(Originally posted 21 May 2016) Ask any Italian, and they will confirm the rivalry between southern and northern Italy. Those from the chic cosmopolitan cities in the north seldom give the south the credit that we now know it deserves.
At the tip of the boot of Italy, the province of Calabria was where we found ourselves after making arrangements on via helpx.net a few months ago to volunteer our services in exchange for accommodation. If it were not for this arrangement, we might not have visited this area on our round-the-world trip.
We landed at Lamezia Terme, hired a car and had to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road very quickly. Warning: driving on the opposite side can be a real test of your marriage and should not be attempted by the faint-hearted.
We travelled along the western coast to Tropea in a nervous and bickering state. When you first see the sea, you forget your petty differences (like who is driving and who is a passenger), and your mood improves vastly. The colours of the clear water are something special, changing from dark azure blue to light aquamarine depending on the depth.
From Tropea, you take a winding (and nail-bitingly narrow) road up to the hilltop village of Caria, where Lisa, Salvatore, and a precocious cat called Mila, would be our hosts for a few days. In May, the lush green vegetation is dotted with bright colours from the wildflowers, and the views across orchards to the ocean are picture-perfect.
Lisa and Salvatore grew up in the area, lived in other parts of Italy and later returned to their family property. The property has three cottages, and because of the rain and overgrown vegetation, the gardens and the property require substantial maintenance, especially since their two boys are grown-up and off studying in the north – that is where we were able to help.
Also staying on the property was another volunteering couple, Maureen and Christoff, from France and Germany. Christoff is a chef, and combined with Lisa’s magical Italian cooking, we ate very well during our communal meals. These were lovely times when we drank the local wines and homemade limoncello while speaking a weird combination of English, German, and Italian (each person with a different understanding of what was said).
The local produce available in Calabria is fantastic. The fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, baked goods, cured sausages, sauces and picked products make it difficult not to be constantly nibbling. Luckily we were kept busy burning calories while varnishing all the wooden frames, weeding the large garden and helping to set up an irrigation system for a vegetable garden.
The weather was very unpredictable, with rain and sunshine moments apart, making it difficult to work outside. That is when we would head off exploring, but it is worth noting that siesta is taken very seriously in this part of the world. Except for the souvenir shops, all the stores are closed for a few hours in the afternoon. This is something we kept forgetting and, unfortunately, headed into town while all was still. Walking down the stairs from the viewpoint, where the only other people were also ill-timed tourists visiting the area, we found a quiet little place on the beach that served the most delicious cappuccinos for €1.50.
Having fallen so in love with this part of Italy, we have decided to head further south to Sicily and spend a week there as part of our Italian experience. We hope it will continue to be as lovely as our time has been so far.
If you want to visit Caria in Calabria, Lisa and Salvatore rent out the cottage and specialise in accommodating those travelling with their dogs. Get more info here: http://fcaq2015.wix.com/casa-italia