Citta della Pieve, Hotel Vanucci. The waitress came towards us, whispering to herself under her breath so she could hold the message in English until she could spit it out to us. “Mr. Peter, I have a message from the…
Tag: Umbria
My two Italian husbands
Citta della Pieve, Umbria. “Call me. I can do anything for you. AN-knee-theeng.” This strange man had just thrust his card in front of my face, so close that even with my reading glasses on, I had not a prayer…
About packing
Check out www.onebag.com . This website has a good packing list, as does Rick Steves’ website, www.RickSteves.com . For more than a month, you may not be able to get everything in one bag, but it is a helpful place…
“Make me Harry Potter!”
As I was installing a lightning bolt on this British lad’s forehead, a la Harry Potter, his older brother watched carefully, and then signed up for a shooting star on his forehead: Harry Potter and Merlin as relatives!
It was indeed a day full of magic. Once a year Paciano offers
Gershwin and the Knights of Malta
Maggione. Opening night, in June. Built 9 centuries ago, between 1150 and 1170, the Castle of the Knights of Malta is impeccably restored, and is the first castle I have seen that I have ever wanted to live in. The…
Italy is not a good place to experience suffering
Every Christmas day, in the fondo of Palazzo della Corgna, the terzieri of Castello presents inspirational scenes for the season (called a presepe). It is Castello’s gift of the season to the community. Castello is one of three terzieri’s (a…
Expats are like dandelions
“They are a different breed,” my friend Claire informed me.“The friendships form fast, go deep, and can get pulled up just as fast.” Expats are like dandelions. We make a wish, and the winds take us to new ground. We…
Pasticceria GMB — sumptuous, delicious and playful
Castiglione del Lago (PG), Zona Industriale le Pucciarelli. In the middle of an Italian industrial zone, I found myself listening to an Ommagio a Edith Piaf, sipping French wine (George Deboeuf Beaujolais-Villages), nibbling delicious and beautifully rendered pasteries, and chatting with friends…
Snowfall in la Pieve
Citta della Pieve, Umbria. We had three inches of snow in la Pieve Friday night into Saturday morning. The streets are very icy right now, and the temperature quite low. The BBC online has the headline “FREEZING WEATHER BRINGS MISERY…