Today, Monday, we take leave of the Rivera and begin the first leg of our trip home. We again breakfasted with the ladies we have come to know, and learned one lady is a chef at a winery in Evergreen, Colorado. We exchanged business cards and thought we said goodbye but not quite yet. Next came pictures on the steps of our pension with the beautiful gardens in the background. Andreas, the 30+ year old son, of the owner took pictures and was in some of them as well. He is another one of those extremely handsome Italian guys with lots of charm to round out the package. He helped us with our bags down the many flights of stairs, packed the car and after hugs ‘Italian style’ we were on our way to Rapallo just a couple miles away to drop the car.
But first I had one final mission to accomplish and that was to get sand from the Rivera beach for the soil collection I have been doing for Trisha. John dropped me by the beach and circled round in the traffic, I scooped up the sand, he came around to pick me up and we were off. Judy & I stayed with the luggage and I bought our final train tickets while John returned the rental car a few blocks away. We had just enough time to not panic and I can now say John is finished hauling bags up two long flights of stairs at train stations, for this trip or any in the future. When we arrive in Rome there will be no stairs and it will be taxi drivers or bellmen from here till we get home.
Today is a beautiful, sunny day and the Mediterranean is a beautiful blue. We met a very nice young couple from Minneapolis who were at the early part of their ten day Italian trip and I couldn’t help be a little envious.
Our trip took us along the coast for at least an hour and a half through the famous Cinque Terre area and Pisa before it turned east and headed inland toward Rome. And so I am writing during the least picturesque part of our 4-1/2 hour train ride and wondering what we will do, what we will eat and what kind of wine we will enjoy on our last night in Italy.
We chose a Courtyard Marriott that is within about seven miles of the airport so had about a half hour cab ride from the train. The ride in the cab took us by the coliseum, and so many other beautiful old buildings once again it took my breath away. I closed my eyes and prayed I may return one day.
And so our last night was in a lovely Marriott and we reveled in the famous Marriott Heavenly beds. This time we have separate rooms so we have lots of space and beautiful showers, no sliding into the bathroom sideways. To be honest it feels much like we are already back in the US and maybe that is a good thing as it will make reentry a little easier.
So what did we have for our last supper? My heart was set on final Bruscetta and it wasn’t on the menu so the waiter asked the chef and he was happy to make it. Although the food was good, it was as I mentioned more Americanized, so the only thing worth mentioning is the Bruscetta and a bottle of Prosecco which was divine.
It is a rainy morning in Rome as we prepare for our final departure and after a great night’s sleep we are getting ready to head to the airport for a 1:30 p.m. flight to London where we will have about a 1-3/4 hour layover. We will leave Heathrow at 17:00 (5:00 p.m.) and arrive at 19:50 p.m. (7:50) New York time. Of course for our bodies it will be about 5:00 in the morning the next day but we have a hotel right by JFK and expect to be able to get a fairly good night’s sleep before catching our mid-morning flight out of JFK for San Diego and Minneapolis . We adjusted to the nine hour difference in time when we arrived and are hoping by planning our return this way we will experience minimum jet lag.
This has been an incredible month of amazing experiences. Emotional on so many levels from awe, to giggles to tears and we feel extremely blessed. Allore, we will take our leave.
Arrivederci
The Traveling Trio
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Random Jottings from the Traveling Trio
Judy trying to figure out the water for the sink when the ‘faucet’ is operated with a pedal on the floor;
Carol being sure she was locked in the bathroom and wondering really how long it would take before John & Judy would come looking
Judy coming from the bathroom to say she needed help ‘flushing’
Carol & Judy’s first time walking into a bathroom with a man already in there. They hadn’t yet realized many bathrooms were co-ed.
The time that Judy casually said she was going up to the room at the Rome Hilton and when we followed a few minutes later we heard quite a ruckus with a lot of Italian being spoken and one person with a Minnesota accent repeating “Rosingana….” Turns out she had forgotten the room number and was trying the key in different rooms until housekeeping offered to help (in Italian of course). They couldn’t figure out her room number and were all in a cluster/fluster about the time we walked into the flurry.
Once again Judy had the staff going at the Venice Hilton when she left us in the breakfast room to go up to our room. We got off the elevator and heard the stir so we knew what was up this time and we all got a laugh over it.
One trip to the toilette as Carol was leaving and passing through the tiny sink area she met a man coming in. Because of the tiny space they were squeezing by as you do in a narrow hallway which landed Carol’s butt in the sink. The sink was motion activated and her butt was just enough motion to turn the water on. Her reflex that her butt was going to get wet caused an automatic hip thrust in the direction of the gentleman just as he passed by.
Realizing that some toilets are simply Porcelain rectangles in the floor!!!!
Experiencing many toilets with only porcelain and no seat, like a guy has permanently left the seat up
Breathtaking handsome men of all ages everywhere.
A different sense of style, and very classy for both men and women
Unbelievable food that will change the way we think of Italian food forever. We will expect fresher and lighter in the future.
Bruschetta (not pronounced Brush-shetta but Brush-ketta) comes in many different forms
We have a desire to learn to cook using healthy seasonings and olive oil with little to no butter or salt. We want to learn to create real Italian food at home versus the Americanized version.
Wine!!! How could it be so good 99% of the time, no matter what? How are we going to manage drinking domestic wine when we return home?
Pizza, not being big pizza eaters coming home with a new appreciation and desire to recreate what we have eaten, especially the Pizza Margharita.
We love the culture of eating for the joy of it, not to get it done. Learning to sit at the table and enjoy our wine or our coffee with no thought of when we will get or when we will ask for the check.
Never being asked if we want the check no matter what,it is considered rude.
In a tiny town and restaurant in the mountains in Tuscany when John moved some of his flatware (set across the top of the plate) and the owner/server politely picked it up and placed it back to where she had it set. She did this very gracefully while she was talking with us, but it was obviously important.
Notes to self or anyone else traveling in the future:
Never ever bring big suitcases. Always have a jacket that will handle a bit of rain with a hood and a vest so you can layer. For women, bring microfiber clothes that don’t wrinkle, rinse out and dry in the room overnight. Two or three pants with a matching jacket is plenty with about 4-5 light weight tops. Men all microfiber shirts and pants are more difficult but can be done at hotels for a fee.
Bring a little laundry detergent, lots of zip locks for various reasons, a couple of garbage bags, and envelopes to keep receipts and souvenir tickets. Purchase the vacuum sealed laundry bags (from travel site online) which condense dirty clothes into a tiny package.
Be sure you have electrical appliances that will convert from 110 to 240. If you don’t have that you will need a transformer to convert the power. Purchase converters that will convert your plug to fit their outlets. Check if your hotels have hairdryers, and if so don’t even think about dragging one with you.
Don’t bring pill bottles, use the little stackables.
Jewelry is unimportant and just extra weight
When taking long train trips pack a picnic. We found most Italian trains did not have dining cars
Don’t use the restaurant table as a way to rest your shopping stuff if you are not going to sit down as Judy did because you will politely be asked to sit or move on.
Don’t expect signs to be specific or to point in the right direction, instead only a general direction.
Don’t worry about what you eat because you will walk it off
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adorable babies everywhere in great carriages that allow them to face Mamas and Papas so they can talk while they are strolling. Rain is no problem there is always a handy little zip up plastic cover.
The kindness and graciousness of the Italian people was beyond anything we anticipated.
We loved the Italian language, the musical sound of it and we all wished we could speak it.
The passion of the people no matter if they are talking politics, wine, food they are passionate about it!
Wonderful lightly stewed cherry tomatoes at breakfast
Freshly squeezed Sicilian Blood Orange juice at breakfast (OMG)
Allore
Grateful
Carol being sure she was locked in the bathroom and wondering really how long it would take before John & Judy would come looking
Judy coming from the bathroom to say she needed help ‘flushing’
Carol & Judy’s first time walking into a bathroom with a man already in there. They hadn’t yet realized many bathrooms were co-ed.
The time that Judy casually said she was going up to the room at the Rome Hilton and when we followed a few minutes later we heard quite a ruckus with a lot of Italian being spoken and one person with a Minnesota accent repeating “Rosingana….” Turns out she had forgotten the room number and was trying the key in different rooms until housekeeping offered to help (in Italian of course). They couldn’t figure out her room number and were all in a cluster/fluster about the time we walked into the flurry.
Once again Judy had the staff going at the Venice Hilton when she left us in the breakfast room to go up to our room. We got off the elevator and heard the stir so we knew what was up this time and we all got a laugh over it.
One trip to the toilette as Carol was leaving and passing through the tiny sink area she met a man coming in. Because of the tiny space they were squeezing by as you do in a narrow hallway which landed Carol’s butt in the sink. The sink was motion activated and her butt was just enough motion to turn the water on. Her reflex that her butt was going to get wet caused an automatic hip thrust in the direction of the gentleman just as he passed by.
Realizing that some toilets are simply Porcelain rectangles in the floor!!!!
Experiencing many toilets with only porcelain and no seat, like a guy has permanently left the seat up
Breathtaking handsome men of all ages everywhere.
A different sense of style, and very classy for both men and women
Unbelievable food that will change the way we think of Italian food forever. We will expect fresher and lighter in the future.
Bruschetta (not pronounced Brush-shetta but Brush-ketta) comes in many different forms
We have a desire to learn to cook using healthy seasonings and olive oil with little to no butter or salt. We want to learn to create real Italian food at home versus the Americanized version.
Wine!!! How could it be so good 99% of the time, no matter what? How are we going to manage drinking domestic wine when we return home?
Pizza, not being big pizza eaters coming home with a new appreciation and desire to recreate what we have eaten, especially the Pizza Margharita.
We love the culture of eating for the joy of it, not to get it done. Learning to sit at the table and enjoy our wine or our coffee with no thought of when we will get or when we will ask for the check.
Never being asked if we want the check no matter what,it is considered rude.
In a tiny town and restaurant in the mountains in Tuscany when John moved some of his flatware (set across the top of the plate) and the owner/server politely picked it up and placed it back to where she had it set. She did this very gracefully while she was talking with us, but it was obviously important.
Notes to self or anyone else traveling in the future:
Never ever bring big suitcases. Always have a jacket that will handle a bit of rain with a hood and a vest so you can layer. For women, bring microfiber clothes that don’t wrinkle, rinse out and dry in the room overnight. Two or three pants with a matching jacket is plenty with about 4-5 light weight tops. Men all microfiber shirts and pants are more difficult but can be done at hotels for a fee.
Bring a little laundry detergent, lots of zip locks for various reasons, a couple of garbage bags, and envelopes to keep receipts and souvenir tickets. Purchase the vacuum sealed laundry bags (from travel site online) which condense dirty clothes into a tiny package.
Be sure you have electrical appliances that will convert from 110 to 240. If you don’t have that you will need a transformer to convert the power. Purchase converters that will convert your plug to fit their outlets. Check if your hotels have hairdryers, and if so don’t even think about dragging one with you.
Don’t bring pill bottles, use the little stackables.
Jewelry is unimportant and just extra weight
When taking long train trips pack a picnic. We found most Italian trains did not have dining cars
Don’t use the restaurant table as a way to rest your shopping stuff if you are not going to sit down as Judy did because you will politely be asked to sit or move on.
Don’t expect signs to be specific or to point in the right direction, instead only a general direction.
Don’t worry about what you eat because you will walk it off
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adorable babies everywhere in great carriages that allow them to face Mamas and Papas so they can talk while they are strolling. Rain is no problem there is always a handy little zip up plastic cover.
The kindness and graciousness of the Italian people was beyond anything we anticipated.
We loved the Italian language, the musical sound of it and we all wished we could speak it.
The passion of the people no matter if they are talking politics, wine, food they are passionate about it!
Wonderful lightly stewed cherry tomatoes at breakfast
Freshly squeezed Sicilian Blood Orange juice at breakfast (OMG)
Allore
Grateful
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Riveria
As we take leave of this beautiful hillside villa our host, Andreas, was there to bid us “arivi derci’, but before we were in the car out came Mama who has been ever present during our visit and who’s preserves we have been enjoying at breakfast. She is certainly in her 80’s but in great shape and always full of smiles. With a wave of his arm, Andreas said, “And here is the woman who has made all this possible”, as Mama came out to say goodbye. So with invitations to come back in the fall to join them harvesting the Barbareso, Nebbiola, and Barolo grapes in their vineyards across the hillside we hugged and took our leave.
As I have written in past notes, but will mention again, Judy and I are continually amazed at how well John navigates these highways and little narrow roads with poor signage and a less than dependable GPS. He (Giovanni) continued to dazzle us as we left Alba and headed to the coast at Santa Margharita Ligure. We packed the remains of our in room picnic of the night before for our lunch on the road and off we went confident in our drive’s ability to get us there with little problems.
When we stopped for our picnic we chose a little ‘wayside rest’ off the auto strada where there were a couple of campers and autos. We noticed there were no tables but thought we could make do and then noticed that the other folks were sitting perched on curbs with their picnic so we joined them. The wayside rest toilettes were bushes if you found the need. Our picnic, including our wine, was delicious and memorable. John and I couldn’t help reflect on the comparison of these rests and those in Norway where everything was so perfect with little tables with covers over them and of course lovely bathrooms. Not to suggest one is better only that they are so polar opposite.
We found ourselves with a mis-communication with our rental car service (Europe Auto) so when we arrived on Saturday, May 1st, a major European holiday, they were not open. We had no option but to keep the car and will not be able to return it until Monday as we leave to return to Rome. It isn’t a big worry to us, but I am only mentioning it because I think if we were to rent in advance as we did on this trip we would pick a well known American service such as Avis or Hertz simply for the ability to communicate more readily.
Our plan was to go to Portofino this evening and then the Cinque Terre tomorrow but once we hit the streets of Santa Margarita we revisited our plan and decided it was more rushing than any of us would like and that we would prefer to enjoy Santa Margarita this evening and then Portofino tomorrow. We all felt that we have the flavor of the Cinque Terre here plus we had traveled the Amalfi coast so why not relax and enjoy versus push ourselves. I think the more relaxed Italian culture is soaking into us!
It was fun to check out the street markets and shops and then stop at a wine bar for a couple of glasses of wine in between shopping. This area is famous for Foccaccia breads so when we were served our wine we were pleasantly surprised to be presented with a lazy susan with little trays of cheeses and various Foccaccia. I think our favorite was one with onions baked in on the top somehow and no trace of cheese. The little place seemed like a local place and was a highlight for all of us.
Following more window shopping we ended with dinner at a sidewalk restaurant with traditional food. We are pretty rigid judges of food at this point so on our scale Judy gave it a 2 and John a 5. We did, however, have a great time because as usual we met people near us and had a good time getting acquainted. In this case it was a couple from New Orleans area. They are our age and he is an engineer. This was not their first trip to Italy but this time they were on a pilgrimage with 11 other people and a priest to see the Shroud of Turin. They had some amazing experiences to share about this trip and past trips to Italy and other parts of Europe, we really enjoyed it. So we made our way back to our once again humble little place and did our best to get a good nights rest.
This morning we have our chance to return to Portofino, a place we held so close to our hearts form our honeymoon. We were taking our time and John got online to do some business. He happened to see an email from his deceased cousin, Carol’s husband John. We are not in closed contact with John but for some reason my John opened it and Italian music began to play and along a slide show and a comment that he “wished his Carol were here and he missed her.” After facing cancer twice John and I are always silently thankful for each day. The return to some honeymoon spots certainly ranks way up there with things we are thankful for. And so as we thought about his cousin we and took a few tearful moments to quietly be grateful once again that this John was not missing his Carol, and that we were blessed to be here together.
Although it was a bit overcast and cool we decided to take a ferry around the little peninsula to Portofino for some shopping and lunch. It was a fairly choppy sea but we were very close to shore so it was not an issue. The coast from this prospective was beautiful of course, just like the pictures. The three of us shopped and just soaked in the beauty of this tiny little postcard village perched on the Mediterranean. John & I had a big splurge lunch here fourteen years ago but were not able to identify the ‘spot’. In the end we chose a great place right on the water and enjoyed a long Italian lunch. Before our return to Santa Margharita we found the little shop of Anna Branca, an artist we had visited in the past. The one souvenir we purchased of any value on our honeymoon was one of her water colors of the famous little village which hangs in our home today. We found the shop and were surprised she was so much older, imagine that! It was great to stop back there, this time we bought a couple of small prints and a little one for Judy.
Portofino is a tiny little harbor and so it shouldn’t be surprising that we ran into our New Orleans dinner companions of the previous evening. And of course we ran into our group of three ladies twice at Portofino so by now we are on a first name basis. By this afternoon Judy was showing these ladies the treasures she had bought and getting gently asked to not use the cafés table to display her wares.
On our return we decided to take a short (about 4-5 mile) taxi ride which is quite spendy but very beautiful and a totally different perspective from our ferry ride. It was a rainy night so we enjoyed some wine in our room and walked to our favorite wine bar for a bite of dinner. When we got to the door I said “wouldn’t it be funny if the three ladies were in here?” We walked in and there they were at the first table. We all had quite a laugh and they wanted us to join them at the next table but it was reserved so we grabbed another, shared some food and returned to humble pension for our last night in Santa Margharita.
Tomorrow, Monday, we will begin our day with a return of our car in Rapallo and a then a train to Rome where we will spend our last night at a wonderful Marriott with heavenly beds!
As I have written in past notes, but will mention again, Judy and I are continually amazed at how well John navigates these highways and little narrow roads with poor signage and a less than dependable GPS. He (Giovanni) continued to dazzle us as we left Alba and headed to the coast at Santa Margharita Ligure. We packed the remains of our in room picnic of the night before for our lunch on the road and off we went confident in our drive’s ability to get us there with little problems.
When we stopped for our picnic we chose a little ‘wayside rest’ off the auto strada where there were a couple of campers and autos. We noticed there were no tables but thought we could make do and then noticed that the other folks were sitting perched on curbs with their picnic so we joined them. The wayside rest toilettes were bushes if you found the need. Our picnic, including our wine, was delicious and memorable. John and I couldn’t help reflect on the comparison of these rests and those in Norway where everything was so perfect with little tables with covers over them and of course lovely bathrooms. Not to suggest one is better only that they are so polar opposite.
We found ourselves with a mis-communication with our rental car service (Europe Auto) so when we arrived on Saturday, May 1st, a major European holiday, they were not open. We had no option but to keep the car and will not be able to return it until Monday as we leave to return to Rome. It isn’t a big worry to us, but I am only mentioning it because I think if we were to rent in advance as we did on this trip we would pick a well known American service such as Avis or Hertz simply for the ability to communicate more readily.
Our plan was to go to Portofino this evening and then the Cinque Terre tomorrow but once we hit the streets of Santa Margarita we revisited our plan and decided it was more rushing than any of us would like and that we would prefer to enjoy Santa Margarita this evening and then Portofino tomorrow. We all felt that we have the flavor of the Cinque Terre here plus we had traveled the Amalfi coast so why not relax and enjoy versus push ourselves. I think the more relaxed Italian culture is soaking into us!
It was fun to check out the street markets and shops and then stop at a wine bar for a couple of glasses of wine in between shopping. This area is famous for Foccaccia breads so when we were served our wine we were pleasantly surprised to be presented with a lazy susan with little trays of cheeses and various Foccaccia. I think our favorite was one with onions baked in on the top somehow and no trace of cheese. The little place seemed like a local place and was a highlight for all of us.
Following more window shopping we ended with dinner at a sidewalk restaurant with traditional food. We are pretty rigid judges of food at this point so on our scale Judy gave it a 2 and John a 5. We did, however, have a great time because as usual we met people near us and had a good time getting acquainted. In this case it was a couple from New Orleans area. They are our age and he is an engineer. This was not their first trip to Italy but this time they were on a pilgrimage with 11 other people and a priest to see the Shroud of Turin. They had some amazing experiences to share about this trip and past trips to Italy and other parts of Europe, we really enjoyed it. So we made our way back to our once again humble little place and did our best to get a good nights rest.
This morning we have our chance to return to Portofino, a place we held so close to our hearts form our honeymoon. We were taking our time and John got online to do some business. He happened to see an email from his deceased cousin, Carol’s husband John. We are not in closed contact with John but for some reason my John opened it and Italian music began to play and along a slide show and a comment that he “wished his Carol were here and he missed her.” After facing cancer twice John and I are always silently thankful for each day. The return to some honeymoon spots certainly ranks way up there with things we are thankful for. And so as we thought about his cousin we and took a few tearful moments to quietly be grateful once again that this John was not missing his Carol, and that we were blessed to be here together.
Although it was a bit overcast and cool we decided to take a ferry around the little peninsula to Portofino for some shopping and lunch. It was a fairly choppy sea but we were very close to shore so it was not an issue. The coast from this prospective was beautiful of course, just like the pictures. The three of us shopped and just soaked in the beauty of this tiny little postcard village perched on the Mediterranean. John & I had a big splurge lunch here fourteen years ago but were not able to identify the ‘spot’. In the end we chose a great place right on the water and enjoyed a long Italian lunch. Before our return to Santa Margharita we found the little shop of Anna Branca, an artist we had visited in the past. The one souvenir we purchased of any value on our honeymoon was one of her water colors of the famous little village which hangs in our home today. We found the shop and were surprised she was so much older, imagine that! It was great to stop back there, this time we bought a couple of small prints and a little one for Judy.
Portofino is a tiny little harbor and so it shouldn’t be surprising that we ran into our New Orleans dinner companions of the previous evening. And of course we ran into our group of three ladies twice at Portofino so by now we are on a first name basis. By this afternoon Judy was showing these ladies the treasures she had bought and getting gently asked to not use the cafés table to display her wares.
On our return we decided to take a short (about 4-5 mile) taxi ride which is quite spendy but very beautiful and a totally different perspective from our ferry ride. It was a rainy night so we enjoyed some wine in our room and walked to our favorite wine bar for a bite of dinner. When we got to the door I said “wouldn’t it be funny if the three ladies were in here?” We walked in and there they were at the first table. We all had quite a laugh and they wanted us to join them at the next table but it was reserved so we grabbed another, shared some food and returned to humble pension for our last night in Santa Margharita.
Tomorrow, Monday, we will begin our day with a return of our car in Rapallo and a then a train to Rome where we will spend our last night at a wonderful Marriott with heavenly beds!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Piedmont and tracing the Rosingana roots
This trip from Aosta to Alba I wouldn’t recommend to anyone unless you have a bit of train experience under your belt. At some point in the day I began to question if we were a little crazy. Aosta is a very small train station maybe four tracks and Alba has about the same number. We were traveling on regional trains two of which were comprised of a single self-powered car. We changed trains twice with many stops at tiny little one track towns. For a good portion of the time we were on trains that served as school buses for high school kids from one small hamlet to another and the final leg of the journey John stood between cars managing the bags as there was no place to store them while Judy and I wedged ourselves amongst the bodies oozing hormones. At one of our stops I went to find the Toilette and you guessed it….those same floor toilets only this time multiple with privacy doors of course. I wasn’t going through that again but did have time to get my traveling compadres so they could give a look at what I had endured in Aosta. They were shocked, and yes I did take a picture.
But it got better! When we arrived at the station there were empty cabs but it took some searching to find a driver and when we did it was obvious he would prefer to sit and kibitz with fellow drivers than take us to the Euro Auto. Finally, after a rip off fare, we reached the car rental somewhere out in an industrial area. We had arranged this on line and pre-paid so things were moving forward until we asked for a GPS. They were glad to oblige but had no clue how to be sure it was set for English. John loaded our Alfa Romeo allowing Judy just enough space to wedge into the back seat, multiple Italians gathered to figure out the GPS and finally we heard English audio and off we went. Well, it wasn’t that easy because although the language was English the screen options are in French, and the GPS that we named Niles is more confused than we are most of the time.
We booked a stay at an agrituristica perched on the hillside overlooking the old city of Alba. An agrituristica is a popular lodging choice in Italy (and I’m guessing other parts of Europe). They are working farms or vineyards and are required to make no more than 40% of their revenue from the hospitality business and the balance from agriculture. Our hosts at Villa La Meridian have vineyards and orchards and have converted the former stable and peasant quarters into nine charming units of various sizes and configurations.
Piedmont is not a region that we hear as much about in the US compared to Tuscany for example. The main reason we planned this in our itinerary is that John’s paternal grandparents immigrated from tiny villages in Piedmont very near Alba. We learned after planning the trip that some of the best wines in Italy, and arguably the world, come from this region – Barolo, Barbera d’Alba and Barbaresco. They are wonderful big bodied wines which usually to me mean they are going to jump up and take a bite out of me but not these wines. And of course our dear Judy loves the biggest and badest there is, Barolo! For someone who has only begun to develop a taste for wine in the past couple of years this girl has quite the palate.
Not only are the wines beautiful but the countryside is amazing. Huge rolling hillsides covered with either orchards or vineyards. The area is famous for its truffles, namely the very expensive and rare white truffle harvested in the fall; the before mentioned beautiful red wines, and orchards of fruits and nuts which are seen in the area cuisine. Which brings me to another interesting thing that not only do the wines change but also the cuisine from region to region. You may have noticed that we talked a lot about food while in Rome and Tuscany and then not so much. That was because there really was nothing notable. In recent days we experienced Valdostan style in Aosta and in this area it is Piemontese. We see more meats than in the south and less cheeses for example. This area is the furthest north and more rugged and the cuisine reflects some of those differences. Ciao for now…..
Allore, we ventured to the old city after breakfast and found the information office, gathered some stuff and shopped a bit and then headed up to a nearby hilltop village, Grinzane di Cavour located in a very well preserved castle. We tasted some of the beautiful red wines and then onto an awesome lunch. We have found that the Italians are not terribly offended if we Americans don’t each order antipasti, followed by primi and finally secondi. Thank goodness because it seems impossible to me! So I chose only primi of a light tagnellini tossed in something wonderful with a bit of sausage and diced raw pistachios. Judy opted for something on the secondi side of the menu, beef rump incased in hazelnuts (local crop) and black truffle mashed potato. John started with primi pasta of hand rolled thick spaghetti (Pici) in a light sauce with sliced duck. He finished with roast lamb chops and baby white potatoes roasted with anchovies. I’m no judge but he and Judy said it was the best lamb they had ever wrapped their lips around. Now I am not the one to order dessert that is usually my partners in crime but this time I wanted a bite and was assured they would help me. My choice was Zuccotto Con Mousse Alla Liguirizia e Crema Di Banana. I know it is a mouth full but it was a hollow muffin size sponge cake filled with light licorice mousse and finished with a drizzle of banana cream! It was so good and once again I told our waiter I wanted to try to pronounce and order this dish and he was impressed. I was embarrassed and blushing, but it was fun. Gosh if we stayed here for 6 months we may be speaking Italian.
After such a beautiful lunch we came back to our room to rest and enjoy our view and a good book. To close the day we decided to go into town and shop a bit and maybe…just maybe grab a glass of wine. We chose our wine bar out of what seemed like hundreds and noticed people with plates of what we would call crostinis with various toppings. When our waiter arrived we ordered our wine and John asked him “What is the name for those…” while indicating the plates of crostinis. The waiter responded with a smile/wink “We call that gratis con vino” (free with wine order). We enjoyed the teasing which reminds me that we have found 99% of the people here very friendly, kind and helpful. Of course people in the service industry, but most particularly every day citizens we encounter with questions or even those that we have shared Laundromat space with always a nod and a “Buon giorno” or an “Arrive derci”. Those who can’t speak English try very hard to help and always with apologies that they don’t speak English and those who do apologize that they don’t speak better English! We have found ourselves in Italian/English charades on curbsides across Italy. The people have been the real treasure and so we close anxious to search the area for traces of John’s ancestors in the morning.
This is such a quiet and beautiful spot to spend a few nights and mornings are most beautiful. Our view is green as far as you can see and there birds are singing all day. We wake with their songs and as it is getting dark I am still enjoying their music.
We set out today after breakfast with our maps and GPS for some small villages within about 30-35 miles of Alba. Staying off the Auto Strada we could appreciate the dozens of villages either by driving through or from either side on the hilltops. From Asti (as in Spumante) we wound our way to the first village on our list, Montafia where we thought John’s paternal grandmother was born.
Let me set the stage for you, as we pulled into the small piazza there was a little café and in front sat a good half dozen gentlemen kibitzing away, much as we have seen in other small villages. The hands were flying and their musical voices just made me want to sit there and listen for awhile. You can imagine when we parked and walked across the tiny street to the Muncipio office they took notice. The clerk in the office, though very friendly, spoke no English but tried to help. We had names written down and she searched for John’s grandmother’s name with no luck. We then showed her the name of the nearby village where we thought Luigi Rosignana was born. She said “Rosignana? You are Rosingana?” held up her finger for us to wait and out the door she went. In a moment in came one of the gentlemen from the café across the street and she proudly introduced “Rosignana…..Rosignana!” Of course this gentlemen, Ugo, likely in his 80s spoke no English, but talked on and on anyway with John picking up a word here and there. He looked at our list of names and so forth, and finally headed out the door saying to wait and something about English. We waited a few minutes, thanked the Senora and left the office joining the group across the street who are anxiously searching to find someone who spoke English. Eventually an unsuspecting gentlemen came by on his way to a doctor appointment who spoke pretty good English and he put his business aside and spent likely 15 minutes with us translating and trying to sort things out. In the end, when he apologetically had to take leave for his appointment, we were not totally able to determine John’s relationship to Ugo but suspect he is a cousin at some level. This much I know, Judy and I will never forget the entire experience. John certainly will not it was a special time for him.
We moved on to another village, Piova di Massano, where we now suspected his Grandmother was born. As it turned out we were unable to find any information in this village but we did find the church of course at the top of the hill with absolutely beautiful landscape below from every vantage point. John had a chance to walk around to reflect and remember his Nona knowing that when she was a girl she played in these forests and fields. His Nona who spoke no English and who he fondly remembers calling him her “little goo gots”. He never knew for sure what that meant but it always brings a smile. It was a special time; we took pictures but there is no one barring a professional that can capture these landscapes, so it remains in our memories.
As John was growing up adults used to remind he and his piers that they should be good because they were cousins of a saint. I even remember Grandma talking about Saint Bosco and when I first met. This saint being, Saint John Bosco who founded the Salesian Order had been a juggler as a boy and had a vision to be a missionary and care for children. Just as St Francis stood for animals, Saint John Bosco stood for children. He thrived in the 19th century and is responsible for the care of thousands of orphans and poor children worldwide in the past and still today. We were thrilled to find the place of his birth and the seminary where missionaries are trained which included a museum and beautiful cathedral. John, having heard about this man his entire life and having a spirit for mission, was deeply moved by the experience of seeing how the choices of one young boy could impact the world for generations and to think that in some way he had a family connection to all that.
And so after a day of history and reflection we ended our day, and soon our time in Piedmont, with a Traveling Trio picnic in our room. I know, we should be out drinking fabulous wine and eating truffles in a fine restaurant, but call us boring we choose some cheese, salami, olives and wine in our little hillside vineyard. Tomorrow on to the final leg of this trip, Santa Margarita Ligure and the Italian Rivera!
But it got better! When we arrived at the station there were empty cabs but it took some searching to find a driver and when we did it was obvious he would prefer to sit and kibitz with fellow drivers than take us to the Euro Auto. Finally, after a rip off fare, we reached the car rental somewhere out in an industrial area. We had arranged this on line and pre-paid so things were moving forward until we asked for a GPS. They were glad to oblige but had no clue how to be sure it was set for English. John loaded our Alfa Romeo allowing Judy just enough space to wedge into the back seat, multiple Italians gathered to figure out the GPS and finally we heard English audio and off we went. Well, it wasn’t that easy because although the language was English the screen options are in French, and the GPS that we named Niles is more confused than we are most of the time.
We booked a stay at an agrituristica perched on the hillside overlooking the old city of Alba. An agrituristica is a popular lodging choice in Italy (and I’m guessing other parts of Europe). They are working farms or vineyards and are required to make no more than 40% of their revenue from the hospitality business and the balance from agriculture. Our hosts at Villa La Meridian have vineyards and orchards and have converted the former stable and peasant quarters into nine charming units of various sizes and configurations.
Piedmont is not a region that we hear as much about in the US compared to Tuscany for example. The main reason we planned this in our itinerary is that John’s paternal grandparents immigrated from tiny villages in Piedmont very near Alba. We learned after planning the trip that some of the best wines in Italy, and arguably the world, come from this region – Barolo, Barbera d’Alba and Barbaresco. They are wonderful big bodied wines which usually to me mean they are going to jump up and take a bite out of me but not these wines. And of course our dear Judy loves the biggest and badest there is, Barolo! For someone who has only begun to develop a taste for wine in the past couple of years this girl has quite the palate.
Not only are the wines beautiful but the countryside is amazing. Huge rolling hillsides covered with either orchards or vineyards. The area is famous for its truffles, namely the very expensive and rare white truffle harvested in the fall; the before mentioned beautiful red wines, and orchards of fruits and nuts which are seen in the area cuisine. Which brings me to another interesting thing that not only do the wines change but also the cuisine from region to region. You may have noticed that we talked a lot about food while in Rome and Tuscany and then not so much. That was because there really was nothing notable. In recent days we experienced Valdostan style in Aosta and in this area it is Piemontese. We see more meats than in the south and less cheeses for example. This area is the furthest north and more rugged and the cuisine reflects some of those differences. Ciao for now…..
Allore, we ventured to the old city after breakfast and found the information office, gathered some stuff and shopped a bit and then headed up to a nearby hilltop village, Grinzane di Cavour located in a very well preserved castle. We tasted some of the beautiful red wines and then onto an awesome lunch. We have found that the Italians are not terribly offended if we Americans don’t each order antipasti, followed by primi and finally secondi. Thank goodness because it seems impossible to me! So I chose only primi of a light tagnellini tossed in something wonderful with a bit of sausage and diced raw pistachios. Judy opted for something on the secondi side of the menu, beef rump incased in hazelnuts (local crop) and black truffle mashed potato. John started with primi pasta of hand rolled thick spaghetti (Pici) in a light sauce with sliced duck. He finished with roast lamb chops and baby white potatoes roasted with anchovies. I’m no judge but he and Judy said it was the best lamb they had ever wrapped their lips around. Now I am not the one to order dessert that is usually my partners in crime but this time I wanted a bite and was assured they would help me. My choice was Zuccotto Con Mousse Alla Liguirizia e Crema Di Banana. I know it is a mouth full but it was a hollow muffin size sponge cake filled with light licorice mousse and finished with a drizzle of banana cream! It was so good and once again I told our waiter I wanted to try to pronounce and order this dish and he was impressed. I was embarrassed and blushing, but it was fun. Gosh if we stayed here for 6 months we may be speaking Italian.
After such a beautiful lunch we came back to our room to rest and enjoy our view and a good book. To close the day we decided to go into town and shop a bit and maybe…just maybe grab a glass of wine. We chose our wine bar out of what seemed like hundreds and noticed people with plates of what we would call crostinis with various toppings. When our waiter arrived we ordered our wine and John asked him “What is the name for those…” while indicating the plates of crostinis. The waiter responded with a smile/wink “We call that gratis con vino” (free with wine order). We enjoyed the teasing which reminds me that we have found 99% of the people here very friendly, kind and helpful. Of course people in the service industry, but most particularly every day citizens we encounter with questions or even those that we have shared Laundromat space with always a nod and a “Buon giorno” or an “Arrive derci”. Those who can’t speak English try very hard to help and always with apologies that they don’t speak English and those who do apologize that they don’t speak better English! We have found ourselves in Italian/English charades on curbsides across Italy. The people have been the real treasure and so we close anxious to search the area for traces of John’s ancestors in the morning.
This is such a quiet and beautiful spot to spend a few nights and mornings are most beautiful. Our view is green as far as you can see and there birds are singing all day. We wake with their songs and as it is getting dark I am still enjoying their music.
We set out today after breakfast with our maps and GPS for some small villages within about 30-35 miles of Alba. Staying off the Auto Strada we could appreciate the dozens of villages either by driving through or from either side on the hilltops. From Asti (as in Spumante) we wound our way to the first village on our list, Montafia where we thought John’s paternal grandmother was born.
Let me set the stage for you, as we pulled into the small piazza there was a little café and in front sat a good half dozen gentlemen kibitzing away, much as we have seen in other small villages. The hands were flying and their musical voices just made me want to sit there and listen for awhile. You can imagine when we parked and walked across the tiny street to the Muncipio office they took notice. The clerk in the office, though very friendly, spoke no English but tried to help. We had names written down and she searched for John’s grandmother’s name with no luck. We then showed her the name of the nearby village where we thought Luigi Rosignana was born. She said “Rosignana? You are Rosingana?” held up her finger for us to wait and out the door she went. In a moment in came one of the gentlemen from the café across the street and she proudly introduced “Rosignana…..Rosignana!” Of course this gentlemen, Ugo, likely in his 80s spoke no English, but talked on and on anyway with John picking up a word here and there. He looked at our list of names and so forth, and finally headed out the door saying to wait and something about English. We waited a few minutes, thanked the Senora and left the office joining the group across the street who are anxiously searching to find someone who spoke English. Eventually an unsuspecting gentlemen came by on his way to a doctor appointment who spoke pretty good English and he put his business aside and spent likely 15 minutes with us translating and trying to sort things out. In the end, when he apologetically had to take leave for his appointment, we were not totally able to determine John’s relationship to Ugo but suspect he is a cousin at some level. This much I know, Judy and I will never forget the entire experience. John certainly will not it was a special time for him.
We moved on to another village, Piova di Massano, where we now suspected his Grandmother was born. As it turned out we were unable to find any information in this village but we did find the church of course at the top of the hill with absolutely beautiful landscape below from every vantage point. John had a chance to walk around to reflect and remember his Nona knowing that when she was a girl she played in these forests and fields. His Nona who spoke no English and who he fondly remembers calling him her “little goo gots”. He never knew for sure what that meant but it always brings a smile. It was a special time; we took pictures but there is no one barring a professional that can capture these landscapes, so it remains in our memories.
As John was growing up adults used to remind he and his piers that they should be good because they were cousins of a saint. I even remember Grandma talking about Saint Bosco and when I first met. This saint being, Saint John Bosco who founded the Salesian Order had been a juggler as a boy and had a vision to be a missionary and care for children. Just as St Francis stood for animals, Saint John Bosco stood for children. He thrived in the 19th century and is responsible for the care of thousands of orphans and poor children worldwide in the past and still today. We were thrilled to find the place of his birth and the seminary where missionaries are trained which included a museum and beautiful cathedral. John, having heard about this man his entire life and having a spirit for mission, was deeply moved by the experience of seeing how the choices of one young boy could impact the world for generations and to think that in some way he had a family connection to all that.
And so after a day of history and reflection we ended our day, and soon our time in Piedmont, with a Traveling Trio picnic in our room. I know, we should be out drinking fabulous wine and eating truffles in a fine restaurant, but call us boring we choose some cheese, salami, olives and wine in our little hillside vineyard. Tomorrow on to the final leg of this trip, Santa Margarita Ligure and the Italian Rivera!
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