Saturday, November 15, 2014

Hotel Villa Steno, Monterosso al Mare, and Racing the Clock

I think I may have just made it to do this show before we close the studio for an indefinite amount of time. We have been notified that the process of moving the equipment from the studio into a smaller trailer would begin shortly. There would be at least a one month hiatus to do another broadcast, and then perhaps a year when we would be able to get back into the studio. Assuming that is true, I will not be missing anything more than perhaps one broadcast. However, when it comes to contractors, schedules, deadlines, and promises, I have become very jaded, so it was with great relief that we finally got this show completed, although there was the some difficulty that occurred during the early part of the show.

People always ask me how it is possible to perform a show on Italy for so many broadcasts. I respond by saying that I simply relate the story as it happened while we were at a particular place, whether it were an attraction, hotel, restaurant, or whether I was taking a car, train, or ferry. Accompanied by videos and photos, the process happens almost by itself. Nothing was more true than our stay at the Hotel Villa Steno in the Cinque Terre town of Monterosso al Mare. For the hotel, I went through the entire process of choosing a place to stay using a variety of criteria such as location, convenience, quality of room, and responsive characteristics of the people at the hotel during the e mail phase of the selection. To me the place we decide to stay is more important than anything else. Being 4,000 miles from home, we want to be in a hotel which offers a down-home experience with as much charm and beauty as possible. Price is considered, but within certain parameters, I do not spare our budget while traveling. I wanted also a nice view, and of course, a town or city that held great promise for the length of our stay.

The Hotel Villa Steno was not only the highlight of our three day visit to Monterosso, but perhaps the best part of our two week vacation, excluding the time we spent with our three closest friends, Luca, Lidia, and Franco and their families which is always pure joy. In fact, as I indicate in the show, it had been our dream since 2009 when we were in Monterosso for the first time, to stay in a hotel on or near the beach. However, reading about the Hotel Villa Steno on Trip Advisor as reviewed by the actual guests who have stayed there made me want to see what this excitement was all about. When a hotel is rated number 1 out of 20 hotels, then it is indeed special. Not only were we not disappointed, but the hotel surpassed our expectations by virtue of the kindness and graciousness of our hosts, owners Matteo and Carla Pasini. Alan's Italy Show # 103 focused on our experiences at the Hotel Villa Steno and also our visit to the Old Town of Monterosso al Mare. The intention is to concentrate on the New Town on the next show, # 104.

The interview had been set up by Matteo and me through e mails. I knew that would be the central point of this show. Taken together with video of our room, and photos of everything else in the hotel, and the Old Town of Monterosso, this would constitute an entire show. The charming, informative, and intelligent demeanor of Matteo, to me, was the highlight of the presentation. Surrounded by the overall experience of staying in a superlative hotel with extraordinary features made for one of the best shows of my series which began three years ago. The views from our balcony, of course, were amazing, the same views basically that one gets from their breakfast terrace. The surrounding area was extremely evocative, a perfect Italian town.

I told Matteo beforehand that I would have to speak on the air about the two negative aspects of the hotel and Monterosso. As might have been expected, he understood. The trip to this marvelous town by car was difficult, but could have easily been overcome by traveling there by train, as I explained on the show. And the fact that the hotel was at a very high point in the town (providing stunning views) would necessitate climbing a lot of steps. That problem also was solved by taking a taxi to the front door; however, if one has the mobility to climb, gorgeous gardens awaited the journey to the top. Laura and I plan to return, possibly in two years, and will certainly not let these two problems get in our way.

Anyway, the result of this show was a marvelous portrait of a charming and gracious family and their equally wonderful hotel placed amid the extraordinary town of Monterosso al Mare. It is my hope that Alan's Italy Show # 103 was appropriate in conveying our profound appreciation for one of the best three days stay at a location in Italy during our past thirteen years of Italian travel.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Show # 103 - Monterosso al Mare, Part 1: Old Town Postponed Until Next Week

I spent a lot of time working through this very important show for tonight's broadcast. Laura and I even spent about an hour this morning honing and rearranging and adding additional photos. I was ready, but unfortunately as sometimes happens, Ellen just could not get the studio's computer to work effectively. She told me that she could have put it through on an alternative system, but I insisted on the perfection to which we have become accustomed recently. My now friend, Matteo Pasini, in Monterosso whose ten minute interview was to be the highlight of the show and the basis for the first half of the broadcast which was to have focussed on the amazing time we had at his very special hotel, was my prime reason for my intense disappointment. Otherwise, next week this week, who really cares that much, but I just do not like to disappoint people who deserve better. I just sent him an email indicating the postponement, and felt terrible doing that. I am not sure he understands that when trying to produce a show on public access TV, things can get pretty strange. This is what we have generally come to expect over the years, but not for a while have we had such a malfunction. We will try again next Friday, November 14.

One more thing. The people whom I have the opportunity to interview in Italy think of Alan's Italy as a professional operation, even though I try to explain to them the concept of public access television. I even go so far as to say something like, "ya know we are not CNN or NBC. We are a local TV station and of yes, the videos of the shows do go on Youtube." The expectations they have bring me up to the point where I also start developing an expectation beyond what they should be, setting standards for myself and Ellen as well that are probably too demanding. Early on my expectations were much less than they have morphed into over these three years. It takes something like what happened this evening to remind me of the crude manner with which we have been working under since 2011. A large dose of reality is what I came home with this evening.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Mostly Unrelated to Italian Travel (But not totally)

I just bought a lottery ticket whose payout would be 321,000,000 before taxes. I said to myself that if God exists surely he would know (because he would certainly read minds) that I intend to give a lot of that to charity. Since I have played the lottery many times, I came to the conclusion that in all probability God doesn't exist.

This reminded me of a story I heard on the West Wing TV series (for which I recently started to blog). A guy is living in a house in a town where there is going to be devastating flood. He hears on the radio: "Get out of town fast. there is a flood coming." He says, "Nah, I don't have to worry. God will protect me." The town floods, and he climbs to the roof of his house. A rowboat passes by with some rescue workers inside, one of whom screams at the guy, "Get in this row boat or you will die in the flood!" "Nah," screams our guy, "God will protect me." Then a helicopter passes by and screams down at him with the water almost on top of him, "Hey, we will lower a ladder. Climb up the ladder to our helicopter." "No," again our guy screams, "I have faith that God will protect me!!!"

Well the guy drowns and when he gets to Heaven, he asks to see God. "God," he whispers softly, "I have always been a loyal believer. I was certain you would have protected me from the horrible flood waters. What happened?" God replies: "I sent you a radio broadcast, a rowboat, and a helicopter. What the Hell are you doing here?"

Well I have been blessed with good health, a wonderful family (many of them anyway), great friends (some), a great career, love for Italy, and many other wonderful things. So what is my problem believing in God?

Putting together Alan's Italy Episode # 103 this weekend. Cannot wait. It is featuring one of the great gifts I have received from............ Matteo Pasini, the owner of Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso al Mare granted me an interview when we were there last May. I will also begin talking about oner of the most beautiful towns in Italy, starting with Old Town and continuing the next show with New Town.