Virtual serendipity

When a 17th Century apothecary garden, a South African ex-wife, and the internet conspire to locate a house to buy in Marche, Italy, you might be forgiven for thinking “serendipity!” Or, at least, “virtual serendipity.”

Somehow – I don’t recall quite how – in my preparatory online travels through Marche back in early 2004, I stumbled upon a website that caught my attention: www.physikgarden.com. Named after the famed Chelsea Physic Garden established in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries (how I would love to have been a fly on the wall at a meeting of an organization with a name like this), the virtual Physik Garden is similarly a healing place for mind and body, although more about “journeys and exploration” than genus and exfoliation.

The instant appeal of the website as I passed through its gates and windows spurred me into trying to arrange a meeting – more out of curiosity than anything – with one of its founders, Michael Eldridge, during my first visit to Marche. Quite coincidentally (or perhaps not?), he and his then-partner, now-wife Liliana ran both a B&B (in a converted convent) and a real estate business.

On top of that, Michael – a 12-year English expat artist – was at one time married to a South African, and actually lived there for several years. At the time, his daughter lived near Cape Town (she may still), and he had recently been there to visit.

All of this common ground laid a fertile base for a good connection, but it was truly cemented when I discovered that Michael possesses a healthy dollop of England's greatest contribution to world culture (beyond football, the language, and bangers and mash, of course) – a classic, self-deprecating English sense of humour.

I’m pleased to say we bought our house through Michael, even though we looked at dozens with other realtors. He’s kept a watchful eye on it ever since, going so far as to take up the hopeless cause of our water bill with the authorities (more of that in another blog).

He also introduced us to the architect who put together our plans, as well as the contract manager who we hope can help to reduce (dramatically) said architect’s estimate. Then there’s the English couple he introduced us to electronically, from whom we ended up buying a caravan (camper to Americans) for those months that the house is under transformation.

So, from that first stumble upon the Physik Garden, things have indeed taken on the dimensions of a “journey and exploration”, just as promised in the small print. In fact, in some ways I now feel more like a passenger than a driver, with a ticket that has blanks in the “Destination” box. So much for curiosity.

I’m tempted to wax lyrical about “fateful coincidence” and serendipity, but I know better. Lest life decide to prove me wrong, I daren’t ascribe all these developments to anything beyond the mystical momentum of a meagre existence. Wherever it leads us, at a minimum I can say I’m just glad to have met Michael. And after all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

[You can check out Michael's other websites here:
www.sambuco-lemarche.com
www.le-marchepropertysales.com]