Should I Learn the Language?

Posted by Matthew Daub – Arts Sojourn

If you are taking the time to read this blog entry, perhaps you are contemplating a trip to Italy or one of the other European countries served by our Slow Travel Tour operators. You may be wondering, “Should I try to learn the language before I go?” This topic is frequently brought up on many of the internet travel community forums. While I can only speak from my own experience in Italy, my response to this question is, “Yes – if possible, try to pick up some language skills before traveling!“ Is it an absolute necessity? No, particularly if you will be part of a facilitated group or are heading for a region frequented by English speaking tourists, but a rudimentary understanding of a few basics can be most useful, not to mention fun!

I have always enjoyed using my Italian – some might say “inflicting” my Italian – even when my language skills were barely existent. I have found the Italian people to be most patient and generous when it comes to foreigners trying to communicate in their language. I believe that most Italians appreciate the effort and see it as a sign of respect for their culture, but there have been more than a few times when knowing some Italian has proven to be invaluable.

To speak Italian well is difficult, but to communicate some necessities on a basic level is not. My best recommendation would be to take a short class if you can find one in your area. My wife and I were able to find a six week class offered in a Catholic church through a local Italian social club. We ended up joining the club and becoming friends with our teacher and her husband. If you cannot find a class, a set of beginner’s CD’s can also be helpful. For those who are more ambitious, a more comprehensive series such as those offered by Rosetta Stone, or an actual semester in a university, or junior college class would provide excellent preparation, but this is certainly not needed for a first time traveler.

I once heard an American tourist in Liguria talking about the “Sing-Quay Tair-ay.“ I knew what she was talking about, but I wonder if many Italians would have. The most important thing is to practice your pronunciation. Once you learn pronunciation you will be able to ask directions and be understood by local non-English speakers.

Unlike English, Italian is consistent in its pronunciation. The vowels are constant, and once you learn them and the consonants, you can pretty much pronounce most Italian words like a pro (although the repeated rolling “R”s in Arqua Petrarcha, a little town in the Veneto, still give me fits). One of the tips I offer to my clients during our orientation session is to repeat the name of their desired destination in the form of a question to someone standing on the train platform to be sure that they are boarding the correct train. You don’t have to be a great linguist to understand the reply, “Si,” or “No!” Add to this the numbers and the days of the week, along with a few crucial expressions such as “Where is…?,” and “How much…?,” and words such as “bathroom” and you will be more than good to go. Although it may not be a necessity, a little language study before your journey can increase your confidence and greatly expand your possibilities for independence.

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Matthew Daub is a professional artist and university professor with works in major public and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. He has been leading plein air painting workshops in Italy since 1994. In 1999, Matthew and his wife Barbara formed Arts Sojourn as “a vacation for artists and their friends.” The program is designed to appeal to artists of all levels as well as non-artists who enjoy the company of creative people in a slow travel format.

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artssojourn, August 29th 2010 | Posted in Matthew Daub, Slow Travel Benefits, Slow Travel Tours, Travel Tips

Les Eyzies – the centre of world prehistory?

Posted by Steve and Judie Burman, Caves and Castles

The long awaited Pole International de la Prehistoire, Les Eyzies

The long awaited Pole International de la Prehistoire, Les Eyzies

The long awaited Pole International de la Prehistoire sandwiched between the cliffs and the River Beune in Les Eyzies is at last open! We say “at last”, because in common with many projects these days, it over ran and the opening last Autumn did not happen, nor in the Spring, but along came Summer and the opening of the centre – on the 24th July!

We’ve been watching its progress, and visitors have asked us ”what is it?”. We’ll use the Centre’s Director, Jean Luc Delord’s words:-

“Les Eyzies is in the heart of a very important area for prehistory. It has been inhabited by man for more than 400,000 years. There are many world heritage sites such as Lascaux, but there are other lesser-known sites of great scientific significance as well. The Centre will provide information on all the sites in the area, so will be a good place for tourists to begin their journey.

It will house things such as a reading room with thousands of documents, seminar rooms, temporary exhibitions, internet access and facilities for school groups.”

Excellent video viewing area - unless you are disabled!

Excellent video viewing area - unless you are disabled!

So what did we think of it? Well, for a start, we visited with a friend who is recovering from a major knee operation and the seating in the video-viewing area is so low that it cannot possibly be used by anyone who is anything than A1 fit! Did they have a wheelchair available? No! But they agreed this was a great idea. Furthermore, the lift was out of action (less than a month since the opening!) so access to the temporary exhibition space (and toilets!) was very kindly provided by a sympathetic member of staff from the ‘Acceuil’ – welcome desk – via the goods lift! We had to be careful exiting the lift as the light switch is dark brown and what colour is the wall? Dark brown!!

A superb collection of images taken in the area by Robert Doisneau

A superb collection of images taken in the area by Robert Doisneau

The exhibition of Robert Doisneau’s photographic collection is superb and we all enjoyed it. The photographs date back to the 1930’s and there must be local people who suddenly realise it’s themselves they’re seeing. A solemn youngster bearing a religious group’s standard sporting white gloves and what looks to be a cardigan lovingly knitted for the occasion, perhaps by a doting auntie or mother? The expressions on the faces of a couple of ladies regarding a chicken being held out for their approval in Sarlat market are a picture in themselves. It made us think no way were they going to buy it or perhaps not at the price being asked! There are photos taken in Les Combarelles – definitely not allowed these days, but the guides in Bernifal still use the type of lamps they’re using back then!

It’s a wonderful exhibition, but we couldn’t help but think that it could have been displayed just as effectively in the National Museum of Prehistory just down the road, or even the Tourist Office.

What else? Lots of open space – the entrance is through a light airy area with 3 large video screens, BUT you can’t see the images because the light floods in!

The computer area is popular with youngsters

The computer area is popular with youngsters

The computers seemed to be popular with youngsters with attentive parents standing by to help and advise. Little information was available about this area, so we’re not much the wiser.

The ‘PIP’, teamed up with Abri Pataud this summer to organise a series of talks given by high profile speakers such as Jean Clottes and Randy White. Another series is planned for early September focussed around the 70th Anniversary of the discovery of Lascaux. The auditorium is comfortable and well laid out, but since the dialogue is all in French with no translation, this is not going to help a large percentage of tourists who have little or no knowledge of the French language! But for experts like Steve, it is a great opportunity to keep up-to-date with latest happenings, but again, we have to say, couldn’t the Museum have fulfilled this role?

Do we think it is the ideal place for visitors to begin their tour? Well, access is free so that’s tempting and the 3D relief map is a great way to see the relation of one site to another, but frankly, so far we don’t think you’d leave any more equipped to really get the most out of your precious time in the area. That needs forethought and planning – what tickets need booking? How do I get them? How do I travel from this site to that? What days are the various site’s open? It’s so much easier to take a Tour and have it all done for you.

To quote one of our visitors: “Steve’s tour was fantastic! I am still awestruck by the fact that I stood where my human ancestors stood many thousands of years ago and could see the actual art they produced. What impressed me most was the quality of much of the art – these are not mere scratchings by primitive people, they are masterpieces, full of expression. They allow a glimpse inside the minds of our ancestors, and their feelings towards the animals. We could have never arranged access to these treasures without Steve’s knowledge and assistance“

We hope the Centre will prove to be the success that Jean Luc Delord anticipates – watch this space, we’ll be keeping an eye on it.

PS Why is it called the ‘Pole’? Well, the thinking is the world of Prehistory will revolve around it!

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Steve and Judie Burman live in the beautiful Vezere Valley in the Dordogne region of South-West France.  Together they run Caves and Castles, specialising in prehistoric Cave Art and medieval Castles Tours.  Small groups tours (up to six people) are based at their recently converted farmhouse.  Alternatively, they offer non-residential tours for a day or longer.

Professional archaeologist, Steve and his wife Judie love to share their passion for the ‘Cradle of Humanity.’  Its history and culture are awe-inspiring.  The area is also famed for its gastronomy and wine. You won’t be disappointed!

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

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sjburman, August 23rd 2010 | Posted in Dordogne, European Travel, France, Steve and Judie Burman

COME TO THE PARTY

Posted by Heather Jarman

Sapori e Saperi Adventures

August is party time in the villages of Italy. Posters advertising festas or sagras sprout from trees and lampposts; leaflets pile up in bars and tourist information offices. A festa was originally a solemn religious festival and sagra derives from sacra meaning sacred, but both have morphed into excuses for high spirits and enjoyment. My friends call me a sagra junkie, and I admit I can’t stay away. Most serve good food cooked by the people of the village, but only one I’ve been to so far started with a blessing of motorcycles before the supper accompanied by folk musicians and dancers.

Tonight I can choose among twelve different ones in the Garfagnana alone, which is a tiny part of Tuscany north of Lucca. There’s the ‘Sagra della porchetta’ — a meal based around succulent herby roast pork and served in the sports ground of Villetta.

But the view will be more spectacular from Trassillico, a village balanced on a razor-edge ridge in the shadow of a fifteenth-century fort, which serves Garfagnana biroldo (our sensuously spiced blood sausage) with creamy polenta.

The ‘Sagra della trota’, a menu based on trout from clear mountain rivers sounds enticing too. If I’m feeling homesick for England, I could scoff some fish and chips at Barga. Or maybe I should choose one of the three mediaeval festivals, such as ‘I banditi dell’Ariosto all’ora di Cena’ (‘The bandits of Ariosto at dinner’), where the mountain village is romantically lit by flares, the inhabitants are dressed in mediaeval costumes and each course is served in a different courtyard of the village. As the sun sets and lights begin to twinkle in the valley far below, a band of rowdy brigands bursts in through an arch and demands payment, but is bribed with wine and good food to join the company of diners. This probably sounds embarrassing to Anglo-Saxons, but the villagers are as unselfconscious as if they were wearing jeans and horsing around with their friends in the bar.

I love to include village festivals in my tours, partly because they’re fun, but also because they’re the opposite of a tourist attraction. These are parties the people of the village throw for themselves — the permanent inhabitants, the émigrés who return to their ancestral homes for the summer and the few foreigners who have bought houses in the village or are staying at a nearby agriturismo. One of my sagra calendars says, ‘Now is the time to rejoice with our people. Popular traditions are the essence of a community, the spirit that, throughout time, remains alive and is transmitted from one generation to the next’. Children are important. At parties they learn effortlessly about the best things from their past.

But Stefano Baccelli, the President of Lucca Province, comes closest to what I feel: ‘The occasion may be an art show, a theatre production, a local folklore event, the passion for artisan crafts or our traditional flavours. In the end, the motivation is of little importance: the thing that counts is the desire for a voyage, for discovery, the will to re-establish a profound dialogue with our history, our traditions, our landscape. If you share this with us, you cross “bridges” and enjoy the journey: welcome back on the human planet.’

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Heather Jarman helps you discover the hidden culinary treasures of Lucca in northwest Tuscany. You can join me for a day, a week or as long as you like. Try to include a weekend so you can come to a sagra. Find out more at Sapori e Saperi Adventures and follow Heather’s own adventures on her blog.

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hjarman, August 15th 2010 | Posted in European Travel, Events, Food, Heather Jarman, Italy, Lucca, Tuscany

A secret spot in the Luberon

Posted by Kathy Wood
European Experiences / The Luberon Experience

It was a morning in late June, four years ago now. Our family was housesitting for friends, enjoying a month at their beautiful home between Bonnieux and Lacoste. We were happy to be back in the Luberon.

That summer we often got up early to hike in the morning, before the day was too hot. On this particular morning, I planned a circular route around the nearby village of Saignon, a hike that took us up on the Claparedes Plateau, a rocky shelf that stretches in front of the Luberon mountain between Bonnieux and Saignon. This is an area with remains of many ancient settlements… a quiet area undiscovered by most tourists. A long road stretches straight from one end almost to the other, scrubby woods and lavender fields on either side.

Our trail emerged from the woods into a field, and there on the right, at the far end of the field, was a beehive shaped stone structure, one of the Luberon’s famous “bories.” We were delighted. We’d seen many bories, but this one was different… perfectly shaped, with a few rows of lavender bushes down one side. A dirt path extended before us to the borie; we walked down and examined it closely. There was a covered well, a stone enclosure, and a low covered structure on the back.

Our first visit to the borie

We knew about bories, as they are found throughout Provence and especially in the Luberon. A “borie” is a type of stone hut, constructed of stones cleared from the surrounding fields and made without mortar, the stones carefully selected and stacked a certain way to make them sturdy against rain and the Mistral winds. Some of the bories were used as shepherds’ dwellings, a place to shelter while they were tending to sheep or goats in remote areas. Others were used as animal pens, to store tools, or to protect a water source. Many bories stand alone, but some bories are clustered in settlements. (See this post on my personal blog about L’Enclos des Bories near Bonnieux– and note the header photo on the blog.)


I don’t know why, but I’ve always been fascinated by the bories. I read that the earliest bories date to the Neolithic Age… I’m sure these are now just piles of stone. Most of the bories in the Luberon were constructed in the 18th and 19th century, when there was a big emphasis on agricultural development and new fields were cleared of stone. There are a few thousand bories in Provence, and over 1600 are protected and catalogued in the Parc Naturel Regional du Luberon as an important part of the patrimoine (heritage). The Parc’s logo (seen on the left) is a borie.

On that first visit, the borie seemed strangely familiar. Later, I realized I’d seen it on some calendars and postcards, surrounded by lavender. Although there was some lavender nearby when we first discovered it, there’s not much lavender in the field these days… just a variety of wildflowers, different on every visit. I’ve probably now visited this borie 25 times, and it is different every time, depending on the season, the weather, and even the time of day. I’m determined to one day see the borie in the snow.

The borie in May...

... and in September

We discovered the borie in June 2006, and we’ve shared it with every Luberon Experience group (19 of them) since our first trips in September of that same year. I like to make it a surprise… an unannounced stop. We take the route from Bonnieux to Saignon along the plateau and pull over on a small road. “We’re going to stop here for a minute,” we say. “There’s something we want to show you. And bring your camera.” Everyone follows me along the rocky, narrow path, the Grand Luberon rising steeply to our right. Just two minutes from the road, we turn a corner, and there’s the borie at the end of the field, usually surrounded by a vibrant blue sky.

It’s one of those “Ohhhhhh” moments. We talk about the borie and walk close to inspect it and look at the well. Some people go inside, and others walk all around. It’s spacious inside, with a type of loft or platform. There’s always some discussion about the construction. In May and June, several people are interested in the flowers and the butterflies in the field. Everyone takes photos.

Our group explores the borie (Sept 2009)

Despite its presence on calendars and postcards, I think of the borie as “my” secret spot in the Luberon. I ‘ve never seen anyone else there. It’s just is a short walk off a little road in an isolated area, and you have to be hiking or know that it’s there. You can’t see it from the road and there’s no sign or parking area. Lots of tourists visit the “Village of the Bories” in Gordes, but this is different… more personal… more real.

I’d love to know the story of this borie. When was it built? Has it been restored? It’s so perfectly constructed, with its pointed spike at the top. There’s a sizeable well, some stone enclosures, perhaps for animals or chickens. Did a shepherd make his home here a few hundred years ago, tending to his sheep in solitude? Where was his family? And who owns the field now? I’d love to let them know how much this special place means to me and how much I enjoy sharing it with others.

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Kathy and Charley Wood lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France. Their 2011 trips will include three weeks in the Luberon and two weeks in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with others travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here. After almost three months in Europe, they’re now settling back at home… and looking forward to being back in the Luberon in September.

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luberon, August 9th 2010 | Tags:
Posted in Kathy Wood, Provence

My Symphony – Traveling Slow in 2010

Posted by Bill Steiner – Adventures In Italy

The following was written in the 19th century by a William Henry Channing.

My Symphony

  • To live content with small means, to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy not respectable, and wealthy, not rich, to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never – in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.

I’ve loved this statement ever since I discovered it perhaps 10 years ago. I love “hurry never”. I love it because in today’s world it seems to be hurry always. Hurry is not a natural way to be. It is not a natural state for us. It implies that we have to get whatever we are doing now done quickly in order to get on to the next, more important thing. And so our lives are an endless rushing through the unimportant to get to the important.

Adventures In Italy trips

Orvieto's Evening Stroll

For me, travel to Orvieto, where we lead groups for one-week trips, inevitably stops any hurrying in life. Orvieto has, over the last 8 years, led me to stop hurrying nearly always. How has it done this, and how does it do it for those who travel with us?

  • By putting us in an environment so rich in character and detail that all our senses come alive to appreciate it. The human-scaled, medieval village engages every sense.  As a result we get out of our mind – thinking about what we must hurry toward next – to live in the richness of everything around us.
  • Because we have no TV, little Internet, cell phones that don’t work in Italy, a 6 hour time difference with home, we allow ourselves to disconnect from all the to-dos, shoulds, deadlines, and all the bad news foisted on us by the media.
  • Since the Italians, while busy, take so much time for and pay so much attention to each other, particularly over meals, you can’t help but be impressed and recognize how little you do the same.

    • This is slow travel, what we and the others in Slow Travel Tours do on each and every trip. For us, our trips to Orvieto have profoundly influenced us to slow down. Clearly, we  were ready for it, felt drained by the pace Americans keep, and wanted a saner, richer life. But Orvieto, life in Italy, enabled us to appreciate life by slowing down, to see the benefits of a slower pace, to experience the joy that exists when you are in the present moment.

    Imagine what our lives would be like if we hurried never! All of the people who travel with a Slow Travel Tours company get a chance to taste it, re-experience how we used to live life. I believe those who travel with us are ready for a change, it is why they select us – whether deliberately or intuitively. And they are rewarded with a hurry never week – something they have been yearning for.

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    Kristi and Bill Steiner

    Kristi and Bill Steiner began leading “learning vacations”  to Orvieto, Italy in 2003. Through Adventures in Italy they provide a cultural immersion experience. Many trips include the pursuit of some kind of creative work that complements and reinforces exploration of Italy’s culture. Relationships built over the years enable Kristi and Bill to provide experiences that a typical visitor to Orvieto never gets. Trips are held in May and September/October every year. Their Discover Orvieto and Girlfriend Getaway trips are available to groups any time of the year. Learn more about Kristi and Bill’s trips.

    Stay abreast of Adventures in Italy developments, and follow Bill’s musings about travel and Italy on his blog Make Haste Slowly.

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    , August 1st 2010 | Posted in Bill Steiner, Italy, Orvieto, Slow Travel Benefits, Umbria

    A Day on the Amalfi Coast

    Here we go, off to Positano atop a ferry with 180 degree views – surrounded by the blue Mediterranean (called the Tyrrhenian in this slit of the sea), passing colorful villages clinging to the seaside cliffs.
    We and our Music and Markets guests are loving the breeze along with the views….and there’s Positano, immediately identifiable with its pastel cascade of homes tumbling down the hill.We have a particular destination in mind, and wind our way through the souk-like lanes lined with “Positano style” – the gauzy linens and cottons so popular with resort-goers.The narrow lanes open up to a bougainvillea- topped arcade with yet more shopping opportunities.Resisting temptation, we keep climbing until we find our goal – the little boat filled with the best lemon granita (like a slushie) we’ve ever tasted.It’s as appealingly delicious as we remember,and spiked with the little bottle of limoncello that Kirk bought as we walked up it’s a smile-producing refresher.
    While Kirk and the others do a bit of shopping,  our guest Jacqueline treats me to one of her favorite Positano tastes, a flute of prosecco topped with tiny strawberries – yum!She spent several weeks here a few years ago and is enjoying checking out favorite shops and sights as we stroll.
    A few sights and shops later, we tackle the cliffside path, the Via dei Positanesi Americani, named for the scores of locals who emigrated to the US in the early 20th century.It is said that there are more Positanesi on Columbus Avenue in New York than in Positano. Renata welcomes us with a big hug to of our favorite Amalfi Coast restaurants, O Guaracino.
    After a fabulous lunch, featuring seafood caught within sight, we’re all so relaxed and enjoying the view that we don’t get up from the table.
    A toe-dip in the Med, and we’re back on the ferry, heading for Amalfi, where we’ll meet the rest of the Amalfi Coast Music Festival group for concerts and dinner.
    A splash in the fountain refreshes usbefore checking out some Amalfi specialties,such as handmade paper, a craft dating back centuries.There’s a new treat at La Piccola Republica, a favorite shop where we taste the chilled specialties of the area – limoncello, crema di melone and crema di limone (creamy melon or lemon which we keep in our freezer at home in Virginia – a perfect finale to a special meal).The new taste is Crema di Pesca (peach) so we have to add a bottle of that to our getting-more-stuffed luggage.This town has a much more lived-in feel than Positano – neighbors stopping to greet each other in the midst of a busy street, calling out to a shop owner as they walk by, pausing for a quick caffé at the bar.
    Lots of music today from the Amalfi Coast Music Festival – first a Young Artist Recital, in the museum of the cathedral,followed by dinner with a serenade at Da Maria, then we walk back up the cathedral steps,glancing at the sunset through the loggia for the last concert, “Music of the Americas” -from Latin American pieces to a recent ragtime composition in honor of  the day – July 4, U.S. Independence Day.
    Goodnight Amalfi -we’ll be back next year.

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    The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive.
    We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, lea    rned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe.

    Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and the south of France. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests.

    While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.

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    mmtours, July 25th 2010 | Posted in European Travel, Food, Italy, Kirk and Anne Woodyard, Uncategorized

    Revisiting “my slowtravel”

    Remind me, again! What is “slow travel”? It’s related to the The Slow Food movement which began in Italy a couple of decades ago, when fast food from America was beginning to invade Europe and other continents. The Italians feel strongly about anything that interrupts their slow pace of living. This might be said of most Latin cultures, but my familiarity is with Italy. As the Italians noticed fast food creeping into their culture, they made enormous protests which resulted in few such corporations making gains in that country. Likewise, travelers began to notice there was a much more satisfying way to travel than at a very fast pace, on a large bus filled with tourists, stopping in a different town each day.


    Thus, Slow Travel was born, when independent traveler’s began to spend longer and longer vacation time in one place, rather than changing locations daily. By spending more than a few days, maybe a week or more in a vacation rental, an apartment, casita or self -catering villa, travelers can become familiar with their surroundings, get to know the local shop-keeps and their neighbors. Learning about a country’s culture in this way gives the traveler an authentic experience of who the people are, their history and an entirely different way of life, in many instances, than what one is accustomed to on a fast paced, must see everything now sort of tour. Forming relationships with the local people, sipping coffee for hours in an outdoor cafe, marketing locally and spending three hours preparing lunch, experiencing the daily rhythm of a village or town, makes a vacation so much more relaxed and memorable.

    Traveling Slowly can mean many different things, though it points to a slower pace of activity, lingering over meals, spending time in the lost art of conversation, maybe it’s just taking time to journal or sketch or hone some artistic skill that’s been nagging for attention. This is certainly a way of waking up the senses, getting a “sense of place” in whatever place you happen to be spending time. Italy is the perfect country to practice these lost skills. There is an abundance of natural beauty, places left untouched for centuries just begging for a listen or a look. There are people, friendly and open just waiting to engage with you in any sort of connection and communication. This is a most satisfying, enriching way to experience time, place, connection and relationships; slowly and with deliberate enjoyment!


    What Italian Excursion tours does to have a slow experience is “park” the small group in either a boutique hotel in the country or a self catering villa for the length of the tour, plan one, possibly two activities in a day for the travelers and then meander through our day at a very slow pace. Meals are enjoyed for an extended period, sometimes several hours; wine or olive oil tastings in the country where the products are produced; small, unknown museums and archeological sites may be a destination; nature walks in national parks or visits to an abandoned village, many centuries old. The list is endless and each trip brings new discoveries because there are so many layers to Italy’s past. This idea of slow travel, a reaction to our current fast paced, relentlessly productive global culture can bring enrichment as well as reminders of why we seek respite from our daily lives in the form of vacation time.

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    Cheryl has been traveling to Europe, particularly Italy, for more than fourteen years. Her interest in Italy, its history, art and rich culture led her to purchase property near Orvieto, allowing her to spend more time there. Cheryl’s exploration of Italy include the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, as well as the areas around Venice and south towards Sorrento. She continues to travel into Italy’s less traveled regions, and enjoys sharing her discoveries with others. Relaxed, leisurely tours (www.italianexcursion.com) are her specialty with an emphasis on the comfort of her guests. Cheryl spends the rest of her time near the beach in San Diego, cavorting with her two small grandchildren. She’s an avid reader, health advocate and community volunteer. Her career as a social worker brings an understanding of people’s needs to the tour business. 

    www.slowtraveltours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.
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    excursion, July 19th 2010 | Posted in Cheryl Alexander, Slow Travel Tours

    THE SEI TERRE?

     
     
     
     
    A Matthew Daub Watercolor of Portovenere

    A Matthew Daub Watercolor of Portovenere

    I first heard of Portovenere from an Italian bus driver in the mid-nineties. He raved about the beauty of the little coastal town that sits at the tip of a peninsula in the Mediterranean, just south of its more famous Cinque Terre cousins. When Barbara and I finally paid our first visit to Portovenere we were stunned. The driver was not exaggerating, in fact, I wondered why so much attention was paid to the Cinque Terre and relatively little to Portovenere. I think that a great case could be made for adding a sixth town and renaming the entire group, Le Sei Terre.

     
    Portovenere is a little harder to get to than the towns of the Cinque Terre. There is no train line so it can be accessed only by car or bus from nearby La Spezia or the various tourist ferries that travel up and down the coast. The layout of the town reflects Portovenere’s maritime history. At the mouth of the harbor sits the weather-beaten thirteenth century church of San Pietro. One can easily imagine the countless families that have prayed there for the safe return of seafaring loved ones. The sheltered harbor is backed by a block of tall houses with very few openings in between, creating a formidable defensive wall, and from there, a winding web of narrow streets climbs the steep hillside to a Genovese fortress and the silence of the town cemetery.

    A Matthew Daub Watercolor of Portovenere

    A Matthew Daub Watercolor of Portovenere

    Even though it is not as well-publicized as the Cinque Terre towns, Portovenere does get very busy these days, particularly on summer weekends. Many Italians from inland come to work on their tans, but a flood of foreign tourists also pour into the town from the frequent tour boats, but most tourists never venture any farther than restaurants along the busy dock area and the single main street. Just as in the other five towns, Portovenere empties out as night falls.

    One of the things that I like most about being an artist and working en plien air is the way it forces me to slow down and linger in one place. I spent a week in Portovenere on my last visit with our Arts Sojourn group. This allowed me explore nearly every inch of this tiny town and study some locations intently for hours as I painted them. Not every painting that I made in Portovenere is wonderful, but the experience I had making them certainly was.

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    Matthew Daub is a professional artist and university professor with works in major public and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. He has been leading plein air painting workshops in Italy since 1994. In 1999, Matthew and his wife Barbara formed Arts Sojourn as “a vacation for artists and their friends.” The program is designed to appeal to artists of all levels as well as non-artists who enjoy the company of creative people in a slow travel format.

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    artssojourn, July 11th 2010 | Tags: , ,
    Posted in Italy, Matthew Daub, Slow Travel Tours

    Posted by Steve & Judie Burman, Caves & Castles

    What makes a good holiday?

    A warm welcome

    Friendly hosts

    New and intriguing places to visit

    A knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide

    Great food

    A comfortable bed

    This is actually from a comment in our Livre D’Or (Visitors Book) – and it’s great to know we’re getting so many things right!

    The advantage of taking a small group Tour is that it’s likely to be run by a small company, perhaps a couple, who care about you and your holiday experience and who know their ‘patch’ really well.  It’s certainly like that for us at Caves and Castles.  No coaches, no early morning starts to travel for miles and miles, no queuing for tickets and no complex planning before hand.

    We’ve been told that we should talk more of the gastronomic side of our Tours

    Caves & Castles Colourful salads with seasonal flowers and leaves of all sorts

    Colourful salads with seasonal flowers and leaves of all sorts

    and it’s certainly true that we take you to some unusual eating places you wouldn’t find for yourself!   Colourful salads and home-made terrines andpates, fish smoked in the restaurant’s own smokery, delicious desserts!

    One of our favourites is an Auberge hidden in the woods above Les Eyzies, it’s run by a delightful couple, Regis & Sabine, who are passionate about food and give excellent service. No fast food here!  The meal ‘flows’ through the evening – after a warm welcome, a delicious aperitif is served – perhaps a glass or two of an appetite whetting wine in which peach leaves have been steeped or spiced bitter oranges added.  Each table has a huge bottle of very quaffable red wine selected by the patron – they have others available, but we’ve never felt the need to try anything else.  You can even take your own wine, the corkage charge is a glass for Regis!

    Caves and Castles - Good food, good wine and good company - perfect.

    Good food, good wine and good company - perfect.

    The meal often starts with nettle soup and a basket of croutons and garlic cloves. You rub the crouton with the garlic before putting them in your bowl and they impart a delicate aroma and flavour to the soup. Terrines, pates, confit du canard, “ze cheeks of ze beef” which have been gently cooked for hours!  Salads with seasonal flowers and fresh crusty bread.  Then a huge cheese platter is produced – perhaps the finest you’ll taste, superbly selected and stored so they are in prime condition – and the red wine still flows.  Hopefully you’ll still have a little space left as a delicious walnut cake is served next accompanied by home made ‘confitures’ – not jam as is often the French translation of this word, but sugar syrups infused with all sorts of flavours – perhaps rose, sage, dandelion, pine, pumpkin or tarragon.

    Caves and Castles - Walnut cake and fragrant sugar syrups - delicious!

    Walnut cake and fragrant sugar syrups - delicious!

    To round off this feast, coffee, crystallised sage or mint and a liqueur (home made, of course) – beware the prune is powerfully strong!  But there’s subtler ones such as rose or peach too.

    It’s more than just a meal, it’s an experience much enjoyed by those joining us for a Caves Art and Castles Tour.  Imagine, stunning cave art by day followed by a gastronomic feast, like this!

    What makes a good holiday for you? We’d be interested to hear from you so do let us know.

    **********

    Caves & Castles - Steve & Judie Burman

    We live and work in the Vezere Valley, Dordogne, France which the French call the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ – you get really close to your ancestors here! Steve is a professional archaeologist and we offer Day Tours, residential and non-residential Guided Cave Art & Castles Archaeology Tours and self catering holidays. Come and spend a day or more with Steve – you’ll get to know so much more than the guide books tell you!

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    sjburman, July 3rd 2010 | Posted in Dordogne, European Travel, Food, France, Slow Travel Benefits, Slow Travel Tours, Steve and Judie Burman

    COOKING LESSONS: THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

    Posted by Heather Jarman – Sapori e Saperi Adventures

    Cutting the curd

    Cooking a meal is the arrival at the end of a journey — a fascinating journey of exploration. I pick up today’s clients, Joanne, her daughter and her two granddaughters, from their apartment in Lucca at 9.00 am, and we head north up the Serchio River valley. At Borgo we stop to walk over the four unequal arches of the Devil’s Bridge while I tell them the legend of how the Devil was tricked by the bridge builders. Fifteen minutes later we’re driving up a steep, winding road to a picturesque hill village. Marzia greets us at the top of the village and leads us to the dairy in which she makes cheese and ricotta from the milk of her own animals — cows, sheep and goats. She added the rennet to the warm milk about an hour ago so that we can watch the more exciting part of the transformation from liquid milk to solid cheese. We’re all offered tastes

    Have a taste

    at various stages so we not only see, but also smell and taste what’s happening. After the cheese is draining in the moulds, she makes ricotta from the whey, and again we’re offered samples. All the while she tells us what she’s doing and why, and I translate into English. I think she’s surprised at how much is mysterious about something she does twice a day and takes for granted. I tell Marzia we need to buy some ricotta and mature pecorino cheese for the cooking lesson the next day. She leads us outside and down a narrow passageway to her shop. No signs give any clue to the shop’s whereabouts. If you live in the village, you know. If you don’t, you don’t need to know. It wasn’t until I had friends in the village that I found out about her. On our way back to the car, we see the goats out on the hillside and pick stinging nettles along the verge, also for the cooking lesson the next day. I’ve brought gloves for everyone, and since they’re from nettle-free Australia, I teach them how to tell the difference between true nettles and dead nettles, mimics growing in the same weedy patches.

    Squeezing out the whey

    At the cooking lesson we’re going to make ravioli, which in Lucca are pasta pockets filled with ricotta and spinach, or wild nettles in the spring when their leaves are young and tender. Alessandra, the cooking teacher, tastes the ricotta. Her eyes light up with pleasure and she screws her forefinger into her cheek, the ultimate Italian compliment to tasty food. She’s been searching in her local cooperative market for its equal, but Marzia’s still wins. Joanne and her family are feeling smug because they know why. They’ve seen the animals that give the milk, they’ve watched the care Marzia invests and knows she isn’t going to take any shortcuts that might jeopardize the quality or healthiness of her product. They know their ravioli are going to be the best.

    By now they understand that a cooking lesson is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s only

    Skimming off the ricotta

    by searching out and visiting artisan producers that you can be sure of having the highest quality ingredients that require the simplest cooking methods. If you love Italian cuisine and want to reproduce it at home, this is a much more important lesson than the one with the cooking teacher. And you need a guide, because the artisans are hidden in nooks and crannies in the landscape, which are invisible even to canny travellers. They’re the real inhabitants of rural Italy, and their food isn’t just a collection of recipes; it’s the path into the culture of a strange and wonderful world.

    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *   *    *    *    *

    Heather picking olives

    Heather Jarman helps you discover the hidden culinary treasures of Lucca in northwest Tuscany. You can join me for a day, a week or as long as you like. But please treat yourself to more than a mere cooking lesson! Find out more at Sapori e Saperi Adventures and follow Heather’s own adventures on her blog.

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    hjarman, June 27th 2010 | Tags: , ,
    Posted in Heather Jarman, Italy, Lucca, Tuscany
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