December/January 2010 Newsletter

So what happened to the December newsletter? Did we fail to produce it on time or were we being sensible to avoid sending yet another festive greeting to your inbox. I’m not saying which is the truth, those that know us well will know which is true. We hope that your Christmas went well and that the New Year brings you all, much happiness and joy.

Italian January
In some ways the months of December and January here in Le Marche is so different to the months in the UK.

Some of their new year traditions are also now well in place and the one that always pushes my sense of humour to the limits is the locals fascination and their addiction to hunting. Before you turn away in horror and disgust please bear with me. I do not and never have been in favour of hunting in any of its shapes or guises, however I am a stranger in another mans land and I will learn to accept and live by their rules. Added to this is the fact that I live in a farming community and I suspect that this has been their way of life for centuries. So during a couple of months, I live with the sound of gunfire some Saturday and Sunday mornings, the occasional pack of red setters sprinting across the countryside, causing my fearless cats to balance precariously on the uppermost bow of a tree. I chuckle as the very red faced farmer trudges through the fields taking the occasional nip of Vino Cotto to keep hyperthermia at bay for a few more hours. So all in all it’s a spectacle and its all part of rural life and it’s as funny as anything you have ever seen.

Plotting starts in the Piazza                  Lunch                         What a great place to hunt

To me hunting, which I have never done, must be all about stealth, quietness and patience. The hunters I see have none of these qualities. Firstly I would think army combat fatigues would be the answer, camouflage greens and browns so they blend in. No chance, they all wear reflective orange jackets, I will explain why later, so when you look out over any hillside and you can spot the hunters bright orange jackets everywhere.

Obviously the animals they are hunting are by nature going to be timid and will do all they can to avoid human contact, so our hunter must proceed with stealth and above all quietness. The snapping of a twig will have his prey spooked and will set the beast running for cover. So our farmer’s dogs are important, noses to the ground they search out a scent for their owner, however the hunter needs to know where his dogs are so he ties a bell around their neck. So now we have the orange blobs wandering around with a pack of dogs that sound like a herd of mountain goats on the move. As you can see everything is working in favour of the wild beast at the moment, but there is more. The farmer knows where his dogs are because of the bells, how do the dogs know where their owner is. Simple, the owner of the dogs carries a long wooden pole and on this pole he too has bells which he shakes to let his dogs know where he is. This is all very festive and all that is missing is a reindeer and a jolly fellow in a red suit. So now we have the orange blobs, the jingling dogs and the owner with his own sound system as well.
Where does the team hunt? Are they all foraging around in the woods, are they all dug into fox holes, are they in hides? No, they can often be seen wandering around the open fields. As you will appreciate at this time of year the fields are barren, no cover for man or beast, you can see for miles across the land, do they think that some rabbit or a hare is going to break the cover of their hole in the ground to sprint across miles of open land, in defiance of packs of dogs with bells on, unlikely.

Despite everything I have said here there is the crackle of gun fire and the sound of lead shot falling through the trees. I suspect this is more to do with the need to fire off a few rounds to get the smell of gunpowder on their hands and clothes.   Anyway back to the use of bright fluorescent jackets.

Some time ago a journalist from a UK based hunting magazine was staying with us to write a piece about the rural hunting communities in Le Marche. She saw first hand how they went about their pursuit and we arranged for her to interview some of the locals, which she did. So suitably bribed with some Vino Cotto they told her all about the joy of hunting in the valleys and in the hills around San Ginesio. After some time she was intrigued at what appeared to be a lack of discipline in the way they hunted, it appeared from what they were saying that they all go off in different directions and do their own little bit of hunting, she asked how they knew where their friends were, they didn’t know, how could they the whole valley was just a cacophony of sound with bells of all shapes and sizes ringing out. And then she asked the obvious question. ‘Does anyone get hurt’ there was no pause the reply was instant, ‘Yes of course someone always gets shot’!!! How the writer kept a straight face I will never know, me- well I was finished, a jibbering wreck with tears of laughter in my eyes.

So obviously someone on high it the hunting fraternity decided enough was enough and now they all wear bright jackets.

Finally, it appears that they are starting to get their act together. Recently I saw a large number of hunters gathered around a wooded area. I watched for a while. There were about ten hunters to the left of the copse all standing about 20 feet apart. On the other side of the copse were three hunters again about 20 feet apart. The group of three were walking through the copse towards the gang of ten. The theory here would be to flush the animals through the copse into the waiting aim of the hunters. This is a good theory except for the fact that the copse was bare, the trees had all lost their leaves and the ground cover was minimal. So the first thing that was going to pop out of the far side of the copse was the hunters searching for prey. I decided not to hang around, I’m not good with blood sports.   In conclusion the wildlife population is alive and well and as long as they don’t go deaf from all the weekend noise they will live a long and happy life.

2010
Just a reminder that if you are planning to book a self catering Villa next year you can save money on airfares by flying out the day before your rental starts. Fly out on the Friday and spend one night at the villa. We will be happy to give you all the information you need to find the local shops, beaches and places of interest.

Bargain Breaks

Winter/Spring Offer -   Looking for a break away?  How about a long weekend, steaming bowls of Hunters Stew, crusty bread and all washed down with some local red wines.  A bracing walk along the sea front, or maybe some sledging with the children in the mountains - take advantage of the designer sales or simply come and enjoy some of the local culture.  Whether its now or in the spring, why not take time out for a long weekend.

Book a short break now from January to early May for only 30 Euro per person including breakfast

Summer breaks, four nights for the price of three, prices from 40 Euro per person

  

Getting married in 2010?
Why not thinks about Le Marche for your wedding venue, fairytale medieval castles and Napoleonic Forts are all available – see our wedding site for more information and services.

   
Get married in Italy                                           Receptions in an Italian Castle

And that’s all from us

Have a pleasant January

David and Pam