Today the girls got their first taste of Positano with a walk from our villa to Eden Roc Hotel and back.
The stop at the hotel was an excellent chance for a drink and to catch up with Carlo who manages the bar and restaurant. As always he had some great tips for places to eat in and around Positano although tomorrow evening we will be enjoying his hospitality with dinner on the terrace overlooking the bay.
On the way back to the villa Jean and the girls posed for the classic Positano photo.
We snapped this photo of one of the superyachts moored in our front yard last night.
It is called Lady Joy and a quick check on the interweb found that it accommodates 12 people in complete luxury for between $US250k and $US300k a week.
Interestingly it’s also on the market – for $US43 million. Any takers?
The rarest thing you see in Positano isn’t some exotic bird or animal, it’s an empty carpark. Parking spaces on the side of a cliff are strictly limited, unlike the number of cars, scooters and motor bikes in Positano.
If a trip out is planned, locals make a judgement call about whether it’s worth taking the car and losing their park – because finding another one may mean a long wait or, worse, a long walk. Some cars have been parked in the same spot so long they are collecting dust.
The photo shows an empty park opposite the villa. It stayed empty for about 2 minutes, maximum.
We arrived in Positano on Saturday after a 5 hour drive from Tuscany to the warmest, friendliest greeting from the staff at Eden Roc Hotel. We aren’t staying at the hotel but have rented a villa they own called Villa Greta. The villa is situated just along the main road, 10 minutes easy walk from the hotel.
When we arrived there were fresh flowers on the table, wine and fresh fruit in the fridge and a home made cake on the bench. A lovely touch by the hotel we thought.
Compared to our cottage in Tuscany the villa is huge and everyone is enjoying the additional space and various mod cons – like a dishwasher.
The dogs have recovered from the drive south and have settled in. They already bark at everyone walking past on the street – much to the delight of the locals.
We normally arrive at Positano later in July but the good news is that the weather is great and the temperature is around 30 degrees. The town doesn’t feel packed and the superyachts are just starting to arrive in the bay. The bonus is that we can use the hotel facilities – pool, bar, restaurant, did I mention the pool, etc – so we have the best of both worlds.
It’s time for a holiday from our holiday. That’s right, the whole Mowday clan is moving from Tuscany to Positano (on the beautiful Amalfi Coast) for a fortnight. We’ve rented an apartment which is owned by the lovely people who also own and run Eden Roc Hotel, our favourite hotel in Positano. Updates to follow.
Poppie ready for the trip to Positano.
This was a phrase we had not heard before we started motoring around Tuscany. While it sounds quite exotic, it is simply the local name for dirt roads.
In Tuscany there are quite a few.
On a map you will see many roads criss-crossing Tuscany and the distance between places seems small by New Zealand standards. It’s only when you drive that you realise what sort of road it is and the trip time changes accordingly.
Clean me - please.
The road to the cottage is a white road 3kms long. As you can see by the back of the mighty Peugeot (which is a black car, honestly) in summer the roads can get quite dusty. Today, in honour of it’s impending trip to Positano, the Pug is getting it’s first serious clean.
I’ve even bought a sponge and some carwash from the local supermercato.
I’ll just wait until the temperature outside drops below 30 degrees before I start. Ah, that gives me time for a beer.
Saturday 2 July is the day of the Palio in Siena. The day horses representing the various contrada or districts of Siena race around the Campo for glory. We are heading south to Positano that day but were in Siena on Thursday evening and got wrapped up in the rehearsal for the Palio where they test the race track (and presumably the other things that go with the race).
Because the track runs through the various bars and restaurants that ring the Campo (yes, actually through their outdoor seating areas) they were all shutting early so the track could be cleared. The stands for spectators are behind the bars/restaurants and temporary grandstands had been in place for a week.
We had taken the dogs in with us so they could have their summer hair cuts and we were sitting in our favourite Campo bar when things started happening around us. Tables and chairs were being put away and last orders called – all at 6:30pm.
We knew the rehearsal was due to start at 7pm so we moved into the stands directly behind the bar and made ourselves comfortable. By this time, there were quite large crowds in the Campo, with groups supporting their contrada with songs, chants and general noisiness. It soon became apparent that the stands were all reserved, in fact quite large sums of money are spent to ensure a good spot.
A nice man explained that we were in the seats they had reserved but that we could move to the centre of Campo where viewing was free. We took the hint and moved – us, the dogs and associated paraphernalia out of the stands, across the track and into the central area.
The view wasn’t quite as good but the crowd was friendly and the dogs were settling. Within minutes, two things happened. Firstly we felt the first few raindrops that can signal a Tuscan downpour and secondly some polite officials told us that dogs were not allowed at the Palio as they might scare the horses so we had to leave.
Clearly the god of the Palio wasn’t on our side.
We, once again, collected everything together and headed off. By this stage the crowd was huge and the exits were not easy to find. The track was close to being closed off and the rain had started to fall heavily. Also, did I mention the temperature was around 28 degrees and we were carrying the dogs so they didn’t get trampled underfoot?
We eventually found an exit and pushed, prodded, and poked our way through. We found a place to shelter from the rain but this was a token gesture as we were completely soaked – rain from outside and perspiration from within.
A soggy, hot walk to the car followed. It seemed we were the only people in Siena heading away from the Campo as we were passed by groups of laughing, happy and dry locals.
There is a second Palio in mid August and we are keen to attend – but we just need to get some tickets first. Sadly the girls get to stay home that day.
In the last few days summer has really arrived in Tuscany. Temperatures have been around 30 degrees and the pace of life has slowed accordingly. Today we spent the middle of the day beside the pool and only when the temperature had dropped in the early evening did we venture out.
Jean and the girls at a cafe in Buonconvento
About 15 minutes down the road is the town of Buonconvento, a delightful place with an old town centre that has been developed over the years. We stayed in a villa only a couple of minutes from the town in 2004 and remember the town as utilitarian at best. Now it is a thriving tourist and artistic centre and definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.
The trip there and back is through farmland much of which is now planted in Sunflowers which are starting to bloom. When our visitors arrive in mid July, they should be looking great.
The girls
When we arrived back at the cottage the daily display that is the sunset was well underway. Although a camera can never do justice to this spectacle, here’s my best attempt.
Sunset over Siena - June 28
I would love to claim these early morning photographs of the area around our cottage as mine. But those of you who know me well know that “early mornings” and I don’t mix.
Jean took these shots. I think they are great.
Our dear friend Gill popped in for the weekend. It’s easy to say, but “popping in” meant a ridiculously early flight for Gill from the UK on Friday morning to Pisa where the entire Mowday clan went to pick her up.
It was great to see her and the girls got straight down to business. Three bottles of Moet disappeared almost immediately followed by a couple of bottles of Chardonnay (one a kiwi chardonnay saved especially for the occasion) over a dinner of Jeans famous roast chicken and potatoes. Suffice it to say Saturday started slowly in the cottage.
There was a little “pool time” and then dinner in the Campo at Al Mangia. Because the Campo is being prepared for the Palio on Saturday 2 July, barriers and stands are in the process of being erected and we had dinner in what is soon to be the middle of the racecourse on 3 inches of hard packed clay with race barriers on each side. Imagine having dinner on the finish line at Trentham racecourse and you’ll get the idea.
Dinner at Al Mangia sitting in the middle of the Palio track
All around us Campo life continued as always with bars and restaurants doing their usual business – but all in slightly surreal surroundings. It wasn’t quite what we expected or had planned. Jean being the control freak she is spent the first 15 minutes saying “this isn’t right, no, this isn’t right” repeatedly and wanting them just to “put it back the way it was” but Gill pointed out it was a truly unique experience. A couple of bottles of wine and an excellent meal helped everyone mellow somewhat.
We will see Gill and family again in late July and can’t wait.
Last night we caught up with Kate and her family who are spending 2 months travelling around Europe. Kate used to work with Jean at Clemenger but she is currently based in the UK with her partner.
Jean had put Kate in touch with our villa wizard friend Olga when their trip was being planned but made sure to recommended a villa we had stayed at previously. Villa Crognole is a beautiful villa tucked into the Chianti hills with a view down the valley towards Radda. 
We called into Crognole yesterday afternoon for a drink or two along with Olga and her husband which meant the afternoon was spent sitting in the sun discussing travel, news from home, and any other subject that wandered into people’s minds, all in a mix of english, italian and kiwi.
We went to dinner with Kate and her family at Le Vigne restaurant just outside Radda. It was dining al fresco with a view over the vineyards that produce some of the great Chianti Classico wines. 
Dinner was lovely and all done on Italian time. That simply means that the wine and various courses rolled out through the evening until we finally left the restaurant, just before midnight.
Good people, great company and truly la dolce vita.
Jean and I have taken hundreds of photographs over the last few months. We’ve put a selection of them into an album on our MobileMe site.
There are some shots we have used in the blog but a lot of new ones. Follow the link and have a look.
One thing we pondered when we arrived at Casavacanza Vesta was whether letters, packages or parcels from home could find us. While almost all of our correspondence is by email or text, we thought there may be the need for good old fashioned postage. You know, documents that need signing, letters that need reading and packages that need opening. Could the Italian postal system work it’s magic and deliver mail to our door?
We have mail.
Jean’s Mum helped us out by mailing a test letter a fortnight ago and the good news is it arrived yesterday – lovingly delivered by Mrs Patritzia. She seemed a little surprised to be the final link in the Poste Italian supply chain as I suspect we were the first guests in Casavacanza history to get mail.
So, gentle reader, let’s put Mrs Patrizia to work, feel free to write or, even better, send presents.
Monday nights are rapidly becoming takeout pizza night.
Parked for pizza.
The little pizza shop in Monteroni D’Arbia now has two regular kiwi customers who are working through the menu with gusto.
One thing that we have to perfect is getting the pizzas the 5 km to home hot. The first step was streamlining the pickup – which Jean achieved in true Italian style.
Pretty serious it seems. I wandered into the kitchen (dining room, lounge) the other day and saw the note below taped up above the kitchen sink. It’s the stuff we need to learn this week – the irregular verbs avere and essere and all their various permutations. Sigh.
The note on the wall.
Toscanakiwi 