This is a church opposite Castello di Mugnana some 400m directly across a small valley. It is lit up at night and is a remarkable sight. It's bells call each hour, 6 minutes after the hour - you can set your clocks by it although time is not of any major importance to the Vennik partying party.
This is a view from Evan and Sally's pad half way up the main tower. The town is Greve in Chianti.
It has a lot of new home construction under way - a feature of all the small and not so small towns in Tuscany. Evan, Glenn and Olga walked back from the township - some 5 kms - a delightful way to see the countryside - we even disturbed a deer crossing the road and hiding quickly from us. Castello di Mugnana is some 16kms from Firenze (Florence) and the Tuscany contryside is remarkable with lots of olive groves and grapes. The wine in Italy is at least half the price and excellent quality. Of course some of the very top class wines are expensive.
These are the main castle gates and Jean-Marc features. He and Mike Vennik did so much driving of the two vans - they needed a medal - more on that later. A full list of the party-goers will feature as this tome continues and the brain cells recover from the visissitudes (correct spelling please Teacher) of the week long party.
This is the tower part of the Castello and it is 1000 years old. Very comfortable - completely re-furbished some years back and a marvellous place to house 19 party-persons. Sue and Mike were on the top floor, Evan and Sally on the middle and Glenn and Ronaye on the lower. All others were housed elsewhere in excellent rooms. There is a separate large kitchen and a dining hall where all dined each evening. Each meal was prepared by a separate group each evening with some excellent fare being served.
And now a list of the party-people. Sue and Mike; Evan and Sally; Glenn and Ronaye; Olga and Ian; Mike and Debbie; Eric, Marija, Neils and Judith; Claire; Celine and Laurent; and, Jean-Marc and Genevieve Kiwis, Canadian, Kiwi Russian, Dutch, Belgians (of French and Flemish backgrounds and French. A real 'mixed bag' but all with one thing in common; celebrating Sue's 40th, Mike's slightly greater (years, dear years!)and Debbie's 43rd, birthdays. Not only differences in nationality but also not necessarily differences but a wide variety of very talented and experienced people.
The photo shows all the party persons and was taken on the last day at the castello. Claire just missed being in it due to an earlier departure. She features alongside the group photo.
So what did we all do during the 'week in Tuscany.' Eating, drinking quaffe mixtures, playing 'mad buggers' in the swimming pool, trips to supermarkets, 'shopping trips' for the 'girls' in Firenze, talking, talking, talking and then more 'quaffe mixtures. Playing four-handed 500 helped some while away the wee small hours and some were introduced to two-handed 500 by a Massey student from the early 1960's.
Herendeth the first epistle from Castello di Mugnana.
1 comment:
Sound like a blast !!!
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