What do you really remember once you're back home?

One of the things I love most during a tour is that the most meaningful moments are never planned, almost by design.

During my last tour in Val d’Orcia in Tuscany, we had just finished lunch at cookbook author Pamela Sheldon Johns’ farmhouse. As we were about to say our goodbyes, the priest of the local church walked in. It is a tradition in Tuscany, especially in the countryside, that once a year the priest visits households to bless the home. I remember this very well from my own childhood. My grandmother’s house, the priest walking around with the incense censer, the sweet smell filling the air. Pamela was so happy to welcome him; it was the first time the priest was coming to her house since Covid, she told me.

As Pamela shared with me that day, I’m not Catholic… but the farmhouse is. I love that idea: a house belonging to its landscape, carrying stories and an identity that go far beyond its current owners.

The room grew quiet as everyone gathered around the priest in a moment of prayer. And it didn’t matter if you were religious or not. There are moments like this when you can feel something in the air, a sense of reverence and awe, where people move together in unison.

These are the moments that linger, long after you’re back home and settled into your routine.

When you think back to your last trip, what comes to mind first, the historical facts, or that one instant when you felt something larger than yourself?

I’d love to hear ! Hit reply and tell me what moments from your last trip stayed with you.