MyMeSsYBloG

Firenze sogna

Firenze stanotte sei bella
In un manto di stelle
Che in cielo risplendono tremule
Come fiammelle,
nell’ombra Nascondi gli amanti
le bocche Tremanti si parlan d’amor
Intorno c’è tanta poesia
Per tè vita mia
Sospira il mio cuor.

Sull’Arno d’argento
Si specchia il firmamento
Mentre un sospiro e un canto
Si perde lontan...
Dorme Firenze
sotto il raggio della Luna,
ma dietro ad un balcone
Veglia una Madonna bruna.

Balconi adornati
di pampini E glicini in fiore
Stanotte schiudetevi ancora
Che passa l’amore
Germogliano le serenate
Madonne ascoltate:Son mille canzon
Un vostro sorriso è la vita
La gioia infinita
L’eterna passion.

Sull’Arno d’argento
Si specchia il firmamento
Mentre un sospiro e un canto
Si perde lontan
Dorme Firenze
sotto il raggio della Luna,
ma dietro ad un balcone
Veglia una Madonna bruna.

Sopra il lungarni senti un’armonia
D’amore sospirano gli amanti
Stretti stretti cuore a cuore. 

Would you...

... leave me at least a slice...? 

Grizzly three

A400M, made its first ever landing in Filton last Thursday the 24th of March, after a brief airshow over the airport. My first impression...? It is a beautiful machine...more than what I though...and more than what it looks in pictures...! I saw it before, once I was in Toulouse , but walking around it, and underneath the wings, seeing it just 10 meters away from you that almost you can touch it,  it is more tasty, there is more time to appreciate the all the details and how good it looks like and actually it is. And how actually big the tail is! I feel always very proud when our planes come to Filton. It does not happen very often unfortunately, but that also mean that those few event are quite special! A400M is the first military aircraft designed and produced by Airbus. It’s FAL is in Seville, Spain. Here in Filton we produce and assemble the wings, in the same building where the Concorde, few years back, was assembled. Even though I haven’t worked at this programme, many of my friends have and are still working hard on it, during the ongoing flight test campaign. It’s a big challenge and a big effort for them and for all Airbus, but it will payoff eventually. I am certain of it. And I must say they are doing a great job. 

Past times

Dolomites...finally...!

I am flying back to Bristol from Bergamo. It's a Ryanair flight, so annoying as usual. It's Sunday the
6th of March...in my calendar this is the last day of my winter holiday. Sadness. I spent a week in Val Badia, on the Dolomites, with Roberta, Tommy, Ida, Franco and Jena. It was good...very good. We stayed at Garni' Villa Flora, in San Cassiano in a really cosy mansard apartment, with two balconies, two bedrooms, a loft, a living room and a bathroom of course!  After 3 years I admit I was missing skiing. A lot. I was missing the crispy air in the morning, the wind on the face, the trees loaded with snow, the lunch in the chalet and the apres ski...I was also missing the Dolomites, that beauty in front of the eyes, every day, a new discovery of those familiar mountains....Val Badia, Val Gardena, Passo Sella, Plan de Corones, Arabba and Marmolada. And the Marmolada this time really strucked me...! The other time I went there it was -20˚C and the wind didn't give any chance to stop a minute at its top and enjoy the terrific view from up there. This time was different, sunny, calm of wind...almost warm I wuold say. I took all the time I needed to peer every single corner of that paradise. And to enjoy the amazing 14 kn run down to Malga Ciapela...As usual I could write a lot, but I think some pictures would give a better idea of everything...! Enjoy it!

Our lovely accommodation with its amazing windows and balconies!

  
 Skiing here and there...

   

      

    

 Dinner at the chalet!

      

     

Top of Lagazuoi...

    

     
 ...and top of Marmolada...3278m asl...

 and last, but not least, some of the great food we had in the chalets on the slopes...skiing is also this.

London Calling

For the first time this year I decided to spend new year's eve out in town. Usually new year's eve is not one of my favourite day...I don't like crazy parties with lots of people, plenty to drink and so on...! I'll rather prefer a nice dinner with few friends, chats, maybe some games...something quite like that. Anyhow...this year, as I was saying, we decided for going out in town and the choice  fell on London...! How could it have been different...??? So for the first time I came back to UK, from Xmas holiday, before the end of the year! I was with Roberta, her brother Francesco and his girlfriend Lara. For them it was the very first time in England.

The main attractions on London's new year's eve...or at least the thing we were more interested in, was the fireworks display, by the London eye! And I have to say it was magnificent. By far the best fireworks I have ever seen! We hit the city as soon as we left our stuff in the hotel in the early afternoon...we walked around the main spots to get into the London atmosphere, before going for dinner at Carluccio's in Covent Garden. That was not my preferred choice beforehand but I must say the dinner was really good! Nice steak, nice glass of Chianti after a tasty starter (and before a delicious desert!).

After dinner we headed straight away to the Victoria Embankment, the best place to see the fireworks. Everywhere in the city it is advised to get there early enough to be sure you can access the area. For security reasons, when it gets too full the police close the access the the river. Not surprisingly the English efficiency was very high, lots of people out to help, lots of information, and despite a massive amount of people out, I haven't seen any troubles at all.  

We got by the river at 9.30pm ish... It was already quite busy...we tried the get a bit into the crowd, but after a while we stopped cos the closer you were getting to the London Eye the worse it was...and at the end of the day our location was already good... after all the fireworks are shot in the sky!! It was a bit long to stand up for 2 and half hours basically only waiting...but fortunately it was not too cold neither was raining...(so it was good actually!). Also it was plenty of music to entertain and we were waiting something cool! Time passed by quite fast, between a chat, a picture and some dancing! I think it was about 10.30pm when they closed the access to the fireworks area...at least that was my impression...! At 11pm I actually realized that this year have been one hour longer for me...! Last year I was in Nice, France. In fact this was actually the fist time I did not celebrate at CET. So whereas most of my friends  were celebrating we had to wait one more hour...! The last minute of 2010 was beaten by a massive countdown on one of the buildings next to the London Eye...at midnight the Big Ben stroke, and that was impressing, the fireworks started. 2011 has come. The first year in the second decade of the third millennium! 

 

AbetONE

AbetONE is number ONE appenninis ski resort. It is the most famous place for skiing in Tuscany. Given the short distance from Florence it is ideal  for a day trip; and this is what we (Tommaso, Alberto and me) did today...! Rendez vous at 7.30 at mine, a stop for a quick espresso and off we set by 8 o'clock. Less than two hours later we were already going downhill for the first slope! That was the first ski day for me in the last two years, and only the second since March 2008, when I went to Val Thorens, France, with a group of friends. I was a bit concerned about that since it was the first time ever I have been far from my skies for such a long time...! Nevertheless all the concerns faded away almost instantaneously, as I quickly got back the feeling with my RC4 and with the snow running underneath. I struggled a bit of the ice at first approach...but soon everything was better. i never particulary loved ice. I bet few people do.

I think skiing is a bit like walking, once you learn it you'll always remember it...! It does not take too much to go back to an acceptable standard...! Then of course the more you practice the better you become...and I wish I could practice more......!  

Weather wise it was one of these days just made for skiing...sunny, but cold...really cold, synonymous of a bit of pain on the lifts and lots of fun on the slopes with the snow in perfect condition the entire day long. 

At the end of the day, I have to admit, my legs where quite stiff, and I felt quite tired. A hot choccolate with wiped cream helped to get a bit of energy back. The dusk begun to fall...Abetone was getting dark...it's time to go home. With a smile on the face!

 

   
(indeed we do!)  

Christmas 2010...!

Snow Queen

For once Florence is the Snow Queen...! Happy Days.

     

  

Pictures courtesy of:

Bedarumica: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bedarumica/

Vandrea: http://www.flickr.com/photos/agriturismoilponticello/

 

The Polar Vortex

Never seen something like that...! Giving these charts are prediction for 66hrs ahead I think chances for this to be true are pretty low...but still it simply looks fantastic such a scenario...! The Polar Vortex spinning over our head is not something that common...at all...