Pasta La Vista

Drive into the Appenines-wander around Bagna di Lucca-drive to Barga for lunch: assorted cold cuts and cheeses-drive to Grotta di Veneto up windy v. narrow road and go on tour of caves with Eurotrash-v. average caves-give me Jenolan any day-great dinner in Lucca-sinta sinese pig and tripe(I dont know how I can eat that crap)

July 25-checkin' out filthy Lucca

Borrow bicycles from B&B and cycle(twice) around Lucca city walls-old amphitheatre for a shakerato-Pizza for lunch-more cycling through streets of Lucca-Puccini concert in evening in old church-seafood dinner.

July 24-I scream, you scream, we all scream+disaster averted

Tearful farewell to Montone-drive to San Gimignano, famous for its ice-cream and a whole lot of old stuff-eat ice-cream, look at old stuff, have lunch, eat ice-cream, look at more old stuff-drive to Lucca, very hairy driving inside city walls-check in to B&B-wander city streets-great dinner at L'Olivo restaurant-get back to B&B, drop key down hole in front of front door-go to car for torch-key is sitting on ledge 2 metres from street level-undo elastic from shoulder bag and fashion hook from old biro-after many attempts lying prostate on road manage to hook keys and haul up-happy ending and we get to sleep that night in B&B and not car!

July 23-swimming in Lake Tiramisu

Drive to Solomeo-the domain of the King of Cashmere, Bruno Cuchinelli-browse through factory outlet-buy scarf and pullover(put retirement off by 2 years)-lunch at Castel Rigone palace then swim at Lake Trasimeno-v. pleasant-told off by police lady for changing in car park(indecent exposure charges pending, sorry no photos)-drive to Cortona and walk to see remains of St Marghereta(former trollope)-ice cream and bride-eat at local Osteria in Montone-gnochhi with truffles-more brass band!

July 22-The city of pork & the valley of flowers

Huge breakfast of pastries and cakes at the Villa Roncalli-drive to Norcia(pork products central)-lunch including wild boar prosciutto-drive through Mt Scybilli national park-wall to wall wildflowers-brass band concert in square outside our window in Montone

July 21-La Grande Bouffe

This was the meal
1-Salami with salad and melon
2-Soup with lentils, green beans, celery,potato and olive oil
3-Gnocchi with aubergine, cheese and pigeon
4-Spaghetti with duck sauce
5-Bistecca alla Fiorentina

July 21-trifling with truffles and tripe in Todi

Drive to Todi-yep, another Umbrian hilltop town with churches,museums, great food and difficult parking-bought truffles to bring home-fabulous lunch-My first tripe dish-yummy(I don't know how I can eat that crap)-then off to Spoleto to look at viaduct-then to Villa Roncalli in Foligno for Bistecca(see following entry)

July 20-Too many piazzas but just enough pizzas

Drive to Perugia-hairy drive into city-do walking tour-churches, art gallery-great pizzas for lunch-found big supermarket and bought in supplies for casual dinner

July 19-Robyn is all caged up

Drive to Gubbio-take the funivia up the mountain(they said it was safe)-5 hour ring walk-great views-back to Gubbio for beers and average dinner

July 18-the bogged blog

What for breakfast-grocer closed-drive 20 minutes to Umbertide-all closed but find deli and pastries-brunch-decide to walk to local castle-car gets bogged on 4wd track but R digs us out-v v hot-back to Montone to cool off-Sandro & Bruna invite us for dinner-drive us to their farm(we walked past on our Walk)-fantastic renovated 1600 farmhouses on 70 hectares with 1 dog and 19 cats(all named)-Sandro is a retired businessman who has gone rural-grows lavender-great people, views and food

July 17-Driving Bologna to Montone

Wander around Bologna-look at shops-end up buying F 2 pairs D & G underpants-lunch-drive to Montone-Montone is like Disneyland but real-hang out in town square drinking beers-dinner at Antica Osteria-chat with Sandro & Bruno & Lupo the dog!