Little Italy 26

[Rosa]

Siamo qui ... Ciao a tutti !

Rosa, I think that Greece must be wonderful at the beg of Sept. But so would be the mountains, especially with the good weather we've had in the last few yrs at that time of the year.

Ah, decisions!

Stupid browser deleted my post twice!!

CJ, I was posting info about Castiglion' della Pescaia, I'm originally from Tuscany and spent a few holidays in Maremma.

Yes, follow Franca's advice for Alberese, Parco Uccellina e Monte Argentario. You'll have plenty of places to visit, don't worry! Area is gorgeous, although traffic is quite bad from May to September.
Public transport in the area is pretty awful (it is RAMA from Grosseto), so hiring a car is a must.

Anyway, if you have any other questions, please feel free to post them! :) did you already book accommodation there?

Never heard of special Tuscan washing powder though LOL

@Franca, Roccamare is a hotel/resort on the beach. And I was told it is quite expensive, it is between Le Rocchette and Riva del Sole, near the SS322.

@CJ, one of my favorite places in the area is a village up a hill (Tirli), it is like going back in time... and there's a lovely place there, lovely Tuscan cooking and not overpriced (at least it wasn't in 2008...)

Il Cacciatore

Lake, yes, I know that about Roccamare, but I was told there is nice beach with the pineta... is it not open to anyone? (the beach I mean) or does it all belong to the Hotel (isnt it called the Villaggio svizzero? )

I now feel the need to go ot Tuscany!

Yes Rosa, aug in Follonica again and cannot wait! Will wave down the coast to you CJ if you're there at the same time. Friends of ours go to Castiglione every year and it sounds amazing. We are incredibly knackered lazy and do nothing bar lounge around in Follonica every year so not much good re what to do but Monte Argentario area is gorgeous and there are so many lovely hilltop towns around to visit. Our one trip out last year was to Massa Marittima and thats gorgeous.
How long are you off to Greece for Franca?
Uffa its bloody hot hot hot today!

Oh, thank you all so, so much for your lovely replies. I really can't wait now

I'm actually a bit sad that we're not going to Follonica again, especially hearing you all talking about it. I'm sure Castiglione will be just as good, though.

Definitely going to investigate the park, and the little village up the hill. When I'm not tracking down the world's most magical-smelling washing powder

Its a lovely area I am sure you will have a great time...anywhere down the coast is great. I would like to try further down the Adriatic one year Sirolo/ Numana I recall was beautiful when I went through in the past. Mind you its all throughts we wanted to head to Caorle this year and we are still in Cavallino!!!!
Gio how is ds now ? Has your BP gone back to normal ?? Thank heavens its a bit more fresh here today I had another early start today and now I have to start sorting and thinking about packing for a month in cold/ sunny/ warm / hot wet England

CJ I don't remember the washing powder did you find it what make is it??

I don't know - I'm a bit obsessed with it

It was powder that we bought from a vending machine in the local launderette, and it made the washing smell just divine. Honestly, as if angels had lovingly washed and dried it ... I forgot to get the name of it before we left and have been obsessing wondering what it was ever since (four years ago - I really need to get a life, I know).

I know it's bonkers, but I'm determined to find it again

Ciao Franca, I knew there was some kind of stabilimento balneare in front of Roccamare and I doubt it is open to everyone... of course, you can walk on the battigia, you can leave your stuff at the Rocchette beach and then you walk down along the coast (so it was a few years ago anyway)...
When are you off to Greece?

BananaGio, off to that area too? I love Follonica!! Massa Marittima was one of my favorite places :)

CJ, now I am curious to find out the name of that washing powder too.... Do you remember the name of the launderette?

Rosa, I don't know where you used to live in England but for us it is hot as hell now... maybe because we're coming from the end of the world on the North Sea... We're continuously sleeping with our windows open at night... My husband would die if he was living in Italy during the summer LOL

at the spreading laundry obsession ...

I know literally nothing about it - can't remember the name of the street we were on, let alone the name of the launderette.

Shall I try to find out?! I will be seriously on the trail once we hit Castiglione in July ...

This is getting beyond a joke now ...

The West country ... Mum says its one day warm one day damp and cold.
Clegg in my old lavanderia many years ago when I took duvets in to dry and then they closed the laundry I think is a Chinese clothes shop now - it was a make of laundry powder like Dash or Something. You could always go and try sniffing soap powder in supermarkets !!!!

CJ describe whereabouts you were in Follonica and I will go on the hunt for you. I am too intrigued not to! Plus its the least I could do for the best Press Secretary to the best President ever!
Yes Lake we have gone for Aug for the last few years. Rent an apartment there, days on the beach and in the pineta-bliss!
DS fine now thanks Rosa and I have calmed down with him now..... Nothing better than an evening in Pronto Soccorso after a broiling hot day

Rosa I fully intend to!! I will be just another English eccentric, I'm sure I'll get away with it . I wish I could remember what it was called.

Bananagio, I have linked to an actual map in my last post. This is now beyond obsession. I have actually tracked down the lavanderia, and there are photos and everything - I remember it really clearly! It was right behind our apartment block and had a nice coffee shop/bar next to it where I sat and read the paper while my washing was being done ... happy days. I miss Follonica

And can I just say how much I love you all for joining in so heartily with my bizarre quest. And how deeply, deeply envious I am of your Italian lives ...

I imagine Gio getting out magnifying glass in investigating soap powder in a laundry in Follonica ..especially after a prosecco or 2 !!

My soap powder is boring but I do wiff the conditioners to be honest as I hate anything to pooffy am happy with a a bit of marsiglia ..Now that might be something to look for as they don't use it in the Uk ... None of the teddy bears bouncing in lavender fields for me !!

God I have to think about packing and I am so NOT on the wavelength in fact I am on the Boden and M&S and John Lewis sites looking at sales stuff!

Lol lol lol at the link to the lavanderia! And btw, I always sniff fabric conditioners before buying them in the supermarket ... I do love lavander, and I once splashed on a posh thingy you add to the washing machine to make the laundry extra scented.

Gio I hope ds is ok today and not too tired after the stint at the pronto soccorso, how long did you have to wait?

Lake we are off after Ferragosto.

Today was a perfect summer day here, hot but dry with fresh wind, there must have been some storms in the Alps. Luckily, I didn't feel the earthquake, as I was on the tram then.

I wonder, if I recommended it on Trip Advisor as the best launderette in Tuscany, would they send me some washing powder?!

Loooooool! You def should!

You could do a blog on 'hunting the powder' .... Ask for sponsorship !!!
Warm again but off to the beach we go....

lol at a blog. Right CJ I can visualise the area. We stay further down the beach but go into the centre round the Via Roma in the evening so I will make my excuses to DP and DS and slip off one evening and report back .
We had a 2 hr wait in Pronto Soccorso Franca so could have been a lot worse. It filled up pretty quickly after we got there so we arrived at the right time. We started off at what I thought was a PS near us but turns out was only for eye issues. They very kindly said they would call Bambinu Jesu and book us in and they would send an ambulance (WTF) but there was no way Master Gio was getting a what he would see as exciting experience out of his escapade quite aside from the fact that there was no way I could justify an ambulance from a childrens hospital being used for a child who stuffs things in his ears! They are a wonderful hospital at Bambino Jesu. I was looking at the nurses who were there set for a night shift in a&e full of sick and injured children and who were still so cheerful and capable and then think of the money wasted just on Auto Blu and I feel myself brewing for a revolution!

That would be one of the coolest blog ever! Maybe a tumblir?

Happy to hear it wasn't the nightmare it can sometimes be, and at the lovely nurses. I thought the same the other day, thinking about teachers.

God I hate packing and the sorting of the house that goes with it. would much rather be sniffing soap powder..If I knew what I was sniffing for !!!!