October 2015
Ciao Roberta!!!!
I hope all is well with you!!
For the life of me I can’t remember if I ever emailed you since we got back.
I’ve been in a whirlwind of emotions and I’m just landing my feet on the ground… Eddie’s elderly mom took a turn for the worse since we’ve been back and lost the battle few weeks ago.
In an effort of making myself feel better I have to keep pinching myself and look at the beautiful photos of the great wedding/vacation we had THANKS TO YOU.
While everything didn’t get on a good start, with luggage being lost together with my wedding dress and shoes – I wasn’t going to let the little incident ruin our dream from becoming a reality.
God always knows what he’s doing and while we were being put to a test he managed to pull things for us and the luggage arrived the night before the ceremony. I wasn’t concerned as I had all my treasures with me.. My children, my Eddie and Tuscany!!! Who needs more?
The ceremony was something out of a fairytale, A beautiful sunset, accordion music playing in the background, my kids waiting for us and Elisabetta performed one of the most beautiful and moving ceremony neither ever expected- Elena stepped up to the plate and organized an exceptional reception together with an hairdresser, accordion player and the best wedding cake ever- Nutella filled chocolate cake- with wine a non finire. Maria the owner at Poderi Arcangelo put her dishes down and started dancing with us. Although we had a fantastic itinerary ahead of us, we had a hard time leaving the farmhouse.
We arrived in Castelnuovo and non ti dico… My cousin Tina who owns a little B&B ( http://www.alpiccoloborgo.net/ ) agreed with me earlier on to have a little cocktail party with my 100+ relatives with just wine and some cheese… a simple aperitivo as she called it. OMG!!!
When we came downstairs on time to greet people… I almost fainted… the spread of food she put out all home made… together with a 3 tier wedding cake and home made limoncello to give out as party favors… they had a singer, friend of the family , come for entertainment and the people kept coming.. neighbors, everybody in the town was there… they even had I Zampognari ( bag pipes ) come at the end of the evening to surprise me… UNBELIEVABLE…
If I had it planned this way, it would have never turned out as good as it did. I still have tears in my eyes thinking of the beautiful experience we had.
The remaining trip was outstanding and once again I can’t thank you enough, first and foremost for the beautiful sunflowers the day of our wedding to the details on the hotels and excursions you organized.. the Sicily tour was so much fun – I wished you could have been a fly on the wall on this case in our Shiny Black Mercedes.. people were looking at us as we were royalty or some dignitaries… taking photos of us.. still belly laughing about that experience. Great tour ever!!!
The Aeolian islands were interesting, the hotel was outstanding… but I’m not sure I would go back. While there is so much beauty the people and still a little backwards as if there decades beyond modern civilization.. The boat ride between the islands was too much to bear for us. As for the Sulfur baths, well unless you’re a swimmer and able to jump off the boat into the water all seemed great.. if not you will sit in the rocky small boat of maybe 35 people and get really sick… like I did : ) LOL – but’s it’s all good, watching Stromboli’s volcano erupts almost looked faked.. every 15 minutes like clockwork… I’m still debating if it’s really true or if they have someone electronically do the little fire and smoke just to get tourists to go there….. haha..
I’m glad we experienced it.
Don’t know how to thank you!!
You’re Amazing, I have given your email address and phone numbers to at least 50 people. I hope they will tell you that it was I that recommended you.
Grazie, Grazie ed ancora Grazie.
Sending you some photos:
Alberobello- amazing tour, the owner gave us fresh figs to eat… and check out the giant garlic and tomatoes he grows…
This is the OLD section of Bari- All the women.. sitting outside their humble homes making fresh pasta EVERY DAY!!!! People came from all over just to buy their fresh orecchiette
The café and the table that Michael meets Apollonia and asks her dad’s hand in marriage ( Godfather tour) the tour guide treated us to Granita di limone!!! Yummy
Stromboli eruption- so cool to watch
San Gimignano day after the ceremony
Our favorite restaurant in Taormina called ( Tiramisu’ ) To DIE FOR!!! Omg I would fly there tonight for dinner.
Last file is a little video of the party in my home town!!
If you’re ever in New York City, please call me… I would love to meet you in person and hang out for dinner or drinks.
Wishing you, your team and your loved onse a wonderful THANKSGIVING!!!
Un forte Abbraccio
Paola & Eddie