Journal Notes

THESE IMAGES ARE NOT FOR SALE FROM THIS GALLERY **************************************************************************************************************************************************

SUNSET AFTER A STORM,<br />
ITALY (Ligurean Sea)<br />
November 18 and 19, 1999 Picked up a large packet of clothing from the lavanderia (Note: the ones that were later stolen in El Saler, Spain) and set out for our next reserve, the Parco Nacionale de Maremma where we found amongst the meadows and creeks many Lapwings, Curlews, Collared Crows, Goldfinches, Cattle Egrets, a Ballfinch and a Kingfisher and two deer to photograph. Checked into an albergo, the Hotel La Siesta, dropped off our luggage, nipped down the street for coffee (and somehow WON three big chocolates?) before driving to a market in Grossetto, which turned out to be large, crowded and with way too many one-way streets, as usual. Convinced we would never again find the albergo and our luggage, we were so impressed with ourselves when we made it back to La Siesta in the, by now, windy, stormy weather. Dinner of mussels, our favorite, which probably accounts for the rest of the evening (smile). We left the La Siesta in Respecia and made one more drive through Maremma refuge although it was very windy and freezing cold. Reluctantly, we drove on north from Maremma, on the coastline toward Livorno and stopped at a hotel-ristorante on a very high cliff just as the sun was making a spectacular, eye-piercing, red and gold descent into the Ligurean Sea through a bank of incoming heavy, black rain clouds. It was just beautiful and Virginia tried several shots from the cliff-top by our hotel as Robert booked us in. At dinner we ordered scampi which were, as usual, garlicky and delicious, grilled, huge and presented in the shell with head and legs all intact. That is a three-napkin feast and after dinner Virginia asked the waiter timidly if there was a ‘correct’ way to eat these critters and he promptly replied “Yes, Lady, not like you . . . “ and that was the extent of his advice! (And his tip!)

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SUNSET AFTER A STORM,
ITALY (Ligurean Sea)
November 18 and 19, 1999 Picked up a large packet of clothing from the lavanderia (Note: the ones that were later stolen in El Saler, Spain) and set out for our next reserve, the Parco Nacionale de Maremma where we found amongst the meadows and creeks many Lapwings, Curlews, Collared Crows, Goldfinches, Cattle Egrets, a Ballfinch and a Kingfisher and two deer to photograph. Checked into an albergo, the Hotel La Siesta, dropped off our luggage, nipped down the street for coffee (and somehow WON three big chocolates?) before driving to a market in Grossetto, which turned out to be large, crowded and with way too many one-way streets, as usual. Convinced we would never again find the albergo and our luggage, we were so impressed with ourselves when we made it back to La Siesta in the, by now, windy, stormy weather. Dinner of mussels, our favorite, which probably accounts for the rest of the evening (smile). We left the La Siesta in Respecia and made one more drive through Maremma refuge although it was very windy and freezing cold. Reluctantly, we drove on north from Maremma, on the coastline toward Livorno and stopped at a hotel-ristorante on a very high cliff just as the sun was making a spectacular, eye-piercing, red and gold descent into the Ligurean Sea through a bank of incoming heavy, black rain clouds. It was just beautiful and Virginia tried several shots from the cliff-top by our hotel as Robert booked us in. At dinner we ordered scampi which were, as usual, garlicky and delicious, grilled, huge and presented in the shell with head and legs all intact. That is a three-napkin feast and after dinner Virginia asked the waiter timidly if there was a ‘correct’ way to eat these critters and he promptly replied “Yes, Lady, not like you . . . “ and that was the extent of his advice! (And his tip!)

sunset storm mediterranean