The last part of the event in Italy was a visit to the gorgeous “villa” Villa Torrigiani. I wrote “villa” like that because even though that’s what it’s called, in my eyes it looks more like a palace. Don’t you agree?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pretty grand eh? I think it’s a beautiful building, but the person who built it may just have gone a little over board with the statues…
This is a private house, it is the summer home of the family of a Prince and Princess. According to the information leaflet I got hold of there the last Marqius of Torrigiani left the property to his only daughter Simonetta, who was married to the Prince of Stigliano Don Carlo Colonna. All sounds pretty impressive to me!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Obvioulsy seeing as it is a private home we were not allowed to visit the whole house, but the ground floor was open to the public and we were divided into two groups to go and have a look inside. Unfortunately you were not allowed to take any pictures at all inside, but I can tell you it was very nice. The rooms were as grand as you’d imagine when you see it from the outside, and each room had a special themed ceiling (the Italian’s do seem to love their ceilings! And I do too!). In one of the rooms there was a big bed, and this was another bed that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had slept in at some point! The bed didn’t have the hangings that used to be there anymore, because apparently at some time in the history of this bed there was a dog who ate them!
As well as visiting the house we were also here to have our picnic. In the lovely garden, with rather a spectacular view of the house, a beautiful picnic had been prepared for us when we got there. Isabel and I were the first to reach the laid out picnic, we headed over there as soon as we could, both in great need of something to drink! Ah how good that lemonade tasted! And the chocolate biscuits weren’t too bad either. Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It was very nice just sitting in the shade enjoying our picnic and the wonderful surrounding, and it felt like a very nice finish to the whole event.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As I said, we were the first to reach the picnic… Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The water and lemonade was much needed at this point!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Claire, Jeanette, me and Isabel, with the beautiful house
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Claire looking lovely….
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
…and Aniela…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
…and Anita!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Many of us were rather tired at this point, but some more than others!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The picnic party. Please observe the flying cane on the right side in the picture. I was quite pleased when I saw I had caught it in the fall! Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Me on the veranda of the house
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Nice steps
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Isabel and I giggling. Something we were quite good at doing…
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And Jeanette and I
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I don’t know about you, but I think this looks like a scene in a period drama!
Once again my hat is off to Margarita for arranging such a wonderful event. I loved it! And I am so very glad that I went! I really hope that I can go again next year, when I believe the event will be held in Florence again. And the year after that I have already decided that I have to go! That year, 2014, the event will be taking place out on the Island of Elba! And anyone who knows anything of the history of this era and of Emperor Napoleon should be familiar with the significance of this place!
You may depend on me getting back to you all through here with lots of more details when that time draws nearer.