A real country Wedding

I have just received these photos from friends who own a sheep property near Nimmitabel close to the Snowy Mountains. (Background - Heather and I actually started working at the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme in Cooma on the same day - about 4 decades ago!!). Their son, George and his fiance, Mel, chose to have their recent wedding on the property. The venue was 2 kms off the road, and to get there guests would drive through George's crops. Lots of preparations, but what a very special day for all concerned.

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The Chapel

(Willow trees shaped in an arch - like a natural cathedral in the paddock,

hay bales for seating. drinks after the ceremony,

and of course the aussie windmill as a backdrop.)

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The cars

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The Wedding party

Mel and George - married Just delightful.

Back to the marquee in their garden - dancing till 2 a.m.

A day with Mamma Agata and family

One of the activities we were really looking forward to on this Italian fling was our cooking class with Mamma Agata and her daughter, Chiara. We were up early, didn't have breakfast (as Mamma had suggested) caught the public Sita bus back up to Ravello, and started following the map to Mamma Agata's.

We shared this route with a minute tractor

and continued heading down,

and down,

and down - it just got steeper !

and at this stage the thought of climbing back up this route from Mamma's after the promised 5 course feed !!

did cross our minds - more than once??

We have arrived

Mamma's house, and Pappa's garden from the outside

Chiara (Mamma's daughter) met us (she speaks english, Mamma does not, but during the day I decided Mamma understood every word.)

We started with a cup of coffee and a large slice of Mamma's Lemon cake

In their side garden - delish!!!

and waited for the other 4 class mates. who we learned caught a taxi down the road from the bus stop - no map directions for them!!

We checked out more of Pappa's garden on the side of a cliff

Mamma runs the final quality control and time to pick - I think!!

Ready to start the class

Mamma smiles as she shows off some of Pappa's capsicums.

Our class mates were great, 2 girls from New York City, and another American and Canadian girl, both based in London.

Chiara's personality was so enthusiastic, and if she happened to forget anything, Mamma was there to remind her (in Italian, or maybe just "the look")

Mamma's approach is "elegant simplicity"

her little grand daughter even took part for a few minutes

Eggplants were at their peak in the garden

so after making the tomato sauce, came the eggplant rolls , tasting along the way of course - just so good.

and eggplant parmigiana

Next in line - the preparation for the sausage and red pepper pasta

many guidelines on what oil, when to add things, just so much info.

Next was Mamma's lemon chicken

and the Farmer's spaghetti

The family's Vigneron joins us, Chiara's husband, Gennaro.

His "vino rosso" had joined us a lot earlier !!!

It was such a good group, and Chiara was alive with information, and fortunately for all of us, we were given a full hand out with all the menus for the day, and Mamma's extraordinary "hints".

Gennaro served us all these wonderful courses

Frank was assigned the "kings" seat at the end of the table by Mamma.

and Gennaro then asked us to try each of his "cello" numbers!

Limoncello, Manderincello and Fennelcello!

Just all so different, and so good!

This day was far better than we had ever hoped for, lively, informative, delicious food, and just so much fun.

Definitely a Ravello Taxi back UP to that Bus Stop

"WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY!!

Villa Rufolo

Villa Rufolo's creation started in 1270, by one of the area's richest Patricians, Nicolo Rufolo, it was built on a ledge and at the height of its importance in the 13th century it could boast "more rooms than there are days in a year". Part of this immense heritage has been eroded by time and neglect, but much has been rescued primarily by Scottish Botanist and Art Historian, Sir Francis Neville Reid, who acquired the Villa in 1851.

Frank at the entrance of Rufolo (Torre d'ingresso)

The original nucleus of the villa includes a moorish courtyard (Cortile)

originally laid out around three sides

3 floors high

with some Arabic influence

Below the Tower of Sala dei Cavalieri with its enormous Norman ogives/arches.

Think this columned area below may have been the dining room in 13th century

outside courtyard

The lower gardens re-designed by Neville Reid are delightful

These gardens enchanted the composer Richard Wagner, who they say found them as an inspiration for the second act of his Parsifal.

Since 1953 - every summer, the Ravello Festival of symphonic concerts (3 or 4 per week) are held in honour of Richard Wagner Now on a massive elevated stage projecting out over the Amalfi Coast which is erected each year at the start of the Festival Season (copy of postcard)

The twin towers of the church Dell'Annunziata

In 1974 the organisers of these concerts (the Provincial Tourism office of Salerno) gained some funding to acquire Villa Rufolo.

Some parts of the Villa were given to the European University Centre of Cultural Heritage.

Presently the management of this monumental structure has been assigned to the Ravello Foundation.

The wisteria was stunning at Villa Rufolo

Another break while waiting for the bus to take us back down the mountain to Amalfi.