Our second Workaway has started, and we have settled into B&B Apricot:
http://www.apricotlucania.com
This region (Basilicata) is flanked on the north-east by Puglia, on the west by Campania, and on the south by Calabria. If you picture Italy as a boot, we are located on the instep, near the Ionian Sea.
In May, this area is warming up from its gentle winter. The earth is fertile in this valley and there are trees laden with ripening oranges and lemons. Our host Alessandra is clever, kind and interesting. She gives clear instructions and leaves us to get on with jobs like staining the outdoor furniture, trimming hedges, weeding, whitewashing and minor repairs. We are helping her get ready for the onslaught of summer visitors that come for the nice beach nearby (Italian, mostly).
Our days are like this: we get up at 6.30am and make ourselves an orange juice. After breakfast, we start work at 8, making sure we are plastered in mozzie spray. It's beautiful here; surrounded by apricot orchards, old olive trees, gentle hills. There are dogs and cats playing around, and a big chicken coop in an old building with 3 hens and a rooster (that crows at 4.30 am!). At midday we pack up and go inside for lunch. Alessandra uses local ingredients, lots of vegetables. Every day there is something new to try, typical of this region. And fresh bread and red wine.
After a couple of hours rest we usually go for a walk, in order to work up an appetite for dinner, and to explore. Policoro is 5kms away, not very pretty, but there is a great museum on the way, and a good gelato shop.
This area has Greek connections. In about 400BC it was populated by Trojan refugees, then more Greek settlements were established in the south (including Paestum, Naples and Bari). They were overrun by the Lucanians, then the Roman culture sort of absorbed them. Basilicata was called Lucania until about 11 AD. Then I think it was named after a Byzantine emperor, called Basileus. Funny that, I thought it was something to do with the herb!
One of the best parts for me, each evening, is the conversations at dinner time. We practise our Italian, and hear stories about the family, the apricot business, local legends and history - and recipes, of course. Tonight we're having some sort of potato-based focaccia bread.
Lizzie
http://www.apricotlucania.com
This region (Basilicata) is flanked on the north-east by Puglia, on the west by Campania, and on the south by Calabria. If you picture Italy as a boot, we are located on the instep, near the Ionian Sea.
In May, this area is warming up from its gentle winter. The earth is fertile in this valley and there are trees laden with ripening oranges and lemons. Our host Alessandra is clever, kind and interesting. She gives clear instructions and leaves us to get on with jobs like staining the outdoor furniture, trimming hedges, weeding, whitewashing and minor repairs. We are helping her get ready for the onslaught of summer visitors that come for the nice beach nearby (Italian, mostly).
After a couple of hours rest we usually go for a walk, in order to work up an appetite for dinner, and to explore. Policoro is 5kms away, not very pretty, but there is a great museum on the way, and a good gelato shop.
This area has Greek connections. In about 400BC it was populated by Trojan refugees, then more Greek settlements were established in the south (including Paestum, Naples and Bari). They were overrun by the Lucanians, then the Roman culture sort of absorbed them. Basilicata was called Lucania until about 11 AD. Then I think it was named after a Byzantine emperor, called Basileus. Funny that, I thought it was something to do with the herb!
Lizzie
Thanks Elizabeth. It sounds lovely - except for the mozzies.
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