Before I ever dreamed of owning Parker Villas, I had visited Italy dozens of times. To date, I have been to Europe over 300 times and driven over a quarter of a million miles throughout the continent. That’s more than enough to go to the moon. But why go to the moon when you can be in paradise? Over 80% of my European travels and miles have been to Italy. I have visited every region, countless cities and towns and far more winding roads than any country should possess. Occasionally, I stopped to get gas, eat and see some interesting things. Most of all, I have met and gotten to know the Italians — as well as any foreigner can pretend to.
Typically, after two or three days in Italy, I find myself thinking and dreaming in Italian. For this, I owe my mom who sent me to school in Italy as a child. (2nd grade in Rome, 4th in Rapallo on the Italian Riviera). The only reason I point this out is that when you learn a language early on, it never goes away. If you have young children, please start them now.
Today, most Italians I meet envision me as an Italian, at least initially. What eventually gives me away is not my accent — most Italians think it is from somewhere in Tuscany - but instead it is my thought process. I am a product of American culture and when discussions get deep enough I am exposed as an alien infiltrator. Not in what the end result of a discussion might be, but just by how I got there. That’s where the fun begins. This vehicle is my attempt to explore with you some of the differences and commonalities between cultures, provide tips on travel and insights on Italy that both first time visitors and seasoned travelers may find useful.
As far as Parker Villas is concerned, I do not want this blog to become a brazen commercial for my company announcing midnight specials. There are better ways of doing that. What I hope to do is share some of the stories behind the villas we choose and reject, their history and some glimpses into the persons that own them. Often there are funny and heartwarming episodes that occur between owners and guests. Of course, all names will be changed to protect the innocent or guilty as the case may be.
For the moment, I am the primary author of Access Italy. I look forward to your comments and feedback.
Con tutto il cuore,
Mario
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