Now I am sitting in the apartment of friends in Follonica (on the west coast of Italy, somewhere near Pisa, Livorno and suchlike places...) and I look out the window across the still green sea, towards the island of Elba, very clear today. Spring really seems to have arrived, temperatures are around 15 degrees Celsius, one could almost eat icecream.
It is very quiet up here, and immensely light. I plan an afternoon's walk along the seafront; you can go a long way following the sea. There is a large bay here, beautiful beaches, curving from Piombino in the north to Punta Ala at the southern tip, where you can just dicsern the small island of Sparviero.
Today is very clear, a slight wind creating patterns on the waters of the bay.
Yesterday I took the train from Torino (Porta Nuova) to Follonica, an impressive journey lasting nearly six hours. First into the Piedmontese mountains where there were still snowy patches, and then down to Genoa and along the beautiful cragged coast, past Carrera where huge slabs of marble lay stacked, while behind the mountains were a patchwork of snow and dark rock.
Hopping back a day: spent a few sunny hours in Torino walking roubnd well-know places and down to the river Po. Here some pix of the weir (barrage?) which we saw being built (and then washed away, and then re-built!) when David and I were living in Turin (Torino). Have put soem pix on another 'page' of blog.
Now it is lunchtime, so of course I must pause.
Later will offer a description of the wonderful Tuscan meals...
Ciao, a presto
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