Albergo Ristorante Vinicio Ansedonia Grosseto

... could use for our research papers on Italian culture. All in all, it made me think how that was exactly how I would like my apartment to be when I get my own one. Tea set and all. I've become surprisingly addicted to tea since I came here. The English variety, of course, with milk and sugar, but I'm still rather surprised that I've come to enjoy tea so much in Italy. Rather than, say, coffee.

... sink. At the lowest point of the square, the spare but elegant Palazzo Comunale, also known as the Palazzo Pubblico, is the town hall (containing a civic museum on its lower level). From the palazzo, the Torre del Mangia – a graceful bell tower built in 1297 – soars above the entirety of Il Campo.

Il Campo was huge, and spectacular, and full of energy – and by the time we got there around 12 noon, it contained throngs ...

... un prix pour s'assoir a une table! ici c'etait 2 euro par personne! mais sa en valais la peine, les bruchettas., les gnocchis et l'osso buco etaient tous delicieux.

ensuite, la piazza del campo ou il y a un gros chateau avec une tour tres haute, pui une visite a la piazza du duomo pour y voir la seul eglise completement baroque ...

... aqua duct. As we had a double celebration we celebrated with our last 2 bottles of pink champagne and opened the Fois gras we had bought in France! We enjoyed this pissnic as the sun went down and we were blessed with a wonderful sunset that kept going and going. Once the sun went down we drank in the views of the old town which lit up at night. 21st We really wanted a sleep in this morning as our heads were a little fuzzy from all the bubbles of last night but ...

... we need to be in Morocco by the 18th Dec as Kim promised me I would have surfing on my birthday - yay!!!! Then we have Hayden and Gill joining us for Christmas in Marrakesh - whoo hoo! It was text message city in Scooby this morning as we got another text this time from Gill in London giving us the fantastic news that I had been accepted as a British citizen. I had lodged my papers before we left London but did not expect to hear so soon as processing times can be up to 6 months!

All vitamin D'ed up we arrived at our destination for the evening - Bagni di Petriolo - hot springs. Soon we were lounging in the hot sulphur pools watching the sun set. A fresh water stream ran alongside the springs and a dip in the water was very refreshing, although a little breathtaking at the same time! The pools were popular with the locals young and old as well as travellers as there were about a dozen campers parked nearby. As lovely as ...

Down the road from Montalcino we popped into St Antimo Abbey where the local monks say their (7!!) daily prayers in Georgian chants. We caught part of the 12.45pm prayers and enjoyed some down time while listening the chanting. The afternoon was glorious and once again we were in tshirts, so we made the most of it and had a picnic in the sun beside the Abbey.

... the mornings they set out pastries and sandwiches to choose from and you can order coffee and tea (in genuine ceramic mugs because the idea of "to-go" is ridiculous to Italians) and sit down and enjoy them. Italians have the best pastries. I could get a pastry every day, but most of the time I resist. And I actually enjoy the coffee as well even though it's relatively strong. I don't think it's as bad as the stereotype makes it out to be though.

Then I also have Italian ...

... At this point in the affair, communication has proved a little confusing because the kneejerk response is to utter "Oui" or "Merci" or whatever the appropriate French response, then quickly correct it with the English translation. By then the moment is lost, and as with any love affair, preliminary misunderstandings can wreck the whole thing! Just a little catch up on what we've been up to since the turmoil of Morrocco as described in the last blog... We ...

Italy as a country, the way we have decided how expensive it is, is to buy gelato or compare the price of a campground. We arrived in Florence and as we couldn't get into the campground, we parked the Chookster in the big carpark overlooking the city. The view was great, and we had a huge copy of the Statue of David overlooking us. First thing in the morning, we drove into the campground. Locked the van up and went to the town. There are two galleries that need to be seen. The Uffizi art ...