Vico Pancellorum

Posted on August 3, 2016 by kathy

Sunday was a day of rest for the hardworking luthiers so, having been recommended a certain restaurant, we drove to the village of Vico Pancellorum to sample for ourselves. The village is the last in Bagni di Lucca heading up the Lima River. We spent some time before lunch exploring the village

1.walk 2.walk

and admiring the majesty of the countryside.

3.view

The houses cling to the steep hillside leading to one of the tallest mountains in Tuscany,

4.village

each had its own character.

This monument appears to be a memorial to those who fought in the Apennines.

8.monument

We paused to look back at the village

9.village

and the neighbours across the valley

10.village

before continuing up the hill.

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Once again, I was intrigued by the old doorways

and gates.

We ambled on,

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bursts of colour revealed themselves

and it was time to take in the gorgeous view over the village

29.village

before returning for lunch. There were some lovely surprises as we strolled back.

We had worked up an appetite and Buca di Baldabò didn’t disappoint.

39.Buca di Baldabò

With no written menu, we were happy to be guided by our hosts. Unfortunately, I didn’t take food photos but the four of us shared a selection of traditional Tuscan dishes including Gnocchi with Gypsy Sauce, Tagliatelli with Wild Game Sauce, Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli with Basil, Slow Cooked Lamb and Rabbit with Olives. I came up for air long enough to snap the wonderful finale of Biscotti con Vin Santo.

40.Biscotti con Vin Santo

Before leaving the village, we had a closer look at Pieve di San Paolo.

41.Pieve di San Paolo

Dating back to 873AD, it is the oldest church of the Val di Lima.

One last look at the gorgeous mountains and we were braced for the drive home.

44.view from Pieve di San Paolo

A perfect way to spend a Sunday.

Mountain Valley

Posted on July 1, 2016 by kathy

Mountain Valley is a secluded retreat in the Loongana Valley, we first discovered while on holiday here.

1.setting

50km inland from the coast of northwest Tasmania, this 61 hectare Private Nature Reserve nestles beneath the majestic Black Bluff.

2.Black Bluff

There are six eco-cabins to choose from, our favourite is Blue Wren.

The Leven River flows through the property

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and many an hour has been spent idly waiting to spy the elusive platypus.

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Across the bridge,

14.bridge

the path follows the river. Trout can be seen jumping in the shallows

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and the native hens appear when you least expect them.

17.river

The path becomes narrow and we still search for that perplexing platypus.

18.river 19.river

Native creatures abound in this sanctuary – wallabies, possums, quolls, birds and of course, our gorgeous pademelons.

We watched Tasmanian Devils and quolls eating their evening meal on the verandah. Our host placed tasty morsels for them at dusk and they slowly came after dark as Michael sat motionless among them while I opted to watch through the window.

22.Devil

The guided walk to the glow worm grotto took us through serene grassland,

23.walk to cave

and we learned the beautiful foxglove is regarded as an environmental weed in Tasmania.

24.foxglove

There are many walks to take through fern glades

25.walk to cave

and rainforest

to discover hidden caves.

31.walk to cave

There is much more to explore at Mountain Valley, it is a wonderful experience and for those who are feeling energetic, there is the walk to the top of Black Bluff.

32.Black Bluff

I am looking forward to our next visit. http://mountainvalley.com.au

Lugliano

Posted on June 18, 2016 by kathy

On a warm, sunny morning, while the boys were busy building guitars, I drove with two of the wives to a nearby village in Bagni di Lucca – Lugliano. Having learned how narrow the village streets can be, we opted to park at the church

1.chiesa di San Jacopo

and discover the rest on foot. Lugliano dates back to 853 AD and as we had anticipated, the main road

2.main road

soon became narrow, cobbled streets

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full of wonderful surprises.

The village had a serenity, enhanced by the sunshine,

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the four legged residents were testament to the tranquility.

The views across the mountains

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and the valley below were spectacular.

33.view

36.view

I couldn’t resist the intriguing doorways

as we returned to our starting point.

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The Chiesa di San Jacopo was magnificent when viewed from the village.

47.chiesa di San Jacopo

The wildflowers were lovely

and the gardens had colourful blooms.

We wandered up the road in the other direction

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and discovered the village cemetery

with a striking view across the mountains.

59.cemetery view

It was time to return to Benabbio for lunch, with one last view of the Chiesa di San Jacobo.

60.chiesa di San Jacopo 61.chiesa di San Jacopo

Benabbio

Posted on June 4, 2016 by kathy

Benabbio is one of the mountain villages of Bagni di Lucca, dating back to 983AD. It was owned by the Lupari family and cousin Lupo swore to defend the Apennine Mountains against invaders. The drive to the village is narrow and winding with gorgeous views if you dare to look.

1.road 2.road