So yeah, just chilling in ol'Lucca - lucky for me the summer festival is on and i on thursday night i saw Massive Attack! Fantastic! The production and sound was awesome, it was like putting on their albums. The perfect balmy summer night, the group of people i was with and a few other factors meant a very memorable night.

I'm sure most of you would agree that their mezzanine album is perfect to get down and dirty to, so seeing them live was like a trip full of intimate moments and aural orgasms..

I highly recommend seeing them if you ever get the chance...

Its getting hot!

Yo yo, like the title says, its getting hot here in ol'italia... in the mid 30's everyday. Lovely...
I've been so good since getting here, not thinking that the fashion was that great, but since the summer sales have started, the past 3 days i have shopped! 4 dresses and 2 skirts and 1 top... not bad...

Am very excited as i have just booked the flights for my week of debauchery in September - Ibiza for 4 nights then off to oktoberfest in munich for 3 nights... Who needs excess brain cells anyway?
As this wise thought of the day says:

A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers...

In a couple of weeks, my girlfriend Kel is coming to visit me hear in Tuscany and then the following week, my brother Jason and his french girlfriend are coming down. Its going to be grand!

Then i'll be doing a training trip in central Europe - vienna to budapest - that will be a nice change.

So, the next few weeks i'm keeping busy and i'm sure you all are too.

from firenze, ciao

Some pics

This is one of the gorgeous towns along the cinque terra. If you are ever in Northern Italy, you must come to this place - simply stunning!

And here is the prettiest chruch i have ever seen - the duomo in Milan. Oh, i just love Milan too!

Now to beautiful Lake Como...

And finally, Venice -

How to make the perfect Pesto

When i was in Levanto, i learnt to make Pesto. The region of Liguria is famous for Pesto, so no better place to learn but here!
The secret is a marble morter and a wooden pestle.
1.Grab a handfull of basil leaves and grind them down with a pinch of salt.
2.Add (about half a handful) pine nuts and i chopped clove of garlic (the amount of garlic is to your preference - but remember that uncooked garlic is very strong!) Continue to grind the ingredients.
3.Then with a tablespoon for the rest - add about 1 tbl spoon of olive oil and 1 - 2 tbls of grated parmesan. mix with the spoon (not pestle).

Taste - you'll discover that making your own pesto that tastes like something like you'd get at Cipriani's, you'll feel like the king of the kitchen!

Viva la Italia!!!

So, wow - what a party! Must say, they played pretty well. This is a picture of the crowd at the big screen in Florence, it went off! For one day - everyone was Italian! Made some friends with locals where i was sitting and well, it just went off. I have some footage of the winning goal and all the flares and dancing straight after, but its too big to put on here. The night went on with the biggest street party i'd ever seen! Not even the amount of tourists in summer beat it! Complete chaos - but all good fun, some nakedness, alot of water - no beer fights and no cops anywhere! Drummers popped up everywhere and i felt like i was at Rio carnival or something! Its probably the same everywhere - but the white stripes' hit single seven nation army was the main tune everyone loved to sing - u know - dern, dern-dern-dern-dern- dern, dern. I am pretty sure that the majority of the masses have no idea where that tune come from - they prob think its the theme for the Italian team!

I cried when Italy unfairly beat Australia a week ago, but last night made up for it. Its good to be in a winning place.