This morning keeping my usual photographic records of the works progress, Nano one of the great builders here at Bellaugello gay guest house just happened to pop into shot. I couldn’t resist posting the photo
25 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
Her Majesty the Queen stepped out in Hamilton, Bermuda……
I just love it, so stylish and appropriate, Her Majesty’s outfit co-ordinates perfectly, oh she really does have a sense of the occasion.
There is a really fine photo on the net of HM and the DofE alighting from the Royal Flight onto the stylish pink carpet, unfortunately the picture will not load into my blog so with lateral thinking i’m posting this pic of Gubbio instead
25 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
Yesterday was the first occasion in nearly three years I could be seen wearing a tie! The occasion, my good friend Ben presented his thesis and graduated at the University of Perugia.
In the photo Ben wearing an overly large crown created from laurel gathered at Pratale, their lovely home in Valdichiascio, is flanked by his parents, Etain and Martin. The significance of the bananas I have yet to discover!
24 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
22 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
Yet another call to Servizio Cliente di TelecomItalia on account of my internet being ludicrously slow and getting progressivly slower…
Today I was informed that they cannot provide service for speeds in excess of 600kb I pay for 7mega!!
This is the age of technology, welcome to the outback..
21 Nov 2009 Alec 2 comments
An utterly perfect afternoon had us clambering up Monte Ingenio behind Gubbio to participate in the launch of five hang-gliders.
I was amazed that in mid-november there are the proper updraughts, but today there sure were. The multi-coloured sails were soon launched and floated high in the azure skies above the beautiful medieval city of Gubbio. Wonderous!
Out at a party last night I was surprised to see just how many guys have iPhones, are they a ‘gay must have’ accessory? I know I love mine. Many guys seem to keep in touch wherever they are using their iPhones with simple one action photo and message uploads, through the easy access to facebook, and other social networking sites.
As a result I have added save/share link connections to the blog. You can now save or share my posts with your mates, simply click on the link at the foot of the post and add my blog to your facebook page.
20 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
At home, Out and about - Things to do
The weather has been utterly beautiful here these past few weeks. Cold crisp mornings followed by clear blue skies and starry starry nights. Trees have turned wonderous oranges, golds, ambers and reds.
Whilst walking with the dogs in Valdichiascio I spotted this new roadsign;
No need to run!
The sign reads ” Danger: The area is subject to flooding”
Some thirty years ago it was decided to build a dam at Valfabbrica to create a lake from the waters of the river Chiascio. This large structure some 17kms to the south can be seen in the distance from Bellaugello. When I bought the house I thought it would only be a benefit to be able to look out into the valley to a beautiful lake.
I was told there have been considerable problems with the dam, the first time they tried filling it the water ended up in an old ladies’ garden the other side ofthe mountain! It seems the heavy reinforced concrete structure was supposed to ‘settle’ into the surrounding valley, but someone got their calculations wrong. It has not.
In the intervening thirty years countless millions of euros have been thrown at the project, both the designer and the commissioning officer have died and the dam remains dry. This summer a further attempt was made to fill the dam, the revised lake will be somewhat smaller stopping 3kms short of Bellaugello, but still affording a wonderful vista.
Neighbours became excited – somebody actually saw the beginnings of a lake, there was talk of sailing boats, canoes, beaches, wind-surfers, hurrah hurrah! Hence I guess the smart new road signs.
Yesterday I drove down to the dam – dry -empty…. I guess we will have to wait a while for the lake to become a reality in the meantime we have these industrial signs adorning the valley!
18 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
Oh dear the day has not started well….
I wanted to post a picture to my blog but my ‘ADSL’ line provided by TelecomItalia is not working. This is an ongoing problem, only today my computer went to sleep twice whilst attempting to load my page.
I called customer service, three times, to be asked “are you sure you have ADSL with TelecomItalia – yes! I replied I pay for it but it doesn’t work. They never got back to me. Off once again to the Consumer Advice Service to see if they can resolve the issue.
Why is it that telephone customer service lines play recorded messages, stating ‘navigate the internet at high speed with TelecomItalia” IT JUST IS NOT POSSIBLE and just so irritating!
18 Nov 2009 Alec 0 comments
Not posted much recently about our steady building progress, here at our gay and heterofriendly guest house, so here is a picture of the ‘great wall of china’ and the dining terrace which is now laid, just waiting to be grouted. I’m delighted with the way it has turned out.
