May Day

May is here, spring also and everything is green, pretty and I enjoy the tours very much. I see how nature is changing and beside that I can start to explain my clients directly at the plants what is done if you do a "pre pulitura" which is different to the green vintage and maybe even more efficent.

I was for Castello Vicchiomaggio in Vienna a few weeks ago to present some of there top wines. Among them the best Italian Merlot, vintage 2004 called "FSM" which is an amazing wine! Now you can taste it directly at the wine outlet from Vicchiomaggio for an extra of only 5.- Euro per tasting. So if you do a tour with me and want to taste the best italian Merlot from the year 2004 (which by the way is veerrryyy difficult to win, as there are many many Merlots made in Italy) let me know. As long as this wine is available for tasting, you can do it!


I'm still pretty imperessed what happens in China where the Olympic games will take place and even if I LOVE the Olympic games and particulary the openings, I decided to not watch this games. It will be pretty hard but I guess it's a sign everyone could do to let the China politicians know, that what they do with propaganda and acting weird against Tibet is not, what we want. So if you want to join in, cool! If you still want to watch the games: I will still talk to you :-)

In a couple of weeks I will leave for a week Switzerland and already have in my head to visit the "Swiss wine shop" (I walked by there a year ago but never had the time to taste wine there). So this time I will stop in and taste some of my home country wines to see how they are. Usually Swiss wines are more acid, and lighter but with the years passing by and new, young winemakers even the wine changed. I will let you know how it was, maybe it will be then a nice idea while you are for holidays in Bern/Switzerland to stop by and taste something by yourself.

For all of you who waited for an Vinitaly report, sorry to disapoint you. I skipped this event. I had tours and my 40th birthday happend in the same week, and having only a half day to visit Vinitaly - which is absolutely not enough time! - I skipped it and will go next year. It wasn't boring though, we had the "Brunello affair" (a disaster some well known wine companies gave us as a "gift") and the Mozzarella di buffala scandal. Busy with reading all the different meanings and life goes forwarth as ever here in Italy.

cari saluti e a presto!

Christina

Help to save Tibet

It's the first time that I start to go into politic on my blog. But there is a reason which is too important for me. Please help to save Tibet! As you know the conflict in Tibet, which the Chinese Governement want to beat down, is kept under strict control by them. The Chinese Gov. does everything to stop and interrupt correspondence and news outgoing Tibet. Officials mentioned about 80 deads, but the hidden truth is, that hundreds of Tibetians already died, where transported into prisons or elsewhere and lot's of moncs, familymembers and friends are missing. It's devastating for everyone there and for all the exil Tibetians living outside Tibet.

It's 20 years ago, when I first came in contact with Buddhism and it was the "Gelupka Buddhism" the one his holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of. I learned a lot and took this with me, even if I'm not a Buddhist anymore, essentials of this philosophy are still part of my life. I always had a great respect of the Dalai Lama but even more of the Tibetans still living in there own country, which is occupied by Chinese. Switzerland was among the first countries in the early 60's which took refugees from Tibet. Since then the biggest comunity of Tibetans lives in Switzerland and since the 90's even in Northamerica.

What's going on right now in one of the oldest cultures in this world needs to be stopped. They need our help and everyone should do a small bit to stop the Chinese Gov. from what they are doing right now.

Please do not misunderstand me, I strictly talk about the Chinese Gov. not the Chinese itself. It's one of the biggest countries in this world with the most inhabitans and an immense choice of culture, from Tibet over Mongolia crossover to Taiwan. Not only in Tibet they suffer from this harsh and ruthless Governement but in this very moment it's Tibet which needs our help.

To learn more and to help you may find one of this organisation worth it:

http://www.savetibet.org/index.php


Even if you do not want to donate, but inform yourself and send this message to everyone you know, may do a great thing. If 100 people think something is good or wrong, it will arrive to others as well.

carissimi saluti

Christina

Happy Shiatsu and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation

Now I'm back from my 6th level Shiatsu. It was very interesting, a lot to learn and to see where I'm in this moment with my formation. It gave me a real energy kick and I'm happy I've learned how I get the theory part in my head. Which wasn't an easy piece for me.

Maybe you realized that I splitted the 1 € per booked tour. 50 Cents to my favorite animal protection company "Four Paws". I always cared for animals particulary the most helpless and this company is doing the job where it has to be done. Read more on there website to see how they work.

The other 50 Cents to the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona. Why? Well I was 16 when I read the first book from her "On Death and Dying" which helped me then to understand death better. Years later, after getting a job as a trainee in the Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital in Bern "Inselspital", I've learned truly what death means, thank's to a very smart nurse. And since then I'm not at all afraid of death or dying. Once one learn this step, one can support grief better, understand the ongoing process of life and something else which is that we create our life and if we do not live it properly, we miss the most important thing: living!

When I realised, that Ken Ross, the son of Elisabeth started this Foundation I immediately wanted to give a part to them. They do a fantastic job, and continuing Elisabeth work is important in our world. I asked Ken if I could quote one of his mother's phrases one can find on her website as I think that's exactly what I try to do every day and he gave me the permission to write it! Grazie mille Ken!!!

"There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub."

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Now how beautiful is this phrase! And if every one of us is going on the search of where the proper peace place is, do you know how much happier we can live? There is the idea of "live your day as it would be your last" which doesn't mean "drink as much as you can" even if it would be fun ;-) but it's the complete understanding that if tomorrow would be your last day, would you still do what you do in this moment? Or would you rather open the Bar you always wanted, or go for holidays to Tuscany ;-)) or climbing, or back to your Mom or Sister or Brother or left behind Kids or whatever. There is a wide range to choose. That's I guess is a nice way to see our life and how we can change it if we want so.

But now folks, I leave you a pic with tiny easter flowers my Mom gave last year. She wasn't sure if they would grow and I just planted them and when I've turned back from the 6th Level, they where there and sparkling out.

Happy Spring!

Christina

A new testimonial!

I have the pleasure to add this testimonial which Paulo Faustini (www.paulofaustini.com), singer from Philadelphia wrote me, to add here:

While visiting the Chianti Classico area I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Christina Wespi, who graciously took us on a lovely day tour of some Chianti Classico wineries. I found her to be knowledgeable, professional, enthusiastic, communicative, and kind - a true find! I highly recommend her to anyone going to the area and looking for a true Chianti Classico enthusiast and tour guide. She also took us to a lovely rustic trattoria in Montefiorale where we savored a beautiful, rustic, simple yet exquisite Tuscan meal: "tagliata and pappardelle al cinghiale", accompanied by an excellent Chianti Classico of the local cooperative, quite lovely, actually. The family owned place was very Tuscan, and we were greeted and treated with the warmest openness and gracious hospitality. I highly recommend Christina Wespi.

Paulo Faustini

Philadelphia, PA

USA

Thank's Paulo! I hope your preparation for the Umbrian Serenade's is going smoothly and I truly hope to make it for your choir in Siena in July! And if there is anything I can do for you, let me know. Oh and please give a hug to Holly!!

cari saluti

Christina

Cheap wine tasting tours and other stuff

Hi there!

If you should struggle over my Google "ad words" campaign called "cheap wine tasting tours" don't worry! As my clients know, my tours are far beyond cheap if it comes to service, entertainment and knowing of everything around wine, moneywise and compared to other companies: yes. Then I'm cheaper then a lot of my competitioners. So why I chose to call the campaign "cheap wine tasting tours" is just because I thought it's a neat idea and something new. Hope you don't get it wrong.

Here weather is still ugly, wet and muddy. In my garden the early spring flowers are growing and there is a hell of work to do with pruning the trees. We did not start yet with that, but it's work which should be done. As well as preparing the soil to start in some months with the veggy garden and flower garden. Carlo will have to use his muscles and the machine to help me there. It really buggers, that my neck/shoulder part is healing so slow. I know I have something to learn here and yes I'm on my path. But as my friends know: patience and I are not married at all.

I'm a bit nervous thinking of the 6th level Shiatsu, but it's even more important than the last one, which would be the 7th level. It's the def. "ass kicker" to study, practise and go ahead with my thesis. Well anyway, maybe you noticed that I will not do tours from 28th February till 6th March, not because I'm in holidays but because I will be gone for the whole week for said level. It's held in an Agritourism which is called "I tre Santi" near Montespertoli and it's the first time that a level is held in a full week instead devided in week ends. But the two last levels are only for upcoming Shiatsu practicionars (therapists) and are intense. So in another way I'm looking forward to be in some kind of "monastry week" together with a bunch of people I hardly know. Not that this would be a problem for me.

I update you and wish you for now a lovely day or quite night.

cari saluti

Christina

An awesome January

First it's too warm, it's raining all the time and I still haven't put the Christmas decoration in boxes. Many reasons: I have too much work to do, my neck still hurts, but with the amazing Shiatsutreatments from Stefania and Moxabustion, the whole trauma from the accident is disapearing. So let's wish, that this is a work in progress and a fast one.

I should study dayyylong now all the stuff for my 6th level Shiatsu, already wrote my presentation and I'm on writing my case study. I'm still trying to get TCM in my head and combine it with Zen Shiatsu, sometimes a bit difficult... but I found a great book from Ted J. Kaptchuk, an american Doc for chinese medecin.

Then I'm looking in getting all the wines from vineries together I want to have in my online shop and among them will be maybe my own wine. More about that later.

Dogs are doing perfect, they hate the rainy weather because here everything gets totally muddy and ugly as soon as it's wet. That's why you have to come during Spring/Summer/Autum to Tuscany. We do have a HD Videocamera now and I have some ideas, which will be in the next month published here on my website and on YouTube.

Paulo, grazie per il tuo messaggio su www.wineloverspage.com l'ho apprezza molto!

See you folks!

cari saluti

Christina

Last day in 2007 first in 2008

Some of you may already be in 2008 others are still in 2007 and I wish all of you, that your ideas, inputs and wishes for this fantastic new year will become reality. We all know, that we can create our life as we want. We just need to go out the front door, put one foot in front of the other and walk. If we do this in reality or just in our fantasy, if we do it with our heart and keeping our humor, boy we can go a looong way! It's not a big deal, it's the beginning of the fullfilling of our dreams, put them into our daily life and see how it starts to change the way we want.

Have a great time, enjoy your life and keep on walking :-)

carissimi saluti

Christina