From Vellano to Montecarlo and Pescia - sightseeing & gelato in the sun

Our Reggie alarm clock went off at 7.30am this morning, and Stuart offered to go and do the honours, leaving me to sleep. However, once I was awake, I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up and joined Reggie and Stuart on the sofa, gently reminding Stuart that the geese also needed letting out.

After a little while, Dave and Ollie appeared at the door - little Ollie having been awake since waaay too early (holiday lie-ins clearly mean nothing to a two-year-old), so while Stuart and Dave took Ollie for a tramp up the terraces, I showered, changed and entertained Reggie for a while.

The plan for the day was to head to Montecarlo for lunch, but as we were all up so bright and early - and the day really was bright and beautiful - we decided to make a quick trip to Vellano beforehand.

We all piled into the car, and headed uphill towards Vellano. On the way into the village, we passed and waved at Michelle, walking her dog Piff, and then we passed Antonio with his son Marcello, who were just getting out of their car. We parked the car, unloaded everyone, and turned around to see Antonio heading up the road towards us, waving papers in his hand. He had been planning to call in after work tomorrow in order to bring the guarantee for the Stihl hedge trimmers we bought from him a few weeks ago - but as luck would have it, he had the papers with him in his car, so after a quick signature scribbled by Stuart while leaning against wall to write, the guarantee was handed over, job done!

Roadside admin completed, we headed up into the village to start climbing the steep streets up to the top square. Little Ollie managed amazingly well up the steep streets, while Reggie careered ahead, dragging me up the hills behind him.

Halfway through town, we turned a corner to see two cats looking at us. To my amazement and slight horror, one of them fixed Reggie with a very determined look and made a beeline straight for him. Yikes, I really wasn't sure how this was going to go! At first, Reggie stood fixed to the spot, staring wide-eyed at it - he'd never (as far as we know) been deliberately approached by a cat before! As the cat came closer though, Reggie couldn't hold onto his composure any longer and started whining and trying to lunge towards it - which resulted in the cat arching its back, sticking its fur up and hissing at him. A tricky 30 seconds ensued while Sarah and I attempted to distract Reggie's attention away from the cat and drag him up the road. He eventually came with me when I started running with him, and all was calm again when we turned the corner out of sight of the cat. Despite its encounter with the whining, lunging monster, the cat itself attempted to follow Reggie again - but thankfully it gave up as soon as he was out of sight.

We eventually made it to the top of the town and admired the beautiful views in the lovely (and by now warm) sunshine.

A fairer match than the cat!

After we'd walked back down the steep streets to the car, we drove back home for a quick pitstop (read toilet stop) before continuing on to Montecarlo. We almost didn't all make it out again though, as when I came to lock the front door, the key simply wouldn't turn in the lock. After several attempts, I gave up and got Stuart to come and have a look, but he couldn't get it to turn either. Eventually, with a squirt of WD40 and a couple of bashes with the end of a screw driver, the lock capitulated and we were able to secure the house and carry on with our plans.

It was a beautiful day for going to Montecarlo - the panoramic views from the old fortified town were looking stunning. We headed straight for La Terrazza,  the restaurant we had eaten at on Boxing Day with Paul and Marie, since we knew they would likely be open on a Sunday, we knew they would let us take Reggie in with us, and we knew that the view from their dining room is spectacular. 

Just as before, the staff were very friendly and welcoming and the food was delicious. Reggie mainly behaved himself - with the exception of having a bark at other diners entering the restaurant (clearly thinking he owned the place), but soon settling down again. After we'd finished our plates of antipasti, our pizzas and coffees, we paid the bill and headed outside again for a quick lap of the town.

Once back at the car, we loaded everyone in and headed back to Pescia - Dave (well, everybody if we're really honest, but Dave was first to express the desire) had a hankering for a gelato, so we parked the car in Piazza Mazzini and headed for Bar Pulter. It was busy inside, and Reggie wasn't comfortable with the number of people around, so we seated ourselves at the quieter seating area outside (we were all togged up in warm coats and scarves after all), where we quickly demolished cups of gelato all round. Little Ollie clearly loved his ice cream despite it making him shiver to the point of his entire body shaking so much he could barely hold his cup. The enormous grin on his face and his insistence on finishing his pistachio and strawberry gelato said it all!

Gelati dispatched, we all got back in the car for the final stretch of the journey home and the last hour of sunshine before the sun dipped below the ridge opposite us. We played ball with Reggie, the boys all went to have a look at the terrace below the house and the septic tank, and Sarah and I had a peaceful 10 minutes in the apartment before going to load the wheelbarrow with firewood and, together with Ollie, transfer the firewood from the wheelbarrow into crates to take into the house.

As the sun dipped beneath the hill and the temperature started to plummet it was time to light the fire and think about what the evening has in store.