ciao from italy
I’m sitting outside our apartmento here in Italy while Charlotte sleeps upstairs. We’ve had the sweetest little getaway as a family before a month apart for the Tour and it’s honestly been just what we all needed. We’re staying on an agriturismo in the Tuscan countryside near Lucca and the speed of life is slow. Neilson is training with his coach and usually comes back around lunchtime. There’s a pool to laze by in the afternoons and we’ve ventured into the nearby towns for gelato.
Saturday, Charlotte and I had a big outing to the local grocery store and spent way too long there picking things up and putting them back when I found their even better counterpart one aisle away. It’s so easy to make simple meals like fresh pasta and pesto, or ravioli with local olive oil, shaved parmesan and crushed basil.
Sunday, on Neilson’s rest day we went into Lucca to explore after the rain had cleared up and the sun was shining. We wandered around the wall, and made it into the city for gelato, and to peruse leather goods. We found a spot open for early dinner, and all enjoyed various tomato-y pastas before heading home.
Yesterday, it rained even more, and I fell back asleep after breakfast. But we made it out to the pool in the late afternoon for some fresh air and a *brisk* dip. Neilson and I went into Montecarlo for a date night and cherished some alone time over a slow, seafood and meat heavy dinner with a beautiful view.
Tomorrow we’re headed our opposite ways-Charlotte and I back to Nice, and Neilson into the throes of the Tour bubble beginning in Florence. We can only sit back, watch from tv and pray for safety over everyone during the most exciting race of the year.
tour de france
On Sunday night, Neilson got the official call up to this year’s Tour team while we were driving back from Lucca. I remember like it was yesterday when Neilson got the call about his first Tour. It was 2020, he was in Andorra with the team and I was roadtripping my stuff from California to Texas with my mom. A lot about our lives was very uncertain at that time, but accomplishing a lifelong goal like going to the Tour was something we were able to celebrate in the midst of all the uncertainty. So, whether it’s his fifth or first, the call never gets less exciting because no matter your standing on the team, there are no certainties in this sport. There are always illnesses and injuries and things beyond our control, so all you can do is hope to be your best at that time of year.
in the details
The climbing rose vines around our windows. Fresh cherry tomatoes. The olive trees waving in the sun. Prosciutto over slices of melon. Little lamps by our bed. Gold rimmed mirrors and warm toned drapes. Tiling details in the bathroom. The continuous use of wood framed windows through the outside and inside. Even the tiny kitchenette has marble countertops-imagine a modern airbnb using such nice materials for just the tiniest sliver nowadays.
The charm in Italy is old world charm. It’s not about the new buildings or stores or elaborate restaurants. But more about how much beauty there is in simplicity. In the simplicity of the terrain and the organic way plants grow and vines climb. The simplicity in tomatoes and pasta. In the intricate churches built thousands of years ago.
bambina
My traveling “bucket” hasn’t been quite as filled this year since the reality of traveling with a baby can be daunting. But finding little ways that we can move as a family unit like this are a reminder that we all do well with a change of scenery and some fresh air. Our goals have definitely been redefined since we became three(four with the bike). But seeing ways we can still make little adventures work is encouraging.
The Italians love Charlotte and are so sweet with her. Seeing the world through her tiny eyes I’m suddenly so excited by benches she can hold onto, and little plants she’d love to look at. Seeing the world in a childlike way reminds us how little we really need to be happy. It’s not about carrying all the plastic toys from home and making her feel like she’s in the same place somewhere else. It’s more about finding the new little joys or things around us that bring excitement and wonder into our minds. Like the cat that runs around the hotel grounds, or the birds chirping to wake us up every morning.
Now off to take advantage of the sun with my little one and prep for lunch. We’ve got burrata, arugula, prosciutto, tomatoes and basil on the menu. And one last night with dad in tow.
arrivederci 😘