Narrowboatboy’s Big, Bad Blog...Narrowboat & Travel blog based on Lancaster Canal

La Cesa There's always plenty to do at La Cesa.  http://www.lacesa-tuscany.co.uk/ It's a fourteenth century converted farmhouse situated in the south of Tuscany just below the medieval hilltop town of Cortona which will no doubt get covered later in the week. It's a sanctuary we will call home for a few days while we lend a hand in the gardens and explore the surrounding rural area. It's also a holiday let so jobs need to done to get the place looking its best following the devastation caused by the windy winter months. Tree surgery, stump grinding, trimming, cutting, pruning, rotavating and anything remotely agricultural goes around here.  Today the Wisteria that covers the house, pergola and pool had a serious haircut and we get to add a few foot to the already massive bonfire that we aim to have later in the week. It's time now for that glass of wine at the kitchen table. Today's track came to mind while hacking down the huge amount of ol...

Pisa.  Famed almost entirely for its under-average sized cock-eyed Tower mobbed every hour by hoards of visiting tourists wrapped in puffy jackets, clutching maps and slices of pizza buying plastic replicas of the erection and tea-towel souvenirs from tacky street stalls. Here you also have to be very wary of getting a poke in the eye from a misguided selfy stick in the vicinity of the basilica! Seen it, done it, bought the tea-towel so we don't now bother with that end of town anymore... The airport is very handy for the centre of Pisa. Our chosen method of travel to get there is generally best experienced standing, pressed up against the windscreen, on an eight minute white knuckle ride on the local 'PisMover'; a hilariously named mode of transport that always brings a childish smirk when one sees the name on the front of the bus. From here, only a few streets away lies  Alessandro Della Spina, a small Italian hotel to allow us to have a night out ar...

It would appear that previous trips that have not attracted any blogging have given rise to a proportion of criticism from what I can only describe here as sad individuals with very little going on upstairs...oh well, you know who you are and I intend to make amends with some literal ramblings throughout the latest trip while returning to Italy. The half hour delay leaving John Lennon gave enough time to peruse through the in-flight magazines and Sunday supplements inspiring and tempting me to buy a plethora of desirable items, never previously considered, but now, by clever marketing jargon and in a relaxed state from the airport bar I can't help but find them totally irresistible.  How could I not want a half price pair of Ultimate crease and water resistant fabric pleated slacks in French navy with a complimentary slip on apron trim shoe with elastic inserts for easy foot entry?...both claiming total maximum comfort and support for the regular wearer. Or A lim...