'Country Party'

Chiara, Virginia, Elisa & me on my first night in Viareggio
Out to dinner at a traditional Tuscan-style trattoria
On the pier at Viareggio

Note the desert table in bottom left of the picture - mmmm!
Francesca, Virgy & me at the 'country party!'
Dinner best dinner ever! - Tuscan style.

Bingo!!
Cheers! Last night at Francesco's (Ios). Candice had made us some mystery shots!
Virginia & Elisa
The view from Francesco's. The postcard photographers come here to take their pictures of the sunset.


I decided to blow off the Amalfi coast & Naples part of my holiday in favour for another week in Tuscany. It was an easy choice really..... risk having my bag snatched by thieves on scooters & stay in a dirty hostel? Or go north to fashionable & picturesque Toscany & stay with my new friends Virginia & Elisa!

Best decision ever!! I stayed with Virginia in Viareggio, a coastal town 10min drive from Lucca. Viareggio has everything: Boats of the rich & famous, beautiful beaches, a promenade lined with fantastic designer shops & boutiques, dozens of public swimming pools located adjacent to the beach, bike trails, gelaterias, bars with free antipasto in the evenings....Great!!!

The girls picked me up from the station & took me out to dinner with their friend Chiara who was just lovely! Virgy told me it is very rare for an Italian person to have an Australian friend so all of her friends were curious to meet me - to see what an Australian girl is like!! The next morning Virginia's younger brother came over as soon as I'd gotten out of bed - to see his sister's Australian friend! It was very nice that people were so interested in meeting me & I was so impressed that everybody knew so much english - and even if they didn't, they would be too polite to say so & continue listening to me! I think that happened alot! Everyone I spoke with was so extremely nice.

I was taken to a 'country party' (aka, la sagra). It was a porcini mushroom festival held in the countryside marking the arrival of the mushroom season. There was an enormous amount of food & it was one of the best meals I've eaten. I played Italian bingo!! It was so much fun. I know the numbers 1-99!

5th Sept 2006