We're back from Italy, and this retreat was an absolutely delightful experience! The combination of the vibrant city life of Rome and the serenity of the countryside in Puglia could not have been more perfect. Sixteen Joyful Hearts (technically 15, as Ann joined us a little later) arrived in Rome a little tired from the flight but eager to explore, so "Giorgio" took us on a walking tour. First stop: pizza! Then we went to the Trevi Fountain to admire the beautiful art, partake in the traditional coin tossing, and have the first of many gelatos. By the time we made it to the Spanish Steps, only Susan had the energy to climb to the top. After a little R&R, we met for a delicious dinner at Alex Cafe, a glass restaurant on the Via Veneto, and then walked to the Hotel Eden for a drink and live music in a lounge with a great view of the city.
We had some free time the next day. Some explored, some shopped, and some slept. We met after lunch to begin the next leg of our adventure: traveling south to Puglia, an agricultural area famous for excellent olive oil and wine, fresh produce, friendly people, and relatively few tourists. Our destination was Santa Maria del Sole, a masseria (farm house) inhabited by a small commune of lovely souls who open their home to yogis from all over the world. As soon as we got out of the van, we knew we were in a special place. The air was fresh and pure, the beautiful white buildings were framed by ancient olive trees, and there was the promise of a delightfully tempting fragrance wafting from the kitchen. We had already met Salvatore, PJ, and Marco at the airport, and now we were greeted by Ilaria, Antonella, and Hillary, who showed us to our rooms. Later, we would meet Guilia and Comasia. Some of the rooms were trulli -- round stone houses with cone-shaped roofs, and others were part of the farm house. The building was from the 1600s -- the stone and brick frame still strong -- and it was lovingly restored by Salvatore. All of the rooms were clean, bright, and simply decorated. Ann and Dennis had a particularly interesting room. They called it their "hobbit house," as it was a trullo with a low archway that Dennis soon learned required ducking to pass through!
After traveling such a long way, we needed yoga, so after checking into our rooms, we headed straight to the yoga studio. I've taught yoga in many amazing places, but this room had something really special. It was made of white-washed stone and had a rounded ceiling and many stone arches. It felt holy in there. I think the shape of the room contains and circulates the energy. I was surprised to learn that it used to be a horse stable, but that's also interesting, as horses are symbols of freedom and carrying one in new directions -- perfect for the energy of a yoga studio. We practiced every morning and every evening at 7:00, and the yoga felt even more delicious here.
After yoga we headed to the porch for an outdoor, candlelight dinner. The food was vegetarian, and I was a little concerned because I knew that a lot of people in our group were not vegetarians. But this was Italian vegetarian, and I was relieved to hear people oohing and aah-ing over the appearance of the food and then moaning and groaning over its deliciousness. It was truly a magnificent meal. The secret is that all of the food is made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, and while cooking they listen to nice music to ensure that good energy and love goes into every dish. (I heard a lot of Snatam Kaur coming from the kitchen.) The olive oil was from their own olive groves, and the wine was produced nearby, as were all of the fresh cheeses. Produce is abundant in the area, so there's no shortage of fruits and vegetables. Bob told me that he would have never considered eating a vegetarian diet, but he was fully enjoying every meal and wasn't even going to eat the fish that they planned to serve us a few days later. (And he didn't -- he stuck to the pasta and veggies.) After dinner I was charmed by the way the residents sang songs while they cleaned the dishes.
The rest of the week was filled with a combination of free time, yoga, and sightseeing. For relaxation, we strolled along the quiet paths, lounged around the pool, and read books. Kate worked on a needle-point project, Sidney set up an easel and painted, Joan worked on pencil drawings, and Herb napped by the pool. The peace and quiet in the air really invited relaxation and introspection. Vicky and Susan took the bikes out, and Bob and Mary went on an interesting genealogy search to locate records of Mary's ancestors from the region, and Irene and Sally chatted in comfy chairs facing the olive trees. Everyone was very content -- the weather was beautiful, and we were in good company. We really enjoyed talking to the people at Santa Maria and learning about their lives. They were always warm, welcoming, and kind to us. One night we brought out the music after dinner and danced. We had a lot of fun, and Marco brought out drums and maracas to add to the festivity. We also found out that our host, Salvatore was a successful musician. You can find his cd on iTunes -- just look up Salvatore Passaro. He played "Il Mare" for us -- a beautiful song about the sea. It was also a lot of fun to watch PJ & Hillary, a young couple in the new stages of love. They were so sweet, and when they cooked us a fish dinner, Salvatore told us that it would be extra special because their love was absorbed by the food.
We went to Franca Villa to see an Italian procession, and afterwards some of us stumbled onto a big festival -- the town square and several blocks were covered with colored lights for the party. We explored the lovely old town of Ostuni, and one of the highlights was meeting a friend of PJ's, Tonino Zurlo, who was an olive-wood sculptor and musician. We ran into him on the street and he invited us into his studio, where he spoke passionately in Italian about his art. (Jorge got to put his Italian lessons to use by serving as our translator, and he did a very good job.) Like Michelangelo, Zurlo sees the object inside the wood, and then he carves away the excess. He had many beautiful pieces, including jewelry, cooking utensils, and decorative pieces. I came home with a new spoon and ladle that will remind me of our retreat and of this interesting man every time I use them. We had lunch in Ostuni and were shocked by the Italian family style of eating. We were stuffed and ready for the bill, but more dishes kept coming. Our stomachs just weren't up to the task, although we gave it a good shot. How do those Italians stay so thin when they eat so much?
The roadsides in this area are dotted with trulli, and these charming homes look like something out of a fairy tale. As we traveled, Warren entertained us with a song and lesson that he's going to teach to a Sunday school. He invited critique, and we indulged him! We visited the town of Alberobello, which is full of trulli. This was the only place that we ran into a lot of tourists and touristy shops, but it was a must-see because of the interesting architecture, not to mention a good gelato place to refresh ourselves. We also visited a town called Grottaglie, which was strictly a ceramic-buying outing. The whole town seems to be making pottery. We found great deals on rustic, hand-painted pieces that will again be a nice reminder of our beautiful experience in Puglia.
I think my favorite town was Martina Franca. On the way, Bob asked Marco to edit a postcard that he wrote in Italian, which inadvertently provided a lot of laughs. We'll probably all be using "Not correct!" in an Italian accent at every opportunity. In Martina Franca we first stopped at a coffee shop, and had some of the best coffee of the trip. Cappuccino was wonderful here, and a cafe granita con panna was to die for: A small cup is filled with super-thick whipped cream. They make a well, which is filled with a strong coffee gelato, and then cover it with another layer of the whipped cream. This is coffee that must be eaten with a spoon and induces states of ecstasy with every bite. We arrived on market day and many vendors were selling their wares -- clothes, sheets, curtains, flowers -- it was an outdoor mall for Italians. But what I loved most was the farmer's market. It was a dream for me -- it seemed like miles of fresh fruit and vegetable stands -- colorful, ripe produced piled high with lively folks buying and selling. There were stations selling cheese, olives, meats -- anything you can imagine to eat that was fresh from a farm. I spied a crate of fresh zucchini flowers and pounced. I've always wanted to try them, so I brought a bunch back to the masseria, and they taught us how to cook them. (I'm thinking of growing zucchini at home just to get the flowers -- they are delicious.)
On another day we went to the Ionian coast for a day at the beach. The water was a beautiful clear turquoise color, and we enjoyed a nice, sunny day. The clouds started to roll in around lunch time, so we went to a seafood restaurant overlooking the water, and again we were served family style, which meant a whole lot of food. Dennis celebrated his birthday that day, and we gave him a birthday aum.
At the masseria, we had a 3-hour cooking lesson. I was expecting to learn how to make one or two things, but Comasia kept cranking out the dishes while Ilaria translated, and I walked away with 12 recipes! Only the hard-core cooks in the group lasted the whole three hours. Comasia was amazing and had many simple, but delicious recipes. I was impressed with the way that they don't waste anything in the kitchen. If they have left-over vegetables, they make a pastry dough and stuff the vegetables inside for a delicious new incarnation. Left-over bread is used for breadcrumbs -- dry crumbs are combined with parsley and parmesan for "magic powder" that is sprinkled on many dishes, and bread soaked in water is used to make soft crumbs for stuffed eggplant. Leftover brown rice is cooked with milk, cinnamon, and raisins for a delicious hot breakfast cereal, and leftover pasta is doctored up with more herbs and cheese and then baked in the oven for a new twist. Comasia stuffed our zucchini flowers with a delicate mixture of cheese and bread crumbs and then baked them in the oven. She made pizza with fresh tomato sauce, and showed us a new way to prepare zucchini and carrots. She really inspired me, and I've been cooking up a storm at home.
Leaving St. Maria was bittersweet. We had a marvelous time, and enjoyed meeting our new friends and visiting a part of Italy that none of us had seen before. I decided that I definitely want to return.
We went back to Rome and back to big city life, but as yogis it's easy for us to adapt to changes. We had dinner at Al 34, near the Spanish Steps. Delicious food, lively atmosphere. Some went to a jazz club afterward, and the rest of us went to sleep. Six of the group left the next morning, and the rest of us stayed two more nights. Jorge and I literally walked all over Rome, revisiting places we knew and discovering new delights to share with people on the next trip. On our last night, we all convened at Piccolo Abruzzo on Bob's recommendation. This was a perfect ending to our trip. The restaurant looked like what you imagine an Italian restaurant to look like, and as soon as we sat down they started bringing out dish after delicious dish. The wine flowed, the conversation was lively, and it couldn't have been better. We sat next to a couple from St. Louis who turned out to be yogis -- and get this: The woman asked if any of us had ever been to Kripalu. Coincidence? I think not.
I feel very blessed. Beautiful people -- beautiful souls -- joined me on this journey, and we saw beauty everywhere we went and we enjoyed. We were fully alive, awake, and aware -- the place yoga leads to.
Namaste!
Sandy Pradas
Check out the Yoga in Italy page for more photos and videos!