The road around MonteF from the top end

 
 

 
This is the winding road that goes through the hills in Tuscany. Barely enough room for 1.5 cars, so it get VERY interesting when two cars meet! Sometimes you could meet a tractor! .. or even a bus!

Montefioralle

is a really cute ancient town, with narrow winding cobbled streets. No cars are allowed inside. There is one small restaurant and a Church. No shops or pubs! Does the third photo here mean that the town was built in 445? Anyone speak Italian? Apart from the necessary 'dove il?' meaning 'where is?' I am Italianly illiterate!

 
 
 

 
 
 

ExCYO in City Hall

Sorry that its sideways! This photo appeared in the Evening Echo. It was a fun gig. Can you see those 11 French Horns?

One lane road

 
 
The road around Montefioralle is only wide enough for one vehicle at a time, so there is a set of traffic lights at both ends. Waiting time is 3 minutes max!

Out for a walk.

 
 
 
The nearest town to Il Cascino is Montefioralle. It is a small, ancient, walled town high in the hills above Greve. It is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees whcih are the main industries here. This is the Chianti region, where the quality of wine is legendry Pity we dont drink wine!

Play the ball as it lies?

 
 
 

Golfing in Tuscany

 
 
 
Of course we found a golf course! It was lovely. Set in the rolling hills of Tuscany, we could combine golf and hill walking at the same time!

Il Cascino

 
 
 
This was our accommodation. An agriturismo project in the hills near Greve, a small town about half way between Florence and Siena. Set in the Tuscan hills, we were very lucky to have had the entire complex to ourselves for the two weeks. Here is the web site.

Roman Bath

 
This ancient site is very close to the tower in Pisa. It is the remains of a Roman Bath dating back to the 1st century.

Campo dei Miracoli

 
 
The Leaning Tower is one of three huge biildings in this place. The others are the Baptistry (1152 - 1284) and the Duomo, begun in 1063. They are beautifully decorated in Carrara (white) marble.

Leaning a lot

 
 
 
Depending on how you look at it, it leans both ways!
In the third photo, you can see the base and how it is seeping into the ground. Work began on the tower in 1173 and it was completed in 1350 when its seven bells were hung. AT that time it was already leaning 4.5 ft from vertical. By 1993 it was 17.5 ft from vertical and was closed to visitors. Engineering intervention amanged to correct the lean by 14 ins and it was reopened in 2001. There is a staircase to the top for viewing. We didnt go up.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

 
>With camera tricks you can make it really lean!
 
 

Pallazzo Vecchio by night

 
with a full moon in the sky.

Sandro Botticelli

The Birth of Venus and Primavera(Spring) are two of Botticellis most famous works that are on display in the Uffizi Gallery. They date from the 1480's and are huge paintings. They were created as wall pieces for the Medici family. I sat for ages just looking at them while our guide rattled on about all sorts of stuff!
The Uffizi gallery was cborn from the immense wealth of the Medici family and was bequeathed to the people of Florence by Anna Maria Ludovica, the last of the Medicis, in 1737.
Have a look at this link to find out more about Botticelli.

Cameras not allowed in the Uffizi ..

except for a shot onto the Ponte Vecchio ...
 
 
 
and then I quickly whipped round a took two sneaky shots into the gallery. You can see the two main corridords on the 2nd floor. Note the statues all the way anong and the highly decorated ceilings. The rooms off these corridors house all of the paintings.