San Gimignano..

We walked through the old city gate

into the dreamy and oh so picturesque walled hilltop town of

San Gimignano.

We wandered about the narrow cobbled streets

just drinking in the ambiance,

feeling in awe of its history and age.

We found ourselves a table at a busy cafe
and ordered ourselves a drink.
Having had a limoncello the night before
we fancied trying this delightful beverage again.

Alas. Our Italian is sadly wanting,
and me mentioning the words cool and fresh
was not clever!

It looked great!
BUT
it was pure
freshly squeezed
lemon juice!!

How we laughed at ourselves!

We added some sugar and decided it was just right!!

We were successful ordering the rest of our lunch
and I can still taste this
simple and very fresh food.

The gelato we had later, sitting on the steps of the Duomo / church
was mm..mmm perfecto!

So too was the Duomo itself. This is both a church and a treasure trove of art

with its beautiful chapels, altars, paintings, freizes and frescoes.

This was a taste of things Tuscan.

Oh to return and stay longer!

Tuscany..

We leave Venice and head for the hills;

the hills of Tuscany..

hilltop towns
and vineyards and olive groves
and a warm
laidback feeling ..

sometimes it truly feels we are
alive in a postcard world.

A strange land but so familiar.
More to follow!

La Serenissima...

Arriverderci Venezia!


Four times I have said goodbye to Venice.
Always I think..
will I return one day?

Was this my final arriverderci?

My dream would be, like Miss Garnet,
to live in Venice for ..
maybe six months.

Like Miss Garnet I would explore and dream.

For now
it is arrivaderci

La Serenissima.

'Open my heart and you will see,
graven inside it,
Italy'
Robert Browning



Miss Garnet's Angel by Susan Vickers

Memories of Venice..

Walking in Venice after dark is one of the loveliest things to do.
Many of the tourists have gone back to the mainland.
It is quiet
and the moon is reflected in the water of the canals.


One such evening we were wandering along
when we heard the most amazing singing..
rich male voices
singing the beautiful and plaintive songs of the Jewish people.
The men were gathered in a small cafe.
It was Friday
and they were welcoming in the Sabbath.
We sat by the edge of the canal
and felt such blessings in this beautiful place
as we quietly listened.

We discovered the next day the cafe was part of the Jewish Ghetto,
an ancient part of Venice.

A visit to the Cathedral in St Marks Square is very special.
The exquisite mosaics, the four bronze horses..

During the day the crowds of tourists are overwhelming.

I rose early in the morning, as the big bells were ringing
and crossed the almost empty square and let myself into the Cathedral by
 a door on the side wall to the left.
In the company of five nuns and a handful of people I attended early morning mass.
This was such a special and meditative way to visit the cathedral
and an experience that I will treasure forever.


Painting.. Procession in St Marks Square.  Bellini 1496
from'Venice Revisited' S Harris.

Memories of Venice.. Vivaldi..

..and then of course..there is Burano..

There is something about Venice
that causes me to remember it as if it was all
a beautiful dream.

The Island of Burano is like that.
With its leaning tower

and coloured houses.
It is the island of the Venetian fishermen and lace makers.

Quiet

and peaceful
and oh so charming.

We ate our lunch at this cafe

and I put down my fork to photograph our entree..
not that I would have forgotten it.

So light and delicate this dish of  creamy rice and tiny shrimps.
We ate it slowly
and mindfully..

and wondered
was it the sea air and the place
that made this simple dish so divine.

Another day in Venice..

we glided down the Grand Canal

in the midst of festivity.

Lots of shouting and bravado

because it was boat racing day,
and we were gondoleered (is that a word?) down the canal
between races.

Gondolas and boats of every size and shape,

with competitors in the colours of their teams

waiting their turn

to speed down the grandest canal of all.

Happy groups of supporters and tourists like us

enjoying the feeling of excitement of festivity.

We came under the beautiful Rialto Bridge
to St Marks Square

and all the while

the old palaces

looked down on the proceedings

as they have done for hundreds of years.

In olden days the boats could have been ships carrying
envoys or treasures from far away exotic lands
or even Marco Polo himself!
Beautiful, crazy Venice.

A doodle poem..

there is always
a bird
in my dreams

and a tree

and a nest

loves
longings
lost

Take care of the earth..

Beautiful New Zealand.

Just found this on niece Hannah's FB
and thought how beautiful this is.
This is Mount Maunganui
and the entrance to Tauranga Harbour.

Just out to the right is where the container ship, the Rena is stuck on a reef.
Oil from the Rena has been polluting these beautiful beaches.

Oh Venice.. City of dreams...

When entering Venice
come in through the back canals

away from the crowds of the inevitable tourists
away from the noisy water taxis and buses

and glide in a gondola
in the silence of the magic

under the arches of ancient bridges

for this is the secret Venice
that enchants
and you whisper
I am here again..

what is it about your watery ways

your aged tatty self

that makes you seem a lover

that bewitches

and confuses

ah
Venice

here I am again