Ciao tutti
Property project number one has drawn to its conclusion. The apartment in the17th century monastery is ready to go, the ancient order of Agostinian monks, previously resident, would surely disapprove of the mod cons, comforts and extravagance. Then again, unless you've taken vows of celibacy and self-denial, or prefer your gratification deferred, why not immerse yourself and luxuriate in the voluptuousness of the penthouse? Indulgent and sumptuous it might be, but this pleasure's completely guilt free. Go on, you know you want to, you owe it to yourself, you've earned it, you're worth it. You'd be daft not to.

Approximately fifteen hundred feet above sea level, astride the mediaeval town of Sant'Angelo, you be hard pressed to find more commanding views or a better base to explore the Marchese landscape. The Adriatic coast with miles of golden sands is 45 minutes away and clearly visible from the apartment. The front of the monastery looks directly at the Sibillini mountains to the west and as far south as Abruzzo and the Gran Sasso, big rock, the tallest peak in Italy's Appenine chain (looks like a shark's fin jutting out of the horizon). Betwixt peaks and sea the crinkled contours and gentle folds of this fertile land resemble nowhere else on earth, out of this world perhaps, maybe the mythical Elysium, a place of perfect bliss.

What is there to do here apart from loving life and living large?
Activities range from the sedentary to the extreme. Explore churches, galleries and ancient towns on foot, by bike or by car. Hike the mountains, there's a nine day trail, there are brief excursions too. Try skiing, horse trekking, or maybe mountain biking for real, at high speed down dedicated roads and tracks. Throw yourself off a peak strapped to a parapendio (a bit like hang-gliding) or gaze in awe at the high plains carpeted in kaleidoscopic alpine blooms every spring. Tour the vineyards, perhaps quoff a drop or two, brush up your watercolouring or focus on photography, subjects include l'aquila and lupo, the eagle and wolf. Chill by lake Fiastra with a picnic of prosciutto, pecorino, tomatoes, olives and foccacia. The peaches for pudding are a sensual pleasure and very private experience. If shopping's your bag there are designer outlets including Armani right on the doorstep. Italian shoes anyone? Marche is the epi-centre of the Italian shoemaking industry and the factories all have their own outlet stores too. At the end of each perfect day, when constellations of towns light up the hills, find any ristorante and enjoy first class dining at third world prices. Retire, repose, repeat. Consider never going home.

Don't let another year slip by before you discover Le Marche, what are you waiting for, don't waste a moment, pay us a virtual visit at Il Monastero and book a perfect getaway today.
jt



February '04
The almond and peach trees have come into blossom but country folk still remain nervous, what if the frost or snow returns, kills off the flowers, and cancels the arrival of fruit. Tomato plants and salad leaves are happy under polythene tunnel, deceived by hand-me-down artifice. They'll be welcome after the recent cauliflower and cabbage glut produced by our ever giving neighbours. Have you ever seen a cauli the size of a space hopper? And how many different ways can you think of preparing one for the table? If you're the owner, you'll need an answer daily.
This morning we've been to the market, to freshen stocks, the fruit and veg guy there operates on a grand scale with his cavernous truck and pallets of produce. He does a deal on a box of oranges, not your ordinary orange mind, blood oranges from Sicily. A euro per kilo. A box is sufficient to last two or three weeks, and packs enough flavour to give Tango guy a fright.
Fruit and veg are mostly on the menu lately, what with the passing of carnevale and the arrival of Lent. The 24th of February marked forty days till Pasqua (Easter), most of the month prior given over to parties and excess. The Venice carnival and masked balls are world famous but these same celebrations go on, throughout the entire Italian peninsula. Its a time for taking leave of the spirits of l'inverno (winter), looking ahead to the arrival of primavera (spring), and of course, with fasting on the cards, consumption of much meat. Also, especially, there's been a sticky sweet on sale in the bakeries. Little pastry, cakey things, covered with a good dose of a startlingly vivid, cerise liqueur. An amuse-bouche for dessert. From here on in, it's all reduced animal flesh intake and fish on Fridays, until that is, the next sacrificial killing, a lamb at Easter.
The waning paschal moon also prompts the next spurt of activity in the orto, the vegetable plot. This is of course, the most propitious time for planting and sowing. (Why?) The collection of varieties to be drilled including the predictable root veg and salad stuff, but, in addition, exotic sun-worshippers will have their chance to proliferate too. You'll be kept in the loop, progress-wise that is.
jt

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