Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Ebbio va bene!
Ciao a tutti!
Been over a month in Italy and still loving it and learning so much! My Italian is coming along slowly.. words more than phrases. My time at Ebbio, the farm I have been WOOFing at for 3 weeks helped a lot, as although the hosts spoke great English, their 2 year old son and others who lived there did not, so I was forced to try and explain myself! Also finding I understand people even if I can't speak myself.
So, a days travel from Napoli to Siena and then a wee bit further to Monterrigioni got me to Ebbio, a beautiful old farm house and buildings at the end of a country road. It has grape vines and olive trees, and also hosts retreats for groups. When I arrived there were a bunch of Italians learning cranio sacral techniques, then afterwards a load of Germans arrived for group leader training! I stayed in the nearby cottage with the owl in the avery outside my window. There were also horses, donkeys (and a 2 week old baby donkey!), geese, chickens, doves, cats and dogs aplenty.
I helped with the saffron, first weeding and then picking and drying when they came up, with picking up rocks from the vineyard, with pruning the vines, collecting walnuts and chessnuts, and inside the house helping with the food and dishes for the groups.. the food was fantastic!! Real amazin vege Tuscan cuisine, I ate sooo well there! Learnt a few tips too.
The family hosts were friendly and I spent time looking after their son Gabrielle, who called me Bimba Claire (little girl!)..
Had days off to see Siena and San Gimingano (the town of medieval towers, very cool!) but nice to stay put in one place for a bit as been on the move for so long now!
So, say goodbye this monring, and now in Perugia, in Umbria, further south. From here I go out to another farm to help with the olive harvest, sounds like another beautiful place.. then, I don't know what but a few options.. will keep you informed of course!!
The weather is changing, very autumn like but not cold - the locals seem to think it is though!
Love to you all, thoughts are with you and my email again is clairedann@gmail.com ;)
xxx
Been over a month in Italy and still loving it and learning so much! My Italian is coming along slowly.. words more than phrases. My time at Ebbio, the farm I have been WOOFing at for 3 weeks helped a lot, as although the hosts spoke great English, their 2 year old son and others who lived there did not, so I was forced to try and explain myself! Also finding I understand people even if I can't speak myself.
So, a days travel from Napoli to Siena and then a wee bit further to Monterrigioni got me to Ebbio, a beautiful old farm house and buildings at the end of a country road. It has grape vines and olive trees, and also hosts retreats for groups. When I arrived there were a bunch of Italians learning cranio sacral techniques, then afterwards a load of Germans arrived for group leader training! I stayed in the nearby cottage with the owl in the avery outside my window. There were also horses, donkeys (and a 2 week old baby donkey!), geese, chickens, doves, cats and dogs aplenty.
I helped with the saffron, first weeding and then picking and drying when they came up, with picking up rocks from the vineyard, with pruning the vines, collecting walnuts and chessnuts, and inside the house helping with the food and dishes for the groups.. the food was fantastic!! Real amazin vege Tuscan cuisine, I ate sooo well there! Learnt a few tips too.
The family hosts were friendly and I spent time looking after their son Gabrielle, who called me Bimba Claire (little girl!)..
Had days off to see Siena and San Gimingano (the town of medieval towers, very cool!) but nice to stay put in one place for a bit as been on the move for so long now!
So, say goodbye this monring, and now in Perugia, in Umbria, further south. From here I go out to another farm to help with the olive harvest, sounds like another beautiful place.. then, I don't know what but a few options.. will keep you informed of course!!
The weather is changing, very autumn like but not cold - the locals seem to think it is though!
Love to you all, thoughts are with you and my email again is clairedann@gmail.com ;)
xxx
# posted by claire @ 3:56 AM 
