Before leaving Sorrento, I was lucky enough to re-meet Laura from the blog Ciao Amalfi and an interesting guy called Peter Farina. Peter is an American who spends half his life in Italy and half in America. He runs a company called ItalyMONDO which can help you uncover your family’s unique story, discover relatives still living in Italy, complete the circle with Dual Italian Citizenship, or take the vacation of a lifetime – returning home with vivid memories of an unforgettable journey into your past.
ItalyMONDO has a blog section too, and I was lucky enough to be interviewed for their first Saturday Spotlight! Go over and check it out and see what else Peter has to say! It was such a pleasure to have a leisurely lunch with them, and I am sure bel ragazzo and I will cross their paths when our Australian holiday is over and we return to the bel paese.
Monday, 30 November 2009
Monday, 16 November 2009
Christ stopped at Eboli...but we didn't!
Have you read "Christ stopped at Eboli" by Carlo Levi? If you haven't I would highly recommend it. This book is an amazing biography of Levi - a northern Italian doctor, painter and writer who was forced to live in political exile in a small town in Lucania, which is now called Basilicata. He was sent there for his openly anti-fascist views and his biography tells of his experience living within this malaria ridden district and how in such a poor, desolate town he met some of the most amazingly strong and kind people.
Levi writes in his novel that it seems that Christ really did stop at Eboli (which is a town in the province of Salerno) because it was such a different Italy from the Italy he came from. Back in the day wealthy Italians did not travel much further south then Rome and most certainly very few would have had reason to enter the region of Basilicata. It was the land that time forgot. With limited access to health care, education - even clean running water, Levi was shocked and humbled by his experience here.
One town which is mentioned in his novel is the now rather famous Matera. Matera's fame on the tourist map has been steadily building since Mel Gibson's film, "The Passions of the Christ" which I have yet to see. This town is one of the most unique places you will ever see and rightly so it is now a UNESCO site.
When Levi visited Matera, the poorest of the towns people used to live in the sassi which are cave dwellings dating back to the prehistoric settlement. The sassi houses are literally dug into the rock and are not houses as such, but large (and not so large) caves which used to see both humans and animals living together in more often then not windowless holes. You can imagine the conditions which Levi would have seen! The town which is basically built entirely of rock was a cess pit of disease and in the 1950s (when the sassi were full of about 16,000 poverty stricken inhabitants) the Italian government had to forcefully relocate most of the population to areas of the developing modern city.
Bel ragazzo and I went to Matera in October and it was an overwhelming site. I had always wanted to visit Matera and was so excited that we finally had a chance to go. We went for work. (Well bel ragazzo did and I just tagged along.) We had to inspect a new 5 star de luxe "hotel" which is made up of some of the oldest sassi.
If you have never been to Matera then I would say you definately have to put it on your list of places to go. Look at more of our pictures below and see for yourself!
If you don't want to see a photo of bel ragazzo giving me a bacio then close your eyes now!!
Friday, 13 November 2009
Australia vs Italy: Driving
Apparently this is the hottest, continuous weather for the month of November - which is still spring time here in Melbourne, Australia. We have had a taste of summer, with temperatures already in the low - mid 30s. It was 35 degrees two days ago, today is a cooler 29 degrees and it's back up to 35 degrees tomorrow, so we are off to the the beach! My grandparents have a holiday house by the sea where we always go, so we are packing up baby and all and having a break for two nights!
I must say that it is very nice to be back in such an orderly country - especially after being based in Sorrento which (since it is the province of Naples) is one of the most hectic and crazy parts of Italy. So ladies and gents, that brings us to the next episode of Australia vs Italy! - Driving!
I have already been driving back here in Melbourne and must say that it is such an easy, calming, pleasure. The roads are so wide, so straight and so empty! I keep getting distracted by all the people waving to say "thanks" when they drive.
I must amidst to being a waver. I like to show gratitude and for others to show me such respect when I let them push in front of me with their cars. When I first drove in Sorrento (with bel ragazzo in the car as my driving /make sure she does not kill someone instructor) he used to look at me and get impatient as I used to waste (precious) time waving.
Let me give you an example, as you may be thinking bel ragazzo sounds a bit nasty...but no - I soon learnt there is not point in waving thanks OR expecting thanks in the province of Naples. One day we were driving along the normally busy streets of Sorrento. The road has one lane going in each direction, and no parking signs line the busy street, but of course the traffic warden turns a blind eye as his mother double parks her old cinque cento on the curb out front of the supermarket. His brother-in-law has just bought a new car, so as he dashes to the bar for a (not so quick) coffee he badly parks the new car on the busy street. A young boy pulls up on a dangerous corner and the traffic warden is about to send him away when he realises that the boy is his wifes brothers cousins uncles godson - so of course he can park in that highly illegal and dangerous place! Oh - that woman is pretty with her short skirt - what's that? Just off to the post office for a minute. Sure, she can park there too. And the man who will only be a minute in the bank, and the child who looks to young to be driving a car anyway...and the.....
So you can imagine the scene as I am trying to navigate the car down the packed, busy street, avoiding hitting a scooter as they come whizzing from behind on my left and right. You need to look everywhere when you drive in Italy - especially in this part of Italy. So anyways...I was talking about waving. Yes, waving. In those early days I was nice Leanne. I remember a man stopped his car so I could turn, so being the nice Leanne that I am I waved. I however at this stage did not have the ability to wave and drive at the same time (I am not stupid but in Australia we drive on the other side of the road.) So here I am waving, and smiling thinking how nice this man is when bel ragazzo hisses - Vai, Vai!!! Go, Go!!! - are you crazy! He's letting you go so why are you stopping! Just turn. People were starting to honk behind me and all flustered I turn the corner.
At the bottom of the street I decide to return the favour as an old, hunched, can barely see over the steering wheel woman is trying in vain to turn onto the busy street. I signal for her to go, and give her a big smile. I am nice don't forget. Or I should say was nice. The old thing takes her time turning in front of me without as much as a nod of the head! I was angered...furious....stupid, old, ungrateful thing!
From that day on I changed. Nice, good, kind Leanne was left behind. My bel ragazzo driving instructor was shocked at my sudden change. You have become Italian he commented. Good. It is the only way to drive (or did he mean survive) here. From that point on we had a rule - no one and we meant NO ONE was going to get in front of us. No more letting people cut in front. Even if they drive straight at you...do not let them in. Pedestrian crossing...they are nothing but stripes on the road. No time to let the people cross either. Porca %$&*&^ Pezzo di &^%$# C%**& B&^%$#@& get out of my way!!!!!
So, now I am in Melbourne and the other day was happily waving to everyone who let me pass, and who was thanking me for letting them in. At one stage I was in a narrow street and there was an on coming car. We stopped for a good 10 seconds, busy waving back and forth as we were both too polite to go through first. Ahhh....that's what I call driving.
I must say that it is very nice to be back in such an orderly country - especially after being based in Sorrento which (since it is the province of Naples) is one of the most hectic and crazy parts of Italy. So ladies and gents, that brings us to the next episode of Australia vs Italy! - Driving!
I have already been driving back here in Melbourne and must say that it is such an easy, calming, pleasure. The roads are so wide, so straight and so empty! I keep getting distracted by all the people waving to say "thanks" when they drive.
I must amidst to being a waver. I like to show gratitude and for others to show me such respect when I let them push in front of me with their cars. When I first drove in Sorrento (with bel ragazzo in the car as my driving /make sure she does not kill someone instructor) he used to look at me and get impatient as I used to waste (precious) time waving.
Let me give you an example, as you may be thinking bel ragazzo sounds a bit nasty...but no - I soon learnt there is not point in waving thanks OR expecting thanks in the province of Naples. One day we were driving along the normally busy streets of Sorrento. The road has one lane going in each direction, and no parking signs line the busy street, but of course the traffic warden turns a blind eye as his mother double parks her old cinque cento on the curb out front of the supermarket. His brother-in-law has just bought a new car, so as he dashes to the bar for a (not so quick) coffee he badly parks the new car on the busy street. A young boy pulls up on a dangerous corner and the traffic warden is about to send him away when he realises that the boy is his wifes brothers cousins uncles godson - so of course he can park in that highly illegal and dangerous place! Oh - that woman is pretty with her short skirt - what's that? Just off to the post office for a minute. Sure, she can park there too. And the man who will only be a minute in the bank, and the child who looks to young to be driving a car anyway...and the.....
So you can imagine the scene as I am trying to navigate the car down the packed, busy street, avoiding hitting a scooter as they come whizzing from behind on my left and right. You need to look everywhere when you drive in Italy - especially in this part of Italy. So anyways...I was talking about waving. Yes, waving. In those early days I was nice Leanne. I remember a man stopped his car so I could turn, so being the nice Leanne that I am I waved. I however at this stage did not have the ability to wave and drive at the same time (I am not stupid but in Australia we drive on the other side of the road.) So here I am waving, and smiling thinking how nice this man is when bel ragazzo hisses - Vai, Vai!!! Go, Go!!! - are you crazy! He's letting you go so why are you stopping! Just turn. People were starting to honk behind me and all flustered I turn the corner.
At the bottom of the street I decide to return the favour as an old, hunched, can barely see over the steering wheel woman is trying in vain to turn onto the busy street. I signal for her to go, and give her a big smile. I am nice don't forget. Or I should say was nice. The old thing takes her time turning in front of me without as much as a nod of the head! I was angered...furious....stupid, old, ungrateful thing!
From that day on I changed. Nice, good, kind Leanne was left behind. My bel ragazzo driving instructor was shocked at my sudden change. You have become Italian he commented. Good. It is the only way to drive (or did he mean survive) here. From that point on we had a rule - no one and we meant NO ONE was going to get in front of us. No more letting people cut in front. Even if they drive straight at you...do not let them in. Pedestrian crossing...they are nothing but stripes on the road. No time to let the people cross either. Porca %$&*&^ Pezzo di &^%$# C%**& B&^%$#@& get out of my way!!!!!
So, now I am in Melbourne and the other day was happily waving to everyone who let me pass, and who was thanking me for letting them in. At one stage I was in a narrow street and there was an on coming car. We stopped for a good 10 seconds, busy waving back and forth as we were both too polite to go through first. Ahhh....that's what I call driving.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Otranto - Puglia
I am happy to say that I can share some more photos with you. The laptop is still dead, so has been left behind in Italy - but Nikita the camera is with me (in Australia) and it just so happens I had not yet downloaded some photos from her onto my laptop!
So I still cannot show you two of the most beautiful Umbrian villages that bel ragazzo and I went to...but I can show you some photos of a small seaside town called Otranto in Puglia.
Otranto is situated on the east coast of the peninsula. The town itself is not the main draw card of the area. Close by you have the stunning city of Lecce (known as the Florence of the south) and the reason we found ourselves here was for work. Bel ragazzo had to visit a hotel for work, well not a real hotel but a masseria. A masseria is an old farm house most commonly found in Puglia. The region is dotted with these beautifully restored farm houses (which translates as being very expensive) and most of them these days are hotels.
In recent years this area of Puglia has become popular with German and American bike riding tours (or so we were told whilst staying at the Masseria. We were the only "real" guests as the rest were part of this bike tour.) The ground is flat - perfect for walking and bike riding, the roads are near deserted, as far as the eye can see are olive groves and at the end of one such road is the crystal clear ocean. These unique houses, mixed with mother nature and few tourists is what draws certain people to this area. If you are wanting a package holiday, English breakfast and an Irish pub then this area is not for you, but if you like to explore relatively untouristy areas - then Puglia should definitely be on your list. (See here for another beautiful town in Puglia - Alberobello.)
So I still cannot show you two of the most beautiful Umbrian villages that bel ragazzo and I went to...but I can show you some photos of a small seaside town called Otranto in Puglia.
Otranto is situated on the east coast of the peninsula. The town itself is not the main draw card of the area. Close by you have the stunning city of Lecce (known as the Florence of the south) and the reason we found ourselves here was for work. Bel ragazzo had to visit a hotel for work, well not a real hotel but a masseria. A masseria is an old farm house most commonly found in Puglia. The region is dotted with these beautifully restored farm houses (which translates as being very expensive) and most of them these days are hotels.
In recent years this area of Puglia has become popular with German and American bike riding tours (or so we were told whilst staying at the Masseria. We were the only "real" guests as the rest were part of this bike tour.) The ground is flat - perfect for walking and bike riding, the roads are near deserted, as far as the eye can see are olive groves and at the end of one such road is the crystal clear ocean. These unique houses, mixed with mother nature and few tourists is what draws certain people to this area. If you are wanting a package holiday, English breakfast and an Irish pub then this area is not for you, but if you like to explore relatively untouristy areas - then Puglia should definitely be on your list. (See here for another beautiful town in Puglia - Alberobello.)
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
G'day...
Finally, after a long, long time I can happily say I am safe and sound in Melbourne, Australia! I left Sorrento on Friday at 3pm. My flight to Gatwick was not leaving until 8.30pm but I had to take a bus load of guests from our sister company back to the airport. I don't know why we had to leave to early...but we got to the airport in record time and I had to start playing the waiting game.
Finally the flight was called and before I knew it we had touched down in London Gatwick. Once my luggage had come out, I walked outside and waited for the National Express bus to take me to Heathrow airport. I thankfully did not have to wait long, and at about midnight I was at the other airport.
I could not go directly to my terminal as the connecting train was closed, so I headed off to terminal 3 where there were about 30 or so people waiting for the morning flights to start. There was no way I was going to pay for a hotel for 6 hours, so I just sat down with the other travellers (and a few homeless people I am sure) and when the coffee shops opened at 4am I was up and out of there!
At 5am the connecting train started to take me over to Terminal 4...and there was my airline (I flew with a rather new airline called Ethiad) setting up for the day. My flight was not leaving until 9.20am but perhaps they felt pity for me (as I am sure I looked a site after not having slept!) and they let me be the first person to check in at 5.30am.
The time passed quickly enough (I do love the duty free at Heathrow!) The flight was full - not a seat to be spared full - but I had expected as much since we paid next to nothing for the tickets. I flew 8 odd hours to Abu Dhabi then had a two hour stop over, before getting onto a slightly larger, but just as full plane for the last 14/15 hours.
So on Sunday night (Australian time which is 10 hours ahead of Italian time) I landed at the Melbourne Airport, and this little guy was waiting for me:
He is just the cutest baby ever!!!!
Bel ragazzo is still in Italy and will not be joining us for another 4 weeks but I cannot wait for him to arrive so we can start our summer holidays together!
Finally the flight was called and before I knew it we had touched down in London Gatwick. Once my luggage had come out, I walked outside and waited for the National Express bus to take me to Heathrow airport. I thankfully did not have to wait long, and at about midnight I was at the other airport.
I could not go directly to my terminal as the connecting train was closed, so I headed off to terminal 3 where there were about 30 or so people waiting for the morning flights to start. There was no way I was going to pay for a hotel for 6 hours, so I just sat down with the other travellers (and a few homeless people I am sure) and when the coffee shops opened at 4am I was up and out of there!
At 5am the connecting train started to take me over to Terminal 4...and there was my airline (I flew with a rather new airline called Ethiad) setting up for the day. My flight was not leaving until 9.20am but perhaps they felt pity for me (as I am sure I looked a site after not having slept!) and they let me be the first person to check in at 5.30am.
The time passed quickly enough (I do love the duty free at Heathrow!) The flight was full - not a seat to be spared full - but I had expected as much since we paid next to nothing for the tickets. I flew 8 odd hours to Abu Dhabi then had a two hour stop over, before getting onto a slightly larger, but just as full plane for the last 14/15 hours.
So on Sunday night (Australian time which is 10 hours ahead of Italian time) I landed at the Melbourne Airport, and this little guy was waiting for me:
He is just the cutest baby ever!!!!
Bel ragazzo is still in Italy and will not be joining us for another 4 weeks but I cannot wait for him to arrive so we can start our summer holidays together!
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Zia Leanne
I am now officially an auntie for the second time! My twin sister has given birth to a little boy this evening Australian time...and in only 11 days he is going to meet me at the Melbourne airport as my 10 week holiday begins.
Time is ticking quite fast and things are coming to a close here in Sorrento. The season has had it's ups and downs, but more ups which sees me saying a rather fond farewell to Sorrento. Not so fond that I would come back to live or work here - let's not get excited - but fond in the respect that I look forward to coming back as a tourist one day.
Next Friday I leave and start what will be a very long jounrey to Australia. I am itching to tell you all where the bel ragazzo and I will be next year...but am going to hold out a little bit longer. I know...I know...I'm nasty!
HA - ok...some clues: We will be in the northern hemisphere so although we are going back to Australia it is only for a double summer holiday. We will be back.
I will not have to learn a new language where I am going...so does that mean we are staying in Italy or going to the UK? Hmmm...it's really got to be one of those as I do not speak any Greek or Spanish except for random phrases (such as - you smell like a goat - which I can say in Greek - and please don't ask why I can say that oh so useful phrase!)
I will be with the bel ragazzo - so no surprises there...and we are going to..... to be continued.
I may not be blogging a lot in the next few months as 1) the lap top is back with us and still very dead so no luck with the stupid technician who charged us for doing nothing...2) I am off on holidays...3) Did I mention I am going to have a double summer!
Time is ticking quite fast and things are coming to a close here in Sorrento. The season has had it's ups and downs, but more ups which sees me saying a rather fond farewell to Sorrento. Not so fond that I would come back to live or work here - let's not get excited - but fond in the respect that I look forward to coming back as a tourist one day.
Next Friday I leave and start what will be a very long jounrey to Australia. I am itching to tell you all where the bel ragazzo and I will be next year...but am going to hold out a little bit longer. I know...I know...I'm nasty!
HA - ok...some clues: We will be in the northern hemisphere so although we are going back to Australia it is only for a double summer holiday. We will be back.
I will not have to learn a new language where I am going...so does that mean we are staying in Italy or going to the UK? Hmmm...it's really got to be one of those as I do not speak any Greek or Spanish except for random phrases (such as - you smell like a goat - which I can say in Greek - and please don't ask why I can say that oh so useful phrase!)
I will be with the bel ragazzo - so no surprises there...and we are going to..... to be continued.
I may not be blogging a lot in the next few months as 1) the lap top is back with us and still very dead so no luck with the stupid technician who charged us for doing nothing...2) I am off on holidays...3) Did I mention I am going to have a double summer!
Friday, 16 October 2009
Wine festival!
Oh my gosh! My friend just logged me onto her work computer and it let's me down load photos and go on facebook!
I of course have none of my photo's from the wonderful places bel ragazzo and I have been since my lap top is currently with the doctor and I am waiting to hear if it will live or die...So for the moment here are some random shots that I have stolen from friends off facebook - so I cannot take credit what so ever!
Our season in Sorrento is quickly coming to a close so it has pretty much been party, after party after party. To say I feel like a little fat pig is an understatement but at least we are leaving in style!
This was the 1st official end of season party which was on Tuesday night at a local nightclub in Sorrento.
it was a free open bar...
A picture of us with friends for a night out in Sorrento:
And now onto something fun that we did a few weeks ago - something I did for the first time. You always hear talk of these food festivals known as a sagra which go on in towns big and small throughout Italy. You have these festival for everything: around Sorrento recently there has been the eggplant festival and a local spices festival and at the start of October there was the Uva in Sagra which is the Grape Festival in a small town up in the hills above Sorrento.
You probably think that after living in Italy since 2006 and having an Italy boyfriend would mean that I am the Sagra queen...but no my friends - tis not the case. I - for all my worldly ways - have never once been to a Sagra in Italy. It is not bel ragazzo's fault as I have just never been in the right place at the right time. So to say I was excited about attending a wine festival for my first event is putting it lightly!
I had always read about small, local sagras in books and they always describe how the locals have little stalls where you can try and buy local produce. There is always apparently food stalls which means you have to buy a ticket and then go and swap it for a plate of food.
It was really just like that! Don't get me wrong - it was not some massive event, but it was so exciting! Bel ragazzo and I got there relatively early as we had been warned that parking would be virtually impossible. We were in luck however, and starving when we arrived so bypassed all the little stores, and marched straight to the food stalls at the end. We bought a ticket for 3,50€ which we swapped over for a panino which was the biggest roll I had ever seen in my life. (I was annoying bel ragazzo too as I could not stop gushing that this was just like the books!) There were all of these locals cooking in the make shift out door kitchen. They all looked so happy as they laughed and handed over the food reminding us not to forget to pick up a plastic cup of local wine and to help ourselves to water!
We found an empty space on the wall to sit since most of it was already full of locals and tourists alike digging into their 'dinner.'
After that we went all the way back to the beginning of the town (which is small so it was only a short stroll really) and decided to pay 6€ for a 'sagra pack' with all donations going to the church. See that thing around bel ragazzo's neck?
Well we got one of them each. Inside there was a glass (a real glass wine glass too...not just a plastic one and it was ours to keep!) We could then go to the stores and sample as much wine and local produce as we liked...and let me just say that we got more, much, much more then our 6€ worth!
At 10pm the local band started to play folk tunes, whilst we ate free wood fried pizza and drank glass, after glass of (me) sparkling wine (bel ragazzo) red and white. There were locals dressed up in old farming clothes and they were standing with the children stomping on grapes - showing you just how wine was made years ago. There were stores with local cheese and after that night I am now addicted to cheese and honey (yum!) There were old wooden wines barrels on display, grape pergola's covering the town and a vibrant, energetic atmosphere.
So now I am addicted not just to cheese with honey, but to local Sagra's too!!!
I of course have none of my photo's from the wonderful places bel ragazzo and I have been since my lap top is currently with the doctor and I am waiting to hear if it will live or die...So for the moment here are some random shots that I have stolen from friends off facebook - so I cannot take credit what so ever!
Our season in Sorrento is quickly coming to a close so it has pretty much been party, after party after party. To say I feel like a little fat pig is an understatement but at least we are leaving in style!
This was the 1st official end of season party which was on Tuesday night at a local nightclub in Sorrento.
it was a free open bar...
A picture of us with friends for a night out in Sorrento:
And now onto something fun that we did a few weeks ago - something I did for the first time. You always hear talk of these food festivals known as a sagra which go on in towns big and small throughout Italy. You have these festival for everything: around Sorrento recently there has been the eggplant festival and a local spices festival and at the start of October there was the Uva in Sagra which is the Grape Festival in a small town up in the hills above Sorrento.
You probably think that after living in Italy since 2006 and having an Italy boyfriend would mean that I am the Sagra queen...but no my friends - tis not the case. I - for all my worldly ways - have never once been to a Sagra in Italy. It is not bel ragazzo's fault as I have just never been in the right place at the right time. So to say I was excited about attending a wine festival for my first event is putting it lightly!
I had always read about small, local sagras in books and they always describe how the locals have little stalls where you can try and buy local produce. There is always apparently food stalls which means you have to buy a ticket and then go and swap it for a plate of food.
It was really just like that! Don't get me wrong - it was not some massive event, but it was so exciting! Bel ragazzo and I got there relatively early as we had been warned that parking would be virtually impossible. We were in luck however, and starving when we arrived so bypassed all the little stores, and marched straight to the food stalls at the end. We bought a ticket for 3,50€ which we swapped over for a panino which was the biggest roll I had ever seen in my life. (I was annoying bel ragazzo too as I could not stop gushing that this was just like the books!) There were all of these locals cooking in the make shift out door kitchen. They all looked so happy as they laughed and handed over the food reminding us not to forget to pick up a plastic cup of local wine and to help ourselves to water!
We found an empty space on the wall to sit since most of it was already full of locals and tourists alike digging into their 'dinner.'
After that we went all the way back to the beginning of the town (which is small so it was only a short stroll really) and decided to pay 6€ for a 'sagra pack' with all donations going to the church. See that thing around bel ragazzo's neck?
Well we got one of them each. Inside there was a glass (a real glass wine glass too...not just a plastic one and it was ours to keep!) We could then go to the stores and sample as much wine and local produce as we liked...and let me just say that we got more, much, much more then our 6€ worth!
At 10pm the local band started to play folk tunes, whilst we ate free wood fried pizza and drank glass, after glass of (me) sparkling wine (bel ragazzo) red and white. There were locals dressed up in old farming clothes and they were standing with the children stomping on grapes - showing you just how wine was made years ago. There were stores with local cheese and after that night I am now addicted to cheese and honey (yum!) There were old wooden wines barrels on display, grape pergola's covering the town and a vibrant, energetic atmosphere.
So now I am addicted not just to cheese with honey, but to local Sagra's too!!!
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