LIFE IN UMBRIA (MONTEFALCO MEMORIES)

not many words in this post,

but about a million pictures

& a zillion memories behind them

from a week in the small Umbrian hilltop town

of Montefalco last summer.

a glimpse of the piazza above

turned into that fantasy setting

for velvety Italian evenings,

people gathered for a spritz 

before dinner,

while dark-haired, chocolate-eyed children

dart around on the square.

it's where we headed every night.

our home was down this little vicolo

about two minutes from the piazza.

the stone walls hid a simple, charming paradise.

after a week in Tuscany,

we loved the slightly more authentic vibe,

less tourists,

living more like locals.

x

all images shot in Montefalco.

RIPOSO IN PIENZA

since the last post,

the big white has just got bigger,

& I've caught myself 

missing the heat. 

the beauty of photography 

is its ability to transport you

wherever you wish,

today,

to the quiet streets of pretty little town Pienza.

we walked its streets

at riposo time

after a week in Tuscany,

on our way to spend  a week in Umbria.

if you're feeling the cold, too,

I hope these raised the temperature

a few notches :) 

x

TUSCAN HAVEN

pulling out images

from the haven where we stayed last summer,

in the middle of Tuscan countryside.

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can you hear the peace?

x

all images shot at 

La Lodola in Asciano. 

FEELING FLORENCE

we leave our quiet Tuscan country retreat

& arrive in Florence,

where we are met with a barrage

of crowds, noise & selfie sticks. 

we sort of knew what to expect,

but it still hit us hard...

so we sought solace.

let's grab a gelato

& mosey on... 

while the queues to the Uffizi wind away in a never-ending formation,

the Bargello Palace Museum welcomes in

with its hushed, expansive courtyard

& lofty rooms...

 then it's back through the crowds

& a dive through velvet curtains

into a church thick in silence, 

the scent of incense,

& a quiet shuffle

of people kneeling to pray

or lighting a candle for loved ones.

then to a temple of another kind

~ Santa Maria Novella. 

the rooms dazzle,

as we pick out a few souvenirs to take home

& stop for refreshments 

at the Herbal Tea Room.

not sure if it's the heat or what,

but i seem to be drawn to all things rose ~

rose tonic water to splash on flushed cheeks,

a pink bottle of exquisite pink elixir concealed in that packaging

& the taste of rose champagne on my tongue.

(Byredo's La Tulipe crept into the photo for some reason

just to confuse things :)) 

x