Greetings once again from Umbria. Il cuore verde d’Italia. The green heart of Italy. Not doing a great deal here on this trip – we have a few guests in tow with us, but no planned itinerary, no pressing program of things we have to do, to check off, as is the case with our organized food and wine tours. Just a lazy, relaxing but thoroughly enjoyable summer visit.

And it’s a good thing we’re not on a tight schedule. It has been hot as hell here and a dip in the pool, rather than a busy day of sightseeing is typically the best course of action.

Honestly, as the east coast of the U.S. baked earlier this month, we were splashing in the cool waters of the Mediterranean off the beaches of Sicily and the island of Ponza. Perhaps our heat dodging luck was due to run out and here in Umbria we finally ran head on into il caldissima, hot summer weather that is not so much unexpected as it is just hot.

But the heat is a funny thing here in Italy. Our hottest daytime temperatures have topped off at just around 95 degrees. But that figure never quite seems as hot here as it does back home. Maybe because here we don’t have to do anything in particular, because we have no real responsibilities. Maybe it’s because we can dress for the heat, in shorts and tee shirts. But maybe it is because life here is designed to deal with the heat. Houses and buildings are generally not air conditioned, but they make up for this with passive design features to keep them cool – hugely thick stone walls that generate their own cooling, incredible light blocking shutters that darken rooms and keep them from warming up from direct sunlight, shady terraces and giant shade trees like the 117 year old gelso that sits in front of our villa and gives it shade and its name. So, too, do people organize their lives to avoid the heat – shops stay open until around 1pm and then comes lunch in a shady place and a siesta in a darkened bedroom or in the shade in the garden. By the time people return to work the sun is lower in the sky and within a few hours it disappears below the horizon.

Another note about the heat. It is, clearly, very hot during the day. But once the sun goes down so does the temperature. We have taken nearly every dinner outdoors, under one of the two gazebos that face our pool. When we begin the meal, generally around 9pm, the temperature is still warm, but as darkness thickens and the stars begin to shine more brightly, the temperature continues to fall. On several nights, as we started an American television marathon on our outdoor theater screen, we have had to scrounge for blankets to keep us warm. It is wonderful sleeping weather.

Hot days and cool nights. They are extremes that remind you that you are alive.

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Italians don’t like air conditioning. In fact, they are a bit prissy about it as they are with a few other health related issues, such as the importance of good digestion. Ask an Italian to choose between flat or fizzy bottled water at the table and you’ll likely get a dissertation of how the bubbles encourage good digestion or cause acid reflux. Digestion, as a key to good health, is a national obsession.

And air conditioning is another obsessive health topic you hear Italians speaking about all summer. They believe it is somehow possessed – the devil’s work – because everyone (at least here) knows that extreme temperature swings brought on by chilly rooms or car interiors and sweltering outdoor temperatures is the root cause of nearly every illness in this country. Got a summer cold? Pneumonia? It was caused by your office air conditioning. A stiff neck? That blast of ice cold air from your car’s dashboard followed by stepping out into the heat. We’ve heard air conditioning be blamed for colds, sores and even facial paralysis. One blast of cold air caused a man in Rome to lose all motor control in his face and resulted in perpetual bug eyes. Everyone here has an opinion on air conditioning. It is to be avoided.

On a day when the temperatures are topping out in the high nineties a little bit of air conditioning sounds sinfully good. But I’ll take a plunge in the pool and a little siesta in a cool, dark room any day. If you need me, look for me there.

Ci vediamo!
Bill and Suzy