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Published: June 14th 2011
Pitti Palace entrance
the gardens were closed because of rain - can you believe that?!Burnt orange sunsets fading to the blues and purples of night over the Tuscan hill towns washed down with a glass of Chianti – that’s what we expected when we came to Tuscany. What we have had is a week of rain and thunderstorms, April weather according to the campsite owner…
What a pity, here we are in our campsite “Belsito” in Motecatini Therme Alto, we are, as I write in our caravan about 3m from the poolside in the shadow of a typical Tuscan farmstead surrounded by olive trees and bouganvillia. It should be heavenly, but it isn’t because another 3m of mud separate us from our car and our little bathroom hut and the laundry hasn’t dried even though it was done 3 days ago.
Given the weather we have relented and sought out a camping shop so that we can buy an awning groundsheet so that we have some outdoor area not inches deep in mud – we will have to find a laundrette to dry the rest of the washing – it weighs too much for us to move on with it wet!
Despite the weather, we have managed a few trips out and
Ponti Vecchio
a load of goldsmiths on a bridge about. A stormy afternoon found us in Vinci, the birth place of Leonardo and home to a museum dedicated to his inventions. It exceeded all expectations for two reasons, the boys loved the scale models of his inventions because Simon (erstwhile engineer) understood and could bring to life what they were about. I think we could bring them back here anytime without hesitation.
Pinocchio Park in Collodi was an absolute winner for the boys. Set in Carlo Lorenzi’s home town this non-Disney, non-commercial park is a breath of fresh air. It’s a really simple concept, a garden with sculptures of the main characters from the book set along a path of discovery with a smattering of pic nic tables, some vintage carousels – including one fabulous venetian gondolier and gondola carousel floating on water with beautiful Cannaletto esque watercolours on the facades - and a craft centre for the kids to make and draw their own piniccio nose (which Thomas has asked me to wear at his “five birthday party”.
After an initial wobble, we spent 4 hours there and went around the garden again and again looking at the character sculptures. The undoubted winner was the
Neptunes fountain in Florence
but without water so boys not impressed collosal whale sculpture, we took stepping stones across a pond to his mouth where we dodged the spray from his spout whilst exploring his teeth and then climbing up inside him to find the imprisoned Gepetto inside! (Nicky P – you and Ruby would never leave!)
The book itself though, (purported to be the most published non-religious book in the world) is a bit of a nightmare for tame 4 year olds –scoundrels, fire-eaters, lame foxes, blue fairy’s, murders, thieves and robbers abound!
We took a late afternoon trip to Pisa and were blown away by the leaning tower. What surprised us was the open aspect of the Campo dei Miracales, perhaps it was because we arrived at 6pm when the crowds had gone, but turning into the gate and seeing the tower in front of us literally took my breath away.
The other surprise was that the ugly scaffolding and underpinning of old is no longer visable, if you are savvy enough to book in advance you can even go on a guided tour right to the top. Thomas cried because we didn’t have tickets to go up – bad parents again!
Florence
Kate
and Robert Cuthburt’s recent travel’s here fresh in our memories, we ignored our parental survival instincts and set out on our day trip to Florence – with the Bambino’s. Claire was here a long, long time ago back in 1988 and Simon (despite hints from Claire – has never visited).
We decided to nip in and out by train – a mere 50 minutes. Buying ourselves a one day bus pass for E5 each (kids under 1m travel free – luckily no-one has their measuring rule out as our are 1.04!). we head off to the Boboli gardens the first stop on Claire’s hopefully child friendly itinerary that gives the boys enough to keep them interested (fountains, fountains and more fountains interspersed with machines in museums) whilst allowing us to get an impression of what might hopefully be enjoyed at leisure with Andrew and Susan another time on a gourmand s visit to Tuscany?...
We jump on the bus, are befriended by a lovely young lady whose English is great as her brother lives in Glasgow and who tells us all the places to go and warns us that the Boboli Gardens may be shut because of the
rain that we have had for the last week….. she was right grrr.
We coax the boys over the Ponte Vecchio (underwhelmed) and on to the Piazza del Signori snaking our way past the Ufizzi queues until I see the copy of “David” in the piazza - Miles wants to know why he has his willy hanging out (something Miles doubtless would like to do himself but for now we will entertain ourselves with his own endearing “wiggly bottom dance” caught for posterity on dvd).
The big disappointment was that the Neptune fountain wasn’t running, though Cellini’s Perseus slaying Medusa sculpture in the Loggia was enough to keep the boys attention for a nano second – long enough for us to take in the other sculptures around it.
Off to the Galileo Museum, we spent a good hour or so looking at the fascinating measuring instruments, using the lavatories (nothing like as bad as in France…) and contemplating the science of time v distance.
By now, four little legs were tiring so we cajoul them through the narrow alleys to the Duomo for a gander at its gaudy exterior and a glimse up at the Camponille
and off to the station for the train trip home. Not quite as we would want to visit Florence but not bad considering we have two 4 year olds in tow, and Kate, I didn’t get a handbag (next time, next time).
Open Road’s Italy with Kids
On a whim I bought this book on Amazon as the title was bang on and the update was re-printed in April. It is definitely aimed at the US market with all its accompanying foibles. It over emphasises hotels and food and is clearly aimed at senior execs short on time with money to burn rather than Dorset families on a 3 month sabbatical with an overall budget equivalent to their 2 week vacation, which I suppose is the US market.
What is particularly disappointing (revealing) about this publication is that most of the pictures in the book are of hotel bedrooms or plates of food (like who cares?) and do nothing at all to excite the minds of your children to the experience that you are about to embark upon.
On the other hand, Stuart’s Toscana road map has been invaluable – even though it has suffered
a bit in the rain – sorry Stuart!
Next stop – Chioggia on our way to Croatia
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Stuart
non-member comment
maps and stuff
Never mind we can always get another map, shame about the rain. Are you going anywhere near Lucca?