TALKING ABOUT SERENDIPITY THE OTHER DAY....

Positano's majolica-domed church and campanile

Positano has a pretty new American visitor and I had the pleasure of making her acquaintance a few weeks ago.  Whilst walking down the one and only road which wends its way down from the top of town to Piazza Mulini below, Leigh (Kunis) and I got to chatting about all things serendipitous.

I'm a firm believer in following one's instincts and that the path we're on is very much where we're supposed to be, even if, at the time, it may seem to be leading nowhere!


Like so many others, I've travelled fairly extensively. I love travelling on my own, but on one trip a good friend joined me at the last minute.

I dreamed of Italy for as long as I can remember - had written away to the Italian Archaeology Society to find out about doing volunteer work around Naples, had investigated different cooking school options, subscribed to Andrea Bocelli's website, rolled the Italian names for vegetables joyously over my tongue, greeted the monthly full-moon in Italian..."Ciao la mia bella luna"...I was utterly seduced by La Bella Italia! And had yet to step onto her shores!


After 20 years of dreaming up schemes of how to get there, the trip was finally realised. I wanted to see it all, of course! But with just two weeks, it was impossible! I eventually settled on a few days in Rome, then a drive up to Tuscany for another few days, and the last week down on the Amalfi Coast.

Who the 'ugo' are you?

Each day revealed something magical and I have to say, colours seemed to glow with an iridescent light, landscapes perpetually teased and enchanted my amateur-photographer's eye, the freshness, flavours and simplicity of the local dishes caused culinary havoc upon my tongue, the creative energy refilled my decorator's cup....and amongst all this the ancient history that flowed above and beneath ground was so tangible, so visible wherever we went.

In a leather shop in Montepulciano, the owner took us down into a cordoned-off area at the back of the shop, where they had discovered Etruscan objets when they bashed through a wall to expand the shop. We descended some stone steps into a softly lit cavern of cool, mossy walls. Most of what had been found had been removed, but a few pieces of exquisite pottery remained. I was entranced! This treasure-trove had been tucked away for eons behind an obscure wall...and here we were, invited into its still-beating heart.

Restaurant-dining in Montepulciano

We meandered our way through landscape after soul-wrenchingly beautiful Tuscan landscape, picnicked under tree-dappled shade along a wildflower-covered track of someone's farm - the wind rustling the leaves up above the only sound, but for an infrequent passing car which we couldn't see from where we were hidden...the plumpest green olives, grilled melanzane, so very easily-quaffable Vernaccio vino from San Gimignano, and courtesy of our breakfast buffet, some country bread, traditional smoked meats and cheeses......maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the sunlight stretching through the leaves towards us, warmly stroking our skin, maybe it was both, but a happier, more carefree moment, as we lay on our backs, we couldn't imagine then.

Another favourite memory from that holiday, chanced upon us in Cortona. We'd been on the go all day and reached the walled-town in the late afternoon. After stopping in an antique shop and 'chatting' with the rather rotund, jovial owner, we arrived in the piazza and wearily, but contentedly, plonked ourselves down at a sidewalk cafe to enjoy a well-earned liquid refreshment.

No waiter appeared to serve us, but next door was a shop with a sign above it proclaiming it an "Enoteca". I went inside and asked the man if we could get a glass of 'vino', to which he replied he could not. BUT, if we bought a bottle of wine, he would be glad to provide glasses and we could sit on the steps of the church which overlooked the piazza, and enjoy our wine there. I asked if this was allowed, to drink in 'public', and his response was: "But where are you from? Here, Italy is democratic - you can do what you want!" and with that ceremoniously 'thwopped' the cork from the bottle and presented it to us with two elegant glasses! From our seat above the piazza, surrounded by coo-cooing pigeons, we watched the local evening life unfold around us as the setting sun lent a pink blush to the old stone buildings. We didn't see much more of Cortona, but we didn't need to - that simple moment is a favourite memory and Cortona along with it.

What I didn't know then was that our next destination, the Amalfi Coast, was to change my life. We drove down from Tuscany, took a wrong turn and ended up in what I would only find out later, is one of the worst neighbourhoods of Naples! It was chaotic! No road rules applied and it was an apparent free-for-all! There was a procession taking place, the narrow streets congested with banners, people, cars - and when we did finally find our way out, it was on a ridiculously twisted pot-holed road that wound its way higher and higher into the mountains, the Lattari Mountains, or Milky Mountains, as they are called.

Some time later though we crossed over and started downwards towards the sea - we'd somehow found our way to the Amalfi Coast, via Agerola and Ravello, which left us oohing and aahing at the terraced mountain-slopes filled with fragrant lemon-tree's, and houses built like a stack of cards, one upon the other.

Our base was Positano, perfectly situated on the Amalfi Coast to explore the towns around it and to reach Pompeii and and the Isle of Capri. At first glance I was somewhat disappointed - we passed peeling-painted houses and the town seemed uncared for - but it wasn't long before the magic and enchanting energy of this Tyhrennian-seaside town captivated us.

The week we spent there wasn't enough. I cried for 4 days when I got home, felt detached, that I wasn't all Me...and then it dawned on me: I had quite literally left my heart and soul behind and had to go back and get them! I did that 2 months later - and stayed for a month, absorbing more of the dreamscapes, seascapes, the ever-changing colour. I explored the terrain, towns and archaeological sights on my own - and knew, without a doubt, that this is where I wanted to live.

In that time I not only fell in love with the natural beauty, but also a local Positanesi man. I've been living in Positano for a little more than 3 years now, can at long last communicate with my adopted townsfolk, though every day I continue to learn more of the language, its eccentricities and local expressions, have cultivated both friendships and a vegetable garden, and continue to fall more in love with the  'pearl' of the Amalfi Coast. 

Talk about serendipitous!!!

I closed my interior design & decor business, sold my car, let go of my 'things' and left everything familiar to come and BE.


I now understand the power of that perpetual dream and yearning to come to Italy; realising it couldn't have happened at any other time in my life, realised that the point and circumstances which allowed it to happen when it did, were serendipitous in themselves - but that's another story!!

FOLLOWING ONE'S BLISS ALLOWS MORE AND MORE SERENDIPITOUS MOMENTS TO ENTER OUR LIVES.