Brusagio
Tuesday
A wave of excitement fills my stomach as the sound of the engine fills the air. I still don't actually realize I'm really going to Italy in a few minutes. Next to me, Yara pluggs in her headphones and starts playing a game. Everything went well so far, and as soon as we float past some clouds the view is amazing. Even though I have flown a few times before, this fluffy woolen blanket covering the world will always seem something magical to me. Those big mountains of waterdroplets sticking out the white ocean of nothing. The sound of nothing but plains high up in the air and the everlasting and endless loneliness.
As we walk through the exit my eyes search for my aunt. Katinka and Rob welcome us and Jamie cheerfully wiggles his tale. We get in the car and drive to Acqui Terme, a small town in Alessandria, Italy. Rob leads us through the cozy streets to Piazza della Conciliazione where we eat lunch, a simple but delicious gnocchi with pesto. Afterwards we walk to a plaza that belongs to an old convent where we drink some good Italian coffee (no coffee will ever beat Italian coffee), followed by dark chocolate- and nutella ice-cream.
The next and final stop is the Rob's farm at Spigno Monferrato. Rob is a Dutch artist living and working in Italy. He turned an old farm into several apartments for holiday rental. The view is amazing and the people volunteering (aka working for food and bed) at the farm are all super kind. Dinner is served with good Italian wine and everyone is talking and joking.
Friday
It's 9.00 am when I stand outside, holding my camera, Marius just enters the terrain with his dog and greets me good morning. The mountains that showed so wonderful at the other side of the valley yesterday have now disappeared behind a thick white cloth. Yara didn't want to come with me and I already realize she wronged herself with that decision. There's a trail that leads around the hill that I start to follow. The spiderwebs are covered in dew so white webs mark the sides of the path. I bend down and soon my knees are wet already. A laugh comes from behind and Rob comes up with Jamie. I show him some pictures before I move on, 'see you soon'. Along the trail stand a lot of different trees: walnuts, hazelnuts, plumes, apricots, cherries, corn, almonds, mint, rosemary, thyme, wild roses, wild orchids and a lot more. When I enter the farm an hour later several other people have changed their warm beds for the sun outside. I grab breakfast and sit down on the lounge outside where one of the 5 cats crawls onto my lap. Rob has planned something fun for today, his few acres of land are crowded by acacia trees that are fine building material, and since the pergola at Angelo (one of the apartments) needs a little upgrade, Rob takes down two trees and we peel them so that the white wood comes to the surface. We carry the trees to the house and start taking down the old pergola trunk by trunk, replacing the old pieces with the new ones. Marius walks by and the first compliment is made, we have done a good job. It is 5 pm already and 25 degrees Celsius in the shadow so cold drinks are served at the lounge. The kids from the family visiting start making fresh pasta for the 18 persons eating with this evening and the parents made sure we end dinner with a lovely panna cotta.
Saturday
We plan to go for a hike but mother nature decides else, from 11 in the morning to late in the evening rain pours down on the farm and makes sure no-one goes outside, so Bob helps us build a cozy fire inside. New guests arrive and we have a good talk. Yara and I take care of the desert, a traditional Italian cake with mascarpone ice-cream (the recipe will be on here later) as Corina prepares for cooking risotto and more. And again dinner is served at 8 pm with good wine and a lot of laughter.
Sunday
Our last day at Brusagio, well, not exactly, we all get into the car and drive to Alessandria, where we visit the local flea market. Rob negotiates like his life depends on it and manages to perceive about 60 new crystal glasses for practically nothing. I myself find an old analogue camera which should be working (an update on that will come too). We all have a big and delicious lunch at a small restaurant in a seemingly deserted street before we leave for the airport. 4 days is just to short of a time to visit this lovely place and I promise Rob I will definitely return some time soon. At this moment, I am positioned several kilometers above the ground, I guess somewhere halfway between Milano and Amsterdam, already thinking about when I will see Brusagio again. Because this is one wonderful place to spend time at. Rob has gathered the most kind and loving people around him and has found himself the greatest spot on earth. (shameless advertising, just pay a visit at the site and see for yourselves, you should definitely go there one time or another).
A wave of excitement fills my stomach as the sound of the engine fills the air. I still don't actually realize I'm really going to Italy in a few minutes. Next to me, Yara pluggs in her headphones and starts playing a game. Everything went well so far, and as soon as we float past some clouds the view is amazing. Even though I have flown a few times before, this fluffy woolen blanket covering the world will always seem something magical to me. Those big mountains of waterdroplets sticking out the white ocean of nothing. The sound of nothing but plains high up in the air and the everlasting and endless loneliness.
As we walk through the exit my eyes search for my aunt. Katinka and Rob welcome us and Jamie cheerfully wiggles his tale. We get in the car and drive to Acqui Terme, a small town in Alessandria, Italy. Rob leads us through the cozy streets to Piazza della Conciliazione where we eat lunch, a simple but delicious gnocchi with pesto. Afterwards we walk to a plaza that belongs to an old convent where we drink some good Italian coffee (no coffee will ever beat Italian coffee), followed by dark chocolate- and nutella ice-cream.
The next and final stop is the Rob's farm at Spigno Monferrato. Rob is a Dutch artist living and working in Italy. He turned an old farm into several apartments for holiday rental. The view is amazing and the people volunteering (aka working for food and bed) at the farm are all super kind. Dinner is served with good Italian wine and everyone is talking and joking.
Friday
It's 9.00 am when I stand outside, holding my camera, Marius just enters the terrain with his dog and greets me good morning. The mountains that showed so wonderful at the other side of the valley yesterday have now disappeared behind a thick white cloth. Yara didn't want to come with me and I already realize she wronged herself with that decision. There's a trail that leads around the hill that I start to follow. The spiderwebs are covered in dew so white webs mark the sides of the path. I bend down and soon my knees are wet already. A laugh comes from behind and Rob comes up with Jamie. I show him some pictures before I move on, 'see you soon'. Along the trail stand a lot of different trees: walnuts, hazelnuts, plumes, apricots, cherries, corn, almonds, mint, rosemary, thyme, wild roses, wild orchids and a lot more. When I enter the farm an hour later several other people have changed their warm beds for the sun outside. I grab breakfast and sit down on the lounge outside where one of the 5 cats crawls onto my lap. Rob has planned something fun for today, his few acres of land are crowded by acacia trees that are fine building material, and since the pergola at Angelo (one of the apartments) needs a little upgrade, Rob takes down two trees and we peel them so that the white wood comes to the surface. We carry the trees to the house and start taking down the old pergola trunk by trunk, replacing the old pieces with the new ones. Marius walks by and the first compliment is made, we have done a good job. It is 5 pm already and 25 degrees Celsius in the shadow so cold drinks are served at the lounge. The kids from the family visiting start making fresh pasta for the 18 persons eating with this evening and the parents made sure we end dinner with a lovely panna cotta.
Saturday
We plan to go for a hike but mother nature decides else, from 11 in the morning to late in the evening rain pours down on the farm and makes sure no-one goes outside, so Bob helps us build a cozy fire inside. New guests arrive and we have a good talk. Yara and I take care of the desert, a traditional Italian cake with mascarpone ice-cream (the recipe will be on here later) as Corina prepares for cooking risotto and more. And again dinner is served at 8 pm with good wine and a lot of laughter.
Sunday
Our last day at Brusagio, well, not exactly, we all get into the car and drive to Alessandria, where we visit the local flea market. Rob negotiates like his life depends on it and manages to perceive about 60 new crystal glasses for practically nothing. I myself find an old analogue camera which should be working (an update on that will come too). We all have a big and delicious lunch at a small restaurant in a seemingly deserted street before we leave for the airport. 4 days is just to short of a time to visit this lovely place and I promise Rob I will definitely return some time soon. At this moment, I am positioned several kilometers above the ground, I guess somewhere halfway between Milano and Amsterdam, already thinking about when I will see Brusagio again. Because this is one wonderful place to spend time at. Rob has gathered the most kind and loving people around him and has found himself the greatest spot on earth. (shameless advertising, just pay a visit at the site and see for yourselves, you should definitely go there one time or another).
Alright, I talked enough for now, just take a look at the photographs below and you will long for a vacation at Brusagio yourself soon enough.
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| Looking down the valley at Brusagio |
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| Acqui Terme's archeological museum (which we weren't able to visit) |
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| The cozy streets of Acqui Terme |
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The piazza of Brusagio |
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| Apparently a dirty lens isn't always a bad thing, since it looks like sunshine is pouring down on earth |
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| Scorpions actually are quite common in this area, which is the only reason I didn't walk around barefooted |
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