John's Italian Experience

Another successful coffee tasting at Herdsman Fresh.  Was able to sell a few packets myself.  There was some “repeat” business from previous weeks, some familiar faces. 

Same place and time next Friday.

Received wonderful testimonial from Peter and Trish Keenan about my Walks and House in Santa Croce. Have attached to this Blog.

Testimonial

One of the highlights of “Our Italian Experience” was the week we spent in Chiavenna and Santa Croce.

Right from our first glimpses of the Alps as we drove up from Milan we were captivated by the breathtaking scenery, the atmosphere, the grandeur and the feel and smell of the fresh mountain air.

Our accommodation was a lovely alpine cottage. The cottage has been recently built by the Iacomella family on the site of the original barn attached to the family home. It is absolutely charming, built very much in the alpine tradition-stone timber and shutters- but with all “mod cons” to ensure the comfort of the guests.  It was delightful in the morning to throw open the shutters look at the towering mountains and breathe in the fresh mountain air-really set us up for the day!!!

Another pleasant surprise was when John knocked on our door-he had just finished a walking tour and was still in the village. Well this proved to be another experience-as John having been born in the village-is a well known local identity. We were introduced to many Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. Needless to say some of these relatives were shopkeepers, restaurateurs and other local business people, who welcomed us very warmly wherever we went. Our visits to the little shop across the road from our cottage and the local Crotti for a snack were great experiences as we felt we were really soaking up the atmosphere of our new surroundings.

Whilst we did not go to theAlpsto do an official walking tour-John took me for a climb one afternoon to give me a taste. We climbed up to Savogno and Dasile. It was a fabulous experience-the scenery as we climbed and finally when we got to the top-was well worth the effort. One memory that lingers with me is the cows grazing on the hillside with the lovely sound of their bells-real picture postcard stuff.

John’s knowledge of the local history and life in the village was particularly interesting and entertaining, and when it came time for us to finally leave, we felt that we had had a little more than just a superficial tourist experience.

We also particularly enjoyed just wandering the old medieval streets of Chiavenna, having coffee in the Square, indulging in the occasional delicious ice cream and of course shopping for the ladies!!

Italyis a beautiful tourist destination with lots to offer, but no visit toItalywould be complete without a visit to the magnificent North Italian Alps!!

Peter & Trish