We have visited a lot of places since last blogging. We were fortunate enough to be able to use Adam and Ben's place in Colleoli, a quiet spot amongst the olive groves just outside of Pisa, as our base for Italy. It was such a lovely, peaceful spot set up in the Tuscan Hills with winding gravel roads, dusty-limestone air and panoramic countryside vistas. You can pick up a floral scent of Jasmine in some spots and woodfire pizza smells from the restaurant kitchen below our appartment! The resort is nowhere near as secluded as we thought it would be...there are a few little towns scattered around...Palaia, Forcoli, Pontedera, etc...many of which James has been exploring via bike.
Our day trips to Pisa and Florence ended up being wash outs because I was sick for the first and Jude screamed the town down for the second so we didn't manage as much sightseeing as we'd have liked!
Everyday the temperature in Italy has been in the mid to high 30's and very sticky. Though hardly a cloud in the sky! We have been truly spoilt compared to everyone in the UK facing so much rain recently. :-)
Our 3 day trip to the tourist mecca Venice was amazing and whilst it is a pain to get in and out of the place, it is well worth it. It was a 4.5 hour drive to Tronchetta (a public car park just ourside of Venice) and then we got a water taxi to the hotel. James' face was a picture as we traversed the canals and watched the magical venetian world go by. By foot Venice is a maze of shady alleyways andsmall foot bridges which you can follow for a few minutes before finding yourself in a sunlit square filled with people. This is a city where you feel like you have stepped back in time...a merchant city...hotel linen, produce, garbage, retail supplies...all transported from boat to boat along the canals. We had a hotel room with a view onto a canal - gondolas and water taxis passed every 10 seconds or so - Jude loved poking his head outside the balcony and smiling at all of the men steering the gondolas. Some were singing well known Italian opera, others playing stringed instruments or whispering the city's history to create intrigue for the predominantly Chinese and American tourists. We listened to a live rendition of 'My Way' whilst having coffee in San Marco (St Mark's Square) and even James couldn't resist the charms of the treasure-trove shops set into the walls....just beautiful.
We have even enjoyed a few evening meals out together - one early with Jude in Venice (where I had one of the best steaks I have ever eaten!) and a couple of times in Colleoli where Jude was sleeping upstairs and easy to check on regularly.
Now we are back on the coast in Monte Carlo, Monaco! A city known for it's rich, its casino and Formula 1. It is a beautiful little city decorated with public gardens that you can walk through and sit in - exotic gardens, cactus gardens, lily pond gardens. As you first descend into it you get the most spectacular view of the cliffs, city and harbour. We have been to the Louis VII tunnel which is part of the F1 circuit and to the beach where James had a quick dip in the mediterranean while Jude and I ate lunch in the shade. As you get closer to the casino and Hotel de Paris area, the cars become pricier and pricier. A predominantly banking and retail city (though most of the banks are private and are just empty premises for businesses wanting tax breaks) with a fair amount of pretension as you'd expect. But the harbour is stunning.
I think James feels a little more at home now rhat we have reached the coastal parts of our trip...just a simple swim in the sea seemed to wash away some of the travelling fatigue and boost his exploring energy again.
I am going to end with a couple of pics of Jude - one of him swimming in the inflatable device that his Grandma bought and one of him up on all fours, a position he gets into daily now. Oh and last but not least, he has his first tooth coming through at the bottom right! If he would keep his mouth open long enough I would have had a photo of this for you all to enjoy as well. :-)
Next stop is Marseille where we hopefully have a room overlooking the old port. Click here to see our entire journey on Google Maps.
Love Nic x
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