So we braved the Italian road again dragging ourselves out after a good hearty sleep in and headed to San Gimignano. Apparently the most visited village in Italy.

The weather was warm, streets packed with tourists and an endless array of kitsch souvenir shops. It's a walled hilltop town, with many towers, apparently at the peak there were 27 of them but only 14 remain. I forced our poor children into viewing yet another cathedral, Cassie most upset as she had to wrap a very unflattering piece of material around her to cover her legs. It is a church and it is Italy after all!

We strolled, took photos, ate pizza and salad washed down with mango and coconut gelato.

This is definitely wine and olive oil country but I feel a bit odd rocking up to a winery, a woman with 2 kids, and having a bit of a swizzle of wine. So we came home, I made tea, did the washing and girls did their diaries and postcards.

Our thoughts were with Stan who was having a much more challenging and difficult time.