Polishing and Pretending, an Italian Roadtrip and sadly Ciao for now Italia

After a few well meant comments regarding my work, or seeming lack of it, thought I had better explain what I've been up to these last few weeks!! The lovely Blue Ice has been having interior and exterior work done to it whilst we are in Viareggio, Italy... It culminated with an engine test 2 weeks ago!! I was understandably EXTREMELY overexcited! It was my first time to sea on this baby.. for an amazingly long 2 hours!!

We caned it!! maximum speed 29 knots...
I loved it!!
So did Prue...
Not sure the crew were so overly thrilled with the test...

Whilst the boat has been having its bits tweaked I'm supposed to have been familiarising myself with its innards!! Well, I know the boat is big but 6 weeks of familiarising - no jokes please!-feels a little like an overkill.. The place was spotless when I arrived so there wasn't much to get stuck into..then Prue arrived, so no work and 2 people to do it means we've been getting creative with pretending!!! I've discovered this skill is branded - yup its got an industry wide term apparently, I CAN add it to my CV - "Polishing and Pretending".. bit like my honed skill at MaxMara of "chatting and folding" !!

Weekends are off and Easter weekend -Pasqua for those in the Italian know!! - being a lovely long one we embarked on our first roadtrip in to the Tuscan Hills..
I give you: Le Chariot.. The trusty Ole Italiano Fiato Pandadino!!

with a certain nerdalina at the helm!!

Obviously I'm a little slow to have caught onto the whole amazing Tuscany tip.. and having family from Italy that's a little embarrassing.. but can I say for the record I have now offically caught on and it is amazing..
I can see why some friends have proposed there, why some are getting hitched there and why I
will be definitely returning to sample more of its delectable Vino Rosso..
I've even added living in the Tuscan Hills to my "To Do List"!!!!

Our wonderful moment took us to Volterra

and San Gimigigano

which by the way had a freaky twin towers moment for me..

Then on to Siena,

Montalcino,
Pienza,
Moltepulciano
and a brief drive past Florence again gazing wistfully at it.. but exhausted!!

We met crazy English guys in Siena who had walked all the way over the hills from Florence (loved that story wish i could have had a go at that!),
we boughtand sampled the local produce in Montalcino for our Easter Sunday sesh,
had a crazy Grappa moment with some locals in the tranquil Pienza
and just lapped up at every available moment the glorious countryside and amazing tuscan villages...

We've already planned our next roadtrip when we return to Italy in September...
Watch out Rome!!


Next step is to finally set sail for Nice, weather permitting tomorrow or the next day, and start the weekend shift, working with the family for most weekends during May and June.. we'll be staying in Nice during May travelling to St Tropez, then in June over to Sardinia and maybe a little of Venice and Naples (am hoping to pop back home for Ma's 60th b'day party in June.. ) Then it's full-speed, working full-time a go go for July and August...here we come Ibiza and Croatia...


So for the moment its Ciao for now Viareggio




You've been great!