Lunch out in the country!

The world is such a small place!  Today we spend the day with a friend of a friend.  My very dear friend, Becki (who lives in NH), emailed me about her friend Chiara.  She told me Chiara was Italian and just happened to be in Italy for the summer.  Well it turns out, Chiara is from Naples.  Her family lives in Posillippo (just outside of downtown Naples) and they also have a country house in the mountains in Castelpoto.  They invited us up for Sunday lunch to their house in the mountains.  It was an hour drive east with the most spectacular views.  The mountains and the buildings built into the side of them were just breath taking.  Their house was such a quaint Italian home on the side the mountain.  Blythe and Delaney had so much fun running round playing with Chiara’s two children, Matthew and Sophia.  Howard and I enjoyed talking with Chiara and her parents.  Chiara’s mother is from Australia and her dad speaks perfect English so it was a wonderful afternoon.  They gave us tips on living in Italy and answered Howard’s question about the meaning of fai date on the gas station signs. (It means self-serve)  Chiara has been coming to this area since she was little.  Her grandfather was born here, and her grandmother built a house here so that her children would come and remember where their father was from.  She said the area was not so pretty when she was little since it was all tobacco farms along the hills.  Now they have gotten rid of that crop and are growing grapes and making wine.  It is starting to be a tourist area.  Anthea, Chiara’s mom, told us they are calling this the “new Tuscany”.  I feel so privileged that we got invited to go to such a neat spot.  To connect us all even more, Anthea’s best friend Beryl lives in Parco Nocce where we will be moving!  She and her husband are retired and they both speak English as well.  She spoke with them and told them we would be moving to the Parco.  They told her we could ring them if we needed anything.  So now we have another family in the neighborhood who can look out for us.  Plus, Anthea told me her friend was not well.  So I can make diner for them from time to time since Alex, the husband, is doing all the work caring for his wife.  Anthea seemed to think Alex would love the distraction of having us around.  It sounds like it will be a win/win for both our families.  Not to mention, Alex and Beryl have a son who owns a bar in Naples.  Chiara told me he speaks English and it would be a fun place to go sometime.  So not only did we eat a fabulous meal today, we made connections that are going to last a very long time.  We have already been invited back and been told to contact them when they are back in Naples and they will give us tours around the city.  I feel so fortunate.  Italians really are the most open and giving people.  I feel like we extended our family today!

Thank you so much Becki for the introduction!