Una Domenica Perfetta (Part 1)

Hey folks time for a quick update from Italy. As I hoped/prayed, things are indeed improving here—we are at an enhanced level of yellow, and everyone is enjoying a beautiful spring here. Restaurants are open (for outside dining only, but that's OK), and we're allowed to leave the area for the first time since February. Things are looking up!

Importantly, vaccinations are finally ramping up; Italy may even catch up with the U.S. one of these days! Speaking of the USA, an update on our return there...Barbara is going to make her way back to Atlanta around June 20—her first order of business will of course be getting a couple of jabs like ALMOST ALL intelligent Americans. I'll be back two weeks later, just after the 4th of July; gonna take my vaccinated self on a couple of quick side trips, hopefully with a visitor or two :) . It's not 100% confirmed, but very strong indications from the Italian government that, by mid-June, they are going to allow international tourists (even non-EU folks), into Italy without quarantine, if they can show proof of vaccination, and test negative upon arrival. Bring on the American tourists!!

"La colza" on the road to Pralormo

We have been speaking with a couple who are coming to the school here to teach next year, and arranged for them to take over the apartment, as well as buy our car and some of our no-longer-needed furniture. That's a win-win for sure!

Barbara and I are celebrating our newfound freedoms by heading out for an aperitivo or two during the week, and trying to get out of town a little each weekend. We've had a nice run of of great springtime weather, especially on Sundays. Two weeks ago we hit the road on our bikes for a long ride out to Pralormo, a small town about 22 km south of Chieri. Our goal was to see the semi-well-known "Tulipano Messer," a massive display of tulips that draws visitors from around the area to the Castello di Pralormo.

With the pandemic, it wasn't clear if the castle would be allowing visitors that day, so we took a chance and made the trip (see the video below). Well, were lucky AND unlucky—although they were still closed, a distinguished looking older woman saw us peering through the gates, and she kindly let us in for a private tour of the grounds! Little did we know she was Consolata Soleri, the latest in a long line of descendants from some kind of Italian royalty—her family has owned the castle for 500 years!

The pictures don't do it justice...here is a small sample of the 100,000 tulips on the grounds

A one-minute video of our ride through this special little section of Piemonte

Walking around the castle grounds, we came upon a crazy garden of sculptures like the ones shown here. Serendipity for sure.

We hope you are enjoying your spring and look forward to seeing everyone stateside in a few weeks!