Friendly Friday day trip

Today is the second time that I guest host the Friendly Friday photo challenge after the floral theme two weeks ago. I’d like to thank all the participants and you were not few and far between. Let’s do it again today!

Yesterday morning Snow Melts Somewhere mailed me her chosen topic for today just as I was getting ready to co-drive 7 or so hours from Tuscany to Slovenia. Guess what her theme was? Day trip! Yes, she is still in the wheel and greets you all.

I like day trips. Day trip has been a category on my blog since I started it. You are welcome to have a look at my past day trips here.

However, since I don’t have my camera at the ready during this long trip that I take two or three times every year (in both directions), as it’s clearly quite trippy enough to just watch out through the windscreen for seven hours, I will show you the only day trip, okay, half-a-day trip that I took with my visiting uncle in the last two weeks. In such temperatures even keeping your eyes open for the whole day is a little miracle.

Just recently I had a brief look through the Lonely Planet for the southern Tuscany area and this bit about our regional capital stood out: “Poor Grosseto!” Indeed. Have you ever heard of it? No worries, nobody has. Neither had I before moving some 45 minutes to the south of it. Last week was only my second time to visit its historic centre on what must have been the hottest day in the six years since I moved here.

It was also the first day of the seasonal sales but I can’t say I noticed. You will note a cute little bag my uncle was carrying for me. 😀 Truth be told, after a short dash around the old town we settled for the air-conditioned shopping centre, no matter how much I hate them.

I planned it thus on purpose – first something for the heart and soul, and then capitalism. No wonder the photos only show the first part.

And now over to you. I’m curious about a day trip (or more) that you have taken or wish to take or were sorry you took or was the best day of your life. Everybody welcome!


Here’s how you join us:

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Please check out other participants’ posts because that’s the most fun part!

There’s no deadline for participating and the challenge is open for all. Next week Friendly Friday will be hosted by Amanda. Most probably see you again here in two weeks’ time.


Here is some Grosseto then so that now you can say you know it.

For Friendly Friday Photo Challenge, standing in for The Snow Melts Somewhere

Created with Adobe Spark

53 Comments

  1. Oh, Erica! Maybe it was long distance love 😊 Were the streets so empty because of the heat or was it siesta time like in Spain, France and Greece? I can’t remember if shops are closed for noon in Italy. (Over here they obviously aren’t.) And Slovenia, do you have siesta there too?
    Funny how unevenly the weather distributes itself. I’ve been on summer holidays for 2 weeks now and the entire time it’s been absolutely freezing cold, windy, cloudy and rainy. Times gone swimming: 0. Times I’ve worn summer clothes: 0. Times riding my bike: 0. Picnics: 0. It might as well be winter!
    Snowy greetings from the land of grey skies, and GRAZIE MILLE for hosting!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Your help is greatly appreciated! Lovely post too 😊

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you for your visit, SMSW, and you’re welcome. In two weeks time I can do it again if necessary. 🙂

      Aaaa!!! 0 days! 😮 Doesn’t sound fun at all! I really hope it changes soon. And yes, weather has been all kinds of crazy. There was also that volcano explosion in Stromboli because why not. (Volcanoes are my hidden fear, I think.)

      If you go through my captions carefully, you will learn that Italians have indeed the split working hours. Shops close at 1 pm and open again at 4 or so. They don’t call the break siesta but they definitely enjoy it and you must not make any noise at that time or you’ll have complaints. In Slovenia shops don’t close at all, it seems, Sundays included. But in Italy shopping centres stay open all the day too.

      As for Erica, who knows? Maybe they have twins by now. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Ohh, this is so great, Lorelle, thank you! I’m curious how long I’d need to there from my Tuscan home. I’ll check. 5h40! 😮 And I passed there in 1991 on my way to France… Too bad I didn’t know about it then, I’d surely stop. It’s a gorgeous town, thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Oh the heat. I am surprised it has continued for so long. It is so hard on people. Not me though, I LOVE the heat and I wish I could steal some degrees from your sweltering summer and add them to my cool wet summer. Your uncle is patient to stand for your photos, and I think he is absolutely right to charge for them. He adds charm and perspective. I do love love love those flowers in the sky above his head.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Crystal. 🙂 This street was a great find. Well, I love the heat if it comes with at least some breeze. In Greece was like that, so hot but the wind kept us fresh. But now the feeling was as if the earth was baking us, slowly but surely. Ugly! Now I’m in Slovenia and here it’s different, much more moderate, a bit rainy and then hot again but never as hot as there. I’m glad you agree that uncle is necessary. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  3. What history therein lies in Grosseto. Marvellous place and I love it that it has some fierce self-determinism running in its blood. Daytrip is an awesome theme. I might even jump in too! Thanks so much, Manja. See you next week.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Amanda. I find it hard to imagine myself on such a day trip. Italian craziness is on the brink of what I can handle. Thank you for sharing with us your impressions. We can hum some Monkees along. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  4. I have been away from WordPress due to time issues. This post makes me realize what I have been missing. In one day trip you captured a town, history, emotions (erica, come back to me), heat, I mean, it is a mini story come to life. A peep into another world.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. This is a lovely comment and all one wishes to hear. Thank you so much, Carol. ❤ Mini stories come to life, this is what I strive to do here. We will be right here for when you need us.

      Like

  5. That first photo with the branches strung up with decorations in them just grabbed me by the hand and yanked me into your post! So festive. And day trips – one of my all-time favorite things to do, especially by car.

    Liked by 1 person

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