Climbing Mount Vesuvio

Climbing Mount Vesuvius on my bike today while following the Giro d'Italia was more than a ride, more than a climb, but the actualization of my spiritual journey to Italy, and my arrival at the summit of my dreams.

Cycling the Amalfi Coast

Today was a fantasy day of cycling the spectacular Amalfi Coast. I've spent alot of time here in the past, but never on a bike. Much to my surprise, there was minimal traffic, and the riding was not nearly as dizzying as it appears when you're in a car. The multiple panoramic vistas are so overwhelming, that we couldn't possibly ride without making many photo stops along the way. We stopped in Positano, descended the 1,000 steps carrying our bikes and enjoyed a lunch of frutta di mare at an outdoor trattoria, where we absorbed the excitement all around us. As the seductive blue water of the Tyrrhenian Sea begged us to drop our bikes and jump in for a swim, we resisted the tempation and climbed back up the 1,000 steps to continue our ride to Amalfi. After negotiating the many twists and turns and tunnels cut through the coastal cliffs, we arrived in Amalfi. There we enjoyed a gelato and walked through the village, wishing we could linger longer. We then headed back for Sorrento, enjoying one last time the splendid coast and its stunning panoramas.

Later, we joined Leif and Roberto for a wonderful dinner of frutti di mare. Much to my surprise, Leif asked me if I would be interested in guiding a 3 day bike tour here next week!

"After all", he said...."now you know the roads. And this is where you're from. You're right for the job. This is your opportunity."

I said "yes"!

Tomorrow we climb Mount Vesuvio!

"Torna a Surriento"

"Vedi il mare come è bello! Ispira molto sentimento. Come te che a chi guardi. Da sveglio lo fai sognare"

Today Rebecca and I rented a car, packed up our bikes and drove to Sorrento for a few days of unforgettable cycling along the Amalfi Coast and to follow the Giro d'Italia up Mount Vesuvius.

I drove a stick for the first time in years, and it was my first time driving in Naples. It was like driving bumper cars in an amusement park. I forgot how much I enjoy this kind of intense, calorie-burning driving....far from boring! Rebecca, who lived in Naples for 2 years, did the co-piloting, and together we made for a terrific, albeit patient team!

After 6 hours of hair-raising driving, we finally reached Naples and the stunning sight of the Gulf, Vesuvius and Capri opened up in front of us. By the time we reached Sorrento it was already time for dinner, so we headed out for what else? Pizza....in the main piazza which was furiously bustling with the competing sounds of neopolitan mandolins and motorcycles. We then reviewed our maps and plotted our course for the next two days of cycling to Amalfi and Vesuvius.

For the next few days, Leif (a good friend who is a professional bike tour guide and sommelier) is here in Sorrento too. He is accompanied by his van support driver Roberto, and he is guiding a custom bike tour for a group of Russians who have been following the Giro for the last week. We will be meeting up with his group tomorrow somewhere along the course.

Sorrento, Ischia, Ponza.....all part of the Campania region of Italy....this is where my family is from, and where I am closest to my roots. Decades ago, this is where my love affair with Italy first began. Being back here again now as a citizen through blood, ready to ride this part of Italy on a bike, will be more than just a cycling experience for me, but a momentous milestone which will reach its climax when I reach the summit of Vesuvius on Friday.

Rebecca's Art Fair and Dining with Angella

Yesterday after watching Stage 15, I headed to a crafts fair where my friend and team mate Rebecca was exhibiting her fabric designs. Rebecca is a graphic design artist and owner of the Paripassi textile design company. She is a talented artist and her delicate, lively and slightly exotic style is reflected in her colors and theme. She is also an Italian/English interpretor, and a cycling tour guide.

Rebecca and I are headed south for a 3 day "cycling escape" on Wednesday to follow Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia along the Amalfi Coast to the summit of Mount Vesuvius.

While I was at the exhibit, I met Melinda Gallo, whose blog Living in Florence I've recently been following.

Then I went to dinner with Angella, who just returned back to Florence from San Diego. Angella lives here in Florence. What a surprise.....she brought me a couple of boxes of Power Bars, which you can't get in Italy. Thanks, Angella!

Be Here Now

I learned a lesson today. I'll never miss having a DVR again. Today I watched Stage 15 on T.V., live after getting back on track following last night's blackout.

Here, every minute of the Giro is televised live. Since I don't have a Video Recorder, there's only one chance to see it. No tomorrows, no excuses. There's no rewinding to replay an attack. There's no fast-forwarding to see the last 10K. .

And as I discovered today, it's so much better this way because I'm so much more involved. I'm tuned-in to every word, every move. How spoiled we get with DVRs. How can you ever really be in the moment when you know that the moment has passed?

Today was an exciting and maybe decisive stage. Sadly, during today's stage, I watched my all-time "Giro Hero", Gilberto Simoni (two-time Giro winner) lose over 20 minutes of time. He's out of the GC. And he's probably seen his last Giro. It's sad. I've always loved Gibo, especially after seeing him take the 2001 Giro maglia rosa in person. I love his climbing style. But it seems that he's seen his day. I'm sorry to see him go.

Blackout Caused by Giro d'Italia !

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Another "first"......last night there was a blackout in my building and neighborhood. Today, while reading today's live coverage of Stage 15 on Cyclingnews, I discovered that the blackout was caused by the blimp that follows the Giro d'Italia!

Here's the clip from Cyclingnews:

• "14:24 CEST We have a little confession to make. Last night we took some of the race organisation up for a joyride in the Cyclingnews' blimp Hindenberg VI. A little too much grappa and some low power lines were a really bad combination. Luckily, we shorted out the power with the radio antenna so we avoided being electrocuted. Of course, we also knocked out power to a entire suburb of Florence... The end result is we're not flying high above the race today and it might take us some time to get the names of riders in this break."

Before I discovered the blackout at 1:30AM this morning, I was having dinner with Pat Thompson, an old friend from Brooklyn. Pat is a writer. She was passing through Florence after attending a Slow Food conference in Bologna. Pat and her husband Claudio are also the owners of the prestigious La Dolce Vita Wine Tours. I met Pat in 1993 when we were both members of the New York Cycle Club. Later I met her husband Claudio while riding my bike across Italy in 1996. Two years later, Pat and Claudio were married, and together they created a successful cycling and wine touring company.

After dinner I entered my building, and what a surprise! The lights were out. The whole building was without power. Then I realized that the entire neighborhood was without power. I couldn't enter my building because it was pitch dark.

Fortunately, I Ghibellini was still open! The owner, Franco, found some candles, escorted me up to my apartment and left the candles for me. He saved the day.

V.I.P. Passes for Stage 14 !!

I keep thinking that "things don't get better than this"

But then they do.

If being at yesterday's Stage 13 was a dream-come-true, then today was the icing on the cake.

Today, I was one of four team members who were escorted by Lorenzo to the partenza of Stage 14 in Campi Bisenzo. Little did I know that Lorenzo would have V.I.P. passes for all of us! It was a pandemonium of intense, pumped-up fans. The fever was high. The music was vibrant, the sponsor caravans honking their horns, distributing free goodies, t-shirts, caps, espresso and other souvenirs.The excitement in the air was contagious. Partaking in this event, getting so close up to De Luca, Petacchi, Leipheimer, Sastre, Simoni, Pellizotti, seeing them live in front of me...what a lifetime experience.

I am lucky to be living in this city, in this time, filled with new surprises almost every day.

Thank you , Lorenzo for the V.I.P. Pass, for being so concerned about other's happiness, and for being a good friend!

Giro d'Italia Comes to Florence

Seeing the arrival of today's Stage13 in my own backyard was an experience I never dreamed would happen. I've been in love with the Giro for 15 years, followed the last 5 stages on my bike in 2001, but never thought I would be living here to see it! Needless to describe the excitement of hanging from a lampost 250 meters from the finish line watching Cavendish winning the sprint, along with my new cycling friends from Florence. I can only compare the experience to seeing the Super Bowl in person, but even better.

There's Paolo puckering up to me! Carissimo!

Just as exciting as the race itself, was being right up front to watch Il Processo alla Tappa (the technical analysis of the stage), which I've only seen on T.V. Being right there to see such famous journalists and ex-pros like Francesco Moser, Gigi Sgarbozza, Nazareno Balani, Maurizio Fondriest, Fabio Sacchi and Andrea Fusco was an outstanding experience.

Tomorrow we're off to see Stage 14, at Campi Bisenzo.

All Resolved!

Today was a successful day. Today I finalized all of my residency documents with the comune (city hall). Residency is a very serious matter here and is strictly monitored. Within the next 2 weeks, the Polizia will visit me unexpectedly to make sure that I really live here. Whenever a person moves to a new house or apartment, they are paid a visit before their residency becomes official. Today I received the document that I needed in order to take advantage of my rights as a citizen. For example, now I can get access to the healthcare system. Tomorrow I will go to the Ufficio Sanitario to enroll in the healtcare system and to select my doctors

I finally bought a new phone, a major accomplishment, because I had to conduct the whole buying process in Italian. I was proud of myself. I "syncd it" with my Outlook database and after 2 hours, I retrieved my contact database. I am up and running again, and feeling so much better than yesterday.

Angella arrived today from California. She lives and works here, but went back to San Diego for 2 weeks to visit her family. She is originally from San Diego. We will meet-up for dinner on Sunday night.

Giro d'Italia

Anyone who's watching the Giro d'Italia, look for me on T.V. for the following stages!

Stage 13 Friday, May 22
Lido di Camaiore → Firenze
I'll be at the finishing line in Florence

Stage 14 Saturday, May 23
Campi Bisenzio → San Luca
I'll be in the vicinity of Campi Bisenzio

Stage 15 Sunday, May 24
Forlì → Faenza
I will be at two different points....Passo dell'Eremo and Monte Trebbio

Stage 19 Friday, May 29
Avellino → Monte Vesuvius
I'll be at the summit of Mount Vesuvio

Growing Pains

Today was a very frustrating day. First, I burnt down another macchinetta while being distracted in the bathroom. After skipping a class to keep my residency appointment at the Comune (city hall), I arrived there to find that Gianni was sick, and so the office was closed. My continued search for a cell phone ended up in vain, and it's going slower than expected. I'm startled at the prices, which are almost 3x as expensive than in the U.S. and I'm having a hard time accepting this. And then there's the Italian technical vocabulary that I'm learning before I can feel confident enough to buy anything. It's taking much longer than expected, and in the meantime, I am feeling very isolated without a phone.

After parking my bike outside the post office to pick up a package, I returned to find it blocked by a motorino that was "illegally" parked on the sidewalk. I had to wait 5 hours until the owner returned so that I could release my bike. He wasn't the least bit apologetic. Unfortunately, not only did I accomplish nothing today, but I missed a class, I'm still without a phone, and needless to say, I missed the Giro d'Italia on T.V. today.

I know that this is all a part of the learning process, and I've learned more patience since I moved here in September, than I've learned in my lifetime. I've had much worse days, though, and I take it all with a grain of salt, because I am happy here.

An Interesting Week So Far!

The topic of today's conversation class was the usage of Facebook within the Italian culture. I was not surprised to learn that Facebook and other forms of virtual socialization are unpopular here. It's not a matter of technology, but a reflection of the Italian instinct to fare una chiacchierata!

There's a new student in my class who's a nude model for the University of Florence School of Art. He works 10 hours a day, naked, posing in "David-like positions". Also, I found it interesting that he will be working for an anti-Mafia organization in Naples, called "Liberaterra". This organziation uses land previously confiscated from the Mafia which is used to produce products that are sold to raise money to fight the Cammora. I'm meeting some very unusual people here.

It was a pleasure to ride my city bike to school today. The weather is perfect. The birds are singing outside my window. They sing all day long, not just in the morning. On my way home I bought some sunflowers and lilies from Giovanni. I pass by his outdoor flower shop several times a day. Having fresh flowers in the house is becoming a way of life for me.

I've been spending an inordinate amount of time shopping around for a new telephone. I've been living without a phone for over a week. I've gone to several different shops and have been comparing the different "specials" offered by the different phone companies. It's a whole new learning experience for me, because I have to learn all the technical jargon, and have to understand how their calling plans and billing works. And I have to be sure that I understand the terms of their service contracts.

This Friday the Giro d'Italia arrives in Florence, and on Saturday it departs from Florence.

To top of my day, today I went to the post office to pick up the quilt that Donna and Kent sent me! It's very soothing to have such a masterpiece adorning my bed, and to know that it was made by hand, by a special friend.

Which makes me realize how guilty I feel for leaving my friends in California. I miss them. It is so hard to keep a handle on what's going on there. I feel so far away. I love them and don't want to lose touch, and need to make more time to communicate. But I also know that a friend is a friend for life. I love you guys.

Sleeping Late

I'm not an early-bird. I like the night life and I don't enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn. Since I've been here, I don't even want to go to bed, because there's so much to do, I don't want to miss a single moment.

When I moved to California from New York City, I felt guilty sleeping late because the day begins and ends very early there. The surfers are up early to catch the best waves and everyone lives outdoors because the weather is so perfect. The Italian way of life suits my tendency of being a night person. Dinner doesn't begin until at least 8PM. The operas and concerts don't start until 9PM and sometimes 9:30. People stay up late, socializing.

Here it's not a sin to enjoy sleeping late. Not that everybody does it. It's the perspective that's different. Here, sleeping late, at least on the weekends, is considered a pleasure, a welcome indulgence.

The Duomo bells don't ring until 7AM here for the Angelus. And when they do, sometimes I just say a prayer of thanks for being woken up by such a beautiful sound coming from such a magnificent basilica with so much history. And then I close my eyes for another dose of sleep, without feeling guilty.

Raduno Landici Bike

Today was another great day of cycling through the beautiful surroundings of Florence, and another great learning experience. This was my second Raduno. A Raduno is the same thing as a charity ride in the U.S. .In Italy, the charity rides are more frequent, much more localized, and you have to have a license in order to participate. I am learning that in Italy you have to have a license or "permisso" to do almost anything! Lots of rules and therefore, lots of opportunity for Italians to exercise their authority and their need to have process, rank and authority.

The raduno started in Scandicci at a local bike store, and we took a 74K loop to Montespertoli and back. Awaiting us at the end was "Bacelli (fava beans) e Pecorino", wine, dolce, fruit, and we all received a bottle of local olive oil, a water bottle and a pair of socks. All this for 3 Euro. As we headed back for Florence, David, Natascha and I decided to do some more "miles", so we rode out to Dicomano and back home. All this with a bottle of olive oil in my jersey pocket!!!!

I watched Stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia on T.V. Who ever would have thought that I would be watching the Giro d'Italia on my T.V. in Italy? What a dream come true.

Today it was quite hot, and the sun was shining. The weather has really changed over the past week. Spring is in full bloom, and the warm weather has brought out the mosquitoes, or zanzare. I've heard alot about the mosquitoes here....but I can't imagine that they could ever be as bad as they were in New York. We'll see. Most of my friends here have mosquito nets hanging over their beds. I hope I won't need one, because my ceiling is so high....I don't know how I would install it.

Team Photo

Today the team got together for our team photo, which has been on the agenda for some time. I cycled to Pizza Liberta' where I met Rebecca, and this was the first time that we both wore our full team uniform. We both agreed that we have to do something about these uniforms, which aren't particularly flattering to the female body. So we laughed about how funny we look. Rebecca, who knows how to sew and has a sewing machine suggested that we get together one day at her house to pin each other up and make alterations to our uniforms. That sounds like a great idea!

We headed to the Giardino dell'Orticoltura, where we met the rest of the team, and we had a real blast posing for photos in front of Il prato con la loggetta rinascimentale and La fontana del Serpente and gardens of roses. It was alot of fun. The guys on the team are so friendly and attentive to the women, in a very respectful way. Italian men have a beautiful way of expressing themselves, that is so innocent and down-to-earth. I love that.

After the photo, we all rode to Pontassieve, when out of nowhere there appeared dark clouds and it started pouring rain. It took about an hour of riding to get back home. I was soaked. After a soothing shower, I spent a few hours studying, writing to my friends back home and then cleaned and prepared my bike for tomorrow's Raduno Landini, a charity ride that starts in Scandicci.

I never go to bed without thanking God for bringing me here.

Found a City Bike!!

Today I finally found an old used city bike! I found it in a teeny-weeny dark cluttered bicycle repair shop, just a few blocks away from me. Givovanni, the florist told me to see his friend Pietro. Pietro is a little old man who's probably owned the store all his life. He usually only does repairs, but he just "happened" to have this used bike which seems perfect for me. I took it for a test drive, and Pietro supplied me with a basket for the front, and the back. He also gave me 2 heavy duty catenas (chain locks) that I will use to lock my bike to the rastrelliera (outdoor bike rack) in Piazza Salvemini.

The bike isn't quite as ugly as I had wanted, but I didn't want to spend more time hunting one down. The price was right and I have been anxious to look like a real Fiorentina, carrying my flowers and fresh bread in my basket! Someday I even want to learn how to wear high heels while riding my bike, like many of the Florentine women do.

I hope my bike isn't too pretty. It's used, but it looks nicer than most of the old, rusty, beat-up bikes that I've seen. So, I'm a little afraid that it could be stolen. Well, all I can do is try. And if it gets stolen, I will just have to buy something uglier.

After lunch I picked up my bike and pedaled around to get used to it. What a great sense of freedom! I went down to the Arno and pedaled peacefully as the sun set. Then I headed home and locked up the bike at the piazza and I am praying that it will still be there tomorrow!

Barbara Makes Italian Television!!

After school today, I rushed home to watch today's stage of the Giro d'Italia. I still had 1/2 hour before the program began, so I figured I would watch the news while making a snack of spinach with garlic and olive oil. As I was flicking through the channels, a program was beginning on Channel 14, called "Pedalando". It was the coverage of the Gran Fondo Vernaccia in San Gimignano, in which I participated last Sunday! The camera focused on the starting line, and there I saw myself and Rebecca on TV! It was only for a second, but I couldn't believe my eyes! I hadn't realized that this GranFondo was so "famous"......it was cited as being one of the most important Gran Fondo's for Italy, because there are so many would-be and ex-pros in the race. The fact that we even participated appears to have been remarkable.

City Girl

There are so many reasons why I love living in Florence. I could probably make a list of 100 things that I love about living here. One of those reasons is because I am a city girl, and Florence is just the perfect sized city. I lived 90% of my life in New York City. I love the pedestrian life. I grew up with it and it is in my blood. I love not having to drive a car, rely on a car, park a car and get gas. Here I don't need a car...everything is within walking or cycling distance. I can ride my road bike out of Florence and be in Chianti country only after a few miles. And now with my city bike I am free within the city.

I love the freedom of walking out my front door even past midnight and immediately entering a world of energy, people walking, strolling, shopping, saying hello, socializing and interacting with each other. It's a way of life that I really missed living the past 5 years in California. Living in Florence has made me realize how much I need the city to keep me feeling vibrant and alive. And the train system out of Florence is so accessible and puts all of Italy within a short distance away. I really love my apartment. It is so peaceful, yet near everything. I can walk out of the door very late at night and there's so much going on. It feels like one gigantic Greenwich Village. For me, it has all the advantages of New York City, none of the disadvantages, and certainly none of the madness.

This is just the perfect place for me.

Fumare o Non Fumare?

The topic of today's conversation class was "To Smoke, or Not to Smoke?". There are still 14 million people in Italy who smoke, and despite having been banned in restaurants a few years ago, it remains a national pastime. My teacher rolls her own tobacco, because it helps her to smoke less, and because it is more economical that way. The class was surprised to learn that I don't know anyone who smokes in the U.S.

After class, I went back to the Ministero delle Finanze and they finally changed my name correctly. Now I have to register myself as a resident with the city of Florence, and then I have to select a doctor and learn all about how the healthcare system works.

On my way back from the Ministero, I stopped by the bike shop to browse and bumped into Ray Fox, who I met in San Diego just 2 months ago. He and his wife were at Lorenzo's birthday dinner last week. They had just arrived from San Diego, and they are good friends of Lorenzo and Lia. He owns an apartment here in Florence and spends a few months a year here with his wife. He invited me to join them for dinner this coming Friday night.

On Saturday the team is meeting after the ride for our team photo.

Rebecca and I are planning our trip to Sorrento to follow Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia. Right now, after Stage 3, Petacchi is wearing the maglia rosa. I am really looking forward to our trip in which we will cycle the Amalfi Coast and climb Mount Vesuvius to await the racers for the mountaintop finish.

Oh, and today, my Blackberry came back to life!

Gran Fondo San Gimignano

Today I enjoyed my second Gran Fondo, this time in San Gimignano, just a 90 minute drive from Florence. This Gran Fondo is part of the Granducato series, so it attracted the most elite riders in Italy, and it was televised on two TV channels, including RAI. From my team, there were 3 men, Rebecca and me. We did the medio percorcso. It was a heady experience to participate in a race with such a world-class group of cyclists. Rebecca and I finished the race together, and much to the chagrin of the most serious racers, we probably deserved a prize for having enjoyed the scenery more than anyone else. It was a perfectly blooming spring day, with poppies bursting along the perimeter of endless vineyards, and meadows full of sheep grazing below hilltop castellos. Although we kept seriously focused on our momentum, it was difficult to ignore the magnificent environment.

After the race, we each received a "pacco di gara" which this time included a bottle of Vernaccia, a bottle of olive oil, and other local delights. The post-race lunch included pasta, salumi, formaggi, salsicce, pancetta cotte alla brace, fruta, dolci, caffe' e vino.

A prize prosciutto crudo was given to every team who had a minimum of 10 participants, and a "spalla", (prosciutto cotto) to those with more than 7 !!!!

Riding "Tandem-Style" in Florence

Claude, you gotta see this one!!!

This is me and Leif going to a housewarming party for Melissa and Per. They are friends of Leif and Rebecca. They are from Napa Valley and they spend half of their time here and half in California. They own a bike touring company in Florence. This photo was taken by Rebecca. I don't have a city bike yet, so Leif offered to give me a "lift" on his city bike. It was a blast. I told them all about my days riding and racing a tandem with Claude, so they understood why I was so hilarious!

Cycling from Florence to Siena

Today Leif, Rebecca and I went on a "business trip". We cycled from Florence to Siena. Leif and Rebecca are bike tour guides and Leif was training Rebecca to learn this route which she will be guiding next week for a group coming in from the U.S. .Rebecca has already been guiding tours for some time and knows the roads very well. Today's ride was meant to learn the specifics of the route, points and stories of interest, the rest stops (for lunch, caffe', wine-tasting and gelato) and hotels where the tour group will be lodging along the route. Leif invited me to join them today so I can start training to guide these tours in the future too. Wow! I always imagined that perhaps in another life, I would have been a bike tour guide in Italy. Maybe this is the beginning of that other life.

So, here I am in my favorite place in the world, riding my bike in heaven and seeing every detail through new eyes. We cycled the Via Chiantigiana through Strada, where Leif pointed out the gelato stop and the notable maccelerria. Then on to Greve where we cycled to the espresso stop in the piazza. Then on to the fun climb through Panzano, and to Radda, which would normally be the first hotel stop. We visited the 2 hotels and took a quick view of the borgo and then took a glorious road to Castellina where the tour would stop for a wine tasting, and then on to Siena, where we stopped for a gelato and some photos in Piazza del Campo. We then rode on to Monteriggione and Poggibonsi, and took the train back to Florence.

Needless to describe the sensations of riding to these glorious destinatons on a perfect spring day with the poppies blooming everywhere, the intoxicating smell of pine and the sight of sheep in the meadows below the hilltop castellos. To see it all from the perspective of a tour guide was a new, but natural feeling experience. I got to learn what they think about, what they need to be aware of, what kind of questions they need to answer, how they need to be prepared, what they need to know about the destinations, the area, the alternative roads to take, how to deal with different types of riders. Rebecca asked alot of good questions and I learned alot from her and Leif.

Visiting the Ministero delle Finanze

Today's class was so good that it got me high. It made me flash back to the exact moment, the exact setting and the exact professor responsible for inspiring my passion for the Italian language when I first studied Dante in college.

After class I met Lucia for a caffe' while she was taking a break from teaching her own classes at Istituto Italiano. Then I went to a few phone stores to get opinions about my Blackberry. It appears that it is irreparably damaged. But I'm still going to let it dry out for another few days before I give up on it.

Then I went to the Ministero delle Finanze to have my name changed on my Codice Fiscale (Italian equivalent of our Social Security Number) from Barrett to Masefield.. The man proceded to make a mistake and my name didn't get changed. He told me to come back on Monday, because after making the mistake, he couldn't try correcting it, since it is now one minute past closing time.

Tomorrow I am going to play hookey from school. Instead, I am going to cycle to Siena (about 80 miles) with Leif and Rebecca.

Blackberry Drowned by Smart Italian Sink

My Blackberry doesn't work. It drowned last night. I am doing a good job not panicking. More than 250 lifetime contacts are on that phone. In addition to other "can't live-without" features.

This morning I realized that my Blackberry was swimming in a puddle of water in my handbag all night long. Apparently when I went to the bathroom at the restaurant last night, I laid my handbag in the sink while brushing my hair and didn't notice that the water faucet incorrectly detected a pair of hands, and filled it up. Who would think that an Italian sink could be so smart? (Or that I could be so dumb?)

So, for a whole day I have been living without a telephone. When I thought about what the alternatives are, I started wondering whether I really need all those features and all those 250 contacts.

I sent an e-mail to those people who are most likely to call or SMS me, to advise that my phone "non funziona". It turned out to be only 11 people.

Well, maybe that means that I don't really need a Blackberry. I will wait a few days to see if it dries out. And if not, then I'll probably buy the smallest no-frills phone that I can find. And live the way I really want to. Senza complicazione.

I had another good class today. I finally got my trainer all set up and took a spin in my bedroom for 45 minutes, gazing out of my window onto the Florentine courtyard, listening to an Italian news podcast. Berlusconi embarrases the government again with his dramatic and sordid personal life.

Tonight I was honored to be a part of Lorenzo's birthday celebration. We met in front of the chiesa at Santa Croce, had a great dinner and then gelato at Vivoli. It is great to be a part of this group.

Team Dinner

I had a good class today and this evening the squad got together for dinner at a restaurant at Piazza della Liberta' where I tried the "stinchi". By the time we left the restaurant, my bus wasn't running anymore, so I had to walk back home. Which was okay, but I am realizing I need to get a city bike very soon. It is a necessity.

Getting Focused Again

I stayed up late last night updating my blog. Even though I was tired after a vigorous weekend of cycling, socializing and speaking Italian, I needed to "vomitare in inglese". That is, I needed an outlet to flush things out in my native language. My thoughts were overflowing, and I needed to write right away in order to get it all out and relax....and finally, sleep!

It was a little hard to wake up this morning but since it was my first day of language classes, I was eager to get started. Istituto David is a small but intimate school at Piazza della Repubblica. The teachers were excellent (2 hours of grammar and 2 hours of conversation) and it felt great to get into the groove again. We reviewed il tempo congiuntivo, which is really the basis of Florentine style and I still need to master it. Thank God I don't have much homework tonight.

I tried to get on my bike trainer to spin out my legs, but so far today it hasn't happened yet.

Nicola stoped by a few minutes ago to collect the rent and to make sure that I am keeping the plants on the terrace watered. He is a sweetheart.

I'm already anticipating next Sunday's Gran Fondo in San Gimignano!

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Madonna del Ghisallo

It's the end of an awesome weekend of riding and developing new friendships in Lake Como with the team. Click here to see all of the photos: Photo Album. We drove up on Friday and arrived at the hotel, which was beautifully situated on the lake with stunning views. I shared a room with Natascha, who is a gas. After a 6 hour drive we didn't waste any time grabbing our bikes to take a warm-up fantasy ride along the lake of 30K, to the very picturesque Varenna. There where we stopped for caffe and gelato. We then boarded a ferryboat across the spectacular lake, to Bellagio and then headed back to the hotel for an apertivo, a wonderful dinner, with just enough energy left to "fare una passeggiata alla piazza".

The 100K ride up the Ghisallo and the Passo del Sormano was a lifetime giro memory. Difficult, but very do-able. Between the great group of fellow riders and the outstanding scenery, I couldn't feel any pain, in fact, it was an adrenaline rush. The group rode dynamically together and it is a well-matched group. Upon reaching the summit, we stopped for pannini and then enjoyed the 30k killer descent. What a rush! We arrived back at the hotel early enough to nap and recover. Dinner was so much fun.....we all gave our SD photo cards to Paolo, who showed everyone's photos of the day on a monitor, for us all to see! Dessert was a cake, with the club logo design. We ended the night with a fine dose of grappa. Pooped!

Sunday after breakfast we drove up to the museum which had a very rare collection of bikes, jerseys, photos, journals and videos of over 100 years of Italian cycling history. Any fan of Italian cycling would have really appreciated this. We then took a group photo and headed back to Florence. What a memorable weekend this was, with many new friends made.

About Me

Born, bred and careered in New York City, I was raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, an area steeped in a strong Italian-American culture that greatly influenced my upbringing and the eventual direction of my life 50 years later. My parents were pure second generation Italian-Americans. We lived and preserved Italian traditions from the food we ate to the songs we sang. From the holiday traditions we practiced to the family and Catholic values we lived. From the dramatic Neapolitan behaviors to the learning of Italian opera as kids. I first visited Italy at 15 years old while spending a magical summer in Europe, studying at the Univeristé de Grenoble with the nuns from high school. I had become fascinated with French and Italian culture. I decided to major in French because at the time, it was the international language to speak.

I attended private Catholic schools until mid-college, when I transferred to the City University of New York where I majored in French and minored in Italian. While studying Dante’s La Divina Commedia, I became awestruck by the profound beauty, melody and sensuality of the Italian language and realized that I was majoring in the wrong language. Despite becoming impassioned by everything Italian, I decided not to change my major, as I had come such a long way with my French and didn’t want to start over again. My learning Italian would have to wait, and with life getting in the way, perhaps it would never happen. This passion was to lay dormant for years. For the next 30 years I vacationed in Italy as often as I could, drawn by the inherent connection that I had to the culture.

My first real job was during the summer of my junior year in college, where, a block away from Wall Street, I worked at Banque Nationale de Paris, translating French correspondence. Upon graduating from college I taught elementary school and French for two years. But then I found a job as a market research analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank, and started a thriving career in global banking.

For the next 23 years I worked as a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase, where I managed various cash management and global investor services in sales, marketing and product management. I also sat on the board of directors of the Chase Automated Clearing House, Inc.

My marriage did not survive my career, which dominated my life. I began questioning my values. Simultaneously my dear father died and my closest sister left New York. Disheartened, I had to take a pause from the corporate world to examine my own self. I started working for myself trading in the stock market. While rebuilding from the core, something else got in the way.

I lived in downtown Manhattan’s Battery Park City, which eventually became known to the world as Ground Zero.

That day changed my life. I never thought I would hear the phrase “Women and children first”. Standing on the rescue boat as it pulled out of the harbor, I watched the towers fall in front of me. Displaced, I returned to a neighborhood that no longer existed. Neighbors, friends and colleagues were gone. My life was uprooted. There was nothing to do but pick up the pieces and move on.

Somewhere along the way, I had taken up road cycling, which probably saved my life. It allowed me to vent my grief, survive my divorce, practice leadership in a new form, volunteer and develop a close circle of friends. Eventually it helped me to transplant myself first to California, and later, to Italy.

I moved to Southern California, the antithesis of everything that is New York City. Friends and family believed I would not survive the cultural polarization. Was this a detour or was this my destiny? It provided the sanctuary and new perspective that I needed. I became a competitive cyclist, raced and even won a few times. I made many friendships through cycling circles and even found love. I almost planted my roots in the ground. But something was out of whack in my environment, preventing me from making this my final destiny. It was out of this uncertainty that things started becoming more clear.

I gradually started pursuing old diversions that made me feel comfortable, things I hadn’t done since I left New York. Like going to the opera, cycling in Italy and studying Italian.. The more I studied Italian, the greater my desire grew to know it more deeply. I joined the Italian Cultural Center in San Diego and met many Italian-Americans who shared my passion for Italy.

It was through this group that I was encouraged to conduct a genealogy search and then met an Italian immigration lawyer who believed that I could pursue my Italian citizenship if I could trace and prove my lineage. As I started digging, I discovered many fascinating details of my heritage, which finally led me to the island of Ischia, where I discovered the 150 year old birth documents of my great grandfather, the home where he was born, and artifacts from his fishing boat which are on display at the island’s maritime museum.

At the time, I was simultaneously studying Italian in Florence, where I had joined a cycling team and was making friends very quickly. I immediately found a job as a bike tour guide, taking cyclists on tours of Tuscany. I had found my home, my final destiny.

I learned and was able to prove to the Italian Ministry that my great-grandfather, unlike most Italian immigrants, never became a naturalized American citizen. Meaning that all of his offspring are entitled by birthright to be Italian citizens, but little did we know it.  These discoveries enabled me to obtain my dual Italian-American citizenship 6 months later. It was destiny.

I have been living in Florence now for four years. Everything clicked in from the day I arrived, as though the angels were waiting for me. I am home, this is where I belong. A dream come true.

I am at the threshold of a whole new life. I love being with and sharing my love of Italy, and in particular, my love of Florence with those who share my passion. I know that there are big things waiting for me here. I believe that when you are in the right place, when the environment is right, when the chemistry is right, that things happen.

E' Arrivato, il Mio Passaporto Italiano !!

It is in my hands. My Italian passport just arrived.

It has been a beautiful journey.
I am no longer Barbara Barrett.

I am once again Barbara Masefield, which is my maiden name.

That's the way they do it in Italy.
I am now a dual citizen of America and Italy.
A new journey has just begun!

Does it Rain in Heaven?

When I was a kid, I imagined heaven to be this place where everybody had wings and halos, and wore long white gowns. I envisioned people all flying around in bliss, high above the clouds where the sun was always shining, and the sky was always blue.

Today, as I was walking through Piazza Annunziata, it started raining. I didn't have my umbrella, so I stopped in the church for protection. Mass was being said, so I participated.

When I left, the clouds were gone. It must rain in heaven because I really believe that's where I am.

San Gimigano's Gran Fondo

Today was another dream-come-true, participating in the Gran Fondo San Gimignano with several team mates, riding through the very best roads that Tuscany has to offer. Lorenzo drove us to San Gimignano. Even though this was a timed race, Rebecca and I rode the course together and we did not race. How can you possibly race through such a wonderland? We rode the 62k rolling course, oohing and aahing the whole way. The day ended with an amazing pastafest after the race, and returned home with another fascinating cyling memory in Tuscany.

The Week Ahead

In the past couple of days I did alot of reading, caught up on the news, and took a test to determine what class I'll be attending when I start school again next Monday at Istituto David. When I was in San Clemente, I applied for and received a scholarship for an intensive one-month Italian language course. I will probably end up in an Intermediate class. So, I'm really looking forward to studying again. I really need it. My Italian really suffered through abstinence while I was away for 3 months.

Last night I met up with Leif, who's a member of the team. He is a sommelier and works for several tour companies, developing and leading bicycle and wine tours throughout Italy. He is one of the great people that I have met here in Florence. We had a great reuinion and caught up on each others' lives. We also spoke about some upcoming possibilites for me to do some bike tour guiding.

I am getting ready for a weekend trip with 18 members of the team to Lake Como where we will climb the Madonna del Ghisallo (pictured left). This important and exceptionally scenic climb is one of the classic climbs of Italian cycling, and part of the course of the Giro di Lombardia. Our course will be over 100K and 2,000 meters of climbing. I am very excited. We'll also have the opportunity to see the Ghisallo museum of Italian cycling. The club has rented a van which will transport all of the bikes and I will catch a ride with someone who has room in their car, all TBD on the day-of. All the women cyclists on the team are going....Rebecca. Rhiannon, Natascha and I. The drive up to Lake Como takes 6 hours, so it will be alot of fun. The weather outlook for Saturday's ride is excellent. Sunny, between 14 and 25C. Can't wait!

Lunch with Barbara's Family

Florence is such a compact city, you don't need to walk very far to find anything. But as I start to reach beyond Florence, I have to learn the bus system and get myself a city bike. Then I'll be more mobile and spontaneous.

Today I went to Barbara's house for Sunday dinner with her family. Our scheduled bike ride this morning was rained out (which was fine with me, being tired after yesterday's Gran Fondo) so instead she invited me over for lunch with her family at her home in Gavinana. It's too far of a walk in the rain, and I don't have a city bike (yet), which would have been ideal...so I have to take the bus. The ATAF website doesn't make it easy to find out what bus takes you where, but I figured it out. I went to the tabaccheria to buy a bus ticket and waited in the rain for the bus. I was there in minutes and felt good to have learned a way of getting around in the rain.

(I can't wait to buy a used, old ugly city bike...you know, the kind you can ride in the rain. The kind you keep locked-up on the street overnight with wide tires, fenders, a chain guard, one gear and a basket on the front. You buy the oldest and ugliest bike you can find, otherwise it won't be there in the morning. It will make life a little easier).

Lunch with Barbara, her 2 children and Alfredo was a great opportunity to get to know her off the bike. We shared a quiet and enjoyable afternoon. After dinner, she helped her children with their homework. It was a family affair, the way it used to be when I was a kid, and they were actually having fun. Despite all the criticism about the Italian school system, the size of the classrooms and the lack of government support of the teaching community, they still teach subjects here that are no longer valued in the American school system. Like history, (real history, like before Christopher Columbus) literature, culture, geography and Latin. Ask any American kid what Latin is and I'm afraid what they might tell you. I think I was the last generation of American students who studied Latin until college. And to me that is a shame. It gave me a profound appreciation of culture that influenced me throughout my life.

On the way back from Barbara's all the tabaccherias where closed so I had to get on the bus without a ticket and nobody stopped me, but I had no choice. I guess I'll have to buy a book of tickets to keep in my purse.

When I got back home to Piazza Salvemini, there was an antique flea market going on where I bargained for some very old pieces of lace that I'm imagining to use under some flower vases and on my kitchen table. I thought about how lucky these children are to be learning Latin. Buona sera.

Gran Fondo Chianciano Terme

Today I rode my first Gran Fondo in Chianciano Terme. It was the most exciting single-day cycling event that I've ever experienced. I've dreamed about this day for years, and today was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Gran Fondo is an Italian institution, which is making its way to America with some modifications. Gran Fondo means long distance or great endurance. These races are usually 160 - 225km long, and usually include a Medio Fondo, which in today's case was 88km. Today's fondo was a licensed, competitve race with a field of thousands. You wear a riding chip around your ankle, you are timed and the results are published. Some Gran Fondos calculate points for time, which then count towards an annual series such as the Granducato. Regardless of the format, all the riders are all skilled, experienced, competent racers.

So, Gran Fondo has some attributes of a century, some attributes of a USCF Race and some attributes of an American long-distance endurance ride. For the most part, American road events are either licensed USCF races (including amateur and Pro categories), amateur centuries and double centuries, amateur endurance rides (such as the Breathless Agony), brevets and ultra-marathon rides. Put the best of these together.....and you've got Gran Fondo.

Most Gran Fondos are as competitive as a USCF road race because they attract dilettanti....elite, pros and ex-pros. There are great rivalries between teams. Unlike a USCF race but more like a century, the field is enormous, there's a mass start, and all categories are mixed together, except that the ladies are permitted to start in the front. But like a USCF race, you have to be licensed, unlike an American century ride which is open to all types of riders. Unlike a USCF race but more like a century, there's a pasta party at the end including wine, prosciutto, cheese, dolce, a free "pacco gara" (goodie bag) including a bottle of local wine and many other local specialty items. And unlike a USCF race, nobody warms up on their trainers before the race and everybody eats and laughs together under the chestnut trees after viewing their results. Doesn't get better than this.

Then you top it off with some of the most stunning scenery in the world and roads that weave through ancient hilltop towns like Pienza and Montepulciano. Thousands of people, excitement in the air, high adrenaline, and the most animated cyclists that I've ever seen anywhere.

It was an extraordinary race start with an energy and atmosphere beyond description. Us women were up front, just behind the starting ribbon. Being my first Gran Fondo, I did alot of observing of how things are done, but you can't really do that when you're up front. Well, being up front was only a momentary experience! Lorenzo warned me that the race starts at a furious pace, and with thousands of riders behind you, I was cautious of making any lateral moves. I was maybe was a little too timid, but having thousands of frenzied cyclists trying to pass you at 25 mph was a pretty new experience for me. I paid strict attention to keeping my line, as those in front are "carrots" for the rabbits... At the top of the first hill, I had a technical problem with my rear brake....my number was wrapped around and was strangling the brake cable. I tried to loosen it while on the bike, but had to stop to fix it. I lost alot of time, and ended up riding solo until I saw Lorenzo in the distance waiting for me.

We rode together for the rest of the race through fantasyland. Being way in the back isn't a fun place to be, but the territory made that feel totally irrelevant. Going through Pienza, Montepulciano, through quintessential wine country, in this, the country that I love, was intoxicating. We showered, changed, returned our chips, checked our results (ugh!) refuled at the pasta party under the chestnut trees eating local cheese, hams and wine, and talked all the way home. I slept well.

Now I know what Gran Fondo is all about. I didn't perform well, but neither was I mentally prepared. Racing is 40% mental attitude, 50% physical conditioning and 10% luck, as one ex-pro used to tell me. I know I can improve a little bit on the physical aspect, but it's the mental conditioning that I know will make all the difference. The next time I will put on my best race face, be more tenacious, and more willing to grit my teeth and endure pain. Isabelle Drake, my dear friend and very accomplished ultra cyclist will be my insipiration.

Reunion with Filippo

Today Filippo and I reunited over lunch at Cibreo. We became friends last September through school. We used to meet every week to help each other with my Italian and his English, and we kept in touch while I was back in San Clemente. We had a great time catching up with each other over lunch today. We both struggled a little for words, since my Italian had become rusty in the last 3 months as did his English, but we ended up only talking Italian.

Later in the day, Filippo invited me to his uncle Tom's house in Mantignano next week to feast on a dinner based only on baccelli (beans that grow inside of pods) and pecorino. It's the season for baccelli. They are almost at full sprout. His best friend Andrea and his wife Sandrine, their newborn infant Anais, Michele, Tania and her children, his sister, brother-in-law and nephew will all be there. I met them the last time that I had dinner at his uncle Tom's in November, when we ate an extraordinary dinner of fresh killed cinghale roasted on the fireplace, made into sausages and used as a soup base for the most glorious minestra I've ever had.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading a history book on Tuscany, and then in the evening I met Lorenzo at Piazza Beccaria with my bike, so that he could pack it up and have it ready for our trip tomorrow to Chianciano Terme for the Gran Fondo which goes through the heart of Tuscany, through Pienza, Montepulciano, Chiusi, Sarteano and Cetona.

The Door is Wide Open

Being back in Florence is so much easier this time, it really feels like home. It was easy for me to get settled again because I didn't have to learn everything from scratch like the first time around. I know where everything is and how the basic things work or don't work, except that I still can't understand why it takes a month for an Express Mail envelope to get here from the U.S........ And why do they have numbers on the houses, if the numbers are totally out of sequence?

I don't know where I got the patience and endurance to learn and adapt to a whole new way of life the first time. But it all just felt so natural. I must have really wanted it, because nobody in their right mind would have tackled this enormous life transition by themselves like I did. When I look back on how difficult it was the first time, I don't know how I did it, but it was very fulfilling. I made so many mistakes and had to learn by trial and error. I just threw myself in, and learned as I went along. I trusted my instinct. I had nobody to help me or show me the ropes. I didn't read any books. I just took baby steps and allowed each learning experience to lead to the next. And it all worked. And it's working even better this time. I have alot more mistakes to make and things to learn, it will be endless. But each day I grow and learn, and new opportunities open up. As I look further through every doorway, new doors continue to open up. The Door is Wide Open. "La porta e spalancata".

Today, Lia visited me for coffee and dolce and we talked for hours. She taught me some things about serving dolce which I really appreciated. Like you don't serve cenci on the same plate as fragole, which I did! Instinctive, but over time, the artist-cuoca in me will manifest because it's there...it just needs time to be resurrected. Lia works for Florence by Bike and she is the organizer of team ride and social events. She's been a great support to me in finding my place on the team and making my move to Florence a welcome and easier experience.

The Language of Cycling

I realized today that there are no language barriers in this emotional sport of cycling. If you have a passion for the sport, you can ride with almost anyone. Cycling is a language in itself. Maybe that's why I am finding it easier to assimilate into the culture and make new friends, despite my elementary command of the language. When you're riding with a group, body language talks. Stlye talks. Etiquette talks. You can read alot about a person just from the way they ride. You can tell if they're happy, sad, aggressive, mad. Whether they're having a good day, if they're tired, angry, greedy, timid, stressed, sharp, shy, tenacious, extroverted, selfish, considerate, genuine or friendly. Regardless of what language you speak, when you share the passion of the open terrain, when you sweat together, work together, sprint against each other, try to outskill each other, you are simply talking a common language that has no need for words. The group dynamic is something you feel, and cannot describe. You just have to be there. The commuication is invisible. Sometimes you only get a chance to talk to each other at the begining of the ride and at the espresso stop. But that doesn't mean that you aren't talking. That's one of the reasons why I love so much to ride. It is a happy and healthy way to develop a cameradie with people.

Today I rode with 8 team members to Borgo San Lorenzo, for about 56 miles. It was the first time that I saw again David, Giuseppe, Zanobi, Massimo, Filippo and Chris. We rode north through a headwind at the begining...the pace was brisk and the company quickly disappeared, but what could I expect? I was dust in the wind. Lorenzo and Zanobi appeared at the summit to coach me on. Had I known where I was, I would never have expected them to wait for me, but they did. I can't expect to keep up with them, no matter how hard I train. It would be like trying to keep up with the Tuedsay Renegade Ride. For now, I will be happy to roll out with them at the start, and use my Garmin to get me back home.

On the way back I heard someone calling me from the street! "Barbara!!!". I was astonished to see Barbara Livolsi on her city bike, riding home from work at Euro Pass. I met Barbara last year and no sooner did we start becoming friends, that I left here for California. She admitted that she had wondered if I was really coming back to Florence. We immediately made plans to ride together this Sunday. Barbara is a native Italian from Florence. She owns and directs a private Italian Language and Arts school here named Euro Pass. In January she took me for a tour of her school, which attracts foreign students from all over the U.S. and Europe.

Also, today Leif and I talked about some upcoming multi-day bike tours that I might be interested in guiding, including itineraries to Radda in Chianti and Siena. I am thrilled to have this opportunity and will be speaking to him further in the next few days to discuss training and logistics!

I am looking forward to my first Gran Fondo this Saturday.

Concerto per l'Abruzzo al Mandela Forum diretto da Zubin Mehta

What a switch. 6 days ago I was wearing plaid shorts, a tee shirt and flip flops in San Clemente. Today I wore my boots, jeans, leather jacket, scarf and umbrella. It seems is has been raining here since I left. Good news for the porcini and chestnuts this year!

It's Monday. I've been back in Florence for 3 days and I'm quickly acclimating. This morning I met Lucia, who was my language tutor here last year. We chatted over a caffe, and I started to feel my Italian starting to flow a little easier once again. We caught up on each other's lives and then we walked to Esselunga, where I familiarized myself with another local supermarket.

Tonight, Rebecca and I attended the Concert for the earthquake victims in Abruzzo, which was quite a touching experience. We had a good long walk there and back, and enjoyed getting to know each other better.

Rebecca is one of the ladies on the bike squad. She, another woman Rhiannon and I are planning a 3 day trip to Sorrento with our bikes, to follow Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, up Mount Vesuvius next month.

Today I spoke with Lorenzo and arranged to participate in my first Gran Fondo, which is coming up this Saturday. Click here! GRAN FONDO CITTA'DI CHIANCIANO TERME I will probably do the Medio Fondo, since it's my first time around! Can't wait!

I don't want to get into this habit, but on my way home from the concert, I Ghibellini was still open, so I took home a pizza Margherita con basilico. My excuse is that I hadn't eaten all day, except for a pannino and surely earned the calories, walking back and forth to Campo di Marte twice today.

Buona notte.

More Nesting

I woke up at 12 noon to the sound of the Duomo bells. It is Sunday in Florence. I was up all night arranging my clothes, books, supplies. Moving furniture around this way and that. Deciding what kind of curtains I might buy for the 4 enormous windows in my bedroom and kitchen…..I think white lace would be soft, romantic and yet transparent enough to allow the plants on the terrace and the sun to shine through.

I've woken up late, so now I get to prepare my first macchinetta di espresso. How simple, yet elegant it feels to prepare the macchinetta and wait for the pungent aroma of the espresso to fill the air.

I am amazed how quickly my Italian is all coming back to me. I can't wait to start school again on May 4th. I took a walk through Santa Croce and visited the chiesa.

Angella and I had dinner together at Ristorante Natalino where we got to know each other better….I had a delightful Spaghettini con gambieri e carcioffi and we shared a bottle of Morellino di Scansano.

When I returned to my apartment, I realized that I had forgotten to buy witch hazel to remove my makeup. So I gazed in the mirror, wondering what to do. Olive oil!! The cupboards are still empty…..but there's plenty of olive oil.

As I turned on the lamp next to my bed, the fixture shorted out, causing the circuit to blow. I was in the dark. I tried to trip the switch on the main fuse box, but it didn't work. No light. So I went to bed and decided that I'll figure it out tomorrow. Buona notte.

Homecoming Ride

As I opened the shutters to my bedroom window, the gray clouds hung low in the sky and the pigeons were flying above, suggesting rain. If this was San Clemente, I might just wait until the following day for a bike ride, but here, you take a gamble, your windbreaker, and "si fa gli scongiuri" (keep your fingers crossed). You might not get another chance to ride for days if you wait for the perfect day. I was excited to ride with my new group again. I called Rebecca to make sure that the pending rain would not stop her from riding, and set out to meet her.

The streets were quiet and empty on an early Saturday morning. Everyone sleeps late here, digesting their late-night dinners and wine. As I navigated the shaky, dangerous, uneven cobblestone obstacle course, I felt that same thrilling sensation akin to dodging taxis and busses in New York City. There's something about that feeling that you can't really explain. Kind of like being a sneaky little kid on a skateboard.

I headed through Piazza Santa Croce to Ponte alle Grazie (the bridge next to the Ponte Vecchio) and rode along the Arno to Piazza Poggi….and there I could see Rebecca awaiting me in the distance. We shared homecoming hugs and smiles and I felt animated and happy to see her. A minute later, Lorenzo appeared with Niccola, and together we climbed the ramps to Piazza Michelangelo and headed for Tavanuzze to meet the rest of the squad. A half hour later upon arriving in Tavarnuzze, the clouds had become increasingly threatening and nobody else showed up. So we played it by ear and modified the course to try to avoid the rain clouds.

We climbed up to San Casciano, through the vineyards and magnificent Tuscan landscape. I was feeling strong, but was afraid that my jet lag would soon take over. I knew my body was exhausted, but my passion drove me excitedly up every hill. As I gazed at my Garmin, I realized it was still set on Pacific Time and displayed miles, not kilometers. It was hard to believe that it was just a few days ago that I was riding my last ride with dear Susan in San Clemente.

We added an extra climb and then headed back to Florence, for a total trip of 53 miles, where we stopped for a caffe at Piazza Michelangelo. Seeing again the glorious sight of Florence from the top of the hill sent chills up my spine. As Lorenzo rode back home with me, I stopped by the outdoor flower market to say hello to Giovanni, the animated little flower vendor who often gives me free bunches of sunflowers. It felt great to see him again…another familiar face on my street.

The moment I entered my apartment, the sky opened up and it started to pour. Perfect timing. And a good excuse to spend the rest of the day nesting, unpacking and cleaning, while watching the ongoing news of the aftermath of the Abruzzo earthquake. Then I watched my favorite show, "L'eredita" with Carlo Conti.

My wireless internet, which was not working when I got here yesterday, suddenly came back to life.

I did a wash. It continues to amaze me that Italian washing machines are so small, yet it takes 2 hours to accomplish a single washing cycle. Then I hung my clothes to dry on the drying rack in my bedroom, since it was raining outside.

It is evening. I have spent the whole afternoon unpacking and nesting. My fridge is quite empty, I am hungry, it's almost 11pm, and Standa, the local supermarket is closed. I guess I have no choice other than to take a short 20 pace stroll to I Ghibellini to order a pizza Margherita "portare via" (to go). The street side tables are outside again, not the way I left them in January, all stored inside for the winter. The restaurant owners recognized me and we talked about the soccer game as I awaited my pizza. It was raining and the air was filled with the smell of cigarette smoke. Whoever thinks the Italians have stopped smoking is wrong.

My legs got a good workout today. The ride was hilly, and the 4 flights of 52 stairs to my apartment is a workout in itself. Especially when you're carrying a bike.

I stayed up very late…until 3:00 AM, unpacking, sorting, organizing…..getting settled…..feeling like only good things are in store for me here in Florence!

Buona notte.

First Day Here

I woke up early. I know that I'm jet lagged but I was too excited to sleep. Besides, Charlene just happens to be in Florence just for today, and I wanted to see her right away.

After Charlene visited me this morning, I turned on my TV (all 6 channels worth) to observe the sad, dominating news detailing the aftermath of the earthquake in L'Aquila. The Italians are disappointed by the lack of financial support from both the government and the Vatican. The destruction is partly blamed on the lack of adherence to building codes, driven by bribes and inside pay-offs….such corruption is widespread in Italy. Only a week after the disaster, the 3 Mafias are already driving in their construction bosses in an attempt to dominate and control the restoration process. I hope they can be squished out.

Monday night there will be a fund raising concert for L'Aquila, at the Nelson Mandela Forum (Florence's equivalent of Madison Square Garden), and I'll see who wants to come with me. The orchestra will be conducted by Zubin Mehta.

I then hurried off to the bike shop to say hello to Lia, Andrea and Filippo,and to pick up my club jersey and racing license. It was a great reunion! While in the shop, Niccola called, anxious to see me, and we agreed to meet at my apartment an hour later. I hurried home to see him. Another happy reunion with big hugs and welcome sentiments.

Then I went to the market to stock up on light bulbs, paper towels and other supplies. The streets felt so good and so familiar.

On my way to dinner with Charlene I gazed at the shoes in the stores and realized that I had taken about 20 pair of shoes with me, yet not a single one could compare in quality and design. I had dinner with Charlene and Kelly, it was great to catch up with such a good friend.

When I returned to my apartment, I received an e-mail from Roberto…he received my dual passport and is sending it to me today!

Excited about tomorrow's ride, I dusted up my Colnago which has been sitting, unused, in my apartment for the last 3 months...it still looks as classic and elegant as it did 14 years ago and with its triple ring, it will carry me well up the Ghisallo and Vesuvio next month. I pumped up the tires, lubed the chain, checked out the brakes and shifters. Glossed her up a bit with furniture polish and rubbed olive oil into the saddle. And then dreamed of riding tomorrow among the Tuscan hills in Chianti with my new Italian cycling friends.

I went to bed and set the alarm. I draped Bren and daddy's rosaries on my headboard next to the "contra malocchio" that someone had given me in Calabria 2 years ago to ward off the evil eye! I peacefully fell asleep while thinking how good it feels this time. I am feeling a real sense of home here. And I’m happy….I say a prayer for my friends who I miss tremendously. And I fall asleep. Buona notte.

On My Way Back to Florence

Like a whirlwind, my three months in San Clemente flew by. Again, I allowed the magnets of life to determine my direction. No pretenses, no preconceived ideas. Just let it happen.

Returning to San Clemente was in fact traumatic. It took me almost a month to bounce back from the abrupt change in the energy, the landscape and the mood. I was stunned, almost frozen. It took me a while to defrost.

I had worried during my absence if my dear friends from home would still be my friends….would they still be there? Or would distance and time prove otherwise? Is it true "out of site, out of mind"? Would I be disappointed? In the process, I achieved more clarity. My relationships became more defined, more selective. The good ones got better. The other ones melted. This helped me to understand myself and my alliances better, to become more certain and directed about my own identity and my own future. I bonded more strongly with certain special friends and lost some others that had been ambiguous. I achieved the clarity I needed to return to Florence without doubts.

And what did fate have in store for me?

Little did I ever expect my Italian dual citizenship to materialize so quickly. What should have taken at least 2 years to happen, happened in record time. It was simply meant to be. With all 14 documents in hand, 3 weeks ago, I went to NYC to obtain apositilles, and only days later Roberto called me with the exciting news…..Department of Homeland Security….INS verified that Great Grandpa Mazzella never became an American citizen.

According to Italian immigration law, this means that I've been an Italian citizen since birth, but never knew it. That simple.

Like a spreading fire, the rest happened within the 2 following weeks. I filed my application for citizenship, and despite a 9 month waiting list for an appointment with the Italian Consulate, I was "slipped in" for a meeting on March 31st. In the meantime, I hurriedly changed my name, got a new American passport, produced the Supreme Court Order Name Change document from 1932 that was uncovered through a relative of a relative, and on the afternoon of March 31st, Roberto called me from the 5 Freeway with the joyous news that my application had been approved!

Now what? I am a dual American/Italian citizen. I'm stunned, I'm shocked. I’m packing my bags. I'm saying my final goodbyes to my precious friends. I'm riding my bike one last time in San Clemente and it's environs. I'm gazing at the beauty of the southern California landscape as every possible shrub and flower and mustard plant are bursting with life in the foreground of the endless blue Pacific Ocean whose waves are furiously crashing in front of me. California has never looked so bright, so splendid, so colorful. Why am I leaving this perfect, predictable lifestyle for a life that's emotionally and physically arduous, simple, humble, difficult?

Easter at Brenda's….8 couples and Barbara! My friends from OCW….who have seen me through ups, downs, happiness and trouble….were all there, just like before. Was this to be my last American Easter? If I were in Florence, I would be spending la Pasqua at Niccola's villa in Siena against the verdant Tuscan landscape, feasting on a whole lamb cooked on the fireplace in his cellar. I received a shocker of a quilt from Donna and Kent to keep me warm in my Florence bed, and rosary beads from Brenda to keep me in God's hands. My friends saw me off with love. Much love.

And then Tuesday night I spent with my dearest girlfriends. Why am I leaving this? I love them so much. What mixed emotions. And here I am packing my things…. with no idea of when I'll return.

As I pack my bags, my return to Florence takes on a more serious note. What to do? Just let the flow predict the outcome.

My bags are packed. Why did I take my winter clothes? It's not even summer yet. Meg and Harry take me to the airport, but we first stop by Donna and Kent's for one last hug. Meg gives me rosary beads that used to be daddy's.

I am wondering if this time Florence will be different. The last time there were no expectations….and everything fell into place. This time I know what to expect. Now I am a citizen. Now I belong. Now I have to find my place and my work.....and perhaps start a business. I'm not a student, not a tourist. Florence is my address. This is not a dream. Will it work? Or is this just a fantasy?

I boarded my flight on Air France. It was a little disorienting to fly to Italy while listening to everything in French for 18 hours. I started reading Gomorrah, but after 4 chapters, decided this is not the Italy I want to read about. I closed the book, went to sleep, woke up in Paris and changed planes to Florence.

A couple of hours later, as my plane descended, it was dark and raining in Florence.

As I went through customs, an official asked me what was in the heavy box. I tried to explain that it was a bike trainer. He didn't really understand, but he said with a confused smile "Vai...Va bene!".

Angella was there, waiting for me outside customs. I was tired but excited. We drove to my apartment and dragged all 200 lbs.of my luggage up 52 steep stairs. I opened the door. Wow. I was back in my apartment and everything was just the way I left it in January. The first thing I did was to try to get my computer up and running, but wireless internet was down. And come on, it's time to go to bed. I'm pooped.

Will I be happy here again? I am tired. Buona notte.

My Last Day Here

2:00 pm It's raining gently in Firenze. The hours are ticking away. The church bells dominate the spooky silence of the streets which are now emptied of tourists. It's quiet...the Christmas lights are gone. This is the real Florence. I just returned from the bike store to say goodbye to everyone and to pick up my club jersey. I love these people. As I walked back home in the gentle rain, I could only think of my thirst to return.

It is now 8:30 pm. Nicola just stopped by to sign our lease. Like an angel out of heaven...how could he have known? He brought me a little present....La Scala's DVD production of "Il Trittico". (with Cappuccilli, Martinucci, Sass and Pons). And the first thing he said...."this is the best "O Mio Bambino Caro" ever sung. How could he have known? Again the voice came, just like it did with Lucia. Clearly a sign from heaven. From the moment I arrived in Italy....until my very parting hour, these are the "signs" and little miracles that have happened to me. It is clear that my life here has only just begun.

End of Chapter One

I am slowly decompressing at the moment....slowly transitioning and preparing myself for the shock that may be about to hit me. I will be in San Clemente on Friday night. These last few days have been a time of pensive reflection...trying to sum up my experience, make some decisions about my life... My life continues to evolve. Visions are clear, but it seems to take so long to get where I want to be. And I am still in the process of definition.

Four months have passed. My life has changed. It is seeming that Italy has become a big part of my destiny. And where do I go from here?

From the moment I arrived, the little pieces of the puzzle started to come together by themselves, little by little, each one fitting snugly against the other...there are still many pieces left to fill in...without which this picture will not be complete....but the focus has become more clear.

I found my roots in Lacco Ameno, and uncovered the 150 year old birth documents of my great-grandparents which has consequently evolved into a quest for my dual Italian citizenship. There in Ischia, in the process of spending so many intimate moments in self reflection in its waters, in its churches, excavations, beaches and on the top of its volcano, I came to a more profound understanding not only of where I came from, but where I have to go from here.

In Firenze, I found a new and cozy home, which I could not bear to leave after 3 months, and so I arranged to stay for another year. I've gone to school and have developed a sufficient level of fluency to get along pretty well...but have a strong passion to continue this learning process. It appears that my thirst for Italy cannot be quenched.

While I was here, I made friends with Filippo, Lucia, Nicola's family, Giancarlo in Napoli, and Maria, Franco, Celeste and William in Ischia. And I deepened my friendship with Cynthia. These friendships will last forever.

I also joined a bike team, obtained my Italian racing license and made some dear new cycling friends....Rebecca, Rhiannon, Lorenzo, Leif and Lia in particular, and so many other new riding comrades with whom I ride every weekend. Together, we will participate in many cycling events this season, including a weekend road trip to climb the Madonna del Ghisallo, excursions to various Granfondo rides, and plans to follow several stages of the 2009 Giro d'Italia, most notably a 3 day trip to follow Stage 17 along the Amalfi Coast and up Monte Vesuvio.

It was also suggested that there may be an opportunity to work here in Tuscany as a bike tour guide upon my return this spring.

While I was here, I was visited by friends from afar....Lori, Fred, Donna and Kent from Orange County, Charlene from Napa Valley, Erma from Chicago, and Claudio from Brooklyn. Which all made me wonder what a diverse life I've had, and how so many people have contributed to my identity, experiences, and my future.

And I finally really discovered Napoli...a city that I've only passed through before, holding onto my purse in the train station, afraid of being accosted, on my way to the Amalfi Coast or Capri... due to it's reputation of being a chaotic, dirty and unsafe environment. But there in Napoli, I discovered just the opposite. I reveled in the beauty of the most overwhelming, abundant city on earth....a city of ironic contrasts, with an energy, a people, and a stunning beauty that no other city in the world can compete with. If I could pick the ultimate place to live, this would be it. The only thing I would add is good cycling roads. But for now, Firenze.

The biggest thing I've learned here, is to trust my gut better, for it has never failed me...

In 2 days I will be leaving, with 2 empty suitcases, leaving my clothes and bike behind here,with the intention to bring back more of my belongings when I return back here in a couple of months. I am on my way to see friends and family in San Clemente where I will work on the dual citizenship process and where I will make some difficult decsions that will affect the continuing story of my life, both inside and outside of Italy.

As I leave Firenze I wonder what destiny has in store for me. I am listening and ready to follow this voice that gets stronger and stronger from within.

Christmas in the South

On Sunday, December 20th, I found myself on the EuroStar train heading south from Florence to Napoli. A last minute change in holiday plans allowed me connect with Giancarlo Rizzi in Napoli, with whom I spent a splendid two days taking in the endless energy and beauty of this most dynamic, antique, stimulating city. It is easy to understand why I revel so much in the feeling of my Napoletan roots....this is a people who are always smiling, singing, dancing, with a swing in their walk, whose eyes are vibrant and whose passion is expressed in their endless love of life, loving and friendship. To me, this is the sexiest city on earth

Christmastime in Napoli is something special...the presepi, the outdoor music, festivals, the lights, the fireworks...the profumo of cibo everywhere, the parades, the rituals, the masses., the sfougliatelli! All of Napoli comes out for days before and after Christmas to delight in the passion that swallows up this city of diverse contrasts.

Giancarlo, along with his mom and friends, welcomed me with open arms. Together we took in several museums, the underground excavations, numerous churches and castellos, as well as having dined with his mamma, whose food was something out of my grandmother's kitchen....brasiole, panzerotti, carcofi, melanzane, meatballs and.....her true work of art.....struffoli! On the second night we dined with his friends...4 couples with whom I made an instant connection. The next day, we visited his beach house in Pozzuoli and had mussels and wine on the sand before dropping me off at the ferry which I would then take to Ischia....where I would spend my Christmas with Maria, Franco, Celeste and William.

Christmas in Ischia
As Giancarlo saw me off at Pozzuoli, I boarded the ferry to Cassamicola, Ischia, where Maria was to meet me. I spent the hour ferry ride re-living every moment of that day last September when I first traveled to Ischia in search of my great-grandparents' birthplace and birth records. Ischia has drawn me back to its shores, to its sea, to its people. I was on my way back again to Ischia to celebrate the festivities with the family of Maria, who I met in Lacco Ameno during my search last September.

To Be Continued (just haven't had time to write)