Made in Italy

I found my way to Florence, Italy, when I was 20. I had a return ticket to the United States but very little money and certainly did not have a credit card. After sleeping in a field in Pisa and getting almost drowned in a violent thunderstorm, I began to hitchhike towards Rome.

An old man who spoke no English at all, stopped and gave me a lift. I had picked up a few words of Italian. This grandfather brought me to his home to share a midday pranzo with his wife and their granddaughter. It was one of the most memorable meals of my life. A bistecca fiorentina grilled on a fire, roasted potatoes with rosemary, tomatoes and basil from their garden, and a local red wine. Afterwards, he proudly showed me a nearby medieval tower. Last, he gave me some money so that I could buy a train ticket. 

I’ve had countless remarkable experiences in Italy since then. Some of them quite dramatic. There was the week I was photographing scenic Italy for Alitalia Airlines in Sorrento, when an earthquake toppled buildings, killing some people. There was the time I was arrested in the Vatican with Father Guido Sarducci. Over and over however, it has been the kindness and generosity of people throughout Italy, who make me grateful that I stumbled into Florence a long time ago.