Like Family
It was a beautiful day for hiking. The Tuscan sun was shining and our group of women had just conquered a brag-worthy hill. We stopped for a bit of rest in the shade. It was the fifth day of the trip and spirits were high but our legs were tired. We had just come out of the woods. The path before us was an old Roman road, traveled by few cars and lined with ages-old stone farmhouses. Vineyards and poppy fields blanketed the hills between us and our next medieval hilltown several kilometers away.
One of the women pulled me aside, “I have to, ahem, ‘go.’ Do you think we could ask to use the bathroom at one of these places?”
This was her first hiking trip and she had embraced every moment of awe and wonder in this new experience. And although nature can provide the most beautiful scenery when you have to, ahem, “go”, the allure of an actual bathroom was appealing.
In our ongoing effort to make our travelers as comfortable as possible, Eric approached the door of an idyllic stone home framed by bubble gum pink hydrangeas and climbing roses. He knocked and a beautiful woman in her early forties answered. When she heard our request to use her bathroom she smiled and motioned us in. While half a dozen ladies filed in and out Eric and I struck up a conversation with this kind woman.
Gabriella had lived there most of her life. This had been her father’s home and his father’s before that. She had planted and now manages acres of vineyards surrounding this hundred year old farmhouse, and had a small business selling her wine and olive oil. We were all touched by Gabriella’s kindness and delightful spirit, so we exchanged contact information with her before we left.
Throughout the following year we would check in with her via email. She would share about her growing wine business and the awards she had just won for her wine, then would inquire about our latest trips.
The women on our trip would inquire about her too. As usual, the group of women who had traveled through Tuscany together had formed a lifelong bond of sisterhood. The sharing of our hearts and a life-changing adventure created a family-like connection and desire to continue to be in each other’s lives. So as we all stayed in touch we would share news of Gabriella with them, and of the women with her.
And so it goes on any true adventure, the best experiences are often born of spontaneity and synchronicity. Now whenever we return to Tuscany Gabriella hosts us and our travelers for a Tuscan pranzo (lunch). She spoils us with homemade soups, salads, and cured meats and cheeses lovingly prepared by her and her mother. We sample her decadent wine, then after lunch visit with her peacocks, her ducks, and her dog Shadow. We catch up on the most meaningful events in our lives since we’ve seen her last, and have tears in our eyes as we say goodbye. She feels like family.
Click here to see Gabriella’s Valdorcia Terre Senesi website if you would like to explore her wines.
