CHRISTMAS 2016

We have looked ahead to this Christmas for quite some time. Since we sat the finish date of the refurbishment of the house we hoped to celebrate our first Christmas in 2016. The guys who did the work finished in due time, half a year earlier than our wish date

In our preparations was to bring all our Christmas decoration to Italy. Some was already in house but in boxes and the Russian decoration we had to bring during the last half year.

 



After we finished the holiday season it all ended up in four boxes and one prepared for the outdoor kitchen for next year. How many boxes “leftovers” for other to enjoy in the future I am not sure. Hope we find a second hand store that can take some of it either it be the Christmas decorations, carpets or our oversized TV. If there is a second hand Salvation Army shop in the area of Montecarlo we are happy to give it away.

 

Never have we felt so much at home as we have done in our home in Montecarlo. It was sad to go back to Moscow, even we enjoy our stay there. To open up the shutters in the morning and see the sun and clear blue sky all over is so energy giving. Yes there could be a rainy day or a day with special fog that for me who love to takes photos just love. We can see the sun how it moves in the light of a ghost or as we say “Jesus” light.

 

We this Christmas could sit outside on our “Prosecco” bench and watch one of the local Sheppard’s pass by with his sheep’s. Yes we are just trilled being out on the country side and prepare our home to we stay there 100%.

 

 

This Christmas we brought special Christmas food for our local friends to taste. Everything from Lamb Prosciutto and dried/salted lamb ribs with mashed rutabaga to steak of moose and reindeer. For desert we had wafer biscuits or in Norwegian “Kromkaker”. That we also had a bit of Russian caviar our way was a touch up from our side to show the possibility of a global menu.

 

Already start preparing next Christmas and variations depending who will be visiting.We very much looked forward to walk around in Montecarlo and Lucca at Christmas time. I have once before in 2002 so 14 years back. At that time I was taken by the warm environment the decorations created in Lucca. And I must say I got that feeling back when we a couple of times was in Lucca the weeks we were home. It is always about see friends or organizes private business like pop into the bank or have something to eat at Samuel’s Gli Orti at Via di Elisa or Luis’s Paris Bohem at Piazza Citadelle.

 

 

 

The first week at home we also on behalf of some friends went to look at a fixer upper. We once posted a picture of the house and got some interested in it. It is an amazing house. Shame it just stands there more or less fall apart. For us to walk into it and see all of its possibilities is amazing. For those who want to make a B&B out of it or rental apartments there would be a great opportunity. 3 floors and loft could either give 4 or all up to 7 apartments. There need to be some hard negotiation on the price they want for the house as there will be some refurbishment even the structure is good. To be on the safe side we brought our crew that did our house along to verify all and can come up with solutions for any who want to do something and I am prepared to do a project manager job again. By the way there is 20000m2 land included and a swimming pool.

 

 

 

 

There was one more challenge for us this time. The study was not done so shopping was needed at our regular store in Firenze “IKEA”. Must say we got more or less finished, I have my messy corner and Laila has her clean desk. What more to expect? In another corner where all the family photos start to come on the wall we have to good chairs so we can easily relax and watch some DVDs, Youtube or Netflix series when we want to.

 

Other than that we had one more trip into IKEA to shop frames to our family pictures. At the same time see some Norwegian friends spending a week in Florence. They staid not many blocks away from Palazzo Pitti made us end up with lunch at a great local Italian restaurant.

 

All in all we had our expectations covered and more than that. Missing our home, when we are away and look so much forward to be back to the house and our local friends. So little we have seen of Italy. Focused on finishing all, but know that there will be plenty of time to do our house inside and outside as well tour around Italy for the many fantastic places Italy can offer.

 



It was hard to find the right picture to upload this time enjoy it we will be back home in some few months as we use to. The best shot was on our long way back home due to cancelations and rerouting. Someone at Schiphol wiping out the time, guess in real it is not possible.

SUMMER TIME IN MONTECARLO

 

Summer time in Tuscany is sun, sunflowers, grapes, wine, good food and a relaxed environment so you can feel stress disappear. People watching become your hobby along chatting with the guys at your local “Alementari”.



You enjoy the different festivals that appear local, either it is food festivals or it is Historic Festivals, Charity events or local marked.



We popped into two of these during this summer in Montecarlo. Middle of June it was the charity “Cena della Misericordia”. The whole main street Via Roma was covered with a long table from one end to the other. Locals along with tourist sitting down pay 15 Euro for a 4 course meal with local wine. All supported by local business in Montecarlo. The chat went lively among them, and as more wine the better the tourist were speaking Italian.

 



It was a fantastic evening and look forward to the same event next year.



A few weeks later Montecarlo celebrated its founder Carl VI. Montecarlo can celebrate 700 years so the festival with old costumes and artistic presentation during the last weekend in June.



If this will be a yearly happening is too early to say, but it was fun to see the involvement of the community.



We are lucky to become “Montecarlese”.  Montecarlo is located very central to larger cities ac Florence, Pisa and Lucca in addition you will find in each smaller city in Tuscany that they celebrate in the same way as in Montecarlo or Lucca. Just drop in, look for the posters to see what is happening and it does, more or less all year round.