An article by Jo,

Last September (2002) I went to Italy on a different and rather special holiday. I stayed in the Umbrian region, just outside the hills town of Montefalco at the Fabrizi family Agriturismo. This wonderful place has been in the Fabrizi family for 300 years and is run by Piero Fabrizo, who is a Doctor of Agriculture and his son.

Hastwell Travel got me to Rome on the right day, after a stopover in Singapore and we were met by Carol Searle the organiser and owner of “Living Italy” at the Rome airport. Carol, an expat Australian, who with her husband, Neil Moore (www.neilmoore.it), an artist, has lived in Italy for 10 years. The 2.5 hour to Camiano was through picturesque countryside with the Appines in the distance. After a freshen up we sat down to our first of many sumptuous meals, 3 courses for lunch and 4 for dinner! We had to plead for mercy and beg for only 2 courses for lunch and 3 for dinner.

Each day we visited the towns in the region: Assisi for the Basilica, Orvieto (reached by the funicolare as no cars are allowed into the city) with its underground Roman city. Spello for its beauty, Spoleto with its Roman house and Opera at night, Perugia which Don Dunstan thought was heaven on earth and I agree. Deruta for Geribi ceramics and Bevagna, a Roman thermal bath from around 2AD.

We went on a truffle hunt where a few mountain peaks in the distance were covered in snow but we were in warm sunshine. They use dogs to detect the truffles buried at the base of trees in Italy but pigs in France. The 2 dogs competed with one another for their rewards after their find.

We mainly travelled in a nine seater Mercedes people mover and all entry tickets were pre-purchased so that there was no queuing. Some of the restaurants we ate at were hidden away and I don’t think that many tourists would have been aware of them. Each day we tried a different gelati wherever we went (for research purposes only of course) and I can report that is was wonderful everywhere.

I haven’t told you yet about the cooking classes, 4 of them in all. We had 2 in a monastery were apprentice chiefs from all over Europe come to train and 2 in a hotel villa. It was hands on and I now have a diploma in Pasta making! After our hard work was over the chief cooked the meal and we sat down to enjoy it and a glass of wine.

This was a holiday that I would thoroughly recommend to all food and wine lovers. I haven’t the space to tell you about the visits to the wineries, the olive oil producers, where they have the presses used in Roman times. or the cheese makers.

Go, you’ll love it!

Jo. C
 

Dear Carol and Neil,
Fortune smiled on us the day we decided to explore Umbria with your support. Indeed, you gave us a special experience that really exceeded our expectations.

As we have reflected on the tour we have reinforced our appreciation of your efforts to show us the different layers of Italian life and place. Your enthusiastic attention to detail was offered with ongoing patience , kindness and concern.

Thank you both for leading us to a lasting memory and a base of knowledge to build on in the time ahead. We will be passing on the details of the opportunities you offer to family and friends. You have our best wishes for future endeavours.

Kind regards, Eddie and Margaret Noonan
 

October 2000
 

Dear Carol,
I wanted to let you know what a wonderful holiday you organised for me, and the others in the group, for the Umbrian Music Festivals tour that ended, sadly, nearly two weeks ago.

I also wanted to pass on my thanks to Neil for his crucial part in a most successful tour. I had hoped that a tour such as this would offer me some new insights into the Italian culture and some new learning re art, history and music in addition to the holiday aspects, and it certainly did.

There was not one aspect that did not live up to or surpass my expectations, and I want to express my sincere appreciation to both of you for putting together such a wonderful package.

Camiano Piccolo was so restful and a wonderful environment in which to spend time. I realised as we were leaving there that I needed some more days just to be able to enjoy it, without heading off to visit other interesting and exciting places; maybe just to laze on a sunlounge at the pool and to read a book or gaze across the valley to the distant mountains, while of course drinking the Fabrizi wines!! However, I am sure that this will provide me with the excuse to return!

I think the fact that we stayed in one place for 12 days was a real plus for everyone in the group, and one of the major attractions of the Living Italy way of doing things.

Moreover, I believe that we received tremendous value for money - the best seats whenever they could be booked in advance; some of the best restaurants and some of the best Italian wines.

It has been a real shock to come home and have to make my bed, shop and cook for my meals rather than at the very most reading a menu and making a decision, and to spend my days back in the office when it is much more fun to be out and about gazing upon buildings and artworks that go back so far in history.

Thank you so much, and to Robert too for his insightful talks on the music.

Please also pass on my regards to Piero and Giuseppe (they will remember me as the signora who spoke good Italian if my name doesn't mean anything!)

I know that you are currently on a tour, and I do not expect to hear from you until that is well over, but I did want to thank you both before too much time had elapsed since the end of my holiday.

Sue Aspinall
 

Dear Neil and Carol,
Firstly, a huge thank you for the most fantastic holiday. I can't express without waffling on for many pages just what an experience it truly was. You both did a fantastic job - in all areas - and I can't recommend the trip highly enough. I'm driving everybody at home mad! I just won't shut up!!

I picked up my twenty -two rolls of film on Saturday and did a lot of laughing and quite a bit of crying as I wandered back through my trip- I have some great shots of you both and the others in the group. I'm looking forward to a visit from you both.

with many thanks and much fondness

Lea Steimanis

 

Sunday Oct 22, 2000

Dear Carol and Neil,

I'd like to say how much I enjoyed being part of your Living Italy tour - you did indeed bring it to life for me.

Your energy, good humour and incredible knowledge has left me wondering what I've done all my life. You are both so generous with everything that you do.

Thank you so much for organising the trip for me.

Tricia Welsh

"We haven't stopped talking about our wonderful
vacation." Julie Lowell

The 3 weeks were magnificent. How I envy your current group! My warmest regards to you and Neil.  Warmest as well to Piero and Giuseppe." 
Marianna Lee       
 

I can't stop playing Stabat Mater and Dido and Aeneas. The concerts opened a new avenue of music for me. Looking back, it was a lovely three weeks and I think you and Neil do a very good job, including being gracious when things get difficult."
Gail Abrahams

We thoroughly enjoyed your tour and wish to thank you both for all the effort that you put into it."
Derek Woolcott

An address to the B'nai B'rith association in Sydney in March 2000

Last Year in July, Rosie and I were in a world of enchantment. The sweeping hills of Umbria were the backdrop to the unfolding of three fabulous weeks. We had gone to Italy with Robert Gay, who many of you know because of his wonderful music lectures.

We expected to enjoy this holiday trip but we had not anticipated that together with Robert as our tour leader, we would be introduced to two wonderful people who run a tour company called 'Living Italy' - Carol Searle and Neil Moore (www.neilmoore.it).

Carol organised everything from the accommodation, meals, concert tickets, transport for our daily tours and concerts etc. We stayed at a restored farmhouse called Camiano Piccolo, for sixteen nights. This 16th century farmhouse, I understand had been in the Fabrizi family for over 400 years and was located just outside the small medieval town of Montefalco - known as the Balcony of Umbria.

Carol's husband Neil Moore (www.neilmoore.it) was our guide - but he is no ordinary guide. In little more than two weeks, he transported us spiritually and mentally through a magical world of music, art, history and architecture. We were living in Italy.

Neil is an honours graduate in Fine Arts and Ancient History from Sydney University and has subsequently obtained a diploma in Education. He tutored in Fine Arts at the University for four years.

He has since worked as an illustrator for most of the major Australian newspapers, and has had his work published in magazines and books both here, in the united Kingdom and in Italy

 

  FRED HARDEN'S PICTURE DIARY                           MAY 2001