From Australia to Italy

An interview with me on ItalyMONDO!

2009-11-30T03:16:00.003+01:00

Before leaving Sorrento, I was lucky enough to re-meet Laura from the blog Ciao Amalfi and an interesting guy called Peter Farina. Peter is an American who spends half his life in Italy and half in America. He runs a company called ItalyMONDO which can help you uncover your family’s unique story, discover relatives still living in Italy, complete the circle with Dual Italian Citizenship, or take the vacation of a lifetime – returning home with vivid memories of an unforgettable journey into your past.

ItalyMONDO has a blog section too, and I was lucky enough to be interviewed for their first Saturday Spotlight! Go over and check it out and see what else Peter has to say! It was such a pleasure to have a leisurely lunch with them, and I am sure bel ragazzo and I will cross their paths when our Australian holiday is over and we return to the bel paese.

Christ stopped at Eboli...but we didn't!

2009-11-16T11:13:00.014+01:00

Have you read "Christ stopped at Eboli" by Carlo Levi? If you haven't I would highly recommend it. This book is an amazing biography of Levi - a northern Italian doctor, painter and writer who was forced to live in political exile in a small town in Lucania, which is now called Basilicata. He was sent there for his openly anti-fascist views and his biography tells of his experience living within this malaria ridden district and how in such a poor, desolate town he met some of the most amazingly strong and kind people.

Levi writes in his novel that it seems that Christ really did stop at Eboli (which is a town in the province of Salerno) because it was such a different Italy from the Italy he came from. Back in the day wealthy Italians did not travel much further south then Rome and most certainly very few would have had reason to enter the region of Basilicata. It was the land that time forgot. With limited access to health care, education - even clean running water, Levi was shocked and humbled by his experience here.

One town which is mentioned in his novel is the now rather famous Matera. Matera's fame on the tourist map has been steadily building since Mel Gibson's film, "The Passions of the Christ" which I have yet to see. This town is one of the most unique places you will ever see and rightly so it is now a UNESCO site.

When Levi visited Matera, the poorest of the towns people used to live in the sassi which are cave dwellings dating back to the prehistoric settlement. The sassi houses are literally dug into the rock and are not houses as such, but large (and not so large) caves which used to see both humans and animals living together in more often then not windowless holes. You can imagine the conditions which Levi would have seen! The town which is basically built entirely of rock was a cess pit of disease and in the 1950s (when the sassi were full of about 16,000 poverty stricken inhabitants) the Italian government had to forcefully relocate most of the population to areas of the developing modern city.

Bel ragazzo and I went to Matera in October and it was an overwhelming site. I had always wanted to visit Matera and was so excited that we finally had a chance to go. We went for work. (Well bel ragazzo did and I just tagged along.) We had to inspect a new 5 star de luxe "hotel" which is made up of some of the oldest sassi.

If you have never been to Matera then I would say you definately have to put it on your list of places to go. Look at more of our pictures below and see for yourself!

If you don't want to see a photo of bel ragazzo giving me a bacio then close your eyes now!!

Australia vs Italy: Driving

2009-11-13T02:45:00.009+01:00

Apparently this is the hottest, continuous weather for the month of November - which is still spring time here in Melbourne, Australia. We have had a taste of summer, with temperatures already in the low - mid 30s. It was 35 degrees two days ago, today is a cooler 29 degrees and it's back up to 35 degrees tomorrow, so we are off to the the beach! My grandparents have a holiday house by the sea where we always go, so we are packing up baby and all and having a break for two nights!

I must say that it is very nice to be back in such an orderly country - especially after being based in Sorrento which (since it is the province of Naples) is one of the most hectic and crazy parts of Italy. So ladies and gents, that brings us to the next episode of Australia vs Italy! - Driving!

I have already been driving back here in Melbourne and must say that it is such an easy, calming, pleasure. The roads are so wide, so straight and so empty! I keep getting distracted by all the people waving to say "thanks" when they drive.

I must amidst to being a waver. I like to show gratitude and for others to show me such respect when I let them push in front of me with their cars. When I first drove in Sorrento (with bel ragazzo in the car as my driving /make sure she does not kill someone instructor) he used to look at me and get impatient as I used to waste (precious) time waving.

Let me give you an example, as you may be thinking bel ragazzo sounds a bit nasty...but no - I soon learnt there is not point in waving thanks OR expecting thanks in the province of Naples. One day we were driving along the normally busy streets of Sorrento. The road has one lane going in each direction, and no parking signs line the busy street, but of course the traffic warden turns a blind eye as his mother double parks her old cinque cento on the curb out front of the supermarket. His brother-in-law has just bought a new car, so as he dashes to the bar for a (not so quick) coffee he badly parks the new car on the busy street. A young boy pulls up on a dangerous corner and the traffic warden is about to send him away when he realises that the boy is his wifes brothers cousins uncles godson - so of course he can park in that highly illegal and dangerous place! Oh - that woman is pretty with her short skirt - what's that? Just off to the post office for a minute. Sure, she can park there too. And the man who will only be a minute in the bank, and the child who looks to young to be driving a car anyway...and the.....

So you can imagine the scene as I am trying to navigate the car down the packed, busy street, avoiding hitting a scooter as they come whizzing from behind on my left and right. You need to look everywhere when you drive in Italy - especially in this part of Italy. So anyways...I was talking about waving. Yes, waving. In those early days I was nice Leanne. I remember a man stopped his car so I could turn, so being the nice Leanne that I am I waved. I however at this stage did not have the ability to wave and drive at the same time (I am not stupid but in Australia we drive on the other side of the road.) So here I am waving, and smiling thinking how nice this man is when bel ragazzo hisses - Vai, Vai!!! Go, Go!!! - are you crazy! He's letting you go so why are you stopping! Just turn. People were starting to honk behind me and all flustered I turn the corner.

At the bottom of the street I decide to return the favour as an old, hunched, can barely see over the steering wheel woman is trying in vain to turn onto the busy street. I signal for her to go, and give her a big smile. I am nice don't forget. Or I should say was nice. The old thing takes her time turning in front of me without as much as a nod of the head! I was angered...furious....stupid, old, ungrateful thing!

From that day on I changed. Nice, good, kind Leanne was left behind. My bel ragazzo driving instructor was shocked at my sudden change. You have become Italian he commented. Good. It is the only way to drive (or did he mean survive) here. From that point on we had a rule - no one and we meant NO ONE was going to get in front of us. No more letting people cut in front. Even if they drive straight at you...do not let them in. Pedestrian crossing...they are nothing but stripes on the road. No time to let the people cross either. Porca %$&*&^ Pezzo di &^%$# C%**& B&^%$#@& get out of my way!!!!!

So, now I am in Melbourne and the other day was happily waving to everyone who let me pass, and who was thanking me for letting them in. At one stage I was in a narrow street and there was an on coming car. We stopped for a good 10 seconds, busy waving back and forth as we were both too polite to go through first. Ahhh....that's what I call driving.

Joing the world of bloggers

2007-08-19T13:52:00.001+02:00

Ok...Here is it, my first proper post and I don't really know what to write, or if anyone is actually going to read what I am writing. Or like what I am writing more so. But whatever. I love to write, which is why I started this blog, and if you are reading this 'ciao' and sorry for the primitive looking site. Thanks to sognatrice aka my first blog friend I have worked out how to put some pictures on the blog so hopefully that will distract you while I getting the hang of things.

Perhaps you are wondering how an Australian girl came to make the move to Italy? Well it was very easy really. But let me back track a bit....

My family is 100 % Italian: my dad was born in a tiny little town in the Provence of Cosenza in Calabria and migrated with his family after the 2nd world war. Life was bleak in the village, with little money, work or prospects. My maternal grandparents were both born in a beautiful village in Puglia and they migrated like most people in want of a better life, my nonno before the WW2 fully commenced, and my gran was sailing the high seas when Italy decided to side with the Germans, thus making her new home of Australia to be an enemy country... that in itself is a story for another day.

But back to me and how I came to be here! I was 23 years old when my twin sister Melanie and her then boyfriend, now husband Dean decided to go backpacking around Europe for 3 months before starting a stint in London. I decided to go with them as I had nothing better to do really. I had been dreaming of a radio career after working for the largest community radio station in Melbourne, but that fell through after much protesting and petitions we lost our dream of a full time radio licence. So with massive backpacks strapped to our backs we set off...and the rest is history as they say.

No, not really history. It was not as simple as that. I knew I wanted to live in Italy but got a little side tracked after 2 and a half years living and working in London. Then I went back to Australia to give life there a go...but I only lasted 8 months. Italy was constantly in my mind and it was all I could think or dream of. I was a little obsessed to tell you the truth. I left Australia once again, and returned to London with the goal in mind of getting a job in Italy via an English company. I may have Italian blood but that does not mean I could speak the language!

So the gods were on my side, and it was really quite easy from there. I got a job working for one of the UK's largest tour operators. They sent me to Italy, with Rome being my first place to live. I feel in love with the country, and then further down the track I feel in love with an Italian man too...but more about that some other time. This is about me for the moment! This was all in 2006. Now I am in Taormina, Sicily which is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Look at the pictures and see for yourself.

So there you have it. My opening blog. I hope I did ok, and maybe you will be back to read some more about my life in Italy - that is when I have figured out how to do links and lists etc...

Ci sentiamo presto xx

Here are some pictures from Taormina...hope you think it is as beautiful as I do.

Snow covered Malito

2009-02-17T00:00:00.005+01:00

Came across these pictures on facebook.

One of the churches in Malito on a nice, sunny day:

And what it looks like at the moment covered in snow:

Doesn't it look beautiful? Growing up in Australia I am still very excited when I see snow...and I have not yet seen snow like above in Malito. We saw a little bit up in the mountains above Malito in December, but I've never seen snow in the town itself.

And it looks like I will not be seeing the snow for some time. When I leave Australia I am heading over to the Canary Islands to visit my bel ragazzo who is still working in Fuerteventura. Not sure how I am going to be able to start work again after having so much time off!

Trulli in Puglia

2009-09-08T15:25:00.010+02:00

A few months ago bel ragazzo and I went to Puglia - he for work and me as a lady of leisure! We stayed in the not so special town in a not so special hotel (it was free so we could not complain) but we did get to drive around and see some of the beautiful, amazing, Puglian landscape...in particular a town I have always wanted to see - Alberobello - the home of the Trulli.

What are the trulli? I hear you ask.

These are the trulli:

There are many theories on why they were built like this, one of the most popular theories is that the locals - as sly and thrifty as ever - used to build these houses with drystone, so they could be taken down quite quickly and easily if the property tax collector was in the area. Once the tax collector had been and gone (since by this stage the trulli had been dismantled) the locals waited until the tax collector was long gone, before putting together there houses again!

These days Alberobello is the 'trulli capital of the world' and most of the trulli have been converted into shops, restaurants and b&bs. Shop owners call out to you as you walk down the streets, trying to entice you into their shops 'prego - ' they call out as you walk by. It is 'free' to go into most of the trulli but we knew once inside the shop owners would try and pressure us to buy some tacky plastic trulli house...and we had no patience or time for that!

If you want to go inside a trulli then do - you don't have to buy anything...or do like we did: tell them thanks, but you had already been inside one and then just go inside once where you actually do want to buy something. I bought 2 postcards and inside the little shop was just as I had expected. The stone makes the trulli so nice and cool which is a real treat when you happen to find yourself in Alberobello on a very, very hot Puglian summer day.

As you drive out of Alberobello the landscape is dotted here and there with trulli houses, acre upon acre of olive trees which mixed together make a spectacular view. Bel ragazzo and I did not spend as long as we wanted in the area - since it was about 35 degrees and it is sweltering in that area...so we happily left vowing to return one day, and sleep in a little trulli house for a night or two so we can really explore the area.

Otranto - Puglia

2009-11-05T10:46:00.014+01:00

I am happy to say that I can share some more photos with you. The laptop is still dead, so has been left behind in Italy - but Nikita the camera is with me (in Australia) and it just so happens I had not yet downloaded some photos from her onto my laptop!

So I still cannot show you two of the most beautiful Umbrian villages that bel ragazzo and I went to...but I can show you some photos of a small seaside town called Otranto in Puglia.

Otranto is situated on the east coast of the peninsula. The town itself is not the main draw card of the area. Close by you have the stunning city of Lecce (known as the Florence of the south) and the reason we found ourselves here was for work. Bel ragazzo had to visit a hotel for work, well not a real hotel but a masseria. A masseria is an old farm house most commonly found in Puglia. The region is dotted with these beautifully restored farm houses (which translates as being very expensive) and most of them these days are hotels.

In recent years this area of Puglia has become popular with German and American bike riding tours (or so we were told whilst staying at the Masseria. We were the only "real" guests as the rest were part of this bike tour.) The ground is flat - perfect for walking and bike riding, the roads are near deserted, as far as the eye can see are olive groves and at the end of one such road is the crystal clear ocean. These unique houses, mixed with mother nature and few tourists is what draws certain people to this area. If you are wanting a package holiday, English breakfast and an Irish pub then this area is not for you, but if you like to explore relatively untouristy areas - then Puglia should definitely be on your list. (See here for another beautiful town in Puglia - Alberobello.)

G'day...

2009-11-03T03:29:00.004+01:00

Finally, after a long, long time I can happily say I am safe and sound in Melbourne, Australia! I left Sorrento on Friday at 3pm. My flight to Gatwick was not leaving until 8.30pm but I had to take a bus load of guests from our sister company back to the airport. I don't know why we had to leave to early...but we got to the airport in record time and I had to start playing the waiting game.

Finally the flight was called and before I knew it we had touched down in London Gatwick. Once my luggage had come out, I walked outside and waited for the National Express bus to take me to Heathrow airport. I thankfully did not have to wait long, and at about midnight I was at the other airport.

I could not go directly to my terminal as the connecting train was closed, so I headed off to terminal 3 where there were about 30 or so people waiting for the morning flights to start. There was no way I was going to pay for a hotel for 6 hours, so I just sat down with the other travellers (and a few homeless people I am sure) and when the coffee shops opened at 4am I was up and out of there!

At 5am the connecting train started to take me over to Terminal 4...and there was my airline (I flew with a rather new airline called Ethiad) setting up for the day. My flight was not leaving until 9.20am but perhaps they felt pity for me (as I am sure I looked a site after not having slept!) and they let me be the first person to check in at 5.30am.

The time passed quickly enough (I do love the duty free at Heathrow!) The flight was full - not a seat to be spared full - but I had expected as much since we paid next to nothing for the tickets. I flew 8 odd hours to Abu Dhabi then had a two hour stop over, before getting onto a slightly larger, but just as full plane for the last 14/15 hours.

So on Sunday night (Australian time which is 10 hours ahead of Italian time) I landed at the Melbourne Airport, and this little guy was waiting for me:

He is just the cutest baby ever!!!!

Bel ragazzo is still in Italy and will not be joining us for another 4 weeks but I cannot wait for him to arrive so we can start our summer holidays together!

Zia Leanne

2009-10-21T13:25:00.002+02:00

I am now officially an auntie for the second time! My twin sister has given birth to a little boy this evening Australian time...and in only 11 days he is going to meet me at the Melbourne airport as my 10 week holiday begins.

Time is ticking quite fast and things are coming to a close here in Sorrento. The season has had it's ups and downs, but more ups which sees me saying a rather fond farewell to Sorrento. Not so fond that I would come back to live or work here - let's not get excited - but fond in the respect that I look forward to coming back as a tourist one day.

Next Friday I leave and start what will be a very long jounrey to Australia. I am itching to tell you all where the bel ragazzo and I will be next year...but am going to hold out a little bit longer. I know...I know...I'm nasty!

HA - ok...some clues: We will be in the northern hemisphere so although we are going back to Australia it is only for a double summer holiday. We will be back.

I will not have to learn a new language where I am going...so does that mean we are staying in Italy or going to the UK? Hmmm...it's really got to be one of those as I do not speak any Greek or Spanish except for random phrases (such as - you smell like a goat - which I can say in Greek - and please don't ask why I can say that oh so useful phrase!)

I will be with the bel ragazzo - so no surprises there...and we are going to..... to be continued.

I may not be blogging a lot in the next few months as 1) the lap top is back with us and still very dead so no luck with the stupid technician who charged us for doing nothing...2) I am off on holidays...3) Did I mention I am going to have a double summer!

Wine festival!

2009-10-16T13:36:00.010+02:00

Oh my gosh! My friend just logged me onto her work computer and it let's me down load photos and go on facebook!

I of course have none of my photo's from the wonderful places bel ragazzo and I have been since my lap top is currently with the doctor and I am waiting to hear if it will live or die...So for the moment here are some random shots that I have stolen from friends off facebook - so I cannot take credit what so ever!

Our season in Sorrento is quickly coming to a close so it has pretty much been party, after party after party. To say I feel like a little fat pig is an understatement but at least we are leaving in style!

This was the 1st official end of season party which was on Tuesday night at a local nightclub in Sorrento.

it was a free open bar...

A picture of us with friends for a night out in Sorrento:

And now onto something fun that we did a few weeks ago - something I did for the first time. You always hear talk of these food festivals known as a sagra which go on in towns big and small throughout Italy. You have these festival for everything: around Sorrento recently there has been the eggplant festival and a local spices festival and at the start of October there was the Uva in Sagra which is the Grape Festival in a small town up in the hills above Sorrento.

You probably think that after living in Italy since 2006 and having an Italy boyfriend would mean that I am the Sagra queen...but no my friends - tis not the case. I - for all my worldly ways - have never once been to a Sagra in Italy. It is not bel ragazzo's fault as I have just never been in the right place at the right time. So to say I was excited about attending a wine festival for my first event is putting it lightly!

I had always read about small, local sagras in books and they always describe how the locals have little stalls where you can try and buy local produce. There is always apparently food stalls which means you have to buy a ticket and then go and swap it for a plate of food.

It was really just like that! Don't get me wrong - it was not some massive event, but it was so exciting! Bel ragazzo and I got there relatively early as we had been warned that parking would be virtually impossible. We were in luck however, and starving when we arrived so bypassed all the little stores, and marched straight to the food stalls at the end. We bought a ticket for 3,50€ which we swapped over for a panino which was the biggest roll I had ever seen in my life. (I was annoying bel ragazzo too as I could not stop gushing that this was just like the books!) There were all of these locals cooking in the make shift out door kitchen. They all looked so happy as they laughed and handed over the food reminding us not to forget to pick up a plastic cup of local wine and to help ourselves to water!

We found an empty space on the wall to sit since most of it was already full of locals and tourists alike digging into their 'dinner.'

After that we went all the way back to the beginning of the town (which is small so it was only a short stroll really) and decided to pay 6€ for a 'sagra pack' with all donations going to the church. See that thing around bel ragazzo's neck?

Well we got one of them each. Inside there was a glass (a real glass wine glass too...not just a plastic one and it was ours to keep!) We could then go to the stores and sample as much wine and local produce as we liked...and let me just say that we got more, much, much more then our 6€ worth!

At 10pm the local band started to play folk tunes, whilst we ate free wood fried pizza and drank glass, after glass of (me) sparkling wine (bel ragazzo) red and white. There were locals dressed up in old farming clothes and they were standing with the children stomping on grapes - showing you just how wine was made years ago. There were stores with local cheese and after that night I am now addicted to cheese and honey (yum!) There were old wooden wines barrels on display, grape pergola's covering the town and a vibrant, energetic atmosphere.

So now I am addicted not just to cheese with honey, but to local Sagra's too!!!

Still not photos from Italy

2009-10-10T15:47:00.002+02:00

It has been so long since I last wrote and poor little lap top is still dead...but hopefully it will come back to life still. Well it has to come back to life really or else I will be devastated as I have got to show you pictures that I took in two beautiful Umbrian hilltop towns, the seaside town we visited in Puglia and of course the absolutely unique and beautiful Matera...

Time is ticking too as at the end of this month (well the 30th October to be precise) I am out of here!!! YAY! Good-bye Sorrento!!! I have enjoyed my season here much more then expected but am looking forward to my 10 week holiday in Australia. YAY - a hot Christmas and New Years!

So that brings me onto my next destination...have I told you yet where bel ragazzo and I will going? Well it's not Rome as I think from past blogs you know I am sort of over living there. It is not Portugal as working there for 3 months was enough for me. Although I would love to return to Taormina there is just not so much work there for us. So then where do you think we are going?

Well...I don't think I'll tell you all just yet. Let's save that for a surprise!

Out and about

2009-09-20T16:24:00.003+02:00

I was getting so good with my blogs and photos of all the fantastic places bel ragazzo and I have been...gosh I still have to tell you about the two beautiful little towns we visited in Umbria, about our weekend away here in Sorrento (yes, we do live here, but we went on a holiday here too over the last weekend.) We have been to Rome and back since I last wrote, and tomorrow we are off to Puglia, then on Tuesday we are going to Matera, then next week back to Basilicata...and maybe this week if we can fit it in we can go to Ischia. Oh - and this morning I did go on a private boat with bel ragazzo and a friend which also was amazing...

So as you can see I have so much to fill you in on...but my naughty little lap top that is bursting with great photos has gone and died on me hasn't it? So now I am back to using the office computer which means no photos...until I can find someone to bring my old laptop back to life.

Overnight in Umbria

2009-09-10T17:43:00.015+02:00

Bel ragazzo (bless him) tries to arrange all his hotel visits around my days off, so I can go to. On Sunday last week we left Sorrento behind and headed up north, past Rome to the rolling hills of Umbria. We had both visited Umbria before - never together mind you, this is going back to the days when we had not yet even met - and funnily enough the only places we had visited in Umbria were Perugia and Assisi.

On Sunday we drove up to a beautiful, gorgeous, I want it to be my house, villa come hotel. And we got to sleep there the night. For free!

The villa was in a small area about 20 minutes drive away from Perugia, called Colle San Paolo. We were put into a room which was practically bigger then our apartment here in Sorrento and a thousand times more lovely. I do not want to bore you all with the joys of this hotel room, but it is exactly how I want our house to be one day! I am smiling now just thinking about it (sad, yes I know but look at the view from the bedroom window.)

For dinner we decided to drive into Perugia and visit a friend. I was so happy to return to Perugia. I first stayed there about 4 or 5 years ago when I was on a 6 week holiday in Italy. I was alone, and remember staying in a very simple pensione, having lunch in a restaurant but not been able to work up the courage to eat dinner alone, and that I wished I could have been there with someone as I wanted to go out for a drink and did not fancy the thought of going to a bar alone. So you can imagine how happy I was to return to Perugia, not only with my bel ragazzo but also visiting a friend who lives there!

Perugia has always been a well known town, especially with foreigners as it is home to a university which is often the first point of call for those wanting to master the Italian language. It is easy enough to get to and if you have not already been then I would make sure you add it to your list!

Stupid tourist comment(s) of the day...

2009-09-05T20:58:00.010+02:00

Yesterday something must have been in the air as I had SO many stupid, complaining customers.

1) Customers in Ravello for their wedding called me to complain they were not happy with their hotel. They had booked a sea view balcony twin room and one of their issues was they did not get the view that they paid for.
"Do you have a front view of the sea?"
"Yes but if we look down we can see a roof."

2) Customers had just got married in Sorrento, and now had moved to Positano for their honeymoon. They had booked and paid for a standard twin room which means it is the lowest of the range. They were not happy as the room was small, and they had not been able to sleep all night. Not because they had been 'enjoying the honeymoon' if you know what I mean...it was because the room was so small that there was hardly enough room to fit the cot. Oh. Did I forget to mention they had bought the baby along with them on honeymoon. Perhaps they should have thought about leaving the baby with the grandparents who had stayed behind in Sorrento. Or perhaps they should just pay for a bigger room. Or perhaps they should just not have bothered getting married in Italy at all!!!

3) An elderly customer checked into a 4 star hotel in Sorrento. He has been coming to Sorrento for the past 15 years and always stays at the same hotel. He rang me angry as he had asked for a specific room and did not get it. The rather rude, elderly man said that he could not be on the 1st floor which was where the hotel had allocated him since he has asthma - and the 1st floor is too humid. He said he specifically asked for the 5th floor at the time of booking.

I checked with the office then called him back.
"I am sorry, but we have no records of your being asthmatic on the system."
"Well why should I share my medical conditions with you?"

AHHHH.....If you want a stupid room on the stupid 5th floor because of your stupid asthma then...I don't know - maybe, just maybe it would help if you TOLD US THIS BEFOREHAND you stupid old fool.

4) This one has got to be the icing on the cake.

I had a young woman call me from a 5 star luxury hotel on the island of Capri, the terribly expensive, and terribly posh Island of Capri that is. She was not happy with the hotel and wanted to know if she could change. I was a little shocked as this is one of the best hotels on the island.

"So what exactly is it about the hotel you don't like?"
"Well, you see we just got married at the X hotel in Sorrento which was much better then this hotel."
The X hotel is a nice, but nothing special 4 star hotel in Sorrento. "Oh, ok then. What exactly though do you not like with this hotel?"
"Well, to tell you the truth as soon as I walked into hotel X I thought 'WOW!' As soon as I walked into this hotel there was no 'wow.' This hotel has no wow-factor..."

NO WOW FACTOR...what the...and I kid you not - those where her words...she did not like the 5 star luxury hotel in Capri since it had no wow-factor.

Amalfi

2009-08-31T14:13:00.012+02:00

Bel ragazzo and I had a friend down from Rome this weekend. We jumped in the car Sunday mid-morning (none of us are really morning people) and set off for a drive along the Amalfi Coast. We were a little worried that - being a Sunday - the coastal road may have been grid-locked with traffic, but it was such a pleasant surprise to find near empty roads! Most of the Italian families must have already been heading home as their month long holidays came to an end.

We were so hot as we wandered around Amalfi for a while before going for a long awaited swim! It has been so hot - and not just lately but for the entire month. We keep having false promises of rain, but I still have not seen more then one drop in two months.

Bel ragazzo and I acted as tour guides, basically reciting what the tour guide had told us a month or so ago when we went on an excursion to the Amalfi Coast for work. The guide said that to get married in the main church there is a nine year waiting list, and most girls will put their names down - even if they are single - and pray that by the time 9 years has passed they have found a partner and are ready to use their church booking!

If the girls do end up getting married then apparently the first thing they do after the ceremony if walk down to the fountain in the main piazza below the church and rub the statues breasts as this is meant to make them nice and fertile! I must say that I did rub the statues breasts...but we did not enquire about putting our names on a 9 years waiting list to get married in the church!

Amalfi is a beautiful, little town. I first visited when I was on a holiday in Positano many years ago and was surprised at how small the town centre actually is. I am so glad that the Italians have finished their holidays as now bel ragazzo and I will be making many more trips down the Amalfi Coast!

My life in Sorrento

2009-08-26T15:28:00.008+02:00

People always ask me: what do I do everyday? And what’s it like to really live in Italy? Both very good questions.

To answer these it really depends on: where I am living, what day it is, what month it is and most importantly what the temperature is like.

I currently live in Sorrento, Italy (for only another 10 weeks then I am out of here!) which is a strange place to live. Sorrento is not quite a city, but not quite a small town. It is a beach resort with no easy access to the beach...it's like I said - strange. Not necessarily in a bad sense, but in the sense that I would come back for a holiday, and I would recommend Sorrento to others for a holiday, but I myself would not choose to live here.

Where would I choose to live? I hear you ask. Well you'll just have to wait for that post to arrive!

I work for a large British tour company and my job role has changed slightly over the years since I have moved from Rome, to Sicily, back to Rome again before arriving here. I look after hotels here in Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Cilento and Ischia. This year especially my job is predominately phone based so I am on call 24/7 for my customers and hotels to call me with all their questions and queries. I recommend places to eat, sell excursions, handle complaints and basically everything to do with the customers. Each week the resort office (which is here in Sorrento) print me my new bookings which can range from 20-100 bookings per week. At the moment I have about 80 bookings here in Sorrento alone, so that is about 190 guests.

A large part of my job is liaising with the hotels to check the bookings, fax customers departure information and to help them out with guests’ queries and complaints.

Once every 2 weeks I go to the Naples airport, not really to meet and greet my guests as we don't have enough staff for that - but just to make sure my drivers are all there and that there are no problems.

Life here in Sorrento is quite normal really. It is not as romantic and quaint as some may think. Sorrento is a very touristy and a very busy resort so it can get on your nerves (well my nerves anyway.)For a smallish town Sorrento is full and I mean FULL of traffic. Driving here takes years of your life, as does walking here, plus there is no where to park. I nearly get run down by crazy moped drivers everyday!

Days off wise, what I do depends on who I am with. If bel ragazzo and I are off together then we either do lots of fun stuff...or nothing at all. Sorrento is so close to so many beautiful places, but the traffic and the actual getting from A to B is sooooo annoying that we have become hermits in the summer months. If you want to go to the beach, you cannot find anywhere to park. If you do find somewhere to park then you have to pay a fortune to leave your car under the watchful eye of some random, overly tanned and normally pot bellied man...a man who you are not sure actually works there. I have never figured out the random car parks around the area. I always assume that you sort of have to pay the man on the side of the road to 'watch' your car; as if you don't you'll probably not have a car to come back to!

If you do pay the random man, and do leave the car about an hours walk from the actual beach, then you have to fight your way to find a space on to the tiny centimetre of public beach...unless you want to pay an arm and leg on hiring a sun lounge. If you do not want to part with all of your money, then you just have to listen to the Napolitano families yell and scream by your sides.

If the beach is not your thing, and you want some cool, mountain air then you need to get into the car and leave Sorrento via the one road which is always grid locked with traffic. In most cases I can assure you, you will end up doing a dangerous u-turn and backtracking, since you get sick of sitting in the traffic knowing that you are no where near your 'cool, refreshing, mountain' retreat.

You often read books about people living in Italy and it paints this magical picture of peace and tranquillity. **Note to self: I must get organised and write my book list of good and bad 'moving to Italy' books that I had read as I have many to go in both of those sections.***

In many of these 'Italy' books, foreigners who have moved to some sort of town or city start to visit the local bar for their morning cappuccino...and by the end of the book they are best friends with all of the staff and get invited to their house for dinner - they have after all become part of this close knit family. Well...bel ragazzo and I do have our 'locals' but that is mainly because we get discounts there as it is expensive to drink and eat here. Most of the staff are only really nice to us since they know that we work with all of the tourists.

In these books, the foreigners who come to live in Italy are on first name basis after a mere 24 hours with all of the locals and batting off compliment left, right and centre. Ok, so I do get a daily 'ciao' from the sexy man who owns the scooter shop, but that is because he fancies my friend. Bel ragazzo does get asked the time by this old, orange haired woman everyday, but then we think she is crazy and asks everyone this.

So it seems I am not ticking off that many boxes. Oh, well I am batting off compliments left, right and centre, but when they come in the form of an ancient, missing toothed, unattractive driver, screeching "bona" at you whilst sweat is pouring down your back at the airport...I don't really take that as a compliment.

(Bona is more of a slang word meaning sexy but in a more vulgar way.)

So ladies and gents...that is what my life is like living and working in Sorrento.

Positano...

2009-08-23T19:33:00.010+02:00

Say the name Positano, and you'd be hard pressed to find a person who does not know what or where you are talking about. Many say that Positano is the most beautiful and the most famous town along the Amalfi Coast...I'll leave that for you to fight out amongst yourselves, but one thing is for sure - this 'town of romance' 'town of artists' this 'vertical town' is amazing.

Bel ragazzo and I went on a tour with work a month or so ago to visit the Amalfi Coast. We had a little bit of free time in Positano, before being whisked away to Amalfi. Our guide (who was half Australian!) said that the name Positano derives from the word 'posa'. Apparently there was a boat that was transporting a painting of the Virgin Mary. Whilst out a sea, they encountered a terrible storm and started hearing a voice softly chanting 'posa, posa, posa.' The sailors anchored down in the nearest bay, and set the painting of the Virgin Mary down on the shore. As soon as she touched the shore...legend has it that the storm subsided and thus the name Positano was born.

There are many other stories about how the town got its name. Another popular story is that Poseidon, the God of the Sea founded Positano, for his love - the Nymph Pasitea.

Whatever you believe it is definitely a place to visit at some stage in your life.

Hot hot hot in Sorrento

2009-08-21T15:15:00.007+02:00

It is so, so very hot that really I am over it now. It was 36 degrees at one o'clock as I was driving (very well might I add) back from the airport. When it is that hot I am in no mood to meet and greet customers...with sweat pouring down your face it is not such a welcoming site!

The heat is not such an issue for me, as being Australian we do have pretty hot summers (it got up to 47 degrees when I was there at the beginning of this year.)It is the humidity that I cannot cope with. I suffered through a hot and humid summer 2 years ago in Sicily and was so happy when the locals here in Sorrento told me that it is not normally so humid here in the summer...well that was then and this is now...now they are all telling me that this summer is the most humid in about 7 years so that's just great! Thanks Scirocco for following me here to Sorrento.

People just have no patience when the weather is like this. The humidity and hot winds make people go mad (me included.)

So to make myself feel better I have been looking back on my lap top of photos of the bel ragazzo and I in Malito over the winter...and it doesn't make me feel so hot anymore.

Commonwealth War Cemetery in Cassino

2009-08-20T21:36:00.014+02:00

When we went to visit the Abbey of Montecassino, we paid a short visit to the Cassino War Cemetery. You may have read in my previous post that the abbey of Montecassino was bombed during World War 2. Most of the people buried in the Cassino Cemetery, died in that area during what was apparently one of the most hostile fighting areas of Italy.

There are now approximately 4,200 Commonwealth -mostly young Canadian, British, Indian, Australian and New Zealander soldiers - buried or commemorated at Cassino War Cemetery. 289 of the burials are unidentified. Within the cemetery stands the CASSINO MEMORIAL which commemorates over 4,000 Commonwealth servicemen who took part in the Italian campaign whose graves are not known.

It is a beuatiful war cemetery, if one can actually use that word to describe such a place. There is a perfect view of the Montecassino resting on the hill top above, and the grounds are so well maintained that it was indeed a lovely and moving site. It reminded me a lot of the war cemetery that I visited years ago in Brugge, Belgium.

Here are my photos:

The destruction of Montecassino

2009-08-18T10:24:00.007+02:00

Back at the start of season, when it was still lovely, refreshing and cool (rather the sweat box that Sorrento is today) we visited the well known Montecassino Monastery.

The monastery was founded by St Benedict in about 529 and is well known today as the abbey that was built, then destroyed, built again and once more destroyed and so on.

The start of the abbey's destructive history began in about 577 when it was destroyed by the Longobards of Zotone.

It was commissioned to be rebuilt in the 8th century. It was rebuilt in all its original splendour...and some more but only lasted until 883 when the Saracens invaded and burnt the monastery to the ground, not before stealing all the valuables inside.

Slowly the monastery was rebuilt, and the monks (who had been scared off) returned towards the middle of the tenth century. Over the years the abbey was once again filled with beautiful, priceless objects.

The next destruction came in 1349. This time it was Mother Nature who destroyed nearly ever aspect of the monastery bar one or two old walls. That year there was a powerful earthquake that left the monastery in ruins.

Again, slowly the abbey was rebuilt and made ever more beautiful then ever. Do you think that it was stuck down again, or left in one piece this time?

On February 15, 1944, during the final stage of World War II, the unfortunately placed abbey was in the literal middle of two fighting armies. During the war the abbey had become a place of refuge and in an amazing three hours the whole abbey was turned into rubble, not even an old wall was left standing and many poor refugees and monks died.

Once again the abbey was rebuilt - the whole project being financed by the Italian State - and the original, ancient architectural patterns were used. Reconstruction took more than a decade and these are my photos below:

I'm back...and with photos!

2009-08-17T13:28:00.014+02:00

We have lift off! Sorry...we have photos I mean!

So..you all know that I have been a very, very bad blogger of late but want to know why?

It all began a while ago when finally bel ragazzo's brother decided to wed.

Thankfully we are not so far from Calabria here. 3-5 hours depending when we go, and which car we go with...and let me tell you we have been going back and forth quite a lot always for 1 or 2 night whirl wind visits.

The most recent visit was last week as finally, after 19 years of being with his girlfriend, bel ragazzo's brother tied the knot in big, grand, Italian fashion!

There were 270 guests, fire carrying waiters, dancing, singing, food, followed by more food, followed by some more.

Not only have bel ragazzo and I been numerous times to Calabria, we have also been to Puglia (more on that to come now that I have photos!)

and Cilento:

and Positano:

Amalfi:

Ravello:

Capri:

The Abbey of Monte Cassino:

and more places...

So now that I have hacked into the neighbours internet...there will be lots more to come!

I hate honeymooners in italy

2009-08-05T15:43:00.002+02:00

The unhappy holiday makers favourite phrase is "I feel like a second class citizen." I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have heard that phrase...come on people! If you want to complain think of something more original.

Today has been an annoying day at work since August it seems is a popular month for young, British honeymooners...who feel like second class citizens. Let me tell you one thing - I HATE young honeymooners. I am not some nasty, unromantic person...but my couples in these past days are out of control. If I have to speak to one more crying newly wed then I will scream! I am sick of being told how I have ruined "what is meant to be the most romantic holiday of [their] lives." I don't care that they are young, and poor and "have saved for a long time to pay for this most romantic holiday of [their] lives." I am sick of them getting there mum or dad going to see the travel agents in the UK to complain on their behalf. And so what if you don't have a view! If you do not book a balcony then why should you get one - for free - just cause you are on a stupid honeymoon!

I feel better now that I have gotten that anger out of me. May I just say something: If a couple is young, and they have no money then why oh why do they have to put themselves into debt so they can come to Italy (normally always for the first time) for their honeymoon. If you want to stay in style in Italy then you need to pay for it. Italy is not cheap. It is not Spain (all the young honeymooners frequent the dirt cheap, British holiday resorts in Spain and think that Italy is the same.) There are no man made holiday resorts in Italy, good views can be hard to come by UNLESS YOU PAY FOR THEM. There are not acres and acres of space for hotels to offer unlimited facilities. Basically Italy is Italy and not Spain, or Portugal for that matter.

So anyways...here's to looking forward to the end of season when I take to the air and leave the land of tourists behind, to become a (sort of) tourist myself in Australia. If you recall back to this time last year, you may remember that I could not wait to leave Rome...and I was eagerly awaiting my next work location. Well it is that time of the year again. Bel ragazzo and I are taking some time off and exchanging a cold European winter for a hot Australian summer...and then who knows where we we be next year. Well I know but you'll just have to wait and see!

Getting married in Rome (no not me!)

2009-07-25T15:01:00.003+02:00

I am leaving the hot and humid Sorrento for an even hotter and humid Rome...no - don't worry - I have not lost my mind, pining for a Rome that I could not wait to leave last year...I am SO glad to no longer be living there and this time I am returning, with pleasure to attend my first Italian wedding!

Bel ragazzo's cousin is getting married (a cousin I have never met but that is neither here nor there.) The family was invited and since Rome is a little trek from Calabria and his parents did not feel the urge to make the journey by bus in the blistering heat, it was decided that we would go. Bel ragazzo is already there for work, so I am getting the bus from Sorrento tonight (bargain for only euro 31,50 RETURN) and will arrive into my favourite station Tiburtina tonight...(note sarcasm)

For once I am excited (seriously, I am not being sarcastic this time) as I will be in Rome for only 2 nights, I can see my friends again, and attend my first Italian wedding. I cannot wait! I have been to hundreds of massive family Australian/Italian weddings but these are not the real thing. Who knows what awaits me Sunday night...a big, fun, festa I hope!

Stupid Tourist Comment of the Day

2009-07-19T11:24:00.004+02:00

I was at a nice 4 star hotel here in Sorrento with some guests who wanted to book some excursions.

Your accent...where is it from? Are you American?

No I am not American. I say looking down at the table...they were drinking so maybe they were a bit drunk as I do not sound at all American. I am actually Australian.

Oh, compliments to you. You speak very good Enlgish.

Meeting up with fellow bloggers

2009-07-06T12:49:00.003+02:00

The other day I managed to sneak away from Sorrento and have a nice, leisurely lunch in Positano with some fellow bloggers. I was so looking forward to it, and I was not let down as it was fantastic to finally meet up in person! I met Laura from Ciao Amalfi, Scintilla from Bell'Avventura, "Charlie" from Figs and Lemons (who by the way makes the most lovely soap...bel ragazzo and I sure are smelling nice now!) Cleopanther, who used to blog but for the moment is taking time out, and last but not least Jone who is not a blogger but a reader of our blogs.

It was great too since Scintilla, Cleopanther and I are all from Melbourne (Scintilla from just up the road...such a small world) Jone was from Sydney, Charlie from the UK and Laura from America.

Such a lovely, lovely day and I will make sure we do it again soon!