Summary of First Adventure of "Paula Unplugged after 60"

This is my final blog of phase one “Paula Unplugged after 60”.

My adventure was everything I wanted it to be. I learned how to make organic bread and sell in the markets of Tuscany in freezing weather and enjoy beautiful hot springs at Podere Le Lapole. I met some of the nicest kids and was able to go four days without a shower at Hirpus in Campagna. I learned all about growing oranges, the beauty of Sicily and survived rats over my bed at La Casa della Acque. I learned how to cook traditional Abruzzo food, how to wait tables, and how to kill, pluck, and eat chickens at Tholos. Finally I learned how to make cheese, herd sheep, and what real farming is like at La Porta dei Parchi.

I would call this a well rounded adventure of a lifetime. I hope to be back in October when I travel on my next adventure. Wwoofing (World Wide Organization of Organic farming) is a wonderful way to travel and learn about the people, their lifestyle, and organic farming. I am not certain as to where I will be going. I still want to pick olives and grapes in the northern part of Italy, I would love to work in Brazil, and I have never seen the countryside of New Zealand. A lot of options and I have the summer to decide.

Anyone up for an adventure? Let me know. I hope you all follow my next adventure.

Ciao for Now

Last Day in Italy

It was a full day of sightseeing. The traditional Sistine Chapel, St. Peters, and, of course, shopping. I won’t bore you with the traditional stuff. The only comment that I will make is that I definitely have my 10,000 steps for the day.

I was very melancholy all day knowing that tomorrow is my last day in Italy. Although it has only been three months, it was such a change of life style that it will take some getting used to being back. Also, in Italy I could ignore all the day to day issues and responsibilities and just enjoy the moment. I want to make sure I do not get caught up in the rat race when I get home.

As for my hair, I think it is only appropriate that I give you a final verdict. My hair has never looked as healthy as it does now. The non-permanent color does everything it needs to do without damaging my hair. For those that need to dye their hair every two weeks or so, my advice is to go with non-permanent. It takes about three weeks for it to wash out and you have to dye your hair again anyway. Why damage your hair and pay all that money????

Ciao for now

Goodbye to La Porta dei Parchi

Last night was a farewell pizza party at the farm. The Swedish Wwoofers are also leaving today. It started off to be an 8:30pm dinner, which turned out to be a 10:30pm dinner. This is very normal in Italy. It was so nice of them to organize the dinner, but by the time dinner was over I was falling asleep. Us old people can’t stay up until midnight two nights in a row (ok, I will only speak for myself).

It was with mixed feelings that I was leaving La Porta dei Parchi. I had stayed three weeks at the other farms (except the farm from hell) and I felt I was ready to go, but I was only at this farm one week and was leaving early because of my tooth. I really would have liked to stay and learn more about making cheese, Abruzzo cooking, starting a vegetable garden, and Abruzzo culture.

The people at the farm were wonderful: Nunzio, the owner, is one of the most humble, kind, and intelligent men I have met during my stay in Italy; Pasqualino was a riot and really a great guy, who is genuinely concerned about people; All the office staff goes out of their way to help; the people from Romania that make the cheese and tend the sheep are so kind and patient and are willing to share all their knowledge; and finally Gesepe, the gardener, was so terrific and really wanted to help you in any way possible.

I also would have liked to spend more time in Pratola Peligna to get to know my relatives and do more hiking in the National Forests in Abruzzo. I feel that the region of Abruzzo is more the traditional Italy, rather than Tuscany and the big cities (other than Naples). Spending time in all the Abruzzo hillside villages (they are scattered across every mountain) is really getting to know what Italy was like years ago.

There is a strong sense of community among the people of Abruzzo and especially the Agricultural / Farming community. They all try and help each other to sell their products; they truly want everyone to be successful because they are proud of their region.

One common thing that I did observe in most of the farms is how hard it is to be a farmer. Talking with Nunzio and Paula (Tholos) and some of the other farmers in Abruzzo I met, they want to cut back the time they have to spend on the farm. Work never really ends and the monetary rewards are very little. Nunzio is particularly concerned that the young people are not interested in farming and would rather live in the cities. Who will carry on the traditions of Abruzzo!!

On a not so positive note: the farm was a real working farm. The animals, including the dogs, donkey, horses, pigs, were treated like animals. I won’t go into detail but as an example, the dogs were really in bad shape because they were totally outside and only ate table scraps (the puppies were really looking bad by the time I left with all the rain). The donkeys and horses were in a very small and not so clean stall (except for Eric’s great work in the donkey stall). It was difficult to watch but I understood that this was the way it was in a real working farm. I don’t want to make out that they were mistreated; it is just a different view on animals in general. Being an animal lover it is hard to accept.

In summary, I really felt I had a long list of things that I still wanted to do before I departed but I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends and my dog Teca. I am already planning my next trip back.

Nunzio picked us up early today and took us to town to catch our bus. He gave us a full bag of cheese to take back to America. Again, no one asked him to do this, he just showed up.

We spent most of the day on the bus and arrived into rain in Rome. That didn’t stop us from walking from one end to the other. I actually enjoy the rain because most tourists stay inside. After being in Abruzzo for three weeks, Rome is such a stark contrast with all types of people from around the world. Abruzzo is not a real tourist area, so you can go for weeks and never meet another American or person from a country outside of Italy.

Tomorrow I become a traditional tourist; no work, just play.

Ciao for now

Follow the Flock

Today I went with the sheep up the hillside of the Abruzzo Mountains to graze. Geovani takes them up every day with around 12 dogs. The initial climb up the slippery mountain was a little difficult, but Geovani quickly went back and got two walking sticks for us. I was a little worried when he left us with the sheep. They kept climbing up the hill.

The sheep actually lead the way. They dawdle, drift off, and eat anything that looks green. I am not quite sure what the dogs do; I think they are to keep Geovani company. There are actually two types of dogs: the Abruzzo dogs are for keeping the wolves away, since they look like the sheep (they are all white and look similar to a golden retriever, but larger and white). The other dogs are an eclectic mix that are suppose to herd the sheep. It was so funny when the sheep kept going in places that Geovani did not want. He would be yelling at them and saying in Italian "where are you going". Other times the sheep started grazing rather than continue up the mountain and Geovani would yell at them again. The dogs were just staring at Geovani and didn't even look at the sheep.

The walk is very peaceful and casual. This is not meant to be a super fast hike. It gives you time to really enjoy the landscape and take in all the sounds and smells or the Abruzzo mountains. As you move up the mountain, the landscape continues to change from meadows to large lava rocks. You could hear an owl (or so we think but not sure) in the distance. Apparently many times you see eagles and other animals.

Geovani tried to explain some of the flowers and fruit trees. We would have major discussions and sometimes I could make out a little of what he said and other times NOTHING. I felt bad so I made him think I knew what he was saying. I am sure that May and June are breathtaking with all the flowers and fruit trees in bloom. Sometimes we got into lengthly discussions and realized that the sheep were gone and Geovani raced off to find them by following the sound of the bells (a collar on some of the sheep).

Today was very overcast and we could not see the villages down below. Most days it is clear and you can get a fantastic view. Geovani was prepared with an umbrella; of course, I wasn't.

Geovani is a very nice man from Romania. He comes to the farm for 10 months in order to make money to support his wife and two children. I am sure it must be difficult being away from home so long; apparently he has no choice.

As we are climbing the mountain we came across a fountain, where the animals drink. It is just amazing to think of how they built something like this. I was sad when I had to head down the mountain early to help in the kitchen. Later I was glad I did when the rain actually started coming down. Unfortunantely I forgot my camera (not bright, so I do not have any pictures of this spectacular day.

It was a wonderful way to spend the last day at La Porta dei Parchi. Tomorrow is off to Rome for a couple days.

Ciao for now

Family in Pratola Peligna

Besides a missing tooth, today was a day that I will never forget. My mother had sent me phone numbers of relatives in Pratola Peligna and I decided to attempt a call. It is very difficult to talk on the phone to someone when you do not speak Italian. I had a backup, since Samantha was in the office and she would be able to help (although Samantha does not speak English, so I still had the issue of talking to her).

Luck was with me because I reached the granddaughter of my mother’s cousin, Marie Luisa. Her boyfriend was there and he speaks English. I told them that I would be taking a bus in the afternoon to visit. Before departing I had to help in the kitchen with over 50 school kids and their parents for lunch. I mentioned that La Porta dei Parchi is a teaching farm also and there are school children visiting regularly. You can imagine the noise with 50 very excited kids running all over the farm.

I arrived at 3:30 in Pratola Peligna and went to the book store that the cousin owned. It was a very interesting book store with magazines, newspapers, and books. In America it would be considered more of a newspaper / magazine stand. The store was on the same piazza where my grandmother was born. We met Marie Luisa and Franca Bianchi and Marie Luisa’s boyfriend Nello. They were so warm and friendly and excited to meet me. They took me to their home to meet their mother/grandmother and Franca’s sister. We spent some time talking (Nello was the interpreter). It was so wonderful to get to know them and to see how they live.

We went back to their store and they gave me a beautiful book of the area and a lot of confetti (candy that is made in Abruzzo). One of the gentlemen I met gave me a gallon jug of wine he makes on his farm. Not sure what I am going to do with a gallon of wine. I also met a few more relatives. We did some sight seeing to a town at the very top of the mountain, where they still do their wash in the community fountains (picture on the right). It was beautiful.

Afterwards we went on a tour of nearby towns and to see Nello’s swim park, which was beautiful. We had fabulous pizza at his restaurant. The pizza was better than the pizza in Napoli (white pizza with potato and ham, red sauce pizza with artichoke and ??, and finally a mushroom pizza (my favorite). We also had an appetizer plate filled with wonderful cheese and meats. It would have been rude not to eat everything, so you can imagine how full I was.

They were so nice to drive me back to Anversa. At Anversa I went to a wild boar party. Of course by the time I arrived, the party was in full swing and many people were feeling the vino. The man having the party kept giving me food and wine and dessert, while everyone laughed. I couldn’t fit another thing in my body; again it is really hard to refuse.

It was difficult NOT to smile all day with my missing tooth. It was good to get back and to bed with my very full stomach.


Now the decision on the tooth!! I decided to return to California a week early to make sure I can get my tooth fixed. I hate to cut the trip, but I feel very self conscious with the missing tooth. I am also concerned on any long term impact, if I do not take care of it quickly. I will be leaving La Porta dei Parchi on Monday for Rome and return to California on Wednesday. I hope to walk with the sheep tomorrow,if there is no rain.

Ciao for now

A Rough Day

Today was a rough day. It started out with rain, so I was hoping to be able to stay in bed and read (I am trying to get over my cold). Unfortunately they found me and off to the olive groves to gather branches. Although it was overcast, it was still beautiful and I was glad that I went. Some of the trees in Italy are so beautiful and the flowers are unusual. You see wild flowers, including tulips, iris, etc. growing wild in the hillside. The picture is of one beautiful tree, but there are many like this.

I spent some time gathering wild asparagus. There are asparagus plants all over Italy. Afterwards I took a two hour nap.

Now the bad news……….In the afternoon I was helping to prepare for a meeting of the agricultural society. Pasqualino gave me a piece of bread to taste; it was hard white bread. My tooth fell out!!!!!! It is my eye tooth that I had hurt many years ago and had a root canal. Now what do I do? It is definitely in the front of my mouth. I have to determine whether to go for two weeks with a missing tooth or shorten my trip. I guess I should sleep on it. I definitely had not planned on shortening my trip; in fact, I was considering expanding it. I will let you know my decision tomorrow.

Ciao for now

Back to the Olive Trees

I knew it was too good to be true. Gesepe said he would be taking me to a beautiful place today and to meet him at 8:30am. Little did I know that it was back to the olive gardens and picking up the tree trimmings!! It was a beautiful place and the hillside was overlooking Anversa. I spent over four hours picking up and bundling tree clippings. I am really getting good at using sharp tools.

After leaving for lunch, I had to take a 2 hour nap because of my cold. I didn’t even have a chance to say hello to the puppies or the donkey. I have been successful at NOT getting sick the whole trip, but everyone was sick here, so no luck.

It was very cold in the afternoon and we made a fire in our fireplace in the apartment. The farm was deserted because there was a going away party in Anversa. I was given the task of watching the kitchen until they return; apparently there are guests for dinner tonight. Liz made a dessert for the party and I was very happy when Nunzio came in and took a piece and gave me some. I can blame the missing cake on him.

We decided to go to town for dinner instead of eating on the farm. It is about a 10 minute walk, but steep downhill (which means up hill on the way back). We have a flashlight so I am not too worried. The restaurant won’t open until 8pm; I am really getting use to eating lunch at 1:30pm and dinner at 8:30pm. I will have to adjust when I return to the states.

It is hard to believe that there is only two weeks left before returning to the states. I am trying to prioritize everything I want to do (or buy) before my departure. Where did three months go!

Tomorrow we are walking up the hill with the sheep caretaker. We will be leaving at 10am. It will be a long hard day. If the sheep can do it, so can I.

Ciao for now