Escape to myself

Yesterday evening after a busy day and a 2 mile walk in 30 degree heat from Santo Spirito along the Arno I found Laura had invited Cristina, my host from my stay in Florence in June, to dinner with her friend Gianfranco. Laura and Cristina are good friends it seems. It was lovely to see Cristina again: she is very friendly and kind. Laura and Cristina have very different personalities but both have typical Italian generosity.We had a great evening with some excellent food. Laura had prepared an international meal which we ate al fresco. It combined traditional Florentine dishes, a chicken curry and Apple strudel. It was so pleasant to catch up with Cristina. I tried out as much Italian as I could! I don’t think I did too badly but tomorrow I might spend some of the day revising. I’ve been a little lazy and: 1. Think I’m getting a cold and 2. The heat is killing me. So now I am travelling through Tuscany… the view from the train is of wooded hills and vineyards. Very beautiful. I haven’t visited Arezzo before but I’m told it’s very beautiful.

Arezzo is rather lovely in the sunshine. It’s a hill top town so I’m walking up a steep hill to the Cathedral and the old centre. The first shop I passed was an excellent vintage store which had only been open a month. I bought a very reasonable silk, short sleeved shirt. It’s lovely to spend some thought me in this peaceful town away from Florence’s thousands of tourists … and it’s cooler here and nice to sit on a cafe with Italians not tourists.

Arezzo was charming and the views over the countryside from behind the Duomo are so beautiful in the milky haze of the far distance. The streets are pristine but not obscenely so. I visited the Duomo which is interesting but not outstanding but while I was there a service of some sort obviously involving the great good of the area was taking place. The singing and trumpets were beautiful. I think Italians like a trumpet.

I then walked to a really peaceful Piazza to see the church of San Domenico with its crucifix by Cimabue. Emotive and strangely calming.

Walking back the views were wonderful.

So now I am in the Basilica of San Francesco which has a wonderful fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross by Piero Della Francesca. In the Bacci Chapel it’s absolutely stunning and on a par with Mantegna cycle in Ferrara. A couple of photographs are not enough to convey the skill, drama and freshness of the work. I’ve always loved Piero; somehow he evinces calm and stillness in the midst of strife. a couple of pictures to whet your appetite. Arezzo is well worth a trip. I will not be able do justice to the half of it.