Day 17: Calabria, Day 2

Day 17:  Calabria, Day 2

Quote of the Day: Cows, olives and grapes?

Weather: Very nice with almost a tropical breeze most of the day

Department of connectivity: One of THB’s connections from the BAM trip 2 years ago was becoming friends with DDB. She worked with Donald Judd many years ago and is still tightly connected with all things Judd. While we were going through the Yun Hyong-Keun retrospective, DB clued THB into looking at the Judd pics in the re-installation of Yun’s studio. THB took the pics of the pics and forwarded them on to DDB thinking she would be interested on how we were spending our time in Venice. Here’s what happened: DDB forwarded the pic of the pic to the Judd Catalogue Raisonne manager: the Judd piece in the pic of the pic is a lead to locating the whereabouts of the piece! THB and DB are going to be footnotes in the minimalist world! Gelatis all around, time to celebrate (well, they haven’t actually found the piece yet).

Department of metaphors: THB is a big Tour de France fan. When the riders are in the mountains, the ability to not "be in the red" means staying just below maximum effort. Already on the Calabria trip, after one day, THB felt he was in the red twice and running the risk of crashing out of the race. Time to re calibrate as the large meals and extensive tasting seem to be the norm. 

Palestra for THB, a very unusual breakfast buffet that consisted of 6 or 7 different cakes, pies, and strudels, yogurts, and fruit. THB holds back and only tries the apple cake and a chocolate cake, no coffee (why is THB cutting back on coffee this far into the trip?). $90 for the night.

Art above the bed in  our room at the Bram Hotel

THB's breakfast

The terrace off our room...way too big so must have some other use

The usable part

Time and temp noted in bus

The first lecture of the day, history of evolution of the wine industry in Calabria

The airport pick-up for the last 7 members goes smoothly and they are back early to pick up the pre-first day majority. Off to our first official tour stop: Stattis winery. They also have lots of olive trees, cows for milk, corn for the cows, and lots of eco-centric recycling and re-using of materials on the estate and large solar panels as well.

The tour is fairly standard with a few quirks: an unusual vat, cow manure…

Olives big biz here in region and at Statti

Only vat pics if of note, this one is unusual

Full tour is 17; somehow 2 people from Sweden are on tour and at lunch/tasting

Cows are right next to winery

Cowenploppen 

Lunch and tasting at the winery;

6 wines in a row

Bubbly

Hmmmm...why is THB including this pic? No idea....

A few of what seemed like 15 different appetizers and courses

Nap time after lunch

Ionian Sea

THB's arty pic of the day, looked "better" (i.e., more blurgy) on the camera 

Pics from along the 2nd hour on the road

Borgo Saverona

A 2+ hour bus ride to our home for the next three nights: Borgo Saverona. It’s only open for weddings and tours like us (not often, Rosetta has connections!).

The group reconvenes for more wine tasting and appetizers, most unique to us and excellent. This is more than a meal. Unfazed, we head upstairs for a sit-down affair complete with more wines and a four course dinner. Best: the deconstructed cannole!

THB finishes off with a sip of grappa. Looks just like water, doesn’t taste a thing like plain water.

Pics of Borgo Saverona

Aviary for homing pigeons in the old days

Maybe the weddings take place in here

While some are making confessions?

Taken by DB

Now that's ice!!

Number one branded t-shirts: Levi's, our driver is wearing one THB did not see in Venice or Paris

The rose in this region is really orange in color

fake Kournellis are everywhere

Octopus, again

Sea bass en croute

More red onions

Grappa and water or water and grappa

Book review: If I Had Two Lives, Abigail N. Rosewood (novel). A story of regeneration after a challenging childhood and basically no parental attachment. A little “Little Life” in tone and content. Beautifully told, the narrator comes full circle. No surprise: few characters all realistically described. Highly recommended