi started out in the middle ages and is the final resting place of Saint Francis. We wind our way down to the Basilica of San Francesco and enter the church. It is peaceful and serene so different from any other church we have been in. This church is not about over the top frescos or ornate altars it has real meaning. I am overcome with the serenity and make a strong connection with this wonderful place. We go down into the crypt and have mass in front of Saint Francis simple tomb, its so pleasant to sit here as the priests talks about loving others, saying simple prayers and performing the rituals of communion.

Saint Francis story is an interesting one, originally from a wealthy family he fought in a war for Assisi and was even imprisoned for a year. After much reflection and meditation he founded the Franciscan order of monks. Their main message is to care for others and live simply. He also worked closely with Clare a girl from Assisi who also founded an order for nuns. Their personal story is also quite touching. Francis appears to be the creator of the nativity scene and after his death he was declared a saint. 

Now the fun begins again as we drive onto Rome to return the car. Just as well I had some calm time in Assisi to balance out having to tussle with Italian drivers. Sue delivers us safely to the car drop off point and we all breath a sigh of relief and declare we will never drive again in Italy.

Into Rome we go and we arrive at our accommodation, the taxi driver seems reluctant to leave us and has a long conversation with concierge before he leaves us. Warning bells are going. We wait around for about ½ hour till someone arrives with the keys. The accommodation does not match what we booked so after lots of phone calls and stuffing around we leave. We hop in another taxi and head to a different area of town. Much nicer. We find a great place to stay and settle in for the next two days. My first experience at accommodation troubles and it all worked out well in the end. Its great to be back in the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Six centuries of art in one morning

Pitti Palace

Street signs by Clet

Clet's shop

Over excited about Florence

Michelangelo's carving

A typical day driving in an Italian city, people all over the road

A typical day driving in the Italian countryside

Our last day in Florence dawns sunny and bright and we are off across the Ponte Vecchio for a quick breakfast and be ready at Pitti Palace when it opens at 8:15am.  Thankfully there are no queues and we go straight in. Then we follow the not so sensible signs to the start of the gallery. We start off with a new exhibition of life and death with works by a variety of artists, from different centuries exploring the meaning of the soul.

Now the fun begins as wind our way through the palace built in the 1400’s for the Pitti family. Each room has amazing treasures of art, as we wind our way through I get more and more amazed by the beauty, intense colours and famous scenes. I have to say this is much better than the Uffizi art works (thanks, Amanda B for the tip). There are paintings, massive tapestries, marble tables and everything else imaginable. Years ago I read a fascinating book about the Medici family that commissioned or collected most of these works and it is quite wonderful to see the actual collection in the flesh. Next visit to Florence will include much more time here and the gardens as well.

Next stop on our centuries of art tour is to negotiate our way to the Oltarno district to find the store for Clet, the street artist we have been following everywhere. Last year on our Seven noses of Soho tour in London. We had seen an example of his work. Throughout Florence we had seen lots more of it and when researching places in Florence last night we found a page that explained who he was and that he had a shop. We tracked down his shop address and now it is time to find it. Armed with tourist map and a sense of adventure we dodge, buses, motorbikes and every other imaginable vehicle as we make our way along the river and arrive at the little corner shop. Alas it is closed (as expected) but we still enjoy our photo frenzy and feel like modern day adventures who have made a big discovery.

Our driver Sue is leaving soon, so we quickly step our way back across the river to search for our next secret Florence location, the profile carved by Michelangelo. We arrive at the spot and within seconds eagle eyed Jane has found it. We get all excited and all the other tourists are looking at us trying to figure out what they are missing. One of the stories about this carving is that Michelangelo was walking through the square and someone he owed a lot of money was locked in the stocks, however he was to be released soon. So Michelangelo did a quick portrait of him so he could be remembered there forever.

Half and hour to go, time for a quick trip up to the Duomo for some more photos. Oh there is a shop, wow, colours, wow, stationery. I ask what is more important photos or shopping. Jane screams shopping and in we go like kids in a candy store. We shop up a store and Fabriano is now our favorite shop in Italy.

A truly memorable morning.

Now for part two of the day, we get to the car and Gina the GPS leads us out of Florence and back into Tuscany. Without too much grief we wind our way to Cortona, another lovely little village. This is where Frances Myers wrote Under the Tuscan Sun and its easy to see why she feel in love with this area. Next stop is our final little town, by this stage I am thinking not another little town. We approach from the mountain below and negotiate to a parking spot, not an easy feat in Italy. This town is different all the stone work is a lovely soft grey, not the dirty colour of other towns. Everything is clean and well maintained, the people are calmer its all quite different in Assisi. I like this place.

After another excellent dinner, with a small detour for shopping at 11pm at night its back to our monk like accommodation for a good sleep.

Strolling through Florence

Cool street art by Clet

This photo is for Alex

The waiter likes Jane

Today we have a full day to explore Florence, Jane and I set off at 7:30am in the morning before all the other tourists are out of bed. We snap all aspects of the major buildings in the morning sun without people everywhere. Jane goes on yet again another angel photo frenzy.

Now we are winding up a lane, I think Jane knows where she is taking me. I see a glimpse of a bridge ahead and then the Arno, the river running through Florence is laid out in front of me, framed by the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. We are drawn to a sculpture, little did we know it would have greater significance later in the day. We amble along the river and explore the Ponte Vecchio, There are hundreds of locks chained to the bridge these are messages of love left by couples from all over the world.

Time for some breakfast outside on the way we capture heaps of cool street art by Clet Abraham. We saw his work in Soho, London and Paris, there is so much more here. We later find out he is based in Florence and the sculpture we found on the other bridge is his too.

Breakfast is entertaining to say the least we are bombarded by the dance of the defiant sparrows at first Jane is squealing in horror and finally she succumbs to their charms and captures their image for posterity.

Now back over the bridge and we find two very grumpy workman with bolt cutters cutting off all the locks of love. The locals and tourists are horrified, we wonder how often this happens. Today is Saint John’s day, the Patron Saint of Florence. So lots of processions and general excitement going on. I thought they where having a street party just for us.

Now for the all-important daily event in a tourist’s day, a toilet break. We find a toilet for 80 cents. Sort out our change, I can now at least identify 50 cent pieces, the other coins I am not so good on. This should be simple, I go in and lock the door all is well. The problem is I can’t get out, I turn the lock right, the left, then every other way, the door will not open. I try again and again and start to get a bit panicky, I think well at least Jane is outside she will come and get me. Then miraculously the door opens, relief I am out. Now to find Jane and I realize she is locked in, the attendant has a key and is opening Jane’s door, she had been locked in as well. Her panic state is even worst than mine. It takes a few minutes for us to calm down.  

Time for our walking tour, but that idea is quickly ditched when we find out the Uffizi, the main gallery in Florence (Florentines would say the world) is open as it is Saints day. So we meet Sue and hot tail it down to the gallery before all the other tourists find out. There is no line, we get straight in and there are hardly any people in here. Result, usually you need reserve tickets or the lines take hours in here.

We start off with the number one on my list the Birth of Venus by Botticelli. Amazing to see it up close and real with about half dozen people in the room as opposed to the usual hundreds. I have to admit I still love the painting but the colours are very underwhelming in real life. Seeing as the painting is 500 years old I won’t complain that the postcards look brighter and better. More art is discovered, angels are drooled over by Jane and we have a well deserved break on the terrace overlooking the city, with glimpses of the domes of the duomo. Don’t tell Jane but there are sparrows here as well, I don’t think she sees them.

Lots more art and then it is time for the all important exit through the gift shop, we shop up a storm and are very happy with our purchases. After this gift shop we are routed through another gift shop for designer labels, then another for kids and finally the bookshop. This is my kind of museum, 4 gift shops in the way out.

Now we board the hop on hop off off bus and see more of the sights of Florence, the view from Piazzale Michelangelo, where Gailieo died, a Ferrari to much to recount today. Overall the bus tour puts Florence in perspective I can see the early influences, the Roman fortifications and layout, Florentine style and then the 1800’s grand house and squares that have all made this great city what it is today. The even tried a contemporary art piece about 100 years ago but Florentines still complain about it and it does look out of place to me stuck on a roundabout.

I really like Florence it is a serious and sophisticated city, quite different from the other regions we have visited. On this trip we are only scratching the surface there is a lot more to explore.

Now time for shopping belts, bags, gloves and many other bargains haggled for in markets and shops. Jane got the bargain of the day with a red leather shopping hold all. We are still on our never ending search for Gillis, to get a Florentine biscuit with caramel and chocolate.  Alas a rain storm hits and with hundreds of other tourists we scramble for the nearest cover. Out of nowhere within in seconds the street sellers are on the streets with umbrellas and plastic ponchos, “name your price” they say. Where do the keep all this stuff? We are only 5 minutes from our accommodation so we settle for some yummy cakes and head back for a cup of tea.

Tonight’s dinner is at La Posta, recommended by some people we met yesterday, after a few wrong turns in navigation (oops, that was me) and standing in McDonalds out of the rain we find it. A great meal and the entertaining waiter took a particular liking to Jane. The evening closed nicely with nicely with fireworks and finally we found our Florentines.

Catch up with Davo

Volterra

Volterra

San Gimignano

San Gimignano

San Gimignano

Love a red Vesper

Sneaky David photo

Today’s adventures will take us to a few more Tuscan towns so we get going early and we are on the road by 8:30am. Gina is behaving this morning and we make it to Volterra pretty easily. After fitting into the tiny spots they have for car  we head off to explore. Volterra is tiny town with a piazza and lots of great views. Its Sunday so there is a food market on with salami, cheeses and all kinds of strange things.

Now back to the car and time to program San Gimignano into Gina, we arrive figure out which of the five parking areas to go in and set off to explore. This is another walled medieval town, known as the “town of fine towers”. The towers are dotted around everywhere but how do you get a good view? Jane and I head up to the first Piazza then take a detour this way and that way and end up getting great views of all the towers. Satisfied. Time for lunch, insalata and acqua frizze Per favore, how cool are we? As they answer in English, maybe not so cool – but fun. Time for a quick shop on the way down to meet Sue and I find a cute pin with Italy colours shaped like a Vesper.

Now to the main event time to navigate into our apartment in Florence. We get to the town edges relatively easy, then figure out where to park hop in a taxi and we are there. Its Sunday afternoon the place is pumping with tourists everywhere. We have to wait a while to get into our accommodation. We have a gelato whilst we wait and I spot my first symbol of Florence, the fleur-de-lis its on the serviettes.

We finally get out onto the streets of Florence again I am struck by how different so many areas of Italy are. Florence feels like a much more sophisticated city, I will find out more as we explore.

First we head to the Galleria dell'Accademia to see David. The line takes about an hour, David takes 5 minutes and the gift shop takes about 10 mintues. Does that sound like I did not appreciate one of the wonders of art? Not much else to do with the massive amounts of people.

A few more photo opportunities along the main street, peppered with shopping and angel photos and we are back to downstairs for dinner. Then I get to do something totally new and go to a Laundromat. I don’t think you have lived to you go to a Laundromat at 10pm and night. Anyhow whilst the washing whirls. Sue reads her book and Jane and I walk around the area, chatting with other tourists and taking photos of statues.

So in Florence I have two firsts within hours of each other, David and a Laundromat. I am not underselling David, its just I am excitable about anything. Tomorrow is a public holiday in Florence to celebrate the birthday of their patron saint, so we will see what fun that brings.

Full moon in Siena

Marble parquetry in Siena Cathedral

Amazing library

Where the Pailo is run

Panorama of Siena

From the museum looking at cathedral

Blogging in Siena in new Tshirt

Siena is an ancient town steeped in history, today we start with a walking tour from the tourist office. Chiara our guide starts us off in the middle of the Piazza de Campo the place where the Palio a horse race is run twice a year. This horse race is a big deal in Siena and each year 20,000 people squish into the centre of the Piazza where we stand for the mad 75 second rush by the horses and their jockeys around the track. The jockeys do not use saddles and if they fall off the horse and still run without them. [Video of Palio].

Each horse represents a contrada and Chiara now takes us away to a quite back lane to explain what contrada is using amazing facial expressions and big hand movements. Basically anyone who lives in the old city can belong to one of the 19 contradas, they represent districts but are much more than that in passionate Italian life and have been around since the middle ages. A contrada looks after all the people and is a Chiara was born into she wolf, which of course is the best Contrada unfortunalty they have not one the Palio for the last 24 years so she is a bit upset about that. Her son is of a different contrada, the snake and she explains she loves him is all aspects except the Pailo.

We move onto fantastic views of Siena we had not found yesterday, we also find out that any of the bad drivers must come from Florence. Now the piece de resitance the Siena Cathedral. Outside the church is impressive, inside it is even better. Again it’s a mix of Romanesq and gothic styles, but so much more. We see St John the Baptist’s arm, however there are suppose to be 7 of his arms around Euorpe she explains in a very funny Italian way.

Two of my favorite bits are the marble inlay floor with intricate details and amazing scenes. This church has 56 scenes on the floor using this technique. The only other two places in the world are one in the cathedral in Valletta, Malta and one in St Peters, Rome. The other awe inspiring scene is the frescos in the library built for a Pope. It is equisitly beautiful but very extravagant. Quite different from the new pope, Papa Francesca who is loved be all we talk to for the time he spends out with the people and moving from his big Vatican apartment into simpler rooms.

Time for lunch in yet another fabulous restaurant and now off to the museum. This contains all the relics that can’t fit into the cathedral and has amazing views on the top floor. We climb through each floor exploring the treasures. Then we get to the spot where you can see the views. There is a queue, oh, oh. Anyhow we are tired and sit on the cool marble floor in the line. Thankfully we only have to wait about 5 minutes and are in the last few people to get into the next group.  I thought we would just walk out onto a veranda, but no we have to climb some narrow stairs that wind their way to the top, then a platform and another set of even narrower stairs, Jane is a bit scared but carries on like the intrepid tourist she is. We finally reach the top and are rewarded by views across all of Siena, the piazza, tower and race track on one side, the tower and dome of the cathedral on the other side, this was totally worth it. With the other 20 or so tourists we snap away and enjoy the view.

We eventually head back down and exit through the gift shop. It’s the fanciest gift shop we have even seen, in a side part of the church with mosaics, frescos and a gothic ceiling. Time for a well earned drink and some pannacotta to gives us the energy to go on. Now some more shopping and photos as we wind our way out of the old city.

Back for a shower and clean clothes then we go to a really nice restaurant that Jane picked earlier in the day. I enjoy pasta and truffles.

Midsummers day

Aunty Betty (far left) travelling
in her car, Marilyn through Italy in 1956

Montepulciano

Montepulciano

Montepulciano

Sparkling water fountain - 5c per litre

Mid summer maidens

Like all good maidens we are prepared for midsummers day. Little does Sue know what we have in store for her. We set off into the rolling green hills of Tuscany. Thankfully the roads are normal country roads with two lanes and even a white line in the middle. Much relief all round, we can enjoy the ‘bella vista’.

We head west from Oriveto and climb a mountain or two and make it to 600m above sea level. This is Montepulciano, a medieval renaissance town that is renowned for its food and wine. Normally food and wine don’t really do it for me but after tasting all the food in Italy I am getting much more interested in good food.

With a bunch of Americans who arrived by push bike we start our walk up the winding path that leads to the top. On the way there are stacks of shops, windows with flowers, medieval door knockers and side lanes to explore.

Lunch is on a terrace overlooking the lush green valley below, the waiter tells us if we don’t pay the bill he will bite us. This is based on a scene from Twilight the vampire movie being filmed at Montepulciano. As we leave we realise the caffé has been around since 1868 and has it’s own little museum and hosted the wrap party for the movie, Twilight.

Onwards now to our destination for the day Siena. Sue ignores any commands from Gina and we take in the stunning views along the way. Finally we arrive a perfect ‘bella vista’ and its time to get out the Harrods bag and reveal our surprise to Sue. In London we found 3 perfect flower garlands to celebrate Midsummers day, the longest day of the year. Sue is not so impressed but puts on one for at least a minute, Jane and I giggle and look appropriately silly.

The road is very windy and we share it with fast motorbike riders enjoying the bends. We arrive in Siena and navigate to our accommodation easily. Now off we go to see where the great horse race the Pailo is run. Now dinner, time for yet another Prosecco. The plan was for an early night, however its festival night in Siena, we are buying shoes at 11pm, dancing in the streets to Bon Jovi and finally fall into bed at 1am.