Finding Your Way In Italy

It was our first contact with Asciano…


Asciano is a small town in the heart of the Tuscan region steeped in history dating back to the Etruscans. Somewhat paradoxically we spy an ATM secreted in a medieval wall. We spend the next hour trying to find our accommodation. We do laps of the narrow streets and only arouse stares from bemused locals. We seek direction from a young man at the Carabinieri station. We struggle to communicate so I show him the address and he immediately gives me the directions in Italian. We smile at each other and part. I feel as useless as a fur lined teapot. We drive roughly in the direction he gestured and wind up driving back through the same streets as before. This time things are different though. We are now behind a funeral procession, which naturally has right of way. We don’t wish to offend the recently departed on our first day in town. A supervising Caribinieri officer takes pity on us and we again seek directions. After giving us directions in Italian he steps back and waits for a response. He then gestures to us to follow. He figures it’s simpler to lead us to the spot in his car –and he does just that! We offer our most humble ‘grazie’ and he leaves us to negotiate the steep, narrow track that is ‘Il Falconcello’ As we ascend this above average goat track Carlo’s house appears above us. It is a restored farmhouse with a rambling garden and lots of instant appeal. We meet Carlo, his wife Anna and their friends Tanya and Joe from Malta. Carlo is an enthusiastic host who shakes hands vigorously to emphasise the warmth of his greeting. He repeats the greeting when he realises we are in fact Australian and not ‘Hollanders’ He tells us about his cousin who lives in Greensborough, Victoria and then takes us on a quick tour of the house.

We are at peace with where we have landed…..