Case Verde 5 October

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Casa Verde 5 October Our intention was to head for Pisa one day and then to the Cinte Terra (I seriously question this spelling!)on another day but have decided that it is so beautiful here that we will stay and explore until we have to leave on Monday. Today we went into Bagna di Lucca, finished our shopping and then took Jane and the shopping home as poor thing she was not well. We left her to eat after lunch and headed to Gillicano to buy a GPS for use in the car. Maps, both electronic and paper, had served us this far but Ken felt more at ease with the GPS as he could see what was coming, very useful on a hillside of switchbacks! Mind you at one point the silly thing said to turn left, which, if we had done so, would have sent us off the road and down the side of a vey steep hill! Once back in Bagna di Lucca we checked out the tourist info and ken also purchased a pair of walking poles. We had seen lots of people using them in Croatia and Florence and, given the trouble he was having his knees and back, decided to try them out. Jane had recovered when we returned so we headed done the track to a restaurant in Granaiola,the village before ours. It is only about 10-15 mins and easy going in daylight and well worth the trek for the magnificent views. We met some Victorians in the restaurant car park and they invited us to their villa for a drink. More Magnificent views from their villa, they had their own Roman ruin too.Thank you Mike and Leslie and Jan and Trevor.they hailed from Geelong and Torbay. Mike and Leslie have friends in Nannup, name of Brockman and will be in Nannup next year around July/August, they are doing a trip from Cairns straight through the middle of Ozz to Bussleton. Should be fun I would think. The meal was delicious, I had ravioli with blue cheese, Jane had what we thought was the house macaroni but it was the house "some sort of pasta" and was delicious, seemed to have mince in a sauce and large-ish pieces of pasta. Ken had a rare steak with blue cheese sauce. No room for dessert so we headed back down the track to home, not so easy in the dark as it is on the side of the mountain! Jane was the ranger out in front with the torch. We only made one wrong turn and as long as Jane was not too far out in front I could see where I was heading. Ken found the poles very useful, gave him four legs instead of only two! Tomorrow morning is a return visit to Lucca for a proper looksee then head to the thermal springs for an hour or so before our massages at 5pm. Sunday Ken is thinking of going for a quad bike ride, not sure what I am doing yet -Sunday is too far away and I am enjoying the views!!!!

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