When you go..........................

I immediately fell in love with this ancient country. It was so different from any place I'd been before. Mountains that marched directly down to the sea, stone houses and castles hanging precariously to the edges of cliffs. Food that was as comforting as a mothers embrace. I was smitten.
I'd often dreamed of living in a land of castles, and there I was. My tip to anyone traveling to Italy, open your eyes! I know that seems too easy, but one can get lost behind the camera or stuck worrying over the itinerary. Relax, breathe deep, don't think about time constraints, if you do, you will never experience the sites, smells and sounds of a truly magnificent land. Something else to keep in mind, your volume! Try to keep your level down so as to hear the music and cadence of the place. Traveling in Italy is a wonderous experience and if you open yourself up and truly immerse yourself, you will enjoy it that much more.
From the Etruscans to the Romans to the descendants of serfs as well as the purveyors of the renaissance, Italy has a history and a beauty that runs deeper than the Arno. They are a people well versed in the art of love as well as the love of art, the love of life and all that it brings. To be able to slow down and see things through their eyes is truly a learning experience. One should enter in to their world not step all over it.
My first few months were an interesting experience. I didn't understand why the banks closed for a couple hours in the middle of the day, right when I needed money! I didn't get that approach to life, a set pace and a continuous pace, worked better for the stress and anxiety levels that are present in our American daily lives and pretty much non existent in Italy. Of course one can argue both sides of the issue (don't let people catch you doing that though, they'll think you're crazy!) there are benefits to working a strait eight and going home, but it doesn't end there. Italians seem able to separate life and work and they work to live not the other way around which seems very American; living to work.
When you go, for I strongly recommend that everyone visit Italia, just keep in mind that you are a visitor. That you are visiting someones home and treat it the way you would want your home treated, with care and respect. If you do that and keep your ears and eyes open, you will truly have a wonderful experience and make many new friends for life!

The early days

I landed in Italy in 1992 at the young age of 27. I had no idea what to expect nor what I would find. I tried speaking French my first go round, when I was lost in the Milano train station, the only foreign language I knew at the time, other than a little bit of pig latin. Needless to say I managed to get to my final destination of Firenze with only major confusion, a pissed off cabby, I couldn't pay in Lira only dollars, and a surprised friends mother. It would seem that she wasn't told I would be entertaining them with my presence! My friend/guitarist wasn't there when I arrived. He neglected to inform me that he would be out playing with his other band! Oh, well.
Once settling my stuff, two steamer trunks, two bass guitars, 5 foot stack amplifier in 3 componants, duffle bag and two suitcases (I packed light), I fell down in the indicated bed, for it had been a 24 hour journey which included planes,trains and automobiles.
I was rudely awakened at the crack of 11 am by my friend who dragged me down town, introduced me to Jamie Lazarra, and convinced me it was time to start consuming aperitivi, well beer any way. Thus I was shown Firenze for the first time, we went from bar to bar to bar in the old city, my friend yelling about and pointing at all the monuments and old stuff!It was rather entertaining.
We returned to via dei Leoni to a small wine shop that was really just a counter top in a wall with a guy named Nico on the otherside. He was a Greek and fairly nuts, but what the hell we all were.
I met my future wife there that day at the wine shop. She showed up on her motorino in a yellow raincoat, her long black hair flowing out behind her. I knew I had to get to know her.
Leave it to say that it was a full and crazy first day which has led to a very full and interesting life. I will surf and recollect as we go.

This is how La Vigna looked when we first purchased, not much more than a nicely shaped pile of rocks!

As one can see, there really wasn't much there. If the house had been in a valley it wouldn't have been worth much. The fact that it is up on a mountain looking south over Chianti is priceless. I just wish the damn Euro would crash already so we wouldn't lose our shirts every time we send a penny!and we could hurry up and finish!

Explanation

At the bottom of the page you will see the house as it stands now. What house? You are probably wondering. Why the house we own in Tuscany of course! My wife and I bought this old farm house back in 2001, just after 9/11 I think it may have been November. We spent the next six years waiting for Enel to bring electricity to the bottom of our drive, half a mile from the house, as well as building the access road for all the trucks and cranes and such to come. Once the electricity was at the bottom of the drive, we had it placed under ground all the way to the house so as not to have to look at ugly wires and poles marching up the lane, great idea, much harder to achieve. The past three years have been spent rebuilding the house and the little barn next to it.
When we bought the property it was just a pile of rocks really, no foundations nothing of value to save other than a few chestnut beams and terracotta roof tiles. We did manage to save some of the old floor tiles, but not many. We have finally managed to work the property into four apartments which we ultimately plan to have available for rent. The location is priceless. We are near the top of a mountain in the Chianti valley on the way to Greve. The property holds sway over two castles, multiple vinyards and olive groves. The frustrating thing is trying to accomplish this renovation from afar as well as on a shoestring budget! I don't know how much longer it will take us, but as you can see it is coming out beautifully.
More later

Renovating from America is one heck of a long comute!

Covered and taking shape!

Roofless and vulnerable

Amazing what can happen when one is not around!

Three lost souls, and a couple of tourists!

The famous rooftops of Firenze

Can you guess?