La Vita Dolce

We had another great trip to Cupramonta with the family and godmother. We had not been back to the villa in a few years and it did not disappoint. Just a lovely tranquil spot, nestled into the Italian countryside. The weather was warm but not as hot as in years past. The sun shone every single day. As we have been there a few times, we toned down the day trips and that was definitely for the best. More relaxing by the pool.

Something new we tried this year was a bike tour. Phil found it and set it up. As the date for the ride got closer, we all started to notice how steep the hills were around the villa. Phil called them back and asked for electric bikes and that was the right call. We were set up on these bikes which had 4 or 5 different levels of electric boost. We rode through rolling hills of vineyards and sunflowers, all on some sort of boost, while our guides pedaled non-electric bikes besides us. These tour guides were hard core professional bike guides but also on their third tour of the day! We ended at a local wine tasting venue inside an old nunnery. Our guides did not speak English but we managed. They were giddy and exhausted and we were giddy that the whole thing worked out.

After Cupra, we drove to Rome. Most left, but some of us stayed for a few extra days of art viewing. Tori was our enthusiastic guide, having just finished an art history course at the high school. The art history course had a list of 250 must see items. Tori led us through museums big and small to find as many as we could. The sculptor Bernini featured prominently on most of our daily excursions. We happened into the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and fell in love with it. This well-connected family, with links to popes and emperors, has been collecting art for centuries and much is on display in the palace. The audio guide is narrated by the current Pamphilj Prince and it feels so intimate to listen to him describe growing up in the rooms you are walking through. Tori leaned over and whispered that the audio guide prince reminded her of the prince in the novel A Gentleman in Moscow and she was right. We ended with a couple of dinner near the Spanish Steps. I reflected nightly on my previous Rome visits in my twenties and now back with Tori. Head spinning….in a good way.

That was basically how the entire trip went. I would see the kids reading in the villa yard, Royce in the hammock and Tori by the pool. Just what they did eight years ago, six years ago, etc. But sometimes the differences were apparent. Sadly, no more naked kids running through the yard and jumping in the pool. Back in the day, a party was painting fingernails and dancing with your parents to Bon Jovi. This year all kids lobbied hard to go out to a club by themselves. To order drinks, as is legal there. To walk around town by themselves. All fine, to varying degrees but the biggest difference was all kids had friends, even a boyfriend or two, that they wanted to return to. Truth be told, they might not have even left for Italy if given the choice. Which we did not give. Not yet.