El Marsam B&B, Umbertide, Umbria

November 2, 2008 · Filed Under Expat B&B · Comment 
El Marsam B&B

El Marsam B&B

The main road from Umbertide in Umbria, Italy is serene with its umbrella pines that introduce the countryside about to welcome you.

Tall, green-black cypresses line the first gentle ascent into the hillside northeast of the city; the road winds its way through fields of golden sunflowers, each one a tightly woven knot in this magnificent Umbrian carpet.

As you leave the asphalt road, proceeding on strada bianca - the white gravel road - the passage narrows through tall hedges that frame vineyards. You pass a lovely villa and up the hill, a little farther is the wrought iron gate of El Marsam B&B, owned by American expats Mike and Ginda Simpson, your hosts while you are “at home in Umbria.” Read more

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Ghoulish Gastronomy in Tuscany

July 30, 2008 · Filed Under Ghosts from Italy · 3 Comments 

Deep in the depths of Tuscany, not too far from a delightful little place called Anghiari, which is on the border with Umbria, there is the hauntingly interesting restaurant the Locanda al Castello di Sorci.

Now, this restaurant, which seems to have a good reputation for its culinary expertise incidentally, has a little extra on its menu, in the form of the ghost of a certain Baldaccio d’Anghiari, who used to own the castle. Read more

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Italy’s Irresistible Attraction

November 12, 2007 · Filed Under Italy · Comment 

A very nice chap from Down Under wrote and complimented me on my blog. He also told me that his wife and himself owned a flat in deepest, darkest, and beautiful Umbria, and that they both made the twenty hour flight from Australia to Italy several times a year. Wow, I thought - people come all the way from Oz just to spend time here. That is impressive in my little book. But that is not all, this gentleman, whose name I shall not mention, also speaks pretty good Italian. And where do you think he developed his ability to speak Italian?

Nope, not in Umbria, surprisingly enough (Well, I was pretty surprised), but in Melbourne. Now, I knew that Melbourne had quite sizeable Italian population, but I did not really think that those of non-Italian origin would go so far as to pick up the language there. Not, that is, until now. And, in Melbourne you can find what is probably the best Italian coffee outside of Italy. Indeed, so good is the Melbourne/Italian coffee, that the local Starbucks was forced to close down, or so this chap tells me, and I have no reason to doubt him.

This is part of what he wrote in reply to my mail, a) thanking him, and b) expressing my surprise at his regular exoduses from Australia to Italy:

My love affair with Italy began while I was hitch-hiking through the country in 1971 from south (Brindisi) to north (Venezia, Milan). My wife had already been captivated a couple of years earlier. We returned several times during the 70s, 80s and 90s, first by ourselves and then with our two children. In 1988, during a job interview, I was asked if I had a dream. I said, “Yes. To own a villa in Italy.” Although I was being flippant, it must have crystallised a true dream because the thought never left me after that. In 2000, my wife and I, together with a group of Australian friends, joined a cycling tour of Umbria. I had undertaken a year’s course of Italian in preparation, being determined not insult the locals by knowing only English. Umbria was a real surprise package with its great scenery, hill top towns and so few tourists! It was a pleasure too, to find that even a little Italian goes a long way in dealing with the locals: better service and sometimes even a discount. In 2003 we went on another cycling tour, this time in the Veneto.

It’s a lovely story, and it amply demonstrates the magic that there is in Italy. This country is truly enchanting, the stuff of fairly tales. A wonderful place for several holidays, not to mention being an intriguing place to reside. Just in case you were wondering, neither this man or his wife have Italian ancestors, unlike me.

Italy, the spell binding Living Museum. And, I might add, although I refer to the country as the Living Museum partially because I am pulling this country’s leg, I also use this term out of affection. If it wasn’t a living museum, it most probably would be so darned interesting.

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