We LOVE Living in Sicily. And here's why #23
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
- Join us on our Sicilian Expat adventure!
We're Elizabeth and Brian, a retired American couple from Oregon who quit working in our fifties to pursue our dream of living abroad-- and that led us to Sicily. So far? Although there have been some bumps along the way, it has been a dream come true. Follow along as we fix up our abandoned old Sicilian farmhouse, discover our surroundings and learn about Sicilian wine and cuisine. Amuninni!
This week we visit Ispica, make our own nocino, celebrate Palazzolo Acreide and share some French duck with our Sicilian friends.
View all of our Sicily Farm House videos:
studio.ruclips.net/user/playlistP...
For regular updates, and what Beth likes to call "pretty stuff" you can follow us on Instagram:
/ beeseurotravel
Ispica has a view to both the Ionio and mediterraneo seas, a nice climate because of location and the town is part of Ragusa provincia so well kept. Great access to some of the best beaches. We love going and treking the Cava D'Ispica with its amazing necropoli ( really worth a visit) then visiting the Armenia family at Bruno American Bar!
Sad news about the 10 yr old boy. I am continuing to really feel a great connection to you two thru these Sunday videos. Thanks for being you. Stephen.
Thanks, Stephen. Have a great week 😊
Im thinking what makes Sicily great is your relationship!
It's Sicily that makes great relationship!
Beth and I have been married for 33 years now and we still like each other! Amazing! 🤣 And Sicily sure doesn't hurt. Living here is magical.
@@beeseurotravel 🎯
So sad to hear about the young boy losing his life. My heart hurts for his mother.
I spent 2 weeks on Sicily out of a month long Italian vacation 18 months ago and have been dreaming of living on Sicily ever since. Depending on how the US elections go this year, it may happen soon than later. You both are such an inspiration. Thank you!😊
The US has changed so much that I don't understand it anymore. Best of luck to you. Thanks for watching 😊
I'm with you, in fact we have a four year plan in effect and for the most part don't care who the American people vote for, we're outta here!
@@ji3946 bye
Such a sad thing. But as you say amazing community. We can spend a lifetime seeking that.
That's a fact. Lucky to have stumbled into this place. Now I really have to buckle down and learn Italian so I can better connect here.
I'm glad I stumbled across your channel. It's really cool to see your journey! I wish I had the guts to live abroad in Italy/Sicily :)
Thanks. I'm glad you like the videos. Maybe one day you'll say the heck with it and give it a go. We only get to go through once! And if it doesn't work out you can always move back...
So, Palazzolo sounds beautiful, quiet and welcoming. Is real estate inexpensive there? I am in my 70s (living in Canada) but I have been in love with Italy and anything Italian since taking history in junior high. I have always wanted to be in Italy for as much as possible. I feel a warmth when the few chances I have had to visit (the country, the customs, architecture, art, history and people). Of course, like most people, costs are a huge factor. Thank you for this recommendation :). I really enjoy your episodes. You are both down to earth, have a sense of joy in all that are you doing. What a beautiful way to live and to retire to. Ciao😊
No. Compared to North America its pennies on the dollar. Thanks for watching 😊
It’s lovely watching you two and your interaction. Your life sounds so rich and varied
Thank you so much! 😊 We're very lucky to live here
The Mass looks beautiful!
It was beautiful...
We used to make Ratafia in Catalunya, for 40 days, but with lots of herbs in it too. There is a blind-tasting Ratafia competition later in the year - one of the best days ever was when I was asked to be one of the judges (and you swallow everything, and there were 24 bottles, and 3 rounds of tasting!). Perhaps your walnut tree is having a rest year (they sometimes do) and next year it will be loaded. If you have many walnut trees in the area, get to know where they are. Then in the Autumn, after a windy day, go round with a big bag and collect all the fallen nuts from the roadside :o)
I used to do that with my Dad in NH 😊 I had never heard of Ratafia, but looking it up online it looks like the possibilities are endless! I hope there's no video? 🤣 Sounds like great fun -- I'd love to do something like that one day
@@beeseurotravel We are truly blessed if we can live in these southern European places. The social traditions are unchanged for many centuries and it is a privilege to be a part of it. We went out as a group from the village, collecting all the ratafia herbs in our baskets. I hope you enjoy all your local social events, and we can enjoy the videos and the sunday commentaries :o)
So pleased to say hello on the beach.
Resta con la bella vita..
Yes, it was very nice to meet you! We still are surprised when people “recognise” us 🤣 I hope you two enjoy the rest of your time here and come back soon. Maybe next time we meet for a drink at the same beach.
Hello from St George Utah. Love you channel. I look forward to Sunday nights to see and hear you both talk about your week. What you are doing is incredible. I'm literally days away from retirement and my goal is for my wife and I to go to Europe. Not just for a week. I hope to be able to tv o and stay for at least a month. Please offer some encouragement. I think Sicily will be on our list. Best wishes to you bkth. Randy and Donna.
How nice. Thank you 😊 I don’t think you’ll ever regret taking a long vacation in Europe and I think you’ll find it life changing. When you come to fully realise that maybe Americans DON’T have the best country in world and maybe there are some BETTER ways to go about your daily lives? Don’t get me wrong, I know I was very fortunate to grow up in the US, but having spent 6 years in Europe now? Daily life is way better. Less stress, more fun, healthier food, lovely people, less focus on “things…” it’s wonderful. Good luck planning your trip! If it were me I’d spend more time in fewer places rather than trying to see it all in a month. You’ll have to come back 😉
That's pool looks so refreshing! Happy Sunday and thank you. I look forward to the videos
Thanks. You, too 😊
Thanks for posting these. I love your day to day! Im so home sick for my future home away from home. Bravi!
You bet! Soon I hope 😊
Thankyou , I’m considering a European trip , I enjoy your program , you show the real side of life . Peace fellow babies ! 😊
Thanks 😊 Good luck with your trip. It's always nice to have something to look forward to.
I'm relatively new to your site and have found it addicting! You two have found the right mix of chatting with each other (and us) while interjecting videos of the villages, the countryside and events. Well done! I'd love to see more of your house and the before and after pictures as you remodel. Do you have air conditioning in your house? 😊
In the older videos (#1-23) you’ll find all of that 😊 We have a portable air conditioner in the bedroom but when we get the solar system installed we’ll be putting in a full blown heating/cooling solution 😊
Beth and Brian, I loved sharing such a lovely day with you two! Looking forward to more shared experiences in our beautiful Sicily! 😊 Keeping that young boy’s family in my prayers. 🙏🏽
Auguri 🎉
Ciao guys, great to spend Saturday with you and really enjoyed the latest video. Looking forward to tasting that walnut stuff! So happy that you both are here in Sicily and that we bumped into each other. Diana says she loves the video too but for some reason RUclips isn't letting her comment. I told her she is not holding her mouth just right. Anyway, we both loved the video, thanks for sharing it with us and everyone. Ci vediamo presto,
🤣 You two are great. A presto
Lovely channel… so sad for the loss of such a young life… community…. Something we are in dire need of but I fear it will never happen in the US.
We have visited many times Sicilia and world love to spend more time!!! Ciao ❤
Thanks. And yes, the US has really changed. Sometimes I wonder if it is inevitable here as well. I read this great book in college called Habits of the Heart - basically a sociological study of community and individualism in the US through the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Even then all of the institutions that had traditionally bound us together (religion, volunteer organisations, etc.) were starting to fail. Here, at least one, religion, is very strong. I can’t tell yet how devout Sicilians are but the church tradition here is very powerful and binds people together in a special way. The amount of volunteers required for these enormous religious festivals is mind-blowing. It would never happen in the US. So… how’s that for a response? 🤣🤣🤣 Our fingers are crossed for this amazing place. Ciao!
I loved this last video and your heartfelt commentary on going to Mass. I would have loved to have been there. Very much enjoying how you share your life. I hope the heat is somehow bearable. I hear in August many Italians hit the beaches on their holidays. You may not find a parking spot so easy. Have a great week. Thank you for sharing your wonderful lives with everyone.
Thanks 😊 Living here has definitely changed us for the better
Wondetful to see another week of socializing & site seekng unfold! I think we have narrowed our search to the north coast, but we will swing through Palazzolo to check it out since you rave so sweetly about the community. Just not sure we can handle the lack of foliage coming from the PNW. It appears so arid, much like central California in many aspects. So sad to hear the news of the boy whose life was lost. Touching to see the community response. Isn't that how life SHOULD be. Many of us in America are having such heartache today with the Supreme Court ruling.... we're so grateful to be on the cusp of our dual citizenship journey. Can't come fast enough! Wishing you another week of joy filled adventures!
How much time have you spent in Sicily?
‘Pickling alcohol’ in the pool and the problem is sorted! 😂
🤣
A really nice video. You are right, that is life. So hard but we must move on. Thanks for an entertaining time!
Thanks for watching 😊
Friends of mine were supposed to be there for the festivities but as you said it was suspended due to the death of the little boy🙏🙏🙏
Yeah... very sad.
We will have to check it out. We live near Trabia and have only explored the island's west side and as far east as Taormina. We have not been to the southeast side yet.
The northern coast and inland are also stunning!! I live in the madonie mountains, one of the 'lungs' of sicily.
Couldn't agree more. We very nearly bought a place in Castelbuono and were completely smitten with Petralia Soprana
@@anne4083 ciao Anne, where in the Madonie mountains are you?
@@beeseurotravel love both of those towns!!
Ciao belli siete diventati la mia droga settimanale perché siete due persone meravigliose che hanno capito come godersi la vita.
Beh, penso che siamo un farmaco molto sicuro. Grazie per la visione. Beth è sempre stata molto brava a vivere il momento. Me? Sto migliorando
I’m sorry to hear of the loss of the young boy. You are such a sweet couple. 💞
Thanks 😊
Coming in February for the first time. We'll be looking to see if they have a community that will work for us.
To Sicily? Good luck!
It all looks fun! Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for watching! 😊
I love hearing your weekly updates so much I kinda want to move there. You seem so much more relaxed. Never rushed. I’ve always loved the culture in Mexico but you have me reconsidering.
You’re so nice. Thanks. This is a pretty cool place to live 😍
They are both amazing. If you love Mexico, you’ll love Sicily.
Do you know why it’s 40 days? I was told when I make my lemoncello Jesus was in the desert for 40 days so let it sit. Most recipes say 30 but the old Sicilians sat 40 days.
No idea! But that seems as good a reason as any 😊
Agreed!
Thank you i just love you both. Im from Australia i will be in Sicily in October i didnt catch the name of the village you recommended to visit.❤
You're sweet. Thanks. Palazzolo Acreide 😊
Seems to be a lot of whacking with long sticks in Italy?! What do you ask for when you go to buy one? 😅
🤣 Yes 🤣 The guy who owned the property left a bunch of them behind so we haven't had to cross that bridge... yet.
Greetings from malta ❤ can get enough of sicily hope to visit in September or October....
It's a great place...
Hope you have AC!
Only the bedroom. Next year we'll be good to go when we get our solar system installed.
I love you guys, I hope to meet you some day. Thanks for sharing your life. I also follow a young Italian couple with a daughter that have moved from northern Italy to Sicily. Their you tube channel is called Leave Everything and Wander, LeAw.. i thought you might enjoy their channel. Thanks again.
Yes, we watch them, too. Ironically we very nearly bought a property very close to them in February 2023 (before they announced buying it). We would've been neighbors 🤪
This is Silvio. Me too I know that italian couple (from Piemonte), but, being sicilian, let me say your place on Noto countryside, (obsiouly in my view) is doubtless better. It's a different kind of Sicily weither as nature, either as traditions, food etcetera.
I suppose, you bees living in Sicily have already realized there's really a lot of countries.
I remember a book written by Gesualdo Bufalino and Nunzio Zago (two sicilian writers and intelectuals) titled "100 Sicilie".
They said is impossible to talk about a only one Sicily, cause there are so many different realities and even so many
Kind of sicilians, traditions etcetera.
Anyway doubtless many, many places to find out
@@thewebhorse Yes! And we need to get to Catania to see you. What does your schedule look like next week? If you follow us on Instagram you can send me a message? Or you can send me an email thru RUclips if you want 😎
For sure we'll schedule a day on next week. I'll hear back you on your email next days. I looking forward of having the pleasure meeting you.
See you soon!
Thank you, which resl estate agent did you use to purchase your property? I'm looking for something in a seaside small village.❤
We used HomeSudHome but they’re only in the SE. Real estate is still hyper local here.
Hello! Thinking about retiring in Sicily in the near future but wondering if it is a good idea for a single female? Is there a large expat community? Is it safe for a single female to drive around? Thanks for your insight!
Tough call. In the countryside it is very traditional (role-wise). Beth breaks all of the rules and they think it’s funny, but I’m here, too. So would they think it was funny if she was here solo? I don’t know. In the cities I doubt it’s much of a problem. We know a single lady in her 60’s who is single and happy in Ispica. There are tons of expats here but even better there are lots of Italians who speak English. Until your Italian gets better, that’s the sweet spot. Living here and just hanging out with Americans and other native English speakers would drive us mad!
Was the woman from Ispica Jodi DeLuca?
Yes 😊
@@beeseurotravel What a small world! I don't actually know Jodi but I see her name during comments for another channel called You, Me, & Sicily. I just took a shot, can't believe it was actually the right person! Lol
My name is Paul. I'm from Wisconsin but live half the year in Castellammare del Golfo.
Ciao Paul 😊
@@jodidelucca4190 Ciao Jodi!