extra time in certaldo
it seems everyone stays on at the bassetto guesthouse, and it will be easy to understand why we are staying 4 rather than the planed 1 night when i manage to get some photos up... probably some time in october when i get back to the family in parma.
for now you will just have to imagine an old monestary converted into a semi-self sufficient guesthouse overlooking hillside tuscan wineries (from which you can sample as you wish and buy direct from the office downstairs) with a big kitchen and a dorm full of relaxed travellers. it is also strangely comforting to hear an australian accent, and it is the first time that i have appreciated how useful cultural knowledge can be: body language, nuiances of expression and the accent combine to allow for extremely free and obvious communication. this environment has also highlighted how impenetrable cultural norms can be. some very well meaning, intelligent, genuine but slightly insular a girls from ottowa (which i think is a product of their social structure) found it incredibly difficult to understand what the hell the several aussies staying and working here were going on about. it is only those from the uk and ireland - whoose cultural quirks we have obviously inherited - that a similar level of off-the-cuff understanding transpires. i don't think this universally true accross cultures, and even in this example several somewhat unique australian sayings (such as "full as a goog") needed a fair bit of explaining. i think the moral of the story is that weather or not australians are more relaxed than other people, being amongst people of a similar culture is most definitely relaxing. mind you most of the people here considered the relaxed atmosphere of the hostel to be a product of both the glorious setting and the australian staff... which does give some credence to the "laid back aussie" label.
yesterday we went on the recommended bikeride up to sangnimano via pancole. the "three serious hills" were quite serious, and played the hard task-master waiting at the top of the hill for the girls as they walked up (yeah i'm a big strong masculine man grr) and then pushed them on to keep cycling when they caught up. must say that one definitely deserves a rest at the top of each of the "three" - which was more like four - climbs. i have been instilled with an even more outrageous awe at the freakiness of those tour de france guys. definitely not human. sangnimano is a beautiful destination and the bikeride passes through some glorious countryside; i managed to find a dreamhouse which i will book in for when my sister is rich and can buy it for me.
today is now an officialy rest day and we found the local library which offers internet at half the price of bassetto, but that is only a qualm from a traveller on a super tight budget and ought not be held against what is now my favourite travellers establishment. they have a website so take a look at http://www.bassettoguesthouse.com ... bloody starving time for that favourite supermarket of lucy's and then the hammok. weather has turned itself back to the "fabuluos/impeccable" setting so must tear myself from this radiation box now!
for now you will just have to imagine an old monestary converted into a semi-self sufficient guesthouse overlooking hillside tuscan wineries (from which you can sample as you wish and buy direct from the office downstairs) with a big kitchen and a dorm full of relaxed travellers. it is also strangely comforting to hear an australian accent, and it is the first time that i have appreciated how useful cultural knowledge can be: body language, nuiances of expression and the accent combine to allow for extremely free and obvious communication. this environment has also highlighted how impenetrable cultural norms can be. some very well meaning, intelligent, genuine but slightly insular a girls from ottowa (which i think is a product of their social structure) found it incredibly difficult to understand what the hell the several aussies staying and working here were going on about. it is only those from the uk and ireland - whoose cultural quirks we have obviously inherited - that a similar level of off-the-cuff understanding transpires. i don't think this universally true accross cultures, and even in this example several somewhat unique australian sayings (such as "full as a goog") needed a fair bit of explaining. i think the moral of the story is that weather or not australians are more relaxed than other people, being amongst people of a similar culture is most definitely relaxing. mind you most of the people here considered the relaxed atmosphere of the hostel to be a product of both the glorious setting and the australian staff... which does give some credence to the "laid back aussie" label.
yesterday we went on the recommended bikeride up to sangnimano via pancole. the "three serious hills" were quite serious, and played the hard task-master waiting at the top of the hill for the girls as they walked up (yeah i'm a big strong masculine man grr) and then pushed them on to keep cycling when they caught up. must say that one definitely deserves a rest at the top of each of the "three" - which was more like four - climbs. i have been instilled with an even more outrageous awe at the freakiness of those tour de france guys. definitely not human. sangnimano is a beautiful destination and the bikeride passes through some glorious countryside; i managed to find a dreamhouse which i will book in for when my sister is rich and can buy it for me.
today is now an officialy rest day and we found the local library which offers internet at half the price of bassetto, but that is only a qualm from a traveller on a super tight budget and ought not be held against what is now my favourite travellers establishment. they have a website so take a look at http://www.bassettoguesthouse.com ... bloody starving time for that favourite supermarket of lucy's and then the hammok. weather has turned itself back to the "fabuluos/impeccable" setting so must tear myself from this radiation box now!
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