Cooking course in Camuccia

Hi folks
Chris and I did our share of cooking today. We had a four course traditional Tuscan meal. We made pasta from scratch.We had crostini followed by soup and then 2 types,of pasta. By this stage I was getting full. Then a huge steak was revealed of which Chris had some. Note neither the cook myself or the interpreter could eat any more. Dessert followed which was very nice. It was an italian cream trifle type of dish which was very rich. We emerged about 3.30pm not too worse for wear and certainly richer for the experience.
After this we returned the hire car and came home to pack and bid our farewell to Tuscany .
We catch an early train tomorrow about 7am to go to florence  and then change trains for Venice where we board the cruise.
Love to you all hope all is well in Australia
Marijana and Chris

Photos to see

Photos of Rome

Italy

Hi folks
I thought I'd better add to my blog
We are having such fun it will be hard to leave Italy and if it wasn't for my lovely family and friends back home I would be tempted to live here.
Well we went to florence yesterday. And it is a great bustling city. Lots of youth attending university for art or language and some very fine amazing architecture. We saw the statue of David. Words cannot describe ones first glimpse of it. So tall and majestic.  Lots of streets bustling with life and shopping and all moving at a fast pace.
Nice long train ride home which you can admire the countryside and see lots of gardens and houses and also some poorer areas.
Listening to italian in the train and figuring out the ticket system
Anyway off to a cooking course today so that will be fun and I will have my Tuscan meal with you when we return home so get your stomaches  ready for some fine tuscan cuisine.  We also had a language class last night which was great. Church bells are ringing n the distance. It's early morning. There is so much to tell I will save it for home but  suffice to say we are enjoying ourselves and experiencing the highs and lows of life in another culture. Even so, overall it is great and we are looking fwd to the Venice leg of our journey.

Arrivederci mio amici e una familia
Marijana

Photos at last

Hi family and friends
I think I may have fixed the photo problem so we will see
Off to pick ip car today and perhaps drive to florence or Firenze if you are in Italy
Bye for now
M

Villa views in Cortona

Villa Cortona

Villa at Cortona

Arrived in Italy!!!

Hi all
Managed to order a cappuccino and a glass of water in Italian - very proud of myself
As usual the airport process is an adventure be it tiring bit we managed to get a taxi bus to our hotel
Well,it was a hair raising drive
I felt like saying to the people on the road get out of the way there's a maniac driving this car
Anyway we are here in one piece at a lovely hotel called La Porta and all is well
Off to buy some dinner soon and walk around a bit before crashing for an early start tomorrow

Typical English phone box

Ireland castles mountains and 40 shades of green

Ireland is so lovely. At the moment I am looking out of the window to a view of mist covered mountains and beautiful guest house all in a traditional Irish style.
The people are very helpful and friendly
We are staying at Killarney and it relies heavily on the tourist trade and agriculture.
Trying to rally the strength to walk into town which is about 20 minutes so see how we go
Miss you all but lovely to be away
Bye for now M

York

Hi all
York is great off to "the minster" this morning a massive cathedral incredible to view
Trust all is good in oz. heard the election results
Weather great scenery beautiful
Love M

Dinner out

The Victoria Palace Theatre

See gold ballerina on top

Billy Elliot

Hi there
Well last night we went to West  End and enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at Izzy with our wonderful friend sally who had just made the journey from France to London via the bullet train.
Sally is due to fly back to France today to begin her journey through Spain. A 900 km walk on her own.
Billy Elliot was fantastic, the cast were great and the play was amazing, the commitment to the roles was 100% and each person especially "billy" was incredible.
The theatre itself was beautiful and  you have to see it to get what i mean. It was callled "The Victoria Palace Theatre" and it has a gold ballerina on the top of it. I think it is one of the oldest theatres there.  It is  beautifully maintained with lots of plush red velvet carpet and seats  and gold everywhere with various sized chandeliers and classic design from an era long ago
Lots of people out on this late night very glad to finally hit the sack after a hectic  train trip back home on the underground
After a good nights sleep we feel much restored and are ready to head off to York by train. We are looking forward to leaving the hectic pace of London behind and seeing some of that lovely English countryside and then on to Ireland where I believe it will be a lot cooler
Bye for now
Love to Australia happy voting Mxxx

Tower of London

Great tour well worth the money
We got to see the Crown Jewels and also lots do old stone medieval structures
There were lots of photo pops but here is one other photo


M

Finally raining in London

Well after the heat wave of the last few days it is finally raining in London
This is more like it I was beginning to wonder if I would ever need my Spencer's and skivvies
I think they may come out of the suitcase at last
Our legs are certainly getting stronger from all the walking we are doing
We have negotiated the underground several times and London is indeed huge
We went on a tour by night of London last night and are off to a show tonight at the west end - Billy  Elliot where we will meet up with Sally and share a meal

Lionel has requested more photos so I will attach a couple here
Lets just say London os an amazing city with so much to see and take in. So much history it is breath taking . This is a funny photo of Chris


h taking. This

Hop on hop off bus tour

Planning an early start tomorrow
Off to Baker Street station don't know if its the same Baker Street in the song but anyway that's where we start our tour and hopefully will do a Thames tour as well
M

Gap day after flight

Hi folks
Well today has been about familiarising ourselves with London
We have ventured into London by train and managed to find out which stop to get out at for our hop on hop off bus tour tomorrow.  Anyway the Heath is really nice a big huge system of lakes and do you know keats was born here and his house is just around the corner
Nice coffee shop nearby not much more news
More tomorrow
Love Marijana

this is a photo of the fireplace in the room