Pottering in Pisa

 looking up river

 a fine pathway across the top of the wall in the Scotto Basilica

 I wandered round the back streets rather than stay with the throng on the main Via Roma where it was too crowded to see anything. Hence why I came across a Vespa convention in the Piazza Santa Catherina. I finally ended up close to the Leaning Tower

On the way back to the station I found the Vespa's were multiplying. sadly no acrobatics were planned

scree and no snow

 

I took a day to go to Carara just a few miles from where I am staying and the home of the most amazing marble. We went right up into the clouds, no bird song and cold, the stillness and the white marble scree making it feel colder. That high, the views are superb, looking down on the road that the James Bond "Quantum of Solace" car chase took place and with the Mediterranean in the distance about 5 miles away. En route, the road felt at 45 deg and usually had a sheer drop. Not many fallen vehicles were sighted 

 The skyline is now, thankfully protected. Where before some mountains were lowered and there is a completely unnatural horizontal skyline in some places, now they have to maintain the current profile and the mountains are being cut away in tiers

lumps of marble as big as a room

just beautiful

sprues

I handed over a wax to Simone to prepare for casting. He is an amazing worker, so careful and considered as he works. He explained - in Italian so I don't think I got everything- why the sprues were put in particular places to allow the molten bronze to travel throughout the whole sculpture. 

Paring down so that there is not too much contact of sprue with sculpture, just enough to get the bronze through but not so much that there is loads to clean off later after the pour.

By now, there is more wax as sprues than there is wax as sculpture

 Finally showing the casting tracking number.

my italian bike and some wax

After a day in the foundry, in progress ......

 a short ride home via Michaelangelo's Bar on my trusty bike

Bee Gee's anyone?

I am currently spending my days in the wax room at the foundry. The radio is on and I have no idea what station it is tuned to. The daily playlist comprises:- the Bee Gees, T Rex, Abba, Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition', other Stevie Wonder in Italian, the Bee Gees, Kung Foo Fighters sung in Italian, Dire Straits, the Frog Song, Mundo Jerry, Van Morrison, Amy Winehouse and YMCA ....and the Bee Gee's. The jingles sound like something from Radio 2 in 1971.

Meanwhile, the work is coming along and here is a pic of work in progress

animal kitchen

While out walking, I found that a kind person/s had created a small food kitchen and shelter just outside the town.  

lardo di colonnata

As a confirmed vegetarian, I was delighted to be whisked up in to the mountains to watch the final layer of lardo di colonatta being laid down. We were in the old family home which is built on the side of the mountain. The ground floor where we were, originally housed animals and the family lived above. Thank you Fabriccio, it was fantastic.

 The smell of the herbs when the lid was taken off the hand carved and ancient marble box was wonderful,

Fabry salting the pork fat

 Adding the next layer of pork fat

 Another thick layer of salt

 a secret recipe of herbs added

 more herbs


















and wait 6 months before eating. I will be at home by then.