Capoliveri and Laundry

Several weeks before my trip to Isola d'Elba, I purchased a watch from the Locman store in Florence.  The headquarters for Locman is on Elba, which I did not know until I was chatting with the store manager, Simona. Because Simona was so friendly, I emailed her before I went on my trip and asked for advice.  She replied that I had to go to the town of Capoliveri at night.  

While there were many places on my Elba list that I did not visit,  I made sure to see Capoliveri. The hotel manager, Massimo, who advised me to relax on the "sunbed", did help me plan this small adventure.  He arranged for the taxi, selected and reserved a table at the restaurant, La Taverna dei Poeti, and suggested the time I would need to explore and eat dinner. 

Capoliveri sits on a hill, 167 meters above sea level and overlooking Porto Azzurro.  Many people visit this town to wander, shop, enjoy an aperitivo or dinner, or attend a performance. While one cab driver said no one actually lives in the hill town,  I found evidence to the contrary-- many clotheslines filled with laundry hanging in the alleyways.  One aspect of Italian life that I find so intriguing is that laundry is not private.  

In a country where few people seem to have clothes dryers, there is no alternative but to hang clothes to dry, either outside in the warm weather, or inside when necessary.  In my neighborhood in the Oltrarno, clothes are draped over balconies and outside windows. Once while on the island of Burano (near Venice), I walked away from the main street with all the shops selling expensive, hand-made lace, and laundry was everywhere!  There was even a clothesline strung in a small passageway connecting two streets.  I am always touched by this glimpse into our real human lives, especially amidst all the tourist attractions. Also, there doesn't seem to be much modesty about one's undergarments on public display!

After secretly looking at laundry and strolling around the town, I ate a wonderful meal at La Taverna dei Poeti.  The waiter said it's the oldest restaurant in town, dating from 1909.  Now, the decor is modern, with a fresh, innovative menu. Dinner lasted over two hours, and I had to hurry to meet the taxi driver.  The streets were crowded and there was a line at the gelateria.  Everyone was enjoying the cool night air, the freedom to walk around after long days of "lockdown",  and the lights sparkling on the hill below.  

Efficiency

In order to remain in Florence for a long-term stay, a non-EU visitor must go to the "questura" to apply for a "permesso di soggoiorno". This means an individual has an appointment at police headquarters to apply for a residency permit.  Due to both the backlog of applications and three months of lockdown, my first meeting has been postponed three times.  This means my first appointment will now occur in mid-September, more than one year after I arrived in Florence.  No one here seems surprised or worried by this fact, except for me.

A week before the second postponement of June 23,  I thought a "bad weather day" provided a good opportunity to re-organize and photocopy the required documents.  Basically, I have to provide the same paperwork I submitted to the Italian consulate in NYC in June, 2019, when I applied for my visa. Some copies of these same papers were mailed to the questura the week that I arrived, in order to even establish an appointment.  Included in the required documents are-- apartment lease, Italian health insurance, tax returns, financial statements, passport, visa, and four passport-size photographs. To organize the documents took some time: I spread everything out on my bed and compiled the papers in categories, each secured neatly with a paper clip. I walked to the nearby photocopy shop  and was the first customer after their lunch break.  The guy in the shop was efficient and completed the copying in minutes, returning each section neatly in paper clips, the same as I had presented them to him.  Honestly, I was surprised at the ease of copying, because life here is not efficient. 

As many people around the world know, there is much to love about Italy. Generally, though, life is not efficient.  That is an aspect of living here that I do not enjoy! In the autumn after my arrival, I attended a group hike.  While hiking I spoke with a gentleman from Canada.  He and his partner vacation regularly in Florence and he told me that his partner gets angry about how long everything takes to accomplish.  I immediately agreed and illustrated with an example of doing laundry. Just the day before, it took me all morning to wash and dry sheets and towels.  Two separate loads of wash, which I completed in my apartment.  Then, a walk to the laundromat to dry the towels.  Wait 40 minutes, and return home.  The towels are never completely dry, so they have to go on a drying rack anyway.  (Alternatively, I could have only used my drying rack, completed the laundry in stages, and skipped the laundromat.  The result then -- sheets need to be ironed, towels are crunchy. ) I lamented about how quickly I finished the laundry in New Jersey, barely giving it a thought. The Canadian responded with the question he asks his partner, "Here in Italy, what would you have done with the time you saved?"   

My sheets are on the drying rack. 

(NB- On the day I organized the papers, I did go out for lunch.  Another neighborhood spot for salad, pasta with sausage, tomatoes, capers called "Rigatoni della Signora"  and a glass of red wine.  Perfetto!)