The Italian Experience

Americans crave the Italian Experience. We come to Italy for real Italian food and wine, to meet real Italians, relax with the best gelato, visit history and soak in the fantastic panoramas. However, from what I’ve seen, most tourists tend to gravitate to the tourist spots, the places that are easy to go with the English language and those that are easy to get around without a car. Rome, Florence and Venice are absolutely must-see places, but so many people stop there.The thirst for this Italian experience only became obvious to me when I met a couple from California who were in Perugia for their honeymoon a few weeks back. I happened to be in town with my Italian friend, Damiano (who doesn’t speak English) and he and I were having a drink in the warm evening air. This couple, Mark and Amy, asked us a question about the menu and so began a fascinating evening of conversation that tied together our different worlds (and it was a reminder to me of the one I left behind as they were the only Americans I had seen in months).This was the first opportunity for me to play translator between Italian and English and I must admit it was quite fun. Damiano has an incredible personality and the Italian story to tell. Oddly enough, one watching the dialogue from afar would have assumed we all spoke the same language. Mark and Amy were curious about everything, they couldn’t stop asking questions about living here, what life is like as an Italian, where the best vineyards are, the little hilltowns to visit, all of it.Damiano explained what he does for a living. He works on a farm and, not unlike a sculptor, creates different cuts of meat from the great white bovine that are then sold to various stores. On this farm, one can see these grand animals grazing on real grass and view the awesome landscape that embodies what stories such as “Under the Tuscan Sun” describe. But this is Umbria (not Tuscany), becoming more popular with Americans, but still very much a hidden Italian treasure unknown to most.Watching the expressions on the faces of Mark and Amy as they heard Damiano speak was priceless. They were attempting to catch every word of his Italian, he spoke directly to them as if they were native Italian speakers. I provided quick translations and let conversation flow. When they understood, their faces lit up and their eyes gleamed with excitement that they were actually seeing the real Italy, right at that moment. They thanked us profusely when it was time to part. They had been searching for exactly this kind of interaction during their time here. As much as they have traveled in Italy, they found that evening with us one of the most special they have had.It’s not easy to just step foot on the streets of Italy and get this perspective. To be able to share this same sort of experience with them was awesome… and to hear Damiano talk about it afterwards with the same enthusiasm also was heart-warming.I thought back to last summer on tour with Ciclismo, of the days we got to spend eating at family establishments, of Napoleone, a wonderful little old man who owns a bike shop at 83 years old, of Marco, the Sorano resident and entertainer who sang and played piano for us one evening. Back then, I was the same as Mark and Amy, not speaking any of the language yet I had that real experience that is so diffcult to find.When you come to Italy, know that much of it must be discovered. Much of what there is here cannot just be seen passing by. Cool, there’s another big church and a really old castle. This valley is gorgeous. But there is so, so much more. The heart of Italy is embedded in its people, food and culture. Trust me when I say you can have the full experience without knowing Italian, but you have to hunger for the full adventure. The this photo shows me with the cooks of an amazing dinner served to me and my teammates after a race in the Marche region (very close to the Adriatic Sea). The specialty of the evening was oca (goose). It was oh so good and the very real Italian family atmosphere.