Milan & Switzerland Thursday 16 November Our hotel stay was familiar and comfortable (Hotel Arizona) and Elton (hotel part-owner), very friendly. He insisted on our next visit that we stay in one of his new apartments, situated close by and recently renovated. We very well will as it would offer a larger space and more comfortable layout whilst still in the area of Florence we like. We took a taxi from the hotel to the railway station and had no pro...

Wednesday 15 November 2017 The weather matched our mood really, we woke early, despite having gone to bed at 10pm, then up again, both of us couldn't sleep. We decided to make a cuppa and toast and as it was nearing midnight we were eager to hear the result of the "survey" on same sex marriage. What a relief! Perhaps now our politicians can unite with respect and empathy, and pass the necessary legislation to allow same-sex marriage in line with the will of the ...

Panicale: It's definitely "autumn" looking, my, how the landscape has changed in just over three weeks we have been here. The trees that were tinged with yellow, orange, are now more intense and with even the gentlest breeze the leaves are loosing their grip and giving in to the loss of energy needed to "hold on"....winter will be victorious! We are realising that one of the reasons we love Panicale and this region of Umbria is the similarity in weather to Goulbu...

Wednesday 1st November 2017 All Saints Day Celebrated as public holiday in Italy. No school, all shops except bars and restaurants are closed. Halloween has also "caught on", (31 October), however not in Panicale I am pleased to report! We had lunch today in a village nearby Paciano (another walled village), less than five kilometres from Panicale. They too have their castle, which is now a lovely restaurant named Locanda Manfredi. We returned having lunched a...

30 October 2017 We arrived back in Panicale late Thursday afternoon just in time for the week-end festival in the village. Celebrating the olive harvest so the village comes to life! More tables/chairs were placed in the village piazza to take advantage of the activities and the expected intake of visitors. A food van was set up early Saturday inside, near the piazza fountain and another making delicious crepes just at the entrance. Wonderful crepes, Phil wa...