Last afternoon in Pienza

Having returned back from Montelpuciano to find the sun shining across the Val d'Orcia we decided to take our last wander around Pienza- starting off with another gaze across the views from our hotel.

We walk around the towns old walls first, and came across these really old cars driving into town.

This one was obviously hand made

they parked these old warriors right in front of the Cafe

whilst they took their obligitary italian "caffe" break.

We then wandered in through the gates to the walled part of Pienza

checking out the different lanes

we found one of Pienza's pecorino sheep cheese outlets

there were windows with petite figures sitting on their sill

flowers and lace curtains

huge old doors

and smaller - surrounded by ivy

looking for a Cafe along the walls of Pienza

to enjoy our last happy hour

and final sunset in Pienza and Italy. Grazie!

Petrina's still moving around India

Well Trina is still thoroughly enjoying her time in India, must say the description of some of her transport, and the drivers and condition of vehicles, leave a little bit to be desired.

Sarnath - where Buddha gave his first sermon.

****** Varanasi - the holiest of holy lands in India Trina's description - a huge rabbit warren with the mighty Ganges running through it.

Trina's words - "with all my sins combined you could not tempt me into the Ganges Holy waters - maybe just a toes worth of sin"!

Global Warming!!

Well the last 10 months in the usually sunny and warm Queensland, have been anything but, so very different to the beautiful norm. We have had so much rain, it has been a very cold winter, and the sun has wandered elsewhere on most days!!!

Thursday, 13th October in the suburbs between the Gold Coast and south Brisbane

Just charming - and loads of damage done.

*****

And as I type this, all hell is letting loose again outside!!

This week at home

Had a lovely birthday, loads of calls and emails from USA, NZ, England and all over OZ, and many delightful and thoughtful cards. The Kiwi Wroe kids sent a lovely hamper of cheese, vino, biscuits, and chocolates, and we celebrated with a large Malaysian feast at our new local restaurant. There is a little Japanese/French cafe opening in a few weeks too. We have some more celebrating to do in the next couple of weeks with the family. Anyway I had a delightful day.

*****

The next day, October 12th is a very sad one and has been for the past 9 years, since the devasting bombs in Bali, mercilessly killing 202 people, including 88 Australians, 24 Brits, 7 Americans, 3 Kiwis, 38 Balinese and numerous other nationalities, and of course maming and injuring so many many more - 240. There are Bali Memorial Services held all over Australia on October 12th

recognised by the young

and the older

Coogee Beach's Bali Memorial

and below - The Bali Bombing Memorial

at the site of the original Paddy's bar in Kuta, Bali

Montelpulciano

Montelpulciano is located in the Val di Chiana, Tuscany, not that far from Val d'Orcia. It is built high on a geological ridge of Monte Poliziano in the province of Sienna. It is the ancient Etruscan city of Nocera Alfaterna, which in 308 B.C. made an alliance with Rome against the Samnites.

Sitting outside Montelpulciano walls is the Temple of San Biagio

This Temple planned by Antonio Da Sangallo (1518 - 1537) it shows the style given by master builders of this period, inspiring the design of such Palaces as Cervini, Terugi and many more.

Yes there was a steep climb from the car park to enter Montelpuciano

The main street climbs 60 meters in 1 km!!

The houses are situated along this main street in a series of very steep, short, narrow alleys.

Their statues

and "little men on roofs"

and plaques on walls caught my attention.

This town is famous for two excellent wines, Vino Nobile and Vino Rosso di Montelpuciano and there are many opportunites open to purchase.

We wandered along the main street to Piazza Grande

to look at the Palazzo De Nobili-Tarugi above

and the Church of San Agostino opposite.

It was early morning on a dullish day - and the Cafe's were just setting up.

Love these 2 little sunflower numbers.

*****

Now it's time to drive back through Val d'Orcia

for our last afternoon in Pienza - and Italy.

Balmy Fall in England

Kevin sent these photos after a day out at the Potteric Carr Reserve, Yorkshire's 500 acre nature reserve. This is Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's flagship nature reserve, it has a wide range of habitats, from open water and marsh to grassland and woodland.

Magic photo above of one of the old railway tunnels and its reflection at Potteric Carr Since 1968. 229 bird species have been recorded on this Reserve, with 102 species knowing to have bred there. AND it was another warm "fall" day in the north of England

Castiglione del Lago

We decided to head more into Umbria - to Castiglione del Lago which was the 4th Island on Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, the largest lake in the center of south Italy. Over the centuries, as Castiglione grew, the flat gap between the island and the shore was filled with piazze, houses, churches and other buildings. The aerial photo below (a postcard) is how she is today - attached to the mainland.

The newest parts of the city are at some distance from the old, so the historical centre of Castiglione del Lago is a well preserved medieval locality. It seems to be governed by a "law of threes" - in the town walls (above) there are three gates, and inside this town there are three piazze and three churches. Looking across Lake Trasimeno above The fountains and Piazze of Castiglione del Lago Below one of the arched gates in the walls, again with a view over Lago Trasimeno. Cafe above and Castiglione's War Memorial below The Palazzo Ducale (now Town Hall) was built in Renaissance Style It is now a civic museum and gallery Through the olive trees below is the Castello del Leone (Fortress of the Lion) - it is a pectagonal-shaped castle completed in 1247.

It was designed to give its owners strategic control over all of Lake Trasimeno, and this Castle has withstood a number of seiges. To the right of the olive grove there is a long stone wall, it's really a covered corridor connecting the Castello Del Leone to the Palazzo Ducale (Town Hall)