Al Mare

We drove to the sea at a place called Castiglioncello south of Livorno. A delightful breeze was blowing under the umbrellas at Bagni Bellvedere.
The sea was warm and salty.

P got some sea urchin spines in her foot (which one of the lifeguards soon dealt with using a needle)  but otherwise it was a very pleasant way to escape the heat even if a long drive.

We didn't leave til gone 7pm and had a fish fry up before heading through the falling night (still at 28C) on the road back to Monteloro.

The wheat fields in the Livorno hills were abuzz with combines as farmers rushed to get the beautiful golden crop in before the violent storms that are due tomorrow when the super-heated Saharan air mass collides with the cool air arriving from the north.

The Alps and Pre-Alps are preparing for a real beating with up to three inches of rain forecast for Milan in the next 24 hours. There is even talk of 'trombe d'aria' - tornadoes.

I'll keep you posted.