Final Days at Casa Sagraia

I've just let a fly out my window into the cool of the evening. The light above the smokey hills above Umbertide is almost gone. The breeze is lovely. I'm listening to Kings of Convenience. I've got a rather nice bump on my left hip from swinging (and then crashing into the berm) on Spike's rope swing. I suppose I tried to go just a tad too big ;]

I am living out my last few days here at Casa Sagraia, soaking it all up, enjoying myself thoroughly. Today was Wednesday; market day (my last Umbertide market day, I might add). I was introduced to a lot of people today while we took cappuccinos in the main piazza. We had lunch with them on a hillside retreat overlooking Val di Niccone and Umbertide. Some of the people I met today: one of the original founders of Dell, one of the largest buyers and distributors of beer in England (he owns 7,000 pubs), a photographer under contract with Getty and Corbin Images, and a fellow who has started two microbreweries from scratch, and that's just to name a few! Such an incredible experience I am having here. We drank delicious local wines and ate delicious food, while discussing life.

My time in Umbertide will soon draw to a close. Friday evening Richard returns and we'll head back to his place; old Ospedale in the hills above Citta di Castello. I am looking forward to being reacquainted. I'll work there for an additional week before heading north to Milano and eventually to Munich in Germany to visit my old long lost friend Ralph Mertens: we cycled and traveled together for 6 weeks in Chile, and I haven't seen him since. I am looking forward to seeing familar faces as I make my way towards the end of my trip. The two months I have until this stint in Europe is over will pass in the blink of an eye. I am already eager to travel again soon. I feel the next few years of my life will be very important in shaping where I'll go and where I'll end up. I am excited. For now, cheers to Umbertide, Italy, and especially Rosie and Patrick. I hope I earned my time at Casa Sagraia :] I hope you all have a wonderful night. Toodles!

Zach

Aftermath (It's a long one......)

I'm sitting here in my boxers, the late-evening breeze fairly floating in through the window, I haven't showered since yesterday morning; since before I knew of the kinds of things that were in store for me. Shall I recant my insane string of days? Well, let's skip ahead, post-Saturday, post the amazing meeting up with Carolyn (finally!) and our afternoon in the small hillside village of Fabro. Let's skip ahead past all of that and let's start yesterday (Sunday) morning...

I was heading down in the taxi from Fabro to the train station in the valley below. I had decided to skip a day of sightseeing for a long day riding on the train (I thought it might be relaxing to spend a day sitting and reading) and I was to board a train bound for Terontola at 1239. Upon arrival to the station the taxi driver informed me there was a railroad strike currently taking place. "Lovely," I thought, "thanks for telling me ahead of time." I bought my ticket, and sat down at the station to wait the 20 minutes until departure time. Well let's see, 2 hours later I'm still waiting. The first train had been cancelled. But do not fear, there is one more at 230. So as 230 nears I am still waiting until I hear another cancellation announcement. So by now I am getting a bit ancy (because it's Sunday and things are not open and do not run with normal frequency). I am worried because I am without a cellphone and without Rosie or Patrick's phone number to call them in case something like this should happen. I would need the internet to track it down. Well eff me for not being prepared for something like this, but how was I to know there would be a strike? Either way, be prepared for everything. Had I been prepared I could have avoided the horrible day I would experience in its entirety.

And so off into the village of Fabro Scalo I went. Stopping in two cafe's to see if there was internet access. Nothing. They referred me to another cafe but it was closed on Sundays. So I proceeded to walk through the streets and seek out an unsecured internet connection. No dice. 20 minutes later I return to one of the cafe's and see if someone can help me. By this time I am an expert on explaining my predicament in Italian (I'd say my Italian speaking skills on this trip went from a 1 to a 3, with 10 being fluent. This is a drastic improvement). Same bar, a girl who speaks english, but doesn't live in the village. Help not possible. Ok moving on. Back to the station to sit and wait for the train. Finally some other people were waiting alongside me (all day I was alone at the station. Is there some magical way of knowing this would be the only running train?). I get on the train (it's late by 10 minutes) and arrive to Terontola after 5 pm. This is where the situation grows desperate.

I was due to meet Patrick in Umbertide at 611 (no way that could happen now) and If I could just find internet access somewhere I'd be fine. So I'm walking through Terontola, first cafe nothing, and the second cafe was promising. A woman speaks a little english (I end up explaining myself in Italian) and they agree to try and call some people to find the number. After 30 minutes of trying there is nothing. By now it's nearly 540 and I knew Patrick would be leaving soon. I grab some pizza from the cafe and head down the road towards a hotel they had directed me to. On the way I stop in at another cafe and no help there either. Onto the hotel and apparently the internet is broken (yeah bullshit) so I'm passing the point of desperation, I don't remember what time it was, but it was rather warm and I decide to try a last ditch effort. I had remembered seeing a sign for an Agriturismo, so I decide to try my luck there. I envision me walking up to a woman retrieving laundry and her husband returning from working in the fields and they are totally understanding of my situation and willing to help. Yeah, well, this was the daydream running through my head as I walked along the road in Val di Chiana. It was nearly impossible not to consider my situation and find some enjoyment out of it, after all this is Val di Chiana, and I am in Tuscany, but the situation was still dour no matter how I sliced it. Finally after reaching the Agriturismo and walking down the drive, I find a tall gate locked. Two dogs are barking their heads off, and despite my yelling, "hello!?" several times and there being 2 parked cars, no one ever came out. So back to Terontola I went; walking along country roads between fields of barley as the sun fell towards the horizon.

By now my demeanor had changed. What more could I do? I had tried every cafe, asked countless people for help; I had reached a fuck-all mindset. My thoughts changed from finding internet access to finding a place to sleep for the night. The possibility of having to sleep outside crossed my mind several times. I decided to try and get a taxi to drive me to Camucia (the next town towards Cortona) and maybe there I could find a cheap hotel with internet access. I returned to one of the previous cafe's to ask if they might be able to call me a taxi. The fool behind the counter said there were no taxi's. Yeah, right. So I went back to the helpful cafe, and asked there and they were willing to help me. How is it that these people were the only people all day willing to really make an effort to help me out? I still wonder. After a bit of searching, they find me a taxi. I wish I could have thanked them properly, but here my lack of Italian skills failed me.

The taxi pulled up and I got in. For the first time all day I felt relief. Finally I was going somewhere and getting somewhere and I enjoyed the taxi ride through more winding country roads. I told him I needed a non-expensive hotel and he knew of one, not in Camucia, but in Cortona (I was expecting to pay at least 70 euros). We got out at a nondescript building with an intercom and electric gate and I was thinking, "God, what is this a 4-star hotel?" We get to the door, and the driver asks how much, the woman smiles and says 40 euros for one night. Shocked, I pay the driver 15 euros, thank him and follow the woman to reception. After awhile I begin to understand that it looks to be some kind of Church owned and operated hotel. I didn't know what 40 euros would get me, but the woman was nice and my Italian was still improving. Somehow I remembered phrases and sayings I had not heard or used since I took Italian in school in 2007; something must have shaken them loose at some point during the day. Finally I would have internet access and a way to call Rosemary and Patrick. I get upstairs to my room and it's quite nice; two beds, and a private bathroom and shower. It was a really great value for 40 euros. So I get downstairs and finally place a call to Rosemary, by now I think it was after 8, I don't remember. She didn't sound pleased at all. I tried to explain the situation with the strike and no phone or number to call; understandably they were a bit frustrated. I guess Patrick had waited all evening. I felt horrible. Disappointed with my own lack of success in finding a way to make things work out. I spent a bit of time looking at my return options for the following morning. I would either take a bus to Mercatale or train it to Magione or Umbertide (surely the strike would be over). I would call them back in the morning to discuss further options. I said goodnight to the woman at reception and went upstairs. I fell asleep around 11.

The morning came quickly and I was out of bed at 745 (without an alarm, I might add. Great eh?) and downstairs just before 8 am. I was able to call and got a hold of Patrick. We agreed to meet in Magione at 10 am. This was actually the least attractive of my options as it was already 830 and the train left at 935 and I would need to take a bus down to the station at Camucia. So I ran upstairs, didn't have time for a shower, brushed my teeth, grabbed my stuff, and headed back downstairs. The woman helped me figure out bus times and I was outside at 845. I guess I missed the first bus, and when 9 am passed without the sight of a bus I started to get nervous. If I missed the train I'd be screwed and I'd feel even more lame if I wasn't in Magione at 10 am. Finally the bus comes by at 911. Shit, I'm thinking. I get on and ask the bus driver how long to the station, he says 10 minutes. I feel like maybe I will be ok. We pull in at 925, I get out and buy a ticket. I'm there on the platform as the train pulls into the station. Over the intercom I listen to all the stops the train will be making and Magione is one of them (for some reason, despite my experience traveling by train, I always question whether or not I am actually on the correct one). But I definitely am! And as the train rolls out just after 935 for some reason I am feeling angry at the situation. Frustrated by what had happened the previous day, but feeling a little relief because soon I'll be in Magione. The first stop from Camucia is Terontola. We pull in and some people get off, I remain seated. And then, reminscent of a different train ride in Spain, the power to the train is cut and everyone is getting off. Disembarking from the train we all realize what is happening. We are caught in the middle of yet another strike. On the platform a woman is chastising one of the employees for striking and not working. There is a quick and loud exchange of strong words before the entire crowd of passengers are heading off for the terminal. All the foreigners become apparent in a situation like this and I find an English woman willing to let me borrow her cell phone. Luckily I am able to call Patrick (at this point its 955) and tell them I am caught in the middle of a strike. They tell me they'll be at Terontola in about an hour. That's fine by me. I grab a coffee and chocolate brioche and sit down to watch the unfolding scene. The next train wouldn't be for 2 hours and there was no guarantee it would be leaving. There were rumors of a bus arriving at 130 to take the other passengers where they needed to go. I was glad I had a ride coming. The railway lines closing down really is a messy thing. Finally I see Rosemary and Patrick, and I am finally whisked away from it all.

On our way back we head through villages like Pergo (I really thought it was a nice place) and then up through the mountains (I thought I'd love to climb with my bike) with views looking down towards Val di Chiana and finally we arrive down to Mercatale. After stopping for lunch supplies, we wind through Val di Niccone and up the hill to Preggio and finally to their home: Casa Sagraia. And so my adventure was over, finally. I was so relieved to be back and still can't thank Patrick and Rosemary enough for chasing me around Umbria and Tuscany. Now I'm here in my room, it's 10 pm. And I'm tired. Tomorrow will be another good day. Looking back it doesn't seem such a big deal. It really is not. I can't believe it's almost the end of May. I have also received a response from my friend Ralph who lives in Munich. My plan is to visit him the 1st or 2nd week of June. I'll try and stay there for a week before making an attempt to return to Amsterdam. That's my plan. We'll see where I end up. Toodles.



Zach

"Overlooking Tiber Valley from Fabro"

"Rain Falling Concept"

Orto (Garden) Path #1

"The Path"
Not bad eh?

the world outside

I've escaped upstairs to my room as the day is ending and as the music from Horse In the Sea plays, the hustle and bustle of the outside world seems a million miles away. I stood outside earlier tonight in my socks on the side terrace, the red tiles still warm from the day's sun, and watched the procession of colors and light commandeer the sky. Yellow streaks of light, traces of blue and warm peach hues gracing the edges of cloud; this was the sunset. Thunder rumbled and a flash of lightning lit the sky over the hill down to Lago Trasimeno; somewhere it was raining...

It really is nice to take the time to enjoy the small things in life. More than anything else that has been my goal on this trip. It's always a difficult thing; to savour the small precious moments in life. People are always in such a hurry or don't have the time or the ability, when in actuality, beauty can be found anywhere at any given moment. I worked in the orto again today. I've been given the task of creating a secondary, much smaller and narrower stone path for the lower terrace. I have been shying away from it; after completing the upper path, I didn't want to have to create another and well, here we are. I spent 2 hours this morning struggling, thinking, and expending copious amounts of brain power trying to fit the puzzle pieces of this smaller path together to no avail. I gave up quite frustrated and went for the normal coffee break with Patrick. And as usual, with so many other things in life all you need is a step back and refocus of your thoughts to think clearly. Frustration can cloud the mind and when I returned after coffee it all fell into place and an hour later I'd found a home for all three wheelbarrow loads of stone I'd taken down there. It was quite a nice feeling, especially since I was dreading it for so long.

I made an attempt to get rid of my farmers tan today (don't worry raccoon eyes are still there). I wore a tanktop and worked under the sun and in the heat (there is little wind in the orto) and despite putting on SPF 30 sunscreen (I may have missed a few spots) my shoulder blades are quite red. I'll wear a real shirt tomorrow ;] Anyhow after working the stone path, I pulled the last bit of the weeds and got to work strimming the rest of the areas. I love it actually. It feels good to clear a hillside or embankment. It really does look nice. I really am proud of the work I am doing here. I hope it shows and that Patrick and Ro are happy with the effort I have put out for them. I've just photographed downstairs for them. Ro wants to put some photos of their house on the website she is working on. I'm quite happy to make a contribution. In any case, we'll see how the weather goes for the next few days. Supposed to rain at some point in the near future. I might go to Citta della Pieve on Saturday and do a little brewery tour of the birrificio there. They have a beer containing basil, and also one that contains truffles so I'm quite curious to see how that would be. We'll see how it goes. I've been photographing lots. I'm happy. Until next time...

Zach

Cortona Photopost

"Winding Street In the Midday Sun"
"Cortona from Above"
"Watercolor Sunset"
"Cortona Streets By Night"
"Tracks For Miles At Camucia"

"Snowfall" & Removal of the Caterpillars

Today was spent relaxing mostly. The last 3 days have been incredible, and just when I think it can't get any better, it does. Perfect temps, a nice breeze, and no clouds in the sky at all! I hope it stays like this for tomorrow. I'm quite tired, but wanted to write about my adventures.

Midday I was notified by Patrick that he'd discovered a caterpillar nest down on the edge of the property. I can't remember what they call them here in Italy (some kind of processionary caterpillar), but apparently they are extremely dangerous and can cause major respiratory complications if you breathe in the toxic poison injecting hairs they release when threatened. So it was our job to dispatch of them. We headed down to the location to survey the scene. Luckily they were in a low bush (quite odd for the species actually) and we'd decided to try and set a fire to burn them. The plan was hatched to dump fuel on the nest and toss in a match. We took some petrol down with us as well as a bit of Wasp and Bee Spray. The whole Littlehales family was down there ready to stamp out the fire should it start showing signs of getting out of control. I was attempting to record a video of the entire thing but my camera crapped out due to low memory only 30 seconds after I set it up to :[ In any case, we moved in, Patrick hit them with a dose of petrol and I hit them with the Wasp Spray. They didn't seem to like it much but when they began jumping ship, Patrick tossed in the match. I didn't see the initial explosion of combusting petrol, but I heard it and looked to see a large plume of orange flames and brown smoke rising into the sky. It was quite exciting, and quite spectacular.

Needless to say, the caterpillars were toast (literally). The threat had been neutralized completely. Unfortunate that we had to kill them, but they are quite dangerous. I'm still bummed I wasn't able to capture the whole thing with my camera. Oh well. The rest of the afternoon was relaxing. And later we went down to Lago Trasimeno (my first time ever) for a stroll and a pizza. It was a great evening. Tomorrow I will be heading off to Perugia for the day, and I may have also found a local tour guide to show me around. She speaks mostly Italian, so it could be quite an interesting day. I will be forced to use my Italian so I'm kind of excited :] In any case, it should be a lot of fun. Until next time, ciao!

Zach

"Snowfall"

Glad It's Friday :]

I've got the rare extreme desire to write this evening. Actually I think it has been there all day, but now I have a bit of downtime as I am sitting in my room at 10 after 9. The evening is cool and the crickets are playing their nighttime tune. Today I spent the morning working on my new stone path. The stones have been laid completely and I now will need to go back through and make sure they are all set at an even height (I'm just about a third of the way through).

It was quite hot today, I reckon one of the warmest days since I've arrived in Europe. It was nice. The sun beat down and I had to wear a bit of sunscreen; my arms and nose are a rosy hued pink. I stopped momentarily, as I was nearing the end of the stone laying, to watch as a lone ant attempted to carry the remains of a deceased spider across my stone path. He toiled under the hot sun as I toiled under the hot sun. I watched him for at least 15 minutes. The weight was so much that he was kicking up bits of dirt as he struggled to pull it along the way. Eventually a friend came to help him out and they eventually got to the other side of the path, where the loose dirt proved quite difficult for the duo. A third ant came to help out and they finally reached the top of the slope and carried it off to an undisclosed location; sure to be hailed as heroes in the colony. It's amazing what you will notice if you take the time to notice the small things around you. Later, I watched a solitary ant carting off the body of a full-grown Wasp.

Spike (the 9 year old song of my hosts) had his birthday party today and 7 kids in all from the nearby village of Preggio descended upon Sagraia and had a lovely (albeit hot) afternoon playing games and eating delicious food. Afterwards, spent from the effort of managing 7 overexcited children, Rosemary, Patrick and I took wine and chatted on the back terrace. This has come to be one of my favorite times of the day: when work is over and you can finally take the time to really enjoy the surroundings. As summer nears the evenings become prolonged and sometimes I wish I could live here in this time of the day for longer than reality allows. I like to stand on the end of the promonotory and gaze out onto the valley. The colors are all tinged gold and the little houses (quite a variation in size) look so lovely contrasting with the rising and falling of the sprawling vibrant green hills. I spotted a modest home down the way with a small vineyard and three or so small trees near the home. I try and imagine what it would be like to sit down there and have a drink. I noticed also the Pheasants making their calls, and all throughout the valley (If you listen close) you can hear them shouting to one another continuously.

It was defintely a slow paced day; one I enjoyed very much. We should all take the time to look at and enjoy the small things happening around us. The world is most certainly alive and most people never realize the amazing things happening right beneath their feet. Tomorrow is a non-work day. Most likely I'll be off somewhere sightseeing as a tourist, enjoying Italy...until next time...I hope you're all well...


Zach

"The View From the Promonotory"

Today

I'm feeling a bit dusty as I sit in bed writing this entry. Outside, the final vestiges of light are fading; the trees and mountains becoming silhouettes, a light wind is blowing. I worked hard most of today and it was truly stunning (unfortunately no photos at all) and it never reached the 20 degree mark like the weatherman promised.

I started with a bit of weeding, and then more soil prep and after having a bit of lunch I proceeded back outside to start on the latest project: constructing a path down the center of the garden using small chunks of sandstone. It's quite fun actually. Initially, it was a bit daunting (kind of like starting a jigsaw puzzle) but once I got started and began lining up the stones properly, I rather enjoyed it. Spent 3 hours or so working it and got 2/3 the way done. Tomorrow I'll finish placing the stones and then get to work on making the entire thing level (I'm determined to achieve perfection). I feel like I'm constructing some sort of Roman road or something (there will definitely be photos when I finish, so stay tuned).

I've got some ideas for some new photo techniques I'd like to try, so I'm just waiting for a clear night to test those out. I have also discovered a brewery located somewhere in Umbria that makes two kinds of beer I have never heard of before: one that utilizes Basil and another that utilizes Truffles (the black or white variety traditionally found using pigs, not the chocolate version, sorry) but they sound quite interesting so I'll have to find a place selling them and get my hands on a couple of bottles. I'm pretty tired, and know I'll sleep well tonight. In any case, we'll see how this weekend goes. It's up in the air right now. Until next time, hope you're all well, ciao...


Zach

Old Church

Today saw me visiting the old city of Umbertide (it is market day on Wednesday). So down the road I went with Rosemary and Patrick; 18km of winding curves and breathtaking vistas down into the city (I am making plans to try and ride a bike up from the city one day). Once in the city I was given the chance to roam on my own for an entire hour (and I certainly made good use of it). I covered a lot of ground. Snapped a lot of photos and saw a major portion of the old city. Photographs will follow. We spent the morning shopping for food and walking around the city before returning home in the early afternoon. By the time we were halfway up the hill it was raining quite hard; I would actually classify officially as a downpour, and we scampered inside with the bags of groceries to escape the rain. In 40 minutes the rain would stop completely and the sun would come out. After a quick glance at the weather I realized there would be no more rain coming our way.

I was given the day off (so to speak) and invited to go outside and do some exploring. At the suggestion of Rosemary I decided I would head up to the old church I had said I'd like to explore and have a look around. After Patrick loaned me both of his lenses (one a telephoto (good for zooming) and the other an extremely wide-angle (good for shooting buildings)) he told me he was up there just a few days ago and that I'd need to give the door a good shove to get inside. So up the road I went under a slight breeze and sunny skies. There are no shoulders on the sides of Italian roads (at least not the country roads) so it's a bit precarious sometimes, but I made it down the way without a hitch. Once there I shoved my way inside and was presented with a rather empty, broken and shattered main entrance. Apparently the church was built in 1956 and was abandoned due to damage sustained during an earthquake. I don't know when this earthquake occured, but by the looks of the things I'd say it has been abandoned for quite some time. Ceiling tiles have fallen away, there are holes in the floors and the spot where the altar should be is completely collapsed and you can see through to the basement. I spent about 20 minutes or so walking around the collapsed shamble of a church. Outside the plants and trees are making attempts to reclaim what was once theirs. No idea if there are plans to demolish and rebuild something else or possibly to renovate (I imagine renovation would be quite costly). In any case I did a bit of exploration around the grounds, snapped some photos using both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses and had an enjoyable time as the rain had gone and the temperature had risen. So there you have it. That's that. That's my day and the old church.

Tomorrow is Thursday and I'll be expected to do plenty of work. It is predicted to be sunny and near 21 degrees (70 in fahrenheit) so it should be good. This weekend I'll either be sightseeing with Caro or exploring elsewhere solo (maybe I'll try and find a nice city in the region with a decent beer scene ;] ). Oh and also! Next week! Wednesday the 11th, I will be heading down to Orvieto to watch the finish of the 5th Stage of the Giro d'Italia (Piombino to Orvieto). If you are unfamiliar with the race, then google it! It is the last major race before Le Tour de France. I am so excited and happy I brought my cycling jerseys! I'll be wearing mine hanging out near the finish line cheering on all the riders (I hope one of the riders from Garmin wins since my jersey is a Garmin Slipstream (now Garmin Transitions)). Ok so yeah, that's it. That's all, I swear. Ttfn.

Zach

"The Jersey"

Quick Update

So where to start? I've neglected my blog somewhat, and have put off writing a new entry for far too long. It was due in part to not being able to find time and not really feeling up to it. Last week was spent in an old and large Umbrian home nestled between Citta di Castello and Monte Santa Maria Tiberina. I attended several dinner parties, drank lots of amazing locally produced wines, and ate lots of amazing foods. I've been here just over a week yet I feel I've been exposed to so many good, interesting, and new things.

I am now at another home about 20 km south of Citta di Castello, in the hills above the city of Umbertide. I am staying with an English couple (friends of my first host). They have a 9 year old son, and 2 curious felines. I've been here for 2 days and I've mostly been doing work down in the garden; weeding, preparing soil, and gathering firewood (I used a chainsaw for the first time yesterday). Today saw me visiting the small nearby village of Preggio (my first ever visit to a village of that kind). It was quite amazing. I imagine only a hundred or so (maybe less) year round residents. The small school has only 6 children in attendance. I'd love to visit there in the evening as I'm quite certain it will make for lovely nighttime photography. The photo I posted yesterday is of the view from my window. I've got an amazingly large bedroom, bathroom, and an amazing view every morning. I'll post another photo of the actual house and I will tell you right now, it is incredible. It's seemingly perched right on the edge of infinity. Not sure what I'll be up to this evening, but I'd like to drink a beer and maybe do some reading or more writing. Tomorrow I'll be doing a bit more weeding and preparing of soil and strimming perhaps. I'm not sure. There is an old church just up the way from here, I'd like to go have a look around. It's abandoned, and apparently quite dangerous because of sustained earthquake damage. Might make for some good photos.

In any case I'm looking forward to getting out of here this weekend for a little excursion somewhere in the region (hopefully with Caro). We'll see how it goes. That's all for now unfortunately, I'll post the photo of the house and the view. For now I'll go relax. Ci vediamo! Ciao!

Zach

"The View"

Change of Pace: Preggio

"A Morning View"Near Preggio, Umbria, Italy