Cam's in Europe: Day 66 - Under the Tuscan sun.

A week of the Italian coast and country side under blue sky's and warm sun. While I know its been cold and wintery at home its certainly been warming up here.

Our arrival to Monterosso last Saturday was joyful. Monterosso Al Mare is one of the 5 Cinque Terra's and they are all beautiful and picture perfect. We had again rented a apartment from a local, giving us some space to spread after our cruise but also a much needed washing machine.

Monterosso was full of tourists, but definitely gave a very genuine feel of being in a local village. Our apartment was above one of the many local pizza outlets and the smells took me back to my early days working in Sydney when I rented a small office above a pizza shop in Ramsgate (Go Britex NSW).

We walked the mountains and I mean walked up down like billy goats, on steps and trails tougher than the Webber Tassy Challenge - although only for a small amount of time. We swam, walked, relaxed, drank espresso, ate the best pasta, and that pizza shop killed it too!

The views, the village feeling and three nights to take it in made it another special time. Special note to drinking beers with some New Zealanders while watching Brazil crash out, and again in another local bar seeing the amazing Djokovic get up over Federer in one of the most amazing Wimbledon opens.

We left Monterosso for Firenze (Florence), and took the slightest detour to Pisa to take a look at the "Tower". As much for the girls, who wanted to get their snap, although we'd heard the city and all else were pretty awful. And yes the advice was right.

There's many things I'm learning, watching and observing on this trip, and while I in no way will make any political statements, I will say this; there's two side to all arguments, especially on immigration and opening of borders up - while I personally don't think we've quite got it right at home, to see the other side when in France and now here in Italy, with so many refugee immigrants (60, 000 so far this year in Italy alone - Aus takes 20k p/a), immigrants who are just so desperate, makes the whole thing one very very difficult equation. Either way it was this that meant we felt more threatened than at any time before ( in our lives) and we parked our car and returned with those tourist photos within no more than 15min.

Arriving at Firenze and settling in to our next destination was nice. Another big city, busy with people, cars and those tourists (we seem to just keep getting around).

Our Tuscan view.

Another Google touch up - sunset on the way to dinner.

The Tuscan country side was special, more so than any part of the trip in terms of regional areas and beauty. We fell in love with it instantly.

We walked more, saw the main sights, statues, paintings and building's, drank more, ate more and continued really enjoying what the Italians do best- living for now.

His hands were very big

Some time by the pool gave the girls some Los Angeles company, and its always so comforting to hear children of any age playing, laughing and having fun.

Today Saturday, we have moved on again to Siena, further south towards our final European destination - Rome. More amazing country side, views that only seem like they are printed in books. "Pinch".

We stopped at a very random restaurant in the smallest town (Duddo) and again enjoyed some the finest local home cooked food. After receiving some of the saddest news from one my closest mates today, it was special to sit in the sun, watch the hills covered in olive trees and grape vines, look at my most beautiful precious family and remember why we're doing this - life is short and sometimes it just sucks, so embrace today.

Being positive, our thoughts are with the Ward family - David and Carolyn especially.

Tonight is Siena, a simple meal of home made salad, prosciutto and melon, tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella (not like anything I've had back home), a roast chicken and vino.