Video Blog: Tuscan Festivals

There are many big medieval festivals scattered around Tuscany. All have roots back many hundreds of years, but most of the modern reincarnations date from earlier this century under the auspices of Mussolini. The most famous palio is the one that takes place in Siena (twice a year) where the central square is transformed into a racecourse for a furious horse race with jockeys riding bareback on a horse representing the various contradas (quarters) of the city. There is much rivalry and sometimes a bit of violence too!

Other enjoyable celebrations include a rather boisterous antique version of soccer in Florence. From what I can see, the ball is almost irrelevent and it is just an excuse for a big punch-up. Sansepolcro hosts a big crossbow shooting competition, with the local team pitted against visitors from Gubbio (which then returns the compliment). As I have already mentioned, Anghiari stages a gruelling road race up its steep hill, while Caprese Michelangelo contents itself with a more sedate chestnut festival in October.

For me the most entertaining festival is that of the Giostra del Saracino in Arezzo. This is a jousting competition held in the main square where riders with lances score points on a small target fixed to a spinning mannequin, complete with ball and chain! Again the various quarters of the city compete for the prize of the golden lance. Much skill is needed, and the horses are fantastic.

Video Blog: Making Olive Oil

Well, the olive harvest is in full swing here in Caprese. Our goat-farming, cheese-making friend Brent had already picked and pressed 771kg of olives a couple of weeks ago, and this week was our turn with a 202kg load from our friend Sue's little olive grove. 20 litres of fantastically fresh and totally organic extra-extra virgin olive oil was the fruit of our labours.

Weather Report

Just to say that the first falls of snow happened overnight. Not too much but enough to make driving rather hazardous. Just as well we helped our friend Sue get her olives harvested. Lots of locals frantically picking today as the sun is out. But still cold!

Anghiari Palio

Anghiari is extraordinarily picturesque, but is only really famous due to the battle that took place in the plain below on 29 June 1440. This battle saw the Milanese take on the forces of Venice and Florence (under the Papal banner). Despite a huge amount of pomp and chest-puffing, the battle itself was a bit of a damp squib with no proper engagement, and only one man died (accidentally falling off his horse!). Leonardo da Vinci painted a large fresco depicting the battle in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence but this has now been lost and only a few cartoons exist which show a little of what the finished masterpiece would have been like.

Today the battle is cause for celebration and is marked with a foot race from the battle site in the valley up the incredibly steep hill to the town square - pretty tough going especially in the summer heat. It is also an excuse for pageantry and revelry with townsfolk dressing up in medieval costume, and entertained by the trumpets and drums of re-enactment groups from all over Tuscany, including the traditional football players from Florence, the band from Arezzo and the flag-throwers of Sansepolcro. And then a huge feast to finish of precedings at Castello di Sorci, a great restaurant in what used to be a stronghold of local condottiero (mercenary) Baldaccio. Definitely a great day out!

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

Michelangelo was born into a small-scale Florentine banking family. In order to supplement income his father took up short-term government positions and it was during such an appointment, whilst a judicial administrator in Caprese, that circumstances saw the birth of one of history's greatest artists in such an unlikely place.

The family soon moved back to Florence where, as an apprentice, the young Michelangelo soon started showing his precocious talents. The rest, as they say, is history. Working for princes and popes, Michelangelo was a painter, engineer and architect, but most of all he was a sculptor. His most famous works include, of course, his statue of David (Florence), the dome of St.Peter's basilica (Rome) and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (Vatican).

Although having left Caprese as a small child, I am certain that he would have made return visits. The local landscape around Caprese is represented in a number of his paintings, and most obvious of all is the inclusion of the unmistakable outline of La Verna behind the reclining figure of the newly created Adam, the centrepiece of his ceiling fresco in the Sistine Chapel, and one of the world's most famous images. Surely it shows that Michelangelo always kept a small piece of Caprese in his heart?

Although Caprese does not possess a Michelangelo original, it is still a wonderful experience to wander around the old castle precincts, soaking up the atmosphere and a quick jaunt through the little museum, before having lunch at one our favourite local restaurants, Il Cerro, where you can eat like a king. A wonderful selection of starters, homemade pastas (smothered in either locally sourced porcini mushrooms or truffles) and freshly roasted meats will ultimately defeat even the biggest appetite - and fantastic value too!

Video Blog: Goats!

It's lambing ('kidding'?) time up at Valle di Mezzo, a farm run by my friend Brent Zimmerman. I paid a visit on Sunday afternoon to look at the new arrivals. Doubly interesting of course as Caprese is derived from the Italian 'capra' meaning 'goat' and there is a goat on the village coat of arms.

Piero della Francesca (c.1415-1492)

Two frescoes of world-wide renown are just a stones throw from Caprese. Both are by the Fifteenth Century artist Piero della Francesca who was born in nearby Sansepolcro. Forgotten for centuries after his death, and only rediscovered in the early Twentieth Century, Piero is now regarded as one of the greatest artists of his time and a pioneer of perspective.

Although he studied in Florence and worked at the court of Federico da Montefeltro in Urbino for several years, Piero was a true Tuscan at heart and never really abandoned his roots, which is probably why he saved his best works for commissions in his hometown and the village where his mother was born.

The Madonna del Parto is now housed on its own in a converted 1930's primary school in the village of Monterchi, a little hill-top town nestling on the Tuscan/Umbrian border. It's original location was the chapel at the the cemetary where Piero's mother was buried, and has since been moved to Sansepolcro and Florence (for "safe keeping") before being brought back and now fiercely protected by the Monterchi comune. The pregnant Virgin Mary (a very rarely portrayed subject) is revealed to the viewer by two angels. Rather controversially, she looks rather uncomfortable with the unborn baby Jesus obviously causing her some discomfort. However she still possesses a holy serenity and looks out at you with confident surety. Generations of pregnant women have prayed to the image to bless their own safe births, and even now anyone mothers-to-be are allowed free access into the museum!

The Resurrection of Christ is perhaps one of the most haunting paintings I have ever seen. It remains in its original place on the wall of Sansepolcro's old town hall, now the town's main art gallery. Jesus is portrayed emerging from the tomb while his guards remain sleeping at his feet. Whilst triumpant in resurrection, Jesus is also full of pathos as he looks out at you with solemn intensity. The painting is full of mysterious secrets including a strange strange use of two vanishing points which makes viewing the picture quite disconcerting.

Also close by, the Church of San Francesco in Arezzo holds Piero's masterpiece, The Legend of the True Cross. The subject is a medieval legend of great complexity, but Piero made from its fanciful details some of the most solemn and serene images in Western art — even the two battle scenes have a feeling of grim deliberation rather than violent movement (almost as if watching the action in slow motion). This fresco cycle took over thirteen years to complete. Contrary to normal practice, Piero would often cover the plaster with wet cloths overnight, allowing him to continue work on the same sections for more than a day.

I will never tire of visting these paintings. Once seen, the mesmeric images, a combination of limpid beauty and passive power, will remain with you forever.

Video Blog: Arezzo: Fiera Antiquaria

The Fiera Antiquaria is a large antiques fair which takes place every month in the city of Arezzo, near Caprese Michelangelo. You can buy all sorts of things, from antiques to bric-a-brac and modern arts and crafts. People come from all over Italy to see it. This was recorded on Saturday 6th February, which accounts for the rain!

Arancello: progress report

Just to report that the Arancello is going very well. Here's a picture of how the liquid has turned bright orange taking its colour from the orange peel alone. Just over two weeks to go. Can't wait :)

... and finally!

As if to celebrate the end of January, we awoke this morning to a couple of centimetres of snow. This was followed by the sun coming out, so it really looks magical here right now. Here are a couple of pics ...




Some trees ...

View from my house up to Alpe Faggetta.

View in the other direction towards Monte Fumaiolo.

Carnevale!

Although, technically, the Italian carnival season started on January 7th, immediately after Befana, it is this weekend that many of the comuni start their celebrations in earnest. And to celebrate, I though I would show you a mouth-watering plate of frittelle, the traditional carnival sweet. They are basically little sweet fritters that come in many varieties. These in the picture are stuffed with creme patissiere. Very yummy for breakfast with coffee :)



Carnival is an ancient festival connected with the Catholic Church. During the six-week period of Lent, Catholics prepare for the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus by repenting their sins and living austerely. Traditionally, Carnival which leads up to Lent was a period when people used up all the luxury food items and had parties to get it out of their system before Lent began. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent falls on 17 February this year, so until then 'let the good times roll!'

I am planning to visit one of the local Carnivals next weekend, so should have some pictures to post then.

Anghiari

About 6 miles down the mountain from Caprese lies the defensive hilltop town of Anghiari. Right on the border of Tuscany, and hence on the edge of Medici control, the town has always been of strategic importance and on 29 June 1440, a famous battle took place here between the Florentines and Milanese. Although a famous event, immortalised in a now lost Leonardo fresco (once in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence), only 1 person was actually killed (in an accidental fall off his horse!). The event is marked today by a foot race up the hill from the battlefield to the main square of Anghiari - a great excuse for a festa and fancy dress! Today the sleepy town stands sentinel overlooking the flat plain of the Tiber valley with it's patchwork fields of sunflowers and tobacco plants.

Weather Report update

Well, it didn't snow heavily but a beautiful phenomenon here are the ice forests at the top of the mountains after a night of freezing fog. All the trees become encrusted with ice turning everything into a crystal wonderland. A wonderful place to witness this spectacle near Caprese is the hermitage of La Verna where St. Francis of Assisi took refuge and where he recieved his stigmata. The small monastery sits aloft a strangely shaped mountain (Michelangelo painted it in several of his works including the landscape behind Adam and God scene of the Sistine Chapel ceiling) which forms part of the Casentino National Park. Here are a couple of views taken this morning.

Weather report

Well, after a few days of sunshine and cold, I can now report that it is snowing. The weather report said rain but I guess we are high up. It's very light and not settling at the moment, but that could change. It is January, I suppose.

Video Blog: Arancello

My friend Franco came round with some fresh organic oranges from Sicily. We can't eat them all, so we decided to turn them into arancello, the orange version of the liqueur limoncello. If you want to know how to make it yourself, watch the video ...

Arancie

My friend Franco popped by today and gave me a load of organic oranges from Sicily. These tend to be driven up from the south by the producers at this time of year and sold at roadside stalls or markets. Looking forward to some fresh orange juice for breakfast tomorrow and perhaps a bottle or two of Arancello (Limoncello made from oranges ;)).

La Befana vien da notte ...

Befana is the traditional Italian Christmas celebration which takes place on the 6th January, the feast of the Epiphany. Tradition says that at night on the 5th January, an old woman or witch, Befana, comes into your house and fills children's stockings with either sweets and gifts for the good or coal (carbone)for the bad. If she sees you while she is visiting she will hit you with her broomstick (manico di scopa)which she also uses as a form of transport. For anglo-saxons, the effect is like a weird mix of Christmas and Hallowe'en as the shops are full of witches on broomsticks. In fact, it is believed that the festival is older than either of those and dates back to pre-christian Roman times. Later, the festival was christianised and Befana becomes part of the story of the Epiphany as an old woman who showed hospitality to the three Kings or Magi on their way to find the baby Jesus.

I can happily confirm that I woke up this morning to find a mixture of sweets (Kinder assortment ... yum) and coal in my stocking. The coal was lovely ... mint flavoured ;)

Video Blog: SNOW!!

I have decided to add a new feature to this blog in the form of a video blog which I will be posting from time to time to give you a flavour of the sites and sounds of eastern Tuscany. As we woke up this morning to a few centimetres of snow I thought I'd share that with you. Enjoy! Later video blog posts will be more informative, I promise!

Caprese Pics

Some pictures of things referred to in my last post ...

A view of Caprese Michelangelo

The church of San Giovanni Battista where Michelangelo was baptised.

The sign to that effect

Caprese Castle: Michelangelo's birthplace

Welcome to Caprese Michelangelo

Caprese is a small village in the east of Tuscany in the province of Arezzo which I stumbled across a few years ago, while viewing properties in Umbria. I fell instantly in love with the small community as well as the property I was taken to see there, which now almost four years later is my home. There are about 1,700 'capresani' who are spread out through the wide collection of hamlets which make up the village. Perhaps her greatest son was, however, Michelangelo Buonarotti (yes, the Michelangelo) who was born here on 6 March 1475 and baptised in the tiny church of San Giovanni Battista. It was many years later that the comune officially adopted his first name as the village's surname which is now proudly called Caprese Michelangelo.

I decided to start this blog to record my experiences here in Tuscany as well as to share them with my friends, family and other interested parties. So, welcome or Benvenuti a Caprese Michelangelo!