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. 

Remember to Look Up!

I arrived in Pesaro in time for lunch.  Pesaro is in the region of Le Marche on the eastern coast of Italy, along the Adriatic Sea.  It's a popular seaside destination.  I reserved a hotel for three days, with a loose plan to explore the city, take the bus to the nearby medieval village of Urbino for one day, and have another day to relax at the beach.  After leaving my bags in my somewhat bleak hotel room and eating a mediocre lunch, I hoped the day would improve as I set out for a walk through the city center. 

Well, I was pleasantly surprised at the charm-- quaint streets, shops, and interesting fixtures overhead on many of the side streets.  I truly smiled when I reached the street with the hanging umbrellas!  I have seen photos of this display, and did not know that it was in Pesaro!  

I asked my neighbor, Sergio, who seems to know almost everything about Italian history and art, to explain the significance of the umbrellas.  He replied that it was just for fun.  That is a good enough reason for me! Though, I did wonder if the lanterns with the musical notes connected to the composer Gioachino Rossini.  Pesaro is his birthplace and the annual Rossini Opera Festival was happening while I was there. (Outdoor and indoor performances.) 

Perfect symmetry!