Montepulciano

Posted on February 28, 2017 by kathy

It was after siesta before we reached Montepulciano, another town I had longed to visit. Renowned for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a red wine produced in the surrounding vineyards, it is also a major producer of cheese, pork, lentils and honey. Entering at Porta al Prato,

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it wasn’t long before the magic of this ancient town revealed itself.

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The 16^th century Palazzo Avignonesi has a handsome smiling lions head either side of the entrance.

The intricate façade of Palazzo Bucelli is made up of sculptures, added in the early 1700s. Etruscan tombstone fragments, funerary urns and frieze plaques combine to create a magnificent feature.

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Chiesa di Sant’ Agostino was built in 1285AD and was completely renovated in the 15^th century.

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Above the imposing doorway is a beautiful carved portal featuring the Virgin and Child flanked by St. John and St. Augustine.

The shops were enticing

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and the sight of a bus traversing the narrow streets seemed out of place.

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We explored as much as we could in the time we had

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and our final discovery was the oldest shop in Montepulciano.

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It was superbly rustic with fabulous leather goods beckoning from every nook.

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The clock had beaten us and after a last gelati indugence, we made our way back to Il Castagno.

Prickly Mo

Posted on February 24, 2017 by kathy

Last Sunday, we took Cooper for a drive off the beaten track to while away the afternoon at Prickly Mo.

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The vineyard was established twenty two years ago at Eugenana but the cellar door is a more recent evolution.

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The old shearing shed offers a unique tasting room experience and the comfy seating arrangements are irresistible.

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Wet weather and storms had been forecast so the main deck was enclosed, gas heaters poised for Tasmania’s unpredictable elements (no, I don’t mean the customers).

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We felt at home straight away, our philosophy obviously in tune with that of the establishment.

I’m sure there are a few stories to be told about this rustic ornament.

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The highlight of the afternoon was the live music Sunday Session, on this occasion starring the very talented Neil Gray.

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We savoured a lavish platter

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and a bottle of rosé

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while Neil entertained with masterful guitar work and smooth vocals, not to mention some nifty pedal shifting.

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The microphone stand accessory is now on Michael’s wish list.

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The storm clouds moved on, leaving nothing more than a few showers

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and by the time we departed

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the blue sky had broken through.

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We enjoyed a leisurely drive home with the top down, reflecting on our wonderful day, four bottles of Prickly Mo in the back seat.

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Aonach Mor

Posted on February 21, 2017 by kathy

After a wander along the main street of Fort William, we drove to Aonach Mor to experience the Nevis Range. The 2.3km gondola ride up the north face of the mountain was exhilarating.

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650 metres up, the ski lifts were still slumbering

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but the light snow gave a hint of things to come.

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The heavy cloud promised more snowfalls and the shafts of sunlight painted beautiful hues through the Great Glen.

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We enjoyed a hot chocolate to warm up at the café and, fortunately, it was after 12 o’clock so we added a Drambuie chaser to fortify us for the trip down the mountain.

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The cloud had lifted a little and the scenery was spectacular. The Great Glen follows a 100km geological fault from Inverness to Fort William, bisecting the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands.

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We returned to terra firma and continued on our northward journey.

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Toby’s Inlet

Posted on February 17, 2017 by kathy

The day after arriving in Perth we were whisked away to Dunsborough, our base to explore the Margaret River Region. The house of a friend of our friends was the perfect base for day trips.

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The front door was guarded by the most beautiful moss covered dog I have ever seen.

The garden hugged the banks of Toby’s Inlet,

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a small estuary that offered some magnificent morning reflections.

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The pontoon was a convenient perch for the gulls

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to observe the downstream drift of the pelicans

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who were sometimes accompanied by an entourage of ducks.

The home was a wonderful, peaceful place to return to each day after our explorations.

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Montalcino

Posted on February 14, 2017 by kathy

Montalcino is another gorgeous hill town in Tuscany, not far from Sant’ Antimo Abbey. Dating back to 814 AD, the town is renowned for its precious Brunello red wine. After parking the car, my first image was this beautiful bell tower.

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