San Quirico d'Orcia, Bagno Vignoni and Rome Airport

We packed early, had our last italian breakfast and headed out of Pienza - we had the whole day to reach Rome Airport, so we called into a charming walled town on the northern edge of Val d'Orcia - it was going to be our last "walled town" fix in Tuscany. This town was called San Quirico d'Orcia.

Parking and access was easy - it was not 100 plus stairs up this time !

Our first stop was at Horti Leonini Botanical Gardens

laid out by Diomede Leoni in 1580

Peaceful - we were the only ones there

La Collegiata was built on the site of the old (pleban) church which dated from the 8th Century.

It was rebuilt in the 12 Century, the main portal is in Lombard style, a decorated protiro in sandstone, with columns supported by lions.

There is another bell tower at the rear of the Collegiata

It's flora at the top caught my eye!

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Beside the Collegiata is the Palazzo Chigi (Magistrate's palace) built in 17th Century

and its huge "porte del morto" - doors of the dead - why, I don't know!.

Very quiet houses of Piazza Chigi

Porte Cappucini

The Brig grabs a seat, while I read the sign outside this boutique hotel.

Just delightful!

then we wander back towards the car along the narrow streets within the wall

San Quirico has 14 small towers

and around the exterior edge of parts of its wall - are thriving "vegie" gardens.

A very peaceful couple of hours in San Quirico d'Orcia

Our next stop not far from San Quirico is Bagno Vignoni

The name of this village derives from Vignoni, an 11th century castle whose traces dominate the hill over the village.

Bagno Vignoni is a tiny medieval spa village - just a handful of houses

It is full of hot sulfurous water that bubbles up to the surface

from the volcanic rocks deep underground

The healing quality of the water has been known since Roman times

It is said that both St Catherine of Sienna (14th Century) and Lorenzo the Magnificent sought a cure here.

There is a huge Piazze containing an arcaded stone lined pool - full of hot sulfurous waters, constructed by the Medici

which is no longer used,

but there are other places including the upmarket Spa Hotels - where one can find their cure.

Unfortunately, we now have to leave the Val d'Orcia, and head south via the Motorway to the Hertz returns area at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. This was a task we were dreading, but it was oh so simple . We manoevred the car to the right spot, were greeted by a charming young italian, the car did not have one mark on it, we found a trolley for our bags, and headed direct to International Departures, another great experience.

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Well we spent 5 superb weeks in Italy, BUT it has taken me 5 months to recount it - oh well!

Small world

I received a phone call this week from a very distant relative - he and I shared the same Great Great grandparents (on my Mother's side) . The Mudgee Historical Society had given Tim my name and phone number, so we had a long chat - and he then emailed me a pile of historical paperwork on our family, some I had, but there was some new information there as well. I have since sent him some other papers. Anyway Frank and I are hoping to go to Mudgee in a couple of weeks time to look through the Historical Society's photos and the Anglican Church photos, and have a very good wander.

You see our great great grandfather was a forwarding agent on the Mudgee to Capertree Valley run. A wee titbit - The Capetree Canyon rivals the Grand Canyon in length, by 1 kilometre they say - it has sandstone escarpments soaring to hundreds of meters in height which encircle the valley. Henry Lawson wrote his poem, "Song of the old bullock driver" in 1891, he became the first notable Australian to put into words the rugged beauty of the Capertree Valley - which today is a 30 minute drive north of Lithgow.

The Capertree Canyon

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In the 1870's our great great grandfather Thomas, drove the gold (escort) coach from Gulgong, he also brought the magnificent British pipe organ and bell for St. John's Church, Mudgee over the Great Dividing Range in 1881.

St John's Anglican Church and its Bell Tower. The Bell is made of steel, exceedingly heavy - 3 feet 7 inches tall and 13 feet 1 inch in diameter.

This Brindley and Foster Organ is said to be one of the finest examples of 19th century British organs,

It looks rather large , and has just been restored at 126 years old ($160,000) and is expected to last at least another 100 years.

The entire goods weighed 27 tons and it was considered a marvellous feat to cart this load over the inhospitable mountains on a dirt road in 1881 using a 12 horse team.

I am hoping to be able to find some old photos of the arrival of the bell and organ at the Church, that might just show our great great grandfather as well - who at this time was a Wesleyan!

Henry Lawson, mentioned him in one of his stories 'Gettin' back on Dave Regan" as well - Thomas was a bit of a character it seems.

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.

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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.

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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.

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

for our last afternoon in Pienza - and Italy.