Seasons

A few days ago, November 6, I joined my neighbor to help with her friend's olive harvest.  Last November I went to pick olives for the first time at the same place. So much of my life in New Jersey was marked by the seasons, and it felt special to have that same experience in a different country. However, one year ago, the day had a different feel. For me personally, it was the start of my stay in Italy, with every day full of promise. Globally, there was no pandemic and no tension about waiting for the choice of the new US president.         

A day in the countryside to pick olives provided a break from constantly checking my phone to see the latest numbers for the Covid cases and the election results.  Being outside and "distanced" from  other people meant an entire day without needing a mask!  I felt productive and happy to contribute to such a worthwhile project as making olive oil. 

The Trump presidency and the election were often topics of conversation among American ex-pats, but also with my Italian friends and even with strangers.  Last week, while at the laundromat drying my sheets, a gentleman came in and inquired about the change machine and whether soap was needed in the washer.  (All the instructions are written in Italian and English.  He spoke Italian.) He asked me where I was from and when I replied "the United States" he gave a thumbs up and said, "Biden".  

Then, while olive picking, one of the women asked me why the election was taking so long.  She spoke a bit of English, and my Italian skills were not enough to explain the process of the absentee ballots and mail-in votes.  But, we did our best and she seemed to understand the many complications.  I'll tell you, when an Italian shakes her head over American bureaucracy, you know you are in trouble!!

Now, the election has been decided.  Hopefully, my sleep will improve! And, for America and the rest of the world, I have much bigger hopes.  

Layers

If you are a regular reader of The New York Times, you might recall this article from April, 2015, about a family in Lecce, Italy, who discovered remnants from ancient civilizations under the floor of their building.  The story is that Mr. Faggiano was digging to find a sewer pipe when he found underground rooms, tombs, and relics.  On my trip to Lecce, I visited what is now the Faggiano Museum and had an informative talk with Andrea Faggiano, who is running the museum. 

The Faggiano Museum is on a quiet side street in the historical center of Lecce.  While there is a small sign at the corner pointing to the museum entrance, it wasn't until I saw the blow-up of the front page of the New York Times article that I connected the family name to the story.   Fortunately, I had plenty of time to stop for a visit. 

As I was paying the entrance fee, I mentioned to the gentleman behind the desk that I remembered reading the article that was in the NY Times.  He was excited to hear that and introduced himself as Andrea, one of the sons mentioned in the article.  Andrea was living in London, in part to escape from the digging, but returned to help run the museum. He filled in other details of the story.  The journalist who wrote the article was in Lecce to write about a tree blight.  He knew of the "digging" and visited.  His wife encouraged him to write about the Faggiano family, which he did.  Andrea said the journalist figured the article would appear in the travel section of the newspaper.  Instead, it was on the front page of the New York edition, the International edition, and the Asian edition! Maybe April 14, 2015 was a slow news day? Needless to say, the museum got busy quickly, and now the fees help to support the family.  

Andrea provided an overview of the museum layout, gave me a document in English that explained each of the numbered items in the museum, and told me I was free to take photographs.  So, I set out to explore. 

The museum provides a glimpse into different civilizations, each built on top of the other.  While many items are on display, others have been taken into state custody.  Because of their discoveries, the Faggiano family has achieved some celebrity status.  They were honored in New York City by members of the Italian-American Museum.  In turn, when visitors with the Italian-American Museum decided to visit Lecce, they were given a warm welcome and a party at the Faggiano Museum.  

I asked Andrea if his father was still digging, and if he ever opened his trattoria.  The answer to both questions was "Yes!"  Mr. Faggiano purchased the building next door to continue his excavations.  And, a block away he was able to open his own cafe.  

Here's the link to the article.

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/15/world/europe/centuries-of-italian-history-are-unearthed-in-quest-to-fix-toilet.html

Go for Baroque

After my stay in Bari, I decided to go further south to reach Lecce.  If you look at a map of Italy, you will see that Lecce is located in the heel of the boot, almost as far south as you can go. Often, Lecce is referred to as the "Florence of the South", though other than artisan shops and open piazzas, I didn't see other similarities.  Lecce is unique. 

Lecce is over 2,000 years old, with a long connection to Greek culture.  (However, I did not observe modern ties to Greek foods or traditions.) The Baroque monuments were added in the 1600's and it is a significant feature that is distinctive to Lecce.  

Pictured here are the Lecce Duomo (cathedral), the Basilica di Santa Croce,  interior of Santa Croce, the Roman amphitheater (2nd Century AD), a public garden and park (Giardini Pubblici Giuseppe Garibaldi), and my post-breakfast snack of cappuccino and pasticciotto Leccese.  

The pasticciotto is a rich pastry filled with egg custard.  I ate the entire pastry one morning as a "snack". The following day on the way back to Florence, I lamented that I didn't buy one to eat on the train.  Each region has its own food, and these pastries are particular to Lecce.  

I liked everything about Lecce. The city is both elegant and lively. The shops are a mix of artisans, upscale, and funk. (I purchased a beautiful linen robe and table napkins at Society Limonta, which also has online shopping.) There is a wide range of restaurants from traditional cuisine, to pizza, to salads. There are plenty of places to enjoy a glass of primitivo and to buy taralli. I would happily return, but it's a long trek by train. (NB- It is possible to fly from Florence to Bari, though I prefer the train.)

Check out the link below for the restaurant Alle due Corti to learn about the local pasta dish called "Ciceri e tria". I ate at the restaurant and greatly enjoyed this traditional fare.  

http://alleduecorti.com/reloaded/index.php/2019/07/17/italian-traditional-recipe-ciceri-e-tria/?lang=en

Progress

From the city of Bari, it is easy to visit both Matera and Alberobello.  I like having a guide at historical sites, so I searched online and got lucky with a wonderful guide through "Tours by Locals". Giorgio met me at my hotel and we proceeded first to Matera, which is about an hour away.  En route, I learned about the history of Bari, which includes complicated Mafia connections.  The south of Italy does not have the wealth and prestige as the north, and life was/is run a bit differently!  

Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the many in Italy. It is in the region of Basilicata, next to Puglia. You may recall that in 2019, Matera was named the European Cultural Capital.  And years before that, it was the setting of Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ". Matera is an area of "Sassi" or cave dwellings.  The oldest dwellings are eight thousand years old, opposite the more "modern" dwellings.  They are divided by a ravine, which was once a river.   

The Sassi of Matera are regarded as "one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world." The area was occupied by many different groups.  By the 1800's, Matera had extreme poverty, poor sanitation and disease.  In the 1950's, it was called "the shame of Italy" and the townspeople were forced to evacuate to modern housing in the "new" Matera.  For years, the dwellings were abandoned until the 1980's when the town became a historical tourist attraction.  Now, there are hotels, restaurants, shops and artist studios. 

There are several empty caves that are open to visitors.  One has been reconstructed to show what life might have looked like when the caves were inhabited.  There was a small kitchen and table.  Animals were housed inside the cave to provide heat.  The matrimonial bed has the toilet nearby and a loft above for children.  We can imagine that there was no privacy at all!! 

After lunch in the modern section of Matera, we got back on the road to reach Alberobello.  The guide pointed out the change in the landscape when we crossed from Basilicata into Puglia.  The olive groves returned in abundance.  

Alberobello is the home of the famous "trulli" and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We arrived first into the inhabited area of Alberobello. My guide, Giorgio, stopped to say hello to a family living in a trullo. The wife of the couple showed me her garden. Outside her door she had a table with fresh figs, at no charge, and I helped myself.  Mamma mia- delicioso! 

There were trulli that were open to walk through and imagine life in the round home with the conical roof. My guide explained that the original design of the roof was a way to avoid taxes.  The workers for the feudal lord Count Acquaviva lived in Alberobello, but he didn't want it to be considered a "town". So,  the stones on the roof were not joined with mortar, and when the keystone was removed, the roof would collapse. Thus, the building was no longer considered a house and so the area was not officially a town.  This was changed in 1797, and now each roof is permanent.  

A long post for a long and wonderful day!  I am always glad to see respect given to old ways of life. People live with what they know and what they are given, until something happens to improve their lives.  Even then, someone might like some of the old ways best of all. 

Heading South

With rain in the forecast and no activities in Florence, I decided to chase the sun and head south, all the way to the "heel of the boot" in fact.  My first stop was in Bari to see the "old town" and from there visit the villages of Matera and Alberobello.  Then, I planned to continue further south to Lecce. 

In order to reach Bari by train, I first went north to Bologna, and then along the coast to Bari.  The train ride is picturesque, with views of the hills and then the coast for many miles.  Since the trains are still running at 50% capacity, travel feels safe and relaxing.  

While the narrow streets of the "old town" do have souvenir stands, there is also a sense of real life-- small coffee shops, butchers, fruit and vegetable stands, non-touristy panino spots.  One church was setting up for a wedding. There were elderly out doing the shopping and stopping to talk.  There was an odd calmness between all the twisting streets.  

In the evening, the old town filled with youngsters on scooters, teenagers, adults and families.  It was exciting!  I had an aperitivo while looking at the sea, then walked to Piazza Mercantile (around the corner!) and enjoyed outdoor dining at a wonderful restaurant.  I was overjoyed at the sight of the bread basket alone!

In the picture, the restaurant tables are under the large umbrellas.  To the right, was a woman selling squares of freshly fried polenta.  (On my tour the next day, the guide said that she is there every day.) 

The region of Puglia is well known for seafood, burrata, focaccia, and taralli.  There would be plenty of all of that in the days ahead!  

Permesso Update

In previous posts, I explained the lengthy process to apply for a visa and then obtain a "permesso di soggiorno", or permission to stay, in Italy.  Here's an update.

My original appointment of March 17 was cancelled due to the lockdown in Italy and subsequently changed three more times.  This change required two additional health insurance policies- short term from July 30 to September 17, then long term for one additional year, ending July 31, 2021.

On September 17, my scheduled time to arrive at the questura was 10:40.  The person who is working with me went early and arrived at 6:40am and got on line.  At 7:30 she called me to ask if I could arrive by 8:00 instead of our agreed 8:30, because the police officer said there were many people working and the line was moving quickly.  This was good news! 

Shortly after I arrived, my number was called.  I had a folder of documents about my apartment, financial resources and health insurance.  I had all the back-up material from my application in New York City.  The only papers that were requested were for my private health insurance, and my four passport photos. (We had filed other papers upon my arrival in Florence.) By 9:00am, the first step was finished.

The next task was to get fingerprinted.  I was assured that this happened only one time, and then I would not need to be fingerprinted again in all of Europe.  Since the first task went quickly, we assumed the second part would go quickly as well, especially since I had a low number and would be in the second group to be called.  However, the wait was nearly three hours.  Bathrooms were locked.  There were a few places to sit down.  The windows were open, but there were no fans and certainly no air conditioning.  This is an immigration center and police headquarters in a large, cement block of a building. Since the Covid situation, people were required to line up outside instead of inside, which helped.

The fingerprinting itself took less than two minutes.  

After that, we said our goodbyes.  I went to have lunch and Ulrike went home to rest since she had to return with a client in the afternoon.  Maybe in a month, most likely two months, I'll return to get my residence card.  Hopefully, it won't already be expired, which happens in some cases.  

I walked a bit before deciding to have lunch at the well-known Trattoria Sergio Gozzi, in the San Lorenzo neighborhood, near the Central Market, since 1915.  They are famous for their bistecca, but I couldn't resist ravioli. 

Happy Memories

Readers of my blog have asked me to include some photos of myself!  Well, this isn't all that easy since I am often exploring on my own.  However, my neighbor and friend, Ursula, emailed me photos of our trip together that coincided with my birthday and Sergio's birthday.  You can see that we are alive and well! Amidst the chaos, frustration and sadness, I have also been blessed with happy memories.  

Pre-lunch aperitivo enjoyed in Calcata, (in Viterbo) Italy.

Sergio and I are strolling around.

Outside the Basilica di Sant' Elia.

Our trio at Villa Farnese, Caprarola, 1500's 

Note- I also tried to include other photos that I took, especially of the interiors, but the formats were not compatible and the alignment was incorrect.  Sorry! 

Happy Anniversary

One year ago today I woke up for the first time in my apartment in Florence.  When I walked out of the door, through my neighborhood and reached the Arno River, I was amazed that I was here; some days, I still feel that way. To mark this anniversary, I decided to complete early morning "grocery shopping" in a few of my favorite spots, instead of going to the nearby supermarket.

My first stop was two blocks away at the fruit and vegetable vendor who sets up his food everyday at the side of the ancient door of San Frediano.  I bought peaches, apples, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, one red and one yellow pepper. The vendor gave me a stem of grapes, saying "Buon Appetito". And, before I paid, he asked if I needed basil or parsley.  The herbs are always gratis.  On my return, I stopped for fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, a multi-grain roll and schiacciata (similar to foccacia). I limit my consumption of prosciutto, but today is a special occasion!

Fruit, wine, bread, pizza

After putting away the perishables, I walked to Carduccio to get a cappuccino.  I sat and read a few articles about the wildfires in California. Then, to Enoteca Millesimi for a bottle of wine to share with friends. I included a few minutes of quiet in the church at Piazza Santo Spirito. My final stop was at S.forno Panificio to see the specials of the day.  I selected a slice of fig cake and small piece of pizza, even though I had already purchased food for lunch.  The pace of daily life can be very enjoyable!   

Cappella Frescobaldi, inside the church at Santo Spirito

How am I feeling about this year abroad?  This question has a complicated answer.  The start of the year held great promise, and many of my plans were realized.  I traveled in Italy, joined organizations, made new friends. I shopped locally and visited every museum. My kids came to visit for the holidays and we were all in Barcelona together to bring in the new year. By mid- January, I felt homesick, and made a plan to return to the US to visit friends and family.  I was excited!  Friends were coming to visit in the spring. All was well! Then, we received news of my mother's illness and the start of the pandemic.  Needless to say, everything changed.  

I left Italy on Friday, 13 March and returned on Friday, 29 May.  My time back home was not what I hoped. Kindness from friends helped me to deal with my mother's illness. She did not live long after my arrival; though through a grand grace, I was with her when she died. I stayed on in Florida for several weeks, then booked flights to visit my children. Eventually, I returned to Florence. My neighbors and apartment owners helped to ease my quarantine, and after two weeks, I set out to re-explore the city and reconnect with a few people.  On the one hand, much was the same, and on the other hand life felt very different. What are my goals now? Since then, my days have been up and down. I took a few trips which I enjoyed.  Travel with my neighbors is always wonderful.  In between, days can be lonely. Visitors from the United States are still not allowed in Italy.  When will this improve... chissa'... who knows? My appointment for "permission to stay" was changed four times and is now on 17 September.  A residence card will allow me to stay in Florence for another year. This second year in Italy, unlike the first year, is filled with questions and no answers.  

Laundry Day 

Age Is Relative

Here's my advice if you are past middle age and feeling a bit old-- go visit ancient ruins and medieval villages.  I had this opportunity for my birthday in August, and honestly I felt better about my age. Of course, human beings can't live for 2000 years, but it gets you thinking about a bigger picture. 

For my birthday weekend, good friends invited me to join them on a visit to villages north of Rome, then on to  Rome.  By coincidence (or not, depending on your point of view), the first stop on our tour was a place that the waiter in my favorite restaurant had recommended only a few weeks before.  He said that "Civita di Bagnoregio" was his favorite city in all of Italy.  Wow!  I thought that was quite a claim. 

Civita di Bagnoregio is a "suburb" of Bagnoregio that can only be reached by a pedestrian bridge from the main city.  It was founded by the Etruscans more than 2500 years ago.  One of the gates remains and it is the entrance to the old city.  The "Civita" gets many visitors, so it has restaurants and shops for tourists, but only 11 inhabitants and many cats.  Both Bagnoregio and Civita were crammed with visitors, so we did not stay for lunch.  Instead, we stopped at a wonderful place in the countryside before our next stop.

After lunch, we visited Vitorchiano, which can be found on the list of "beautiful villages in Italy." This village has several thousand inhabitants, and a handful of tourists.  It felt more authentic, since people actually live here.  There were quite a few restaurants and shops, though some were closed either because of the pandemic or due to vacation.  

Our hotel for two nights was the lavish inn "La Canonica dei Fiori- Anna Fendi".  It's a country house in the town of Ronciglione, restored by Anna Fendi, and located in the middle of the towns on our itinerary.

The following day, my actual birthday, began with breakfast, a gift and a dessert plate with a candle!  Then, on to more exploring! Our first village was Calcata, which my friends described as the old, hippie village, like Woodstock in New York.  It still had that vibe with incense shops, beaded jewelry, small cafes, and people who seemed to be from that earlier era.  

After lunch, we headed for a bit of nature at Cascate di Monte Gelato-- no gelato, but a wooded park with many "cascate" or waterfalls.

The next stop before aperitivo and dinner  was to The Ancient City of Sutri Regional National Park. This archaeological park contains tombs inside a tuffa ridge dating from probably the first century, as well as a Roman amphitheater dating back to the first century BC.  Clearly, much older than me! 

And, the next day, all roads lead to Rome!  Tutte le strade portano a Roma! I did throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain- facing backwards and over my left shoulder- to insure a return to the Eternal City.

This trip was a great start to my personal new year.  I wish everyone many more years of good health and happiness.  

Salute! 

A Rocky Beach

Maybe you, too, have seen the photos of the beaches in Italy that are surrounded by boulders.  Some people sunbathe on the rocks, others jump into the clear, blue water.  And, maybe, like me, you long to be at that beach.  Even though I read about Ancona before my trip, I didn't know that I was about to discover one of those beaches!  When I checked into the Grand Hotel Palace, I asked the young woman behind the desk for recommendations. She suggested a nearby cafe with outdoor seating for lunch and then a walk to a beach directly outside the historical center.  Her voice and face filled with caution, "There are many stairs to get to the beach, and it is rocky.  There's no sand, just rocks." She thought for a moment and added that it was also possible to take an elevator to get to the beach.  I was curious!

After a lunch of salad, orecchiette with sausage and tomatoes, and white wine, I strolled through the historical center of Ancona. Then, onto a tree covered promenade to finally reach a monument and the stairs to the beach.  

Partial view of the elevator that goes to the beach. 

Stairs to the beach area.

There are many, many stairs to reach the Spiaggia del Pesseto.  There is also an elevator from the street level above to the beach area below, though most of the people I saw took the steps. I walked toward the elevator to take pictures of this postcard view, then climbed down the stairs for a closer look.  I could see low ramps to get into the water, and in one area the white stones went right to the water's edge.  Getting into the water did not require a death-defying dive!  In fact, people of all  ages were easily getting in and out of the water.  I was already eager for a beach day!

View through the plexiglass that surrounds the elevator.  

The next afternoon, I returned for a relaxing afternoon in the sun and sea.

I took the steps to get the beach and back to the street.

Sunbathing.

The elevator is partially visible on the right side of the photo.

Life can be filled with surprises, and my visit to Ancona was certainly a pleasant surprise.  Arrivederci, Ancona, alla prossima volta. Until next time.

Piazza del Plebiscito

The view of the port from my hotel room.