Livin' La Dolce Vita
Trip Start
Jan 03, 2004
1
14
26
Trip End
Dec 2004
The Tuscany,
Italy
Friday, June 18, 2004
Eager to see it all, we scurried around the great sites of Rome for two days before catching a train down to the Amalfi Coast for four days of strolling through quaint coastal towns. But it wasn't until we set our bags down in Tuscany for two weeks to volunteer on an organic farm did the true beauty of Italy come into focus.
The sheer density of historical sites in Rome never ceased to amaze us. It seemed as though around every corner we'd encounter a great monument or building from the Roman Empire or Italian Renaissance
Alma making dough for bread
. Fortunately, our visit coincided with Culture Week in Italy, so many of the sites had waived their entrance fee. Given the weak dollar against the euro, we were very appreciative of this gift from the Italians.Andy's favorite memory of Rome will be of strolling by the Colosseum to see it lit up at night. For Jill, it will be of standing in the tiny Sistine Chapel craning her neck back to gaze up at Michelangelo's masterpiece. St. Peter's Basilica -- massive and ornate -- and the Pantheon -- an architectural wonder -- are close runners-up in the highlights of Rome category. Overall, Rome was an elegant and expensive city. Undoubtedly we only saw a glimpse of its offerings during our two full days there.
We next enjoyed the quickness and convenience of Italy's rail system to reach Sorrento on Italy's southwestern coast. From Sorrento, we rode a ferry into the Bay of Naples for a day trip to the Isle of Capri. The small island is filled with shops and cafes catering to the thousands of tourists who visit each day. The main attraction for us was entering the Blue Grotto, a cave with dazzling blue water. Once inside, the boatmen who row you through the 1.3-meter high entrance sing Italian love songs that reverberate off the cave walls.
Our next stop was the town of Amalfi. The journey there along the Amalfi Coast was the reason we had traveled to this part of Italy. From our coveted seats on the western-facing side of a public bus, we could see the high cliffs rising from the Mediterranean's crystal-blue waters and the homes and villages carefully crafted into the hillsides. Every turn along the famous coastline offered a new picture-perfect view
Andy's 30th birthday party
.During the high-priced summer season, we were fortunate to find a room in a hostel in Atrani near Amalfi. Atrani proved to be more quaint and provincial than its more well-known and visited neighbor. We spent hours looking out toward the sea and watching the quiet activity on Atrani's small beach. We spent one afternoon in Ravello, a town further up in the hills but still in view of the blue waters. It was here the scent of flowers permeated the air. Groves of fat, bright-yellow lemons bordered the town. A famous product of the area is limoncello, a sweet lemon liqueur, which is sold in every shop and served after meals. Ravello had many curvy narrow streets to explore unburdened with traffic. Walking past families on their way to church or children going home from soccer games gave Ravello a lived-in feel missing from many of the other coastal towns.
Just when we thought Italy couldn't treat us any better, we arrived at La Cerreta on June 1. Before leaving the states, we had joined Italy's WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms (see www.wwoof.it for more info). WWOOF arranges opportunities for city slickers like us to volunteer on organic farms. The director recommended La Cerreta to us, but we knew very little about the farm before we arrived.
Atrani on Amalfi Coast
La Cerreta is a family-run organic farm in a remote southwestern region of Tuscany. It's located only 15 km from the sea amidst rolling green hills of chestnut trees and forest. The nearest town is Sassetta, with a population of only 300 souls where the townsfolk still gather at the main square to hear political orators and trade news at the town's cafe. We walked the two miles to Sassetta only once during our 16 days at La Cerreta because everything we needed or desired was provided on the farm.
La Cerreta is the realization of a dream for its owners Daniele and Vilma to build a better way of life in harmony with nature. As their brochure states, La Cerreta is for those who "still believe in local markets rather than global ones, in solidarity as opposed to competition and in the rediscovery of our true needs rather than consumerism and waste." To this end, they produce naturally most of what they need on the farm. They have a vineyard and olive grove for wine and olive oil, their two main products. They also grow organic fruits and vegetables and raise pigs, cows, chickens, ducks and horses. They make their own salami, cheese, butter, vinegar, preserves and honey. In an outdoor wood-fired oven, fresh bread is baked three times a week.
Daniele and Vilma share their bounty with others by also running a guesthouse for mainly Italian and German tourists on holiday. La Cerreta is conveniently located for day trips to the sea, Pisa, or small Tuscan towns like San Gimignano or for mountain bilking in the hills. To keep everyone well-fed, a chef, Rita, cooks gourmet meals each night and a baker, Alma, serves a breakfast each morning of coffee, fresh bread, cheese, and cakes
Colosseum at night
. Lunch and dinner always consisted of a primo piatto of pasta or soup and a secondo piatto of meat or fish and vegetables followed by coffee and dessert. A bottomless caraf of red or white wine also accompanied each meal. The food was always fresh and delicious. (We'd joke that we knew the milk was fresh since we could name the cow it came from that morning!)Our love affair with the food was only one reason we always looked forward to mealtime. It was during these long meals as the dishes were passed and the wine glasses were filled and refilled that we felt truly a part of Daniele and Vilma's extended family and immersed in the affectionate, joyous Tuscan way of life.
Daniele and Vilma's family included their handsome sons Matia, 23, and Tomaso, 18, and also the other workers who helped keep their farm and guesthouse running. On Andy's 30th birthday, Giuliano, the carpenter, brought champagne and gelato to celebrate. The kitchen crew baked a buttery cake with fresh strawberries on top. For those two weeks, we became a part of the La Cerreta family.
Between meals, we did accomplish some work. But even working seemed relaxing. In the mornings, we'd help feed the animals. The rest of the time we mostly helped in the vineyard to straighten vines or remove leaves from around the budding grapes. Since their wine is organic, the grape-tending process is quite intensive and certainly a labor of love.
The only downside during our stay was Andy's hay fever, which means the farm life will never be for us. But we left with a greater appreciation of organic foods and farming and of truly living off the land.
