And so……..

………we have begun a love affair with Italy…..how could you not…..? Italy has drawn people in search of culture and romance for centuries…..it has more than 100,000 monuments of major historical significance, it is the home of opera, the healthiest food in the world, it was the seat of the Renaissance. It is impossible to describe the inner experience of Italy, the profound effect it can have upon one, the impact of being there – of laughingly doing what thousands of other people were doing and have done before us – holding up the leaning tower of Pisa! Walking around the city wall in Lucca, climbing up the Citadel in Porto Venere, finding ourselves eating freshly caught fish with the locals in La Spezzia. Visiting monasteries and castles with bullet holes from the German occupation still evident in the walls. Climbing down into ancient cellars with acres of oak barrels aging last year’s vintage. Spontaneously being invited to attend local concerts of wonderful young classical virtuoso performers. We could go on and on and on………but once again our “life as a servant” is starting to take priority and the beautiful English autumn is beginning, it’s not too bad……... however, one doesn’t want to be walking under the chestnut trees with the HUGE conkers that are dropping…. that’s a whole other blog……..wish you were here xxxx