We had a dinner party last night, the vino was flowing the food was consumed and it was nonstop laughing with the Italian friends of Sue and the two southern kiwi girls from Dunedin & Clyde staying through the www.workaway.com programme. The Italians really know how to laugh and live in the moment, no serious topics discussed it was all stupid stuff and teasing each other.  

It really was a local experience high in the hills sitting by the outdoor oven under the stars. They tried some of the food cautiously even with a suspicious nature just as I said before food is regional and they love the food they know and unsure of whats new.  

 Mario is a grower and takes his produce to market at 1.30am, they didn't leave our place until midnight and he will be back in the morning at 9am to fix a drain problem - when does this man sleep he appears to live on espresso, cigarettes, grappa and vino and always laughing!!! Tonight there is a pig hunt planned as we have a wild pig hanging around the property digging up and ground and destroying the stone steps - Rod's very excited about being involved in this - "Chilli" just wants to see the pig in the oven, I'm sure it will be an experience, its illegal to pig hunt in the valley so its all top secret - nothing like a bit of Italian drama.

These people have the kindest hearts and are very gentle but get them behind the wheel of a car and for some reason they turn into monsters, yelling, fists flying its hilarious. This is our second time in Taggia and I am enjoying it much more this time - maybe its familiarity, its not a tourist place, its real life Italy. Italians holiday in this area and San Remo 8km's aways use to be a very up market destination, it has a marina there and beautiful streets. English is not spoken but you always seem to get by, pointing, smiling, they don't care if you can't speak the language they just chat away to you anyway. The one thing that's tough, everyone smokes, everywhere you go cigarette smoke is blown over you, young, old they are all puffing away makes you wonder how the have this long life expectancy - maybe this is all down to attitude!!

Looks like the clouds have blown away and we are in for some great blue sky days and a bit of swimming time.