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.
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