May 25, 2023: Truffle Hunting and Gubbio

 We woke up and had breakfast at the villa and then made our way to Pietralunga. We visited the Giuliano Tartufi truffle farm. I have had truffles before, but a lot of my peers only knew of chocolate truffles. 

There were many dogs who helped in searching for the truffles. They were all incredibly smart animals. We learned that truffles grow underground and that the white veins around the plant are what give it its' aroma while the dark part houses the spores. The summer truffle season does not commence until June, so we still were in search of the winter/spring truffle. 

They told us that the end of September until Christmas time is the best time to truffle hunt. They explained how truffles are 84% water so their environment and the proximately to trees is actually very important. They told us that it costs 2500 euros per kilo. 

Bebe was the star dog that day finding most of the truffles. We then went back and enjoyed a beautiful appetizer prepared by the chef. Each bruschetta contained truffle and garlic. There was even one with anchovies on it which reminded me of a Caesar salad. Some of my peers, however, were not big fans.  

The owner, Giuliano, then came out and said that we would have a competition to see who could guess the weight of the truffles appropriately. It was such a fun game and apparently he does this with his staff often. It seemed like a really awesome environment and that he really valued his team which was nice to see. Ann, Olivia and Leo were the winners and got to take home a truffle. 

We then left and headed to the town of Gubbio. Catia told us a story about a fountain there called, Fontana Dei Matte which translates to, "The Fountain of the Madmen". Basically a person had to run around the fountain three times and throw water from the fountain on their head. After that, they could be deemed a 'crazy' person and receive a certificate. Well, I decided I wanted to try this challenge in the slick cowboy boots I was wearing.....needless to say, it did not turn out well for me and I slipped and fell. However, I didn't let this affect my chances and still finished. I guess you could say I'm 'extra' crazy. 

Mateo then arranged for us to go on the Funivia Colle Eletto cable cars in order to reach the Basilica di Sant'Ubaldo. It was so much fun and the view on the way up and at the top was amazing. 

When we reached the basilica, Catia took us inside to tell us the history. Catia told us that this cathedral is the last stop for the famous, "Corsa dei Ceri" celebration that occurs every year. Three gigantic wooden "cars" are transported uphill and downhill. Four men stabilize this contraption. On the way down, Mateo and I saw some kids practicing for the event. It was crazy to me how early these kids practice. 

We then stayed at the top for little longer and visited a bar they had there. I ordered an aperol spritz and enjoyed taking in the gorgeous view around me. Then we went home and had dinner at the villa. Dinner at the villa consisted of pasta alle zucchine, spezzattino con piselli and then tiramisu for dessert. 

This day I learned the importance of collaboration and teamwork not only at the truffle farm but hearing about the festival in Gubbio as well. If you are a part of a team, you need to work together in order to achieve the goal. If you are not aligned, it could cause serious repercussions. 

In the healthcare field, I know especially working in a clinical setting that there will be other types of specialists/doctors that I will work with. We will need to be able to listen to one another and to come to a conclusion in order to solve the problem. You can't let ego get in the way. I cannot control anyone else, but I can lead by example and help my team see the bigger picture if ego tries to get involved. At the end of the day, we are there for the patient and we will all need to align on what is best for them to set them up for success.