Di-dun did'it. Back home.
No more Italy.
Just like that.
We've been thinking about it and weighing our options for the past month and decided that now is the time to come home. It's too early to reflect on everything that's happened in our lives, so we'll give it a little while till we make the proprio final post.

For those of you who kept up with us, we would like to let you know that we are grateful for all your support and encouragement. Part of the reason we created this blog was to stay connected with our family and friends back home. It worked... probably too well.

We'll post an album from our final days soon.
We love you all.

See you soon.

Brian and Jess

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Due to the tragedy of the train derailment and explosion at the station here in Viareggio on June 30th, a concert was held for the hospitals and victims last Wednesday night. The idea for the concert was headed up by the highest selling Italian artist of all-time, Zucchero, who is a blues/southern rocker, some of you may have heard of him. Sara, Ilenia, Sofia, Brian and I all decided to go and had so much fun. The concert was held in the Pini Soccer Stadium which is surrounded by these massive pine trees that set a beautiful backdrop to the stage. Most of the 16,500 people in attendance sprawled out on the soccer field, including us, and ate paninis or gelato while waiting for the concert to begin. There were around 20 artists in the lineup, mostly Italian performers, plus Solomon Burke, Eric Lewis, Jeff Beck, and Sting. On top of these guys we also got to hear some of the Italian artists we've been listening to a lot here recently like J-Ax, Malika, Karima, Mario Biondi, and Andrea Bocelli. We got to see Bocelli here and also in Venice. He’s never been one of my top favs but he really sings so beautifully live and performs with ease. The soccer coach for Roma, Lippi, is also from Viareggio and he came on stage and said a few words along with some other Italian celebrities. It was really a beautiful evening, and I think the perfect opportunity to experience an Italian concert since we got to see such a variety of performers. We were also happy to support the town since we were here on the night of the explosion.

One thing that surprised us was how many songs we heard in English. Each performer sang about two songs with at least one in English which was kind of strange, but just further proves their obsession with American culture. It certainly made it easier on Brian and I to relax and not have to worry about translating. Highlights for us included getting to see Sting perform for the first time, watching Eric Lewis go nuts on the piano, Jeff Becks' rendition of Nessun Dorma while feeling the excitement and electricity of the crowd as they sang along with his guitar, Matteo Becucci, Karima, and Mario Biondi. It was a really incredible evening, perfect weather. The concert started at eight thirty and didn’t end until almost one, after which we went to the Cremeria Emma for some lemon and sugar crepes the girls and gelato for Brian. The Viareggians were thrilled and moved by all the support. The word they kept using to describe the evening to me the next day was indimenticabile...unforgettable.

Zucchero for the finale with the children's chorus

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Back home, there's no telling how many people have devoted their lives to Italian cooking. Grandmothers, mothers, chefs, TV stars, authors, importers, exporters, marketers, business people etc. Some people have gotten it right... and many wrong. How do you recreate a cuisine that has more to do with a lifestyle than a recipe? I don't know yet, but something tells me when I do try I'll hit the same wall as those before me. The garlic losing its sweetness, olive oil that smells like play dough, mealy tomatoes, flavorless egg yolks, or a culture obsessed with balsamic vinegar...

When I pull out our fancy cutting board, I hope Jess reminds me that's not how Italians do it. They grab whatever sharp knife is closest, probably a steak knife, and cut their misshapen pieces directly into the pots and pans that cook them. There is no thinking, no second-guessing, no laying out the recipes on the counter. If they have a leftover cheese rind, they'll throw it in with their soup to thicken it. If it's not there, oh well. If their bread is old and stiff, they soak it in water and make it a salad with tomatoes and olive oil. They are on a first name basis with the person that bakes their bread. They normally eat what's in season, and YES, they do eat A LOT of pasta... but I've never heard them talk of carbs (carboidrato). Their silverware doesn't match and neither do their plates. The cooks are always looking for compliments and if you give them and do it well - prepare for a whole new experience. You'll notice your plates being fuller, hotter, and with several more scoops of the good bits.

But it's not all good.

I've had the pain and pleasure of cooking for Italians in their homes these past 5 months. Here are some things I've learned:
Their simplistic style and lack of pretension are at odds with their distrust of change.
They like to eat what/how they have eaten their entire life.
If the pasta water was seasoned with 2/3 handful of salt instead of a full handfull, they will know on the first bite.
If they eat roma tomatoes in their salads, they only eat roma tomatoes in their salads.
If you add something to their pot of soup, you'll find it uneaten and subtly pushed to the edge of their bowl.
They are annoyingly brand loyal.
They eat dishes one at a time. No exceptions.
Salads are always eaten after the main course.
There are 1,000 different ways to make Pasta e Fagioli but each one is considered the best.

That being said, here is a recipe for the best Pasta e Fagioli you will ever taste ...wink...but seriously

Fagioli "Cannellini Beans" - 1 can maybe 2
4 or 5 Roma tomatoes cut into pieces
A few glugs of olive oil
2 garlic cloves sliced
Box of tiny cut tube pasta for soup
Boiling water - maybe 3 or 4 cups
Salt and Pepper to season (she added the salt later... not early)
Parmigiano Rind (cut up into pieces and put in for last couple minutes ... serve in bowls)
Fresh basil leaves - small handful

Sautee garlic and olive oil with tomatoes for 8 minutes or so till tomatoes really break down. Add the beans and stir up then add boiling water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes or so then add pasta and continue cooking into soup reduces down with cooked pasta. At some point, add the basil to the pot. Add parm rind pieces a couple minutes before serving for thickening and also to have a treat in the pasta to eat. This turns out more like a soupy pasta dish than a soup.
Served 5 bowls

Good Luck and enjoy.
Brian and Jess

Panzanella - wet bread and tomato salad

Notice the cheese rind

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The explosion at the train station kind of overshadowed our last night in Viareggio, naturally, but we did have some good times before it happened that I wanted to mention. For one, Sara, Brian and I took a long bike ride down to the murolone (big wall) of Viareggio, down through the parks that go through Torre de Lago, and back to our favorite, the Cremeria Emma, for our ultimo crepe with lemon and sugar. The next day, Sara, Brian, and I, along with a girl we had become friends with from the hotel, went to the beautiful town of Lucca which is just a short train ride away. We however rode the bus which took almost an hour through the curvy Italian roads. Once we got there, we were very happy and enjoyed visiting the medieval city-which is also the only city in Italy surrounded entirely by walls. Anche, there is a unique tower in the middle of the town that has a small grove of oak trees growing on top. We climbed it, took in the view, and toured the rest of the city. The pictures show it off better so check them out on Picasa. That evening after Lucca, we had our delicious dinner prepared by Muriel with Sofia, Carlo, Sara, Ivan and his son, Joshua which Brian mentioned in the last blog. Then our walk out to the pier and the explosion. Very tragic and strange and sad... The next day, Sara and I rode over to see the scene at the train station and get some pictures of the fire damage. When we returned, Sofia told us that Berlusconi, the Italian President, was coming to Viareggio because of the tragedy so Sara and I, being the curiose that we are, went over and joined the crowd to wait on him. That was also interesting and something I've never before experienced. When he arrived, half of the crowd started cheering while the other half started shouting out against him. Then some people yelled at them to have respect for the people that died the night before and then people were arguing all over the place and the media jumped all over it. We have gotten very mixed reactions on Berlusconi and his presidency from the Italians we've met and there I got to witness it first-hand. I got a great video of them arguing and tried to post it, but it was too long.

Aside from all this, we loved our time in Viareggio. Sofia, Carlo, and Sara were so wonderful to us and we were very sad to leave them. We made so many memories and had so much delicious food plus the incredible amount of Italian we learned through our day-to-day interaction and their patience was priceless. They're our favorite people in Italy and we'll miss them. I hope you all enjoy the pictures on Picasa! Brian is going to make a post on our trip to Venice with Erica and Alan soon.

We love you all, thank you for keeping up with us,

Jessica and Brian

by the murolone

the view of Lucca from the tower with the oak trees

short video of Berlusconi's arrival (no fighting)

at Carlo's butcher shop on his last day of work and our last day in Viareggio

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Tonight was our last night in Viareggio, and what a night it was.
We ate like kings and said our goodbyes.

The meal was prepared by our new friend Ivan, a ship captain, and his "first mate" Muriel. We ate an octopus casserole made with potatoes and greens, seared tuna, and tiramisu con frutti di bosco (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries). It was a wonderful dinner needless to say. As usual, we finished it with a cup of espresso and a walk to the pier. All was well.

And then the sky lit up with flames...

Everyone on the pier began to panic - calling family members and rushing towards their homes. The four of us were running to what looked like an explosion in the center of our city. It seemed to be spreading like a wildfire...

The closer we got to our home, the more clear it became that the fire was not in the center, but at the train station. When we arrived at the hotel, this was confirmed.
People were gathered in the streets covering their mouths and trying to make sense of what happened. Apparently a train carrying 14 carriages including two gas tanks had derailed and collided with another train... hence the explosion. The collision happened just past the passenger platforms - the same platforms we stepped off of just 5 hours earlier upon returning from Lucca.
After a short while, someone had the idea to take our photos to the giornale "newspaper". So we did just that and hurried over to the giornale where we uploaded our pictures to their server.
Now we are all watching the news and listening to reports of people who have been killed (16 so far) and badly burned. It's too soon to tell, but the damage appears to be great.
Alan and Erica, if you're reading this... we might run into a few snags tomorrow on our train ride. I'm not sure how we'll get out of Viareggio yet, but we'll more than likely take a bus to a surrounding city and leave from there. We will keep you posted.

Keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. They will need it.

Much Love,
Brian & Jess

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Last week, Sara, Brian and I took the train over to Genova to see the acquarium. It was supposed to be the biggest in Italy and our hopes were high but it didn't quite compare to the acquarium in Tampa. We had a good time, saw the fish, some cute seals and dolphins, stingrays, jellyfish and a 3D movie on sharks. Nearby there is also an ancient ship that we got to explore. Kind of made me want to be a pirate. Later in the week Sofia taught me how to make polpette - meatballs! I just hope I remember how when I get back home... Another night we had a big dinner with Sofia, Carlo, Sara, Ivano (a captain on a huge sailboat who's been staying at the hotel), and Murielle (his first mate), Edele (the maid at the hotel), and her daughter, Maria Elena. We've been so happy that we get to eat with this sweet family all the time. The food in the Italian home is so much better than eating out. Carlo is a butcher and so we eat a lot of meat. He was very excited about the pieces of steak he had cut for Brian and Ivano. Sofia also fixed a gnocchi (handmade!) with ragu this week that was delicious. Sara showed us this beautiful park nearby that we've loved to ride our bikes through or find a spot to read. We also took our bikes over to Torre de Lago (about an hour) one day and toured the home of Puccini! It was so cool because it was turned into a museum one year after his death and everything is the same as when he lived there. I loved seeing the piano on which he composed Tosca, Turandot, Boheme, the actual sheets of paper he sketched his notes, his diplomas and awards from all over the world. Brian also liked his hunting boot collection. There are fantastic photos of him in his cars and boats and with other composers and performers of the day. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures inside to share it with you all, but I can tell you it was wonderful. A few weeks ago we went and got a picture of the beautiful garden outside if you want to look back in the albums.

After the girls from California left, things have been nice and quiet at the hotel. Hopefully it stays that way... We've posted some pictures of the week; Brian wanted to make sure he got proof that I cooked something. If only you could have tasted it...

Miss you all,

Jessica and Brian

3D glasses

The park where we go for bike rides - pineta

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I always knew this post was coming. It was only a matter of time. Being stranieri, or foreigners... but most notably young-American foreigners, we run the risk of guilt by association. Association with people who care very little about the reputation they leave behind them. A reputation of trashing hotel rooms, public drunkenness, demanding too much, and in general just being way too loud.

Please don't get the wrong impression, I'm not bashing our country. I love our country. I'm just tired of people giving it a bad name. So begins the fiasco at 5 in the morning.

It was 5 in the morning when our phone rang, which by the way is never a good thing. Apart from being sound asleep, our bodies were sluggish with the obscene amount of meat we ate the night before. Struggling with the heartburn and nightblindness, I picked up the phone to hear Carlo's angry and impatient voice repeating the same phrase over and over again. "Le ragazze in due cento sette hanno portato due ragazzi nella camera. Se loro non escono in cinque minuti, telefonerò la polizia." When I pieced together what he was saying I went down to meet him at the door of room 207 where he was yelling in Italian at four ubriaca American girls who could only understand one word he was saying... i'm sure you can guess which word that was.

I restlessly started translating, which was that the guys who came in with them had to leave in 5 minutes or he was calling the police. Also, their music was way too loud, it was five in the morning, and people were trying to sleep. Their response was that there were no guys in the room and they could turn the music down. When I told this to Carlo, he pointed under the bed where we could clearly see the bottom of two feet - to which they said it was one of the 4 girls who had paid for the room and not to worry, because she was naked and darted under the bed in embarrassment when Carlo knocked on the door. This however, did not calm him down. He insisted that there were still two guys hiding in this beer-bottle-littered and smelly room. I asked them several times if there was anyone hiding and their answers didn't change. Carlo then said he was calling the police and it was at that moment when the girl who was causing the most trouble said to me "OK, well maybe there are two guys somewhere... uhh... I could go look for them... they might be in the bathroom." I then said, "So, you're telling me there are two guys here?" "Yes."

After I translated this to Carlo, he sorta lost it. He barged into the room and for a second I thought he was going to slap the girl who had been lying to us for the past 5 minutes. Thankfully, he didn't and proceeded into the bathroom where he found two Italian guys with beer bottles in their hands. He told them to leave immediately and that he was calling the police. Meanwhile, that same girl must have thought she was about to be slapped too, because she became hysterical...Crying and yelling that he couldn't put his hands on her and she didn't pay for this kind of hotel. (which by the way is 35 euros per person, 5 minute walk to the beach, and includes breakfast).

I was stunned.

Eventually, things settled down. The police came, smoothed things over with Carlo, and left us all to go back to bed. I returned to room 207, if anything, to apologize for the way Carlo handled the situation, and say goodnight to the frantic girls.

But it wasn't their fault...They didn't know that nearly the same thing happened last weekend with a group of Americans. Or that Carlo was fed up with the way they were treating his hotel. They were just having a good time. It's what we do when we travel... Get obsessively drunk, invite random people up to our hotel room, take off our clothes, and turn on the music.... Yep.

Unfortunately, it's these people who ruin things for the rest of us.

Maybe next weekend there will be a group of people from TN. This way, Carlo will believe me when I say that not everyone in America is from southern California.

Thanks for keeping up.

Needless to say, I won't be posting a photo album for this one.

Pace Fuori.

Brain and Jess

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This week has continued to be enjoyable; good meals, good fun with the family, lots of lessons in English and Italian, and some translating. Sunday night we went with Sofia and Sara to see Terminator which was quite entertaining, but, as Brian pointed out, "Io ritorno", the translation for "I'll be back", falls a bit flat. The action was good; Sofia and I accidently screamed out loud a few times which was extremely amusing to Sara and Brian. After the movie, we walked down the Passegiata, picked up some delicious pizza and cecina and after that we walked over to the Cremeria Emma and had crepes with lemon and sugar, my new favorite. Tuesday, Brian and I took the 20 minute train ride over to Pisa and saw the leaning tower. Sofia said that it's had some plastic surgery and doesn't lean as much now as it used to. We were glad to see it nonetheless but chose not to pay the 15 Euro to walk to the top. We've also been to the beach a few times. I mean, now's the time to do it, right?

The weekend is here and the hotel is full. Tonight we're all going to some type of festival with an outdoor concert and maybe even a parade...and we'll probably eat something mouthwateringly delicious.

I've uploaded some pics of the week on Picasa...

Thanks for keeping up with us,

Jessica and Brian

A time-lapse clip of us hanging around the hotel with Sofia and Sara.

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Good riddance crazy lady. Our new gig is better than we thought, and we thought it'd be good. We have a comfortable room with a beautiful view, bottomless cups of espresso, and a family who have accepted us as their own. Sofia and Carlo run the hotel with their daughter Sara.

Here's our daily routine
8:45 am - Breakfast: cappucinos, espresso, sweet croissants, juice
9:15 am - depends
1:00 pm - lunch & Italian Soap Operas with the fam. Always delicious and more than we can handle. Finished with some fresh fruit and more espresso.
2:30 pm - go out for a bike ride or a walk. Maybe go to the beach. If there are English guests arriving we might hang around to translate.
4:00 pm - Nap time with the windows open and the faint sound of church bells ringing
6:00 pm - wake up from nap and shower. Go downstairs and talk Italian with Sofia, Carlo, and Sara. Maybe go for another walk. Maybe even have another espresso.
8:15 pm - dinner. Same as lunch, but a little more formal.
10:00 pm - Go out for another walk or bike ride. Maybe get some gelato or lemon & sugar crepes.
12:00 am - watch TV in the reception with Carlo and talk Italian. Then it's off to bed

This is of course, a gross generalization of our days, but it's as accurate as it is simple. Sometimes in the morning we'll help Edele, the maid, changeover the rooms, or make espresso drinks for the guests, and occasionally we just hang out together. Lately, after lunch we have been giving English lessons to Sofia and Sara. Our Italian skills are accelerating... a result of spending hours a day with people who only speak thus. I think we fit in here. Other than being taller, paler, and blonder... wearing shorts, sandals, and longer bathing suits - yeah, we fit in just fiiine.

Jess and Sara (16 yrs) have formed a sweet relationship in our short time here. If you passed them on the road, you'd think they had been friends for years... with all the giggling, dancing, and sharing of ipod headphones. Thanks to MTV, Sara along with everyone else in her generation is fascinated with American pop culture.

I, as expected, have formed a sweet relationship as well.... with the cross-eyed cat. She likes me I can tell.

A lot is still lost in translation though. The other day, a woman ran in here yelling something about being trapped, and can't find a way out, to which Carlo rushed outside and followed her next door. I was left stunned, and hastily searching for the translation of tetto. I began to put the pieces together when I found that tetto means roof in Italian. Then I recalled hearing gatto in the sentence. At this point, I was fully aware that the cross eyed cat was stuck on the roof next door. It takes time ya know.

We have also been 'skyping' more frequently. Search for JessicaGPS and add her as a contact. We would love to talk to all of you, just remember we're 6 hours later in the day than you at least.

Here are some pics from our first 10 days at Hotel Burlamacco. The first one is the view out our bedroom window on a cloudy day.

And there is another album up on Picasa.

Love ya'll. Miss ya'll.
Brian & Jess

This is a pier in Torre del Lago where Giacomo Puccini lived.

Skyping with Anj

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If you have been following the blog, you already know that we are back in Viareggio. And if you've really been paying attention, you'd know the reason why... to house-sit, or cat-sit rather, for a woman named Sofia that we met a month ago. In a normal world, that's exactly where we'd be... cat-sitting for a Polish-Italian widow in the Tuscan beach town of Viareggio. Sounds like a dream right? However, plans change. What seems normal, sometimes gets turned upside down and suddenly you're stuck in the house of obsessive compulsive maniac, who knows no other way to talk than by yelling at the top of her lungs in a italo-polak dialiect that's incomprehensible... even to Italians. Che miseria.

This was our situation. And I say was with the deepest sense of relief. Relief that we no longer have to step foot in that environment again. You can rest assured though, we were never in danger - we were simply the w r o n g people for the job. A job that we thought consisted of watering plants, feeding the cats (occasionally petting them), and in general making sure the house didn't burn down. But it turned out to be an agreement that neither of us knew we entered into. It should have read as follows:

If you, Brian and Jessica, agree to the following conditions please sign your names at the bottom. Of the conditions clearly presented in this letter, you will be expected to comply with the entirety. But please note, that this is only an example of the conditions that may be presented to you. It could be more or less.

You will NOT be given a list of daily chores, but you WILL however be expected to know what these chores are, and complete them in a timely manner. You will NOT be allowed to wear anything on your feet other than the appointed slippers that the owner (Sofia) has handmade for all guests in her house. (pics to follow). You are only allowed in the kitchen during the following hours: 7:30 am & 7:30 pm. Occasionally, the kitchen door will be unlocked around lunchtime. You must close every door in the house after you pass through it. Even if you plan on exiting said door immediately after entering, you must close the door. If you plan on going outside, you must place a pair of shoes/sandals outside that door so that you will always have something to change into when you take your slippers off. You will not be given a key to the house, therefore it will be necessary to let the owner know your exact times of departure and arrival every day so that she may be present when you ring the security bell. She will then unlock both doors for you where you will proceed to take your shoes off outside and trade them for the previously mentioned sandals. You will be required to memorize every obsessive compulsive pattern or formality used by the owner so as to not disturb the tranquility of the house and her peace. For example, if you are lucky enough to be trusted with dishwashing duty, please note that the yellow, sterile, dish gloves must never touch the soapy water in the sink. And if they do, the owner will then be compelled to throw those "soiled" gloves in the trash whilst looking at you in disgust for the horrible mistake that you made. Please understand that even though every square inch of this house may appear clean and spotless to you, it won't however appear the same way to the owner, because she is crazy. As for the cats, don't expect to have any relationship with them. They are not allowed outside of the porch, and if they approach the screen door leading into the house you may find the owner yelling at them exclaiming "Che vuoi!!!! Non mi hai capito?!?!?! Hai capito niente!!!". translation: "What do you want!!! Do you not understand me?!?!?! You understand nothing!!!" (please note she is yelling this to the poor cats who are only looking for some affection).

In summary, please be aware that the agreement you are entering into is anything but the agreement you had in mind. The owner will not be leaving for several weeks, therefore you will be living and working with her until she leaves. Please enjoy the papa smurf tapestry handmade by the owner for guests like you. If you accept these terms, please sign below.

________________

________________

OK. if this was given to us, maybe we could have avoided the last two days. But, things don't always work out like that. Life does however, turn out just fine. We were asked to leave at about the same time we decided we couldn't take it anymore "Non c'e la faccio piu" and we immediately called up our friend who gave us this recommendation. She apologized and sympathized with us, welcomed us into her hotel for the night, gave us a free place to stay for the weekend, and offered us an apartment to rent for a reasonable rate here in Viareggio. I guess things do have a way of working out. If there's an agreement we have now ...it's to stop by the hotel occasionally - just to talk English/Italian with the owners and their family. That's it. We are happy with our new situation. We hope to be in Viareggio for the month of June and then plan on meeting up with Alan and Erica thereafter.

Here's to leaving behind the crazies...

Brian & Jess

La strega. You can look up that word

Disobeying the master by touching the floor - thus making a mess.

Now we're just being outright criminal.

Papa Smurf

Confused and unhappy.

Happy to be leaving.

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Where do we begin? Some of you may think we put our blog on the back burner, but we have a perfectly good explanation. No internet access for two weeks - believe it or not.

We've been working at an 'agriturismo' called Casa Rossa in a small town, Niviano - just south of a bigger town, Piacenza, which is south of a much bigger town, Milan. Francesco and Laura are the owners who live here with Laura's 15 year old daughter, Ginevra. All of them couldn't have been more kind to us. We were treated like family, fed plenty of delicious food, and as expected...the countryside was beautiful. Our work day started around 8:45 and lasted till 4:00 M-F with a casual lunch break from 1 - 2:30.

Our Italian is getting better every day, largely due to growing confidence. We've made friends from London, New Zealand, Poland, and California... And of course there are plenty of stories. Both of us have mastered the Rubik's cube, learned several new recipes, spent hours in the sun, and took several naps in the loft of a barn. There were good times and bad times - hot showers and cold, but the most ironic thing was that we had to leave Tennessee to become a redneck - pics to follow. But the hardest part is telling the story. Inside jokes don't translate. Coincidences to us are less meaningful to you. Everything here is new and exciting and frankly... too much to put in a blog. When we are back home, we will tell the whole story - complete with hand gestures and spousal interruptions.

I dwell on food, this is no surprise. So I guess i'll talk about it. Casa Rossa has been the culinary highlight of our trip. Laura and Francesco love to cook and most importantly love to feed. Fortunately for them, we love to be fed. The generalization of Italian cooks filling your plate until you can't take it anymore has finally been validated. Every meal was more than we needed. Then when we couldn't take it anymore "Non c'e la faccio piu!" Laura would bring out a homemade tort or a bowl of Macedonia (kiwis, strawberries and apples macerated with grapefruit juice and sugar). Need I mention the espresso? Of course, pasta has been a staple here as well. Regardless of the meal, we ate it as a 'family', together... with many laughs and broken translations.

Right now, Jess and I are in a cafe in Piacenza. We just skyped a B&B in Ischia, an island off of Naples, and made a reservation for the week. It's called Villa Ischitana and the room comes with a free scooter rental to take to the beach. Tonight we're getting on an overnight train to Naples from Piacenza, and tomorrow we'll take a ferry to Ischia. After Ischia, it's back to Viareggio where we are housesitting for a Polish woman for 15 days. Don't worry though - it's not as random as it sounds...we met her through our host at the B&B in Viareggio. Sweet old woman whose husband passed away recently... apparently she couldn't find anyone to housesit for her because she has 4 cats. Also, she thinks we'll be able to find work there - maybe at a restaurant. And if we're interested she will rent out a room in her house for us after the 15 days at a good rate.

lots going on... hard to remember it all right now, but we're safe and happy and healthy -- well almost healthy. Our allergies have been a problem on the farm. They are clearing up now, but the last week has been rough.

We're short on time so i'll end this now.... if the connection is strong enough, we'll upload pics from Viareggio and maybe Casa Rossa.

Let us know if anything important happens back home. Miss y'all. Love y'all.
Brian and Jess

check out our photos from Viareggio

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Hello. Salve. What up. Hey. Ciao.

Sometimes we forget which one to use, but we're adjusting well after our time in Knoxville. It was a really sweet time at home with family remembering Jessica's Papaw. Since then, we have been saddened to learn that two of our friends from Central UMC have also passed away, Nancy Connelly and Virgie Peake. Our hearts are with their families as well as continuing to be with Jessica's.

As for us, we arrived in Rome on the 29th and left for Viareggio the following day. Our room is h i l a r i o u s - also clean and unique. The ceiling is on average 4 1/2 feet high, but the bath is HUGE, the bed is comfortable, and we have two skylights where I can stick my head out and stand up straight... pictures to follow.

Viareggio is a beach town in Tuscany. We are VERY happy here and are glad that we have till Sunday. The seafood is everything we expected - fresh. Last night we took a stroll down and around the marina. The weather was slightly cool, maybe 60 degrees, with the waves crashing against the rocks. Sweet. Romantic... still full off of seafood and pasta, we headed toward the brighter lights and found a theatre playing a late showing of Wolverine Origins.... I was reluctant, but Jess was dying to go.... Needless to say we bought 2 tickets and loved every minute of it. People clapped at the end. Funny really... It couldn't have been a better movie for us to see in Italian, because it was easy to follow.

Today, we woke up late and have been spending time getting adjusted. Jet lag can be nasty.

Some other updates: Jessica solved the Rubik's Cube. (picture below). Brian played with a cross eyed cat (picture below). Sunday we head out to our next farm in Piacenza (south of Milan) http://www.casarossapiacenza.it/
We put up a new album from our easter and "little easter" picnic on Picasa. We will wait and create an album for Viareggio, because we haven't taken many pictures yet.

In the meantime, the sun has set and someone in a distance is playing a harmonica. It's time to get off the computer and enjoy this beautiful town.

Love you all

Jess and Brian

Flight from London to Rome

Rubik's cube. Solved.

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