Boun giorno! We are on our last day in Tuscany after spending 6 days here. We arrived in Rome on Tuesday, then took the train to Regello, which is where Casa Cares is located. Tuscany has rolling hills, olive tree farms growing on terraces (aka stacked rows) everywhere you look and the homes are what you’d imagine… colorful villas with red, clay roofs and green shutters.
Casa Cares is a farm villa from the 1600s that has been used as a guesthouse for the past 25 years. It can sleep up to 65 people. It’s beautiful and the staff have been overly kind to us. We’re glad we came here first. Not only has Paul, the innkeeper, given us a crash course in Italian history, language, running an inn, etc., but he’s American so he and all the staff – including the three German and one Swedish volunteers – speak English. We’re trying hard to speak Italian though. Brent is better than I (I guess since it’s in his genes). We've helped with food prep, washing dishes and gardening.
The food is amazing. LOTS of olive oil on everything… pasta, pizza, bread, salad… you name it. Casa Cares grows most of their own vegetables and herbs, so we’re eating fresh and delicious meals each day. Last night, we helped out with an Italian wedding reception here. It was much more simple than an American wedding, but was certainly a feast. The groom is from Parma, so his family was very insistent on the best foods and wines – especially real Parmesan cheese. Their wedding cake was a large pastry with lemon custard (no tiers). We decorated the tables by hanging grapes fresh off the vine on the corners. Everything is simple but beautiful around here.
Tomorrow we’re off to Florence. More adventures to come. We love you all! Arrivederci!
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