MAPPING TUSCANY

Observing I taly's political panorama during election was like watching a Sergio Leone film. It's a remake of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: left wing Pier Luigi Bersani in the role of the good (but lacking the charisma to win in real life), the ugly is superbly interpreted by self-made revolutionary and comedian Beppe Grillo, and in the role of the bad - who keeps raising like a phoenix from the ashes - Silvio  Berlusconi  (will we never get rid of him?!). Women? What do you mean - women? T here's no space for females in the screenplays of a good old  Spaghetti western (apart of the occasional prostitute).  But it's not just about the male leaders of Italy's old and new political movements. Last night I switched between two of the country's main TV channels -  RAI UNO and LA 7 - to listen to the commentaries of politicians and journalists, who filled the studios to discuss election results. On RAI UNO, in the transmission of the insufferable...

Any news? Buonconvento, Tuscany The internet is a fantastic place. Information abounds, small Italian restaurants which you'd never have found 20 years ago have easy accessible websites and my favorite Tuscan wine estates can be quickly drawn up on a  google winery map .  All over the world thousands of bloggers share their local knowledge and give you the inside out of their favorite locations. And what a relief that Italians and travelers alike no longer have to despair over ripped out pages in phone books when looking for contact details of a  museum in Siena  or for the number of that perfect little  beach restaurant   in Southern Tuscany. But there is one drawback with all this accessibility. You need to have time.  With spare time becoming an ever more unattainable luxury good than the next Prada bag, this is a problem. At least until you've found somebody like Susan Van Allen. The American writer with a passion for Italy h...

Spring is knocking at the door.   And that's a good thing. Not just for our olive trees and my father-in-law's vegetable garden. But also for the relationship between me and my Tuscan native. It's a good relationship, but the endless snow of this winter got it close to breaking point.  With a winter like this one, it all comes down to genes and cultural background. All that frozen water  provided material for epic misunderstandings.  Like when I said: "Why don't you go outside and play with the kids in the snow. You'll see it's plenty of fun!" I really thought the man would enjoy himself. Remember the fun of all those snowball battles and the endless hours spent building lovely snowmen? Looking out of the window, w hat I saw instead was this:  Basketball in a snowstorm, Tuscany winter 2012

Tuscany's famous group of cypress trees near San Quirico d'Orcia In 1997 I left Switzerland to spend a few months working at a theater in a coastal city in Northern Germany. Wilhelmshaven was ugly, bombed out as nearly every German city during the second world war. No surprise that hardly anybody came to visit. A pity. The marvelous East Frisian Islands nearby make for a stunning tourist attraction.  Two years later I moved to Tuscany and became Switzerland's most popular citizen. Everybody put an elbow in to get my address or at least a phone number. When I moved to a spacious house near Montalcino, from Easter to October every single mattress would be taken.

Tired of all the half-naked women in Italian TV? Not considering Bunga Bunga as a suitable career option for a 16 year old?  It's hard to believe if you watch Italian TV, but Italy is actually loaded with millions of women who couldn't care less about lap-dancing. A good place to validate the truth of this statement is definitely the  Women's Gold Day Offroad  near Borgo Santa Rita. Open to any woman who loves riding a Cross Enduro Bike. Races for pros and training session for tough chicks who'd like to have a try. And incredibly enough nobody has to undress to participate! Women's Gold Day Offroad 15th of May 2011 Crossodromo Borgo Santa Rita (Cinigiano).