Next week is a big week. Tomorrow, the 25th of April, is Liberation Day in Italy. Our local market town, Sarzana has already had its solemn celebration, a small gathering with lots of big speaches.

After a stop in Panzano for a book signing, we'll be off for Puglia.

I love Pulia. I did a 7 week archaeological survey there. I'll never forget the olive groves. In summer, each tree was treated with great care, the ground below swept of living things, each tree sitting in the center of a raked sand zen garden.

The constant and droning song of the cicadas reminded us that it was summer.

Then there was the wine. Primitivo, a relative of Zinfandel, was a favorite. The owners of many restaurants served carafes of it at a ridiculously low price for something so incredibly flavorful. It was like the spirit of the land itself.

As we walked along the land making up the heel of Italy's boot, we were amazed at the cultural artifacts that had surfaced. You'll find evidence of Greek settlement, Roman coins, clay pipes and other treasures underfoot. It was hard to make sense of though--after wondering why artifacts appeared in profusion on one side of a stone wall while nothing at all showed up on the other, we started to pay attention to modern culture--and found it was common practice to sell soil so that olive trees could be grown just about anywhere you could get a truck to. That meant you'd find Roman coins in beach sand on a hill 30 km from the nearest beach. Hmmm.

So the trip should be very interesting. We'll be staying at the Masseria Li Mennuli. We'll have a great time making videos and pictures; letting you know what to expect from a villa rental--and how much more rewarding it is compared to staying in a hotel. Join us for the trip.

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