For those interested in a translation of the video, I added it to the end of the post below. Enjoy!
Bekah
martedì 29 settembre 2009
lunedì 28 settembre 2009
Our first "happy" Monday
I am very pleased to announce that Veronica did not cry today - and on a Monday no less! Those are usually the hardest days! But no, we walked around town, had to make a run for the palazzo mid-walk so she could go potty (I was so proud of her!), continued on afterward to the park, played with the pigeons, then went back to the palazzo for a snack and brief visit with Alessandra before finally heading back home to meet up with a nonna. I was thrilled.
I was probably even more thrilled because the way the morning began seemed to imply that a tempest was imminent. Here's what happened ...
I left the Palazzo a tiny bit in ritardo (late!), but knew that a quicker pace would get me there in time. (As a side note, it is funny to me that I still "worry" about being late, when I am in Italy and the people I am running "late" to are Sara and Patrizio, who are not high-strung or worried about such a thing ... ever. ) Anyway, there I was, beginning my morning climb up the mountain, when I noticed that the woman walking her dog in front of me looked like ... Patrizio's mother! Nonna Graziella! And it was her! (Another side note: This is the nonna that got all of the bloodstains out of my beloved aqua sweater after Ginevra's tumble down the palazzo steps. It was amazing! I didn't think such stains were possible to be rid of - but I digress, again!) So I called out a cheerful "Buongiorno!" to get her attention, we exchanged pleasantries, and then she offered to walk with me and stop in to see the kids. On the way up, we talked about Veronica first, then cycled through discussing Leonardo and Ginevra as well. It was interesting to hear her take on the kids, and to even get the chance to talk with her for longer than 30 seconds without interruption!
When we reached the house Nonna Manuela (Sara's mom) was there with the kids and they were working their way towards the door. Each one seemed in their own state of uproar: Veronica, who was on her hip, took one look at me and, grabbing her shoulder, said, "No!", Ginevra was saying over and over, "I don't want to do to school today," and Leonardo too was expressing a distaste for leaving home - "Why can't I go play at (the other) Grandma's house instead of school?" Oh dear! It was quite the picture of chaos. Each of the grandmothers kept exchanging glances with me and each other as if to say, "What is wrong with them today???"
We finally got them out the door by the divide and conquer method: Manuela coaxed Leonardo out the door, Graziella had Veronica and puppy, and I took Ginevra to my hip and cuddled her in the nook of my neck to try and calm the crying. We were quite the parade! The comical procession got even more ridiculous when Veronica refused to get into her stroller and wanted to walk the dog ...
Needless to say, with this as my introduction to the morning, I was certain the parting at the bottom of the hill (when Nonna Manuela and I trade places and I secretly take over the pushing of the stroller without Veronica's immediate knowledge) was going to be ... eventful. But it wasn't! She was tearless and amiable and quite playful all morning long - it was lovely!
And to top it off, I got a great video of her chatting away:
I was probably even more thrilled because the way the morning began seemed to imply that a tempest was imminent. Here's what happened ...
I left the Palazzo a tiny bit in ritardo (late!), but knew that a quicker pace would get me there in time. (As a side note, it is funny to me that I still "worry" about being late, when I am in Italy and the people I am running "late" to are Sara and Patrizio, who are not high-strung or worried about such a thing ... ever. ) Anyway, there I was, beginning my morning climb up the mountain, when I noticed that the woman walking her dog in front of me looked like ... Patrizio's mother! Nonna Graziella! And it was her! (Another side note: This is the nonna that got all of the bloodstains out of my beloved aqua sweater after Ginevra's tumble down the palazzo steps. It was amazing! I didn't think such stains were possible to be rid of - but I digress, again!) So I called out a cheerful "Buongiorno!" to get her attention, we exchanged pleasantries, and then she offered to walk with me and stop in to see the kids. On the way up, we talked about Veronica first, then cycled through discussing Leonardo and Ginevra as well. It was interesting to hear her take on the kids, and to even get the chance to talk with her for longer than 30 seconds without interruption!
When we reached the house Nonna Manuela (Sara's mom) was there with the kids and they were working their way towards the door. Each one seemed in their own state of uproar: Veronica, who was on her hip, took one look at me and, grabbing her shoulder, said, "No!", Ginevra was saying over and over, "I don't want to do to school today," and Leonardo too was expressing a distaste for leaving home - "Why can't I go play at (the other) Grandma's house instead of school?" Oh dear! It was quite the picture of chaos. Each of the grandmothers kept exchanging glances with me and each other as if to say, "What is wrong with them today???"
We finally got them out the door by the divide and conquer method: Manuela coaxed Leonardo out the door, Graziella had Veronica and puppy, and I took Ginevra to my hip and cuddled her in the nook of my neck to try and calm the crying. We were quite the parade! The comical procession got even more ridiculous when Veronica refused to get into her stroller and wanted to walk the dog ...
Needless to say, with this as my introduction to the morning, I was certain the parting at the bottom of the hill (when Nonna Manuela and I trade places and I secretly take over the pushing of the stroller without Veronica's immediate knowledge) was going to be ... eventful. But it wasn't! She was tearless and amiable and quite playful all morning long - it was lovely!
And to top it off, I got a great video of her chatting away:
TRANSLATION ...
Me: Veronica, do you like the "caccia" (Foccaccia bread)?
V: Yes.
Me: Yes. Yes a lot, or yes a little?
V: (No answer)
Me: A lot, right?
V: (Points) GINEVRA!
Me: Where is Ginevra?
V: (Baby mumble)
Me: Ginevra’s going … to school!
V: School …
Me: And Leonardo? He’s where?
V: At school.
Me: At school! Good girl! And Veronica, where is she?
V: I …
Me: You?
V: Stroller …
Me: Stroller, yes! You are in the stroller.
V: I want to get down …
Me: You want to get down?
V: Yes!
Me: You don’t … don’t you want more bread?
V: Yes …
Me: Yes, ok, but how do you ask?
V: VORAY! (her way of saying per favore, which means please!)
Me: Please! Good girl!
V: Please …
Me: Say bye!
V: Bye …
Me: Bye!
sabato 26 settembre 2009
Pesto alla Genovese
This is a pesto recipe Sara's father got for me - he heard me mention wanting one at dinner Thursday night and found one for me! Such a sweet man ...
I've translated it below - enjoy!
Ingredienti:
- 160 medium basil leaves
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 100 grams of shelled pine nuts
- 10 pinches of granulated salt
- 10 tablespoons of grated Pecorino cheese
- 10 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and mix until well blended; add more olive oil as needed. Serves 20 normal people (17 if I am one of the dinner party).
Buon appetito!
*Note: One ingredient I know Patrizio uses to add extra flavor is walnuts ... I will post Patrizio's version of this recipe as soon as I can get it from him!
I've translated it below - enjoy!
Ingredienti:
- 160 medium basil leaves
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 100 grams of shelled pine nuts
- 10 pinches of granulated salt
- 10 tablespoons of grated Pecorino cheese
- 10 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and mix until well blended; add more olive oil as needed. Serves 20 normal people (17 if I am one of the dinner party).
Buon appetito!
*Note: One ingredient I know Patrizio uses to add extra flavor is walnuts ... I will post Patrizio's version of this recipe as soon as I can get it from him!
Reflections on a quiet weekend ...
Sometimes I feel more like a eighty-something instead of a girl of twenty-two! Here I am, spending my weekend quietly at the nearly empty Palazzo in my beloved Sansepolcro while the vast majority are off seeing the beauties of Venice and Italian countryside - and I wouldn't trade it, not for a weekend of traveling anywhere else in Italy. I can hear friends back home laughing at me, or see them shaking their heads. "You're in Italy, girl - go out and enjoy it!" But I needed this little period of stillness and quiet. I was looking forward to it all week, and now that it is here, I am thankful for the time it has offered for both thought and general collection of mind.
Anyway, there I was sitting in my chair earlier - window open as usual - when I began pondering a number of things. I was enjoying the cooler breezes that arrived earlier this week, the rich blue sky, and the wide-ranging splendor of the moment. My weekend in Florence eventually floated back to the surface, and thoughts of that weekend set me to reflecting back on my travel experiences in Italy over the past few years. It makes me smile to notice the difference between Bekah in Italy 2007 and Bekah in Italy 2009: in so many ways the same girl is here still - and yet, my idea of pleasure and where to find it has shifted dramatically.
I remember how oriented to constantly doing and seeing I was the first time around, and how my go-go-go drive to do and see as much as possible took me spinning through destinations like a kid on a scavenger hunt. I've wondered sometimes how much I truly took in during those trips! This time feels so different, and my "methods" of seeing and doing seem to have changed considerably - and, I would say, for the better.
The trip to Florence last weekend really showed me where these differences lie and, although I already touched on them some, I think they are worth revisiting. I know that many of you have not been to Italy, but in the hopes that you will travel, either here or some other amazing site away from home, I want to give you an alternative to the typical way of seeing and enjoying a new place. I'm not in any way suggesting that it is the way - I've just had some new thoughts on the subject and want to share them with anyone willing to listen ...
There are two main aspects I want to highlight, two key disciplines, if you will, to this version of acquainting oneself with a new city or area - and I think it is fair to refer to each as an art form, for neither is risk-free or easy all of the time. The first is the art of observing - truly observing. It seems one thing to see a place and quite another to get to know it through keen observation of its makeup, movements, and personality.
I was so pleased with Firenze this time around because I was at leisure to actually sit down and enjoy her! Yes, there is great value in throwing yourself headlong into the beauties of the Uffizi or the wonder of Brunelleschi's dome, and one should take in as many such opportunities as possible, especially if it could be the one weekend of your life that you are in Florence. However, if you are able, save time in your day to take a break from the going and seeing and just stop ... allow yourself to sit, observe, relish. One can learn so much about a place just by sitting in the same corner for an hour, or even a half hour, and taking note of the people milling around you, the architecture above your head, the conversations filtering into your ears (even if you don't speak the language!) ... the possibilities are extensive and wonderful!
I have also found that there is great value in devoting more extended observation to a few key places (say, 3-4 main ones versus 8 or 9+) instead of overstretching and only taking in a fraction of what the sight has to offer. The experience of a museum, cathedral, garden, palace or ????? when you allow more time for each will be worth it. This method can also be far more economically friendly to your pocketbook too! Imagine paying to see a handful of sights and spending an hour or two (or in the case of a place like the Uffizi three, four, etc) on each and actually getting your money's worth out of the experience! Too often I made this mistake, paying to see a place and then not allowing for the time it deserves because I was too preoccupied with getting to the next thing - checking one more thing off of my list of to-see's.
On a similar financially-minded note, keep an eye out for beauties and enriching experiences that are free of charge. Parks, piazzas, and markets (if you can keep your hands in your pockets and out of your wallet!) are always open to be enjoyed by all, and they can often be great places to take in the lifestyles of locals too. This is especially true if you are able to enjoy them in the late afternoon or evening - by then most of the tourists have lost their steam and have either crashed back at their hotels, flooded the tourist-friendly restaurants, or better yet, left town :) And remember too that you will get a richer experience of churches if you wait to see the inside during a service. Even with the ones that usually charge for entry you will be spared that cost and, as a bonus, you will get to witness firsthand the chiesa in motion, which is the best way to observe one in full.
Now, talking of le activita' gratis leads me to the second ingredient of my recipe for non-traditional seeing of a place: that of wandering. Before I continue, I should say that this is one suggestion to approach with some caution, particularly if, like me, one is prone to getting lost. But there is a solution - visit a tourist office! Get a free map! Orient yourself to important places, like the train or bus station, your hotel, or even the tourist office, and mark up your map. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to look or sound stupid when asking for help. If you must ask for help and the tourist office is not an option, approach a younger person of your sex who appears friendly - they would be more likely than a middle-aged or older individual to speak English (isn't always the case, but generally speaking it's a good rule of thumb). Now, that caveat having been noted, I will continue on to the benefits of wandering ...
When people are comfortable wandering, they open up new windows of opportunity and place themselves in the way of interesting new discoveries. Leaving the beaten path of tourists is freeing and exciting, and you are also far more likely to say goodbye to the place feeling like you own a piece of it - or that it owns a piece of your heart! I can't tell you how many delightful spots I've accidentally stumbled across, or how many home away from home sensations have warmed my insides, or how many interesting locals I've had the pleasure of crossing paths and conversing with (if only for a minute, or 5) all because I took pains to throw myself into the less obvious corners of a city. I've also happened upon free jazz concerts, tasted original-to-the-site gelato flavors (and paid less for them too), found that perfect Italian alleyway to capture on camera, and exchanged pleasantries with a friendly nonna as I passed under her apartment window.
These are all things I would have missed out on had I stuck to a strict schedule that took me from one museum to another, or held fast to the main roads out of fear or insecurity. It is difficult to pull yourself away from the obvious big streets when you are new to a place and unsure of your surroundings, I know - I've experienced that too! But the rich potential for gain is completely worth it - and the freedom of time to simply meander and enjoy is priceless.
Buon weekend!
Anyway, there I was sitting in my chair earlier - window open as usual - when I began pondering a number of things. I was enjoying the cooler breezes that arrived earlier this week, the rich blue sky, and the wide-ranging splendor of the moment. My weekend in Florence eventually floated back to the surface, and thoughts of that weekend set me to reflecting back on my travel experiences in Italy over the past few years. It makes me smile to notice the difference between Bekah in Italy 2007 and Bekah in Italy 2009: in so many ways the same girl is here still - and yet, my idea of pleasure and where to find it has shifted dramatically.
I remember how oriented to constantly doing and seeing I was the first time around, and how my go-go-go drive to do and see as much as possible took me spinning through destinations like a kid on a scavenger hunt. I've wondered sometimes how much I truly took in during those trips! This time feels so different, and my "methods" of seeing and doing seem to have changed considerably - and, I would say, for the better.
The trip to Florence last weekend really showed me where these differences lie and, although I already touched on them some, I think they are worth revisiting. I know that many of you have not been to Italy, but in the hopes that you will travel, either here or some other amazing site away from home, I want to give you an alternative to the typical way of seeing and enjoying a new place. I'm not in any way suggesting that it is the way - I've just had some new thoughts on the subject and want to share them with anyone willing to listen ...
There are two main aspects I want to highlight, two key disciplines, if you will, to this version of acquainting oneself with a new city or area - and I think it is fair to refer to each as an art form, for neither is risk-free or easy all of the time. The first is the art of observing - truly observing. It seems one thing to see a place and quite another to get to know it through keen observation of its makeup, movements, and personality.
I was so pleased with Firenze this time around because I was at leisure to actually sit down and enjoy her! Yes, there is great value in throwing yourself headlong into the beauties of the Uffizi or the wonder of Brunelleschi's dome, and one should take in as many such opportunities as possible, especially if it could be the one weekend of your life that you are in Florence. However, if you are able, save time in your day to take a break from the going and seeing and just stop ... allow yourself to sit, observe, relish. One can learn so much about a place just by sitting in the same corner for an hour, or even a half hour, and taking note of the people milling around you, the architecture above your head, the conversations filtering into your ears (even if you don't speak the language!) ... the possibilities are extensive and wonderful!
I have also found that there is great value in devoting more extended observation to a few key places (say, 3-4 main ones versus 8 or 9+) instead of overstretching and only taking in a fraction of what the sight has to offer. The experience of a museum, cathedral, garden, palace or ????? when you allow more time for each will be worth it. This method can also be far more economically friendly to your pocketbook too! Imagine paying to see a handful of sights and spending an hour or two (or in the case of a place like the Uffizi three, four, etc) on each and actually getting your money's worth out of the experience! Too often I made this mistake, paying to see a place and then not allowing for the time it deserves because I was too preoccupied with getting to the next thing - checking one more thing off of my list of to-see's.
On a similar financially-minded note, keep an eye out for beauties and enriching experiences that are free of charge. Parks, piazzas, and markets (if you can keep your hands in your pockets and out of your wallet!) are always open to be enjoyed by all, and they can often be great places to take in the lifestyles of locals too. This is especially true if you are able to enjoy them in the late afternoon or evening - by then most of the tourists have lost their steam and have either crashed back at their hotels, flooded the tourist-friendly restaurants, or better yet, left town :) And remember too that you will get a richer experience of churches if you wait to see the inside during a service. Even with the ones that usually charge for entry you will be spared that cost and, as a bonus, you will get to witness firsthand the chiesa in motion, which is the best way to observe one in full.
Now, talking of le activita' gratis leads me to the second ingredient of my recipe for non-traditional seeing of a place: that of wandering. Before I continue, I should say that this is one suggestion to approach with some caution, particularly if, like me, one is prone to getting lost. But there is a solution - visit a tourist office! Get a free map! Orient yourself to important places, like the train or bus station, your hotel, or even the tourist office, and mark up your map. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to look or sound stupid when asking for help. If you must ask for help and the tourist office is not an option, approach a younger person of your sex who appears friendly - they would be more likely than a middle-aged or older individual to speak English (isn't always the case, but generally speaking it's a good rule of thumb). Now, that caveat having been noted, I will continue on to the benefits of wandering ...
When people are comfortable wandering, they open up new windows of opportunity and place themselves in the way of interesting new discoveries. Leaving the beaten path of tourists is freeing and exciting, and you are also far more likely to say goodbye to the place feeling like you own a piece of it - or that it owns a piece of your heart! I can't tell you how many delightful spots I've accidentally stumbled across, or how many home away from home sensations have warmed my insides, or how many interesting locals I've had the pleasure of crossing paths and conversing with (if only for a minute, or 5) all because I took pains to throw myself into the less obvious corners of a city. I've also happened upon free jazz concerts, tasted original-to-the-site gelato flavors (and paid less for them too), found that perfect Italian alleyway to capture on camera, and exchanged pleasantries with a friendly nonna as I passed under her apartment window.
These are all things I would have missed out on had I stuck to a strict schedule that took me from one museum to another, or held fast to the main roads out of fear or insecurity. It is difficult to pull yourself away from the obvious big streets when you are new to a place and unsure of your surroundings, I know - I've experienced that too! But the rich potential for gain is completely worth it - and the freedom of time to simply meander and enjoy is priceless.
Buon weekend!
martedì 22 settembre 2009
Sights seen, thoughts thought, & lessons learned …
… since I last wrote. It’s been twelve days now – yikes! So here is what happened, the unfortunate reason behind my unexpected silence: INTERNET WOES. Simple, yes, but still sad – and after I was on such a roll too!
Our network is experiencing long term difficulties and the failure has caused no end of troubles, especially since there are projects, papers, and communications that must happen despite the lack of wireless. Thankfully, all seem to be handling the situation with an appropriate amount of humor. Yes, we are all annoyed by the near constant inconveniences that come up each day, but at least we are laughing about it :)
The funny thing is, an open neighboring network was quickly discovered by Dr. Webb and me – and now we are all using her! She’s everyone’s newest best friend – Alice, we call her, for that is actually her name (although it is pronounced ah-LEE-chay).
Here is the truly funny thing though: since it’s a neighboring system, only one side of the palazzo gets it – as in, literally one wall. Well, it just so happens to be the back wall of Dr. Webb’s apartment, the student kitchen, and, ahem, my little bedroom (and bathroom!). Convenient for me, yes? Absolutely! But not so nice for le ragazze, so the students have been lining the kitchen counters, hanging out in my bathroom, and sitting on my floor to get some internet. I am not kidding! Guarda …
Anyway, so until a solution is reached, it seems I will be having more company than usual! It’s so cute really, and I don’t mind a bit. Right now I’m just thankful that
But enough about the internet. Basta! I’m sorry it has already eaten up so much space when there is this much to update you all on, but I wanted to give you an explanation so no one was under the impression that they were being neglected for gallivants around the Italy (however, there has been a bit of gallivanting going on – just this past weekend to be honest)! In the interest of time and the preservation of my fingers, I will not attempt to tell you everything … but I will do my best to remember back and jot down the highs and lows, as well as a few other odd points of interest that rest between those two extremes. Consider this entry a blog of “snippets,” for that is all I have time to attempt I’m afraid :)
The weekend before last (when the internet first failed), we were fortunate enough to attend the fall edition of the Balestra, a Robinhood-esque competition that takes place every fall and spring between Sansepolcro and another nearby city, Gubbio.
There are parades, flag throwing performances, constant drumming, pasta festivals, and a cut-throat rivalry (think UNC vs. Duke, but with everyone in medieval dress). It was incredible to witness!
And we even had great seats – thanks to Sara. I will post more pictures on picasa as soon as I can get enough bandwidth to support the videos (don’t know if
Another thing you have to see (or taste, rather) to believe, is the pasta at my favorite little hole-in-the-wall trattoria, Le Mura. This is the same place I got the sage and butter ravioli at a few weeks back – remember? Well this time I went with
Watching the kids, eating out-of-this-world Italian cuisine, and drinking in the breathtaking scenery that surrounds me are my three favorite simple joys of life here. The fourth? Well, I’ve indulged in a bit of reorganizing … furniture reorganizing. See, my little bedroom is not a perfect square, so various pieces of furniture, such as my bed and the nightstand, will not ever be flush to the wall. This may not seem like a big deal to most, and well, it isn’t … but some of us struggle with accepting such inconsistencies more than others! The way I see it is, this is just another part of living in a palazzo that is more than twice as old as my home country. And well, there is some added personality and character to a room that isn’t “normal,” so it’s growing on me. But I have experimented with the arrangement some here and there, and am quite pleased with the current setup …
One aspect of the room I have not embraced so wholeheartedly is the frequency of visitors. Every night, around 7:30 or 8:00 without fail, little friends from the outdoors creep in from who knows where and conduct their own miniature passeggiata, making use of my walls, floors, and ceiling as if they were theirs, not ahem, mine. Now, as a child I absolutely loved rolly-polly bugs and thought they were just as cute as they could be, but now that they have become nightly drop-ins I have grown quite tired of them. I’m not sure where they come from – maybe I don’t want to know – but they appear no matter what. Whether the window is open or closed, it makes no difference! Oh well, as always, it really could be so much worse. Rolly-pollies really are amiable little creatures, and after all, I could be dealing with something like spiders instead! I’d probably retreat and let them have the room before willingly sleeping in the same space as them …
In a way though, I am glad for these little slices of reality that cut into this seemingly heavenly life in
That reminds me of one morning last week, when I was walking to Sara and Patrizio’s in the rain. For one reason or another, it had already been a low morning for me: I was tired, I wasn’t looking forward to the battles over socks or the third and fourth cookies that shouldn’t be eaten, and then, of course, the rain just made me even less thrilled about leaving my warm bed and our snug Palazzo apartments. I spent the walk up praying, trying to clear my head and my heart before getting to Veronica, and as I approached the last corner the turnaround swept over me like a warm hug. To my left, I saw a long row of various flowers – ones that I had often noticed and admired – but this morning they were stunning. Absolutely glorious in color! The rain, as it so often does, had taken their beauty and enhanced it tenfold. The glistening moisture dripping off the petals was leaving them wet, yes, but ever so much more beautiful that they had been the day before when surrounded by sunshine. It was like I had only just then woken up, like I’d been in a cloud until then! Because it suddenly hit me that that is exactly what the rain in our lives can be like: it drenches us, leaving us wondering what hit us, and what on earth are we going to do next … but in the end, we are more beautiful on the inside, more radiant and strong and nourished because of the storm, and that is something worth smiling about, isn’t it? So instead of feeling mopey and tired for that last minute of my trek, I felt light, invigorated, and ready for whatever was coming next, sock wars and all. I’ve never so appreciated the beauty of a rainy morning …
I’ve made other treks, longer ones, since I last wrote. The Saturday before last, a small group of us went to Citta’ di Castello, led by Dr. Webb and John Rose on a morning outing. It was quite lovely! We arrived mid-morning and walked around a bit before indulging in a delicious cappuccino at a little café in the main piazza. A little bit later we all made our way over to a restaurant for lunch, which lasted at least two hours, I think. Or so it seemed! There was some disorder about the plates because the place was pretty busy and we were a bit group, but there were no complaints and everyone handled the inconvenience beautifully.
After lunch I wandered about the little town with the students, peeking in on the ancient town hall and the local cathedral before settling in at a pretty little park to capture the gorgeous scenery that surrounds the walled city. More pictures to come soon! I will try to upload some this afternoon …
Then this past weekend the group made a trip to Firenze (Florence), and despite the forecast had a full weekend of sunshine (it rained buckets and buckets a few minutes after I returned to Arezzo to catch the bus home to Sansepolcro on Sunday, but I didn’t mind by that point!). Since this was my fourth time, I was a bit unsure of what to do with myself at first. There is always the option of going back and re-seeing the sights and museums I have enjoyed before (the gorgeous collection in the Uffizi, Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia, the Boboli gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti, the Bargello museum … it’s hard to say no!), but I am trying to stick to a pretty tight budget this time, and since I have had the privilege of seeing them once before, I decided to say no to re-paying entry fees and instead content myself with simply enjoying the city and its “on the house” delights.
Thus, after a truly lovely evening out with Dr. Webb, John Rose, and Mary Susan Friday night, I spend most of Saturday and Sunday either sitting in various piazzas to think, read, and journal or walking about the city in an “aimless” fashion that I quite enjoyed! I spent nearly all of Saturday morning in the Piazza della Signoria, a good little space of the afternoon wandering about with Amanda, and then a half hour or so in Santa Croce that evening. The next day I did the same sitting and relishing bit in the Piazza di Santo Spirito and the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, and it was just wonderful! I think one sees so much more that way, when there is time to do so and there’s no pressure to see this, that, or the other, and I think I got a much better idea of the personality and feel of Firenze as a city this time around – and I genuinely like her now, which is a relief of sorts, because I didn’t at first! I know that must sound funny to most people. What? You didn’t like
I still see my old man friend with the pretty dog nearly every day, or at least every other day (the one who told me to walk on the left side of the road). Little friends I’ve made like him, the lady who owns the music store across from the palazzo, and the kindly nonnas in the park have quickly become highlights of my morning walks with Veronica …
Speaking of Veronica … she is letting me kiss, tickle, and cuddle with her now. Success! Today she even curled up next to me and laid her little head against my arm while we watched Gli Aristogatti (The Aristocats) …
It’s not all cuddles and kisses though. Some mornings (especially Mondays) she still throws an all out hissy fit when Sara and Patrizio leave the house with Leo and Gigia. She has certainly got some lungs in that little body! The good thing is, the recovery time seems to be decreasing and, as I mentioned above, once the initial trauma has passed she is actually quite affectionate with me …
That takes me back to a mental breakthrough I had early last week: good parenting, and good nannying too, I believe, seems to require an absolute dying to what you want. I never viewed it this way, but now I am pretty thoroughly convinced that this is fact (perhaps even cross-stitch pillow worthy, if I could find the right phrasing). I used to think that as a nanny or a parent one needed to hold fast to what you wanted over what the child wanted, in order to relay the message that you are in charge and they must heed you (as a nanny I’ve found this to be particularly important from a safety perspective, for if they don’t listen at the wrong moment, the child’s life could be in danger). But here’s the catch – sometimes, you don’t even want what you originally wanted. I’ve found myself going from wanting Veronica to wear shoes to, mid-all out war, finding that I don’t really care whether she wears them or not … I just want the kicking, screaming, and public humiliation to stop, please! So you see, it’s not about what you want at all, it’s about what is best for the child long term, and in the case of the shoes, it was vital that I follow that battle through and win it – otherwise I’d be fighting it anew each and every time it was time to wear them. The method is not a fun one, and the carrying out is not a neat, predictable process, but I am convinced that the hard-lining technique will prove to be the most beneficial to both me and the child in question at the end of the road. Until then, I have to keep asking the good Lord to grant me extra patience in the meantime …
Another testing of my patience is less concrete – literally. The trying element hangs over my head, drifts into my breathing passages, and floats in and out of my path unexpectedly, never content to let me be! I speak, of course, of smoke. It’s everywhere. You wouldn’t believe how prominent it is in
As can talking in Italian too quickly. One day at lunch last week, I was telling Sara about one particular sock war I had just had with Veronica that morning and I slipped up on a word, saying something dirty and rude instead. Why do the crude ones have to be so close to the normal, nice ones???? I guess it could have been much worse though. At least I said it to Sara! She just said, “What? No, no … no, no, no … you mean _____, don’t say ______!!! Non e’ una parola carina!” Ah, bless you, Sara …
My Italian in general does appear to be consistently improving though! I cannot express enough how grateful I am for this third opportunity to practice and learn and refine my language skills in the country of origin. Now if I could just expand my knowledge of Italian idioms …
Another thing that has improved significantly since last time (and especially since the first time) is my budgeting. I have been quite frugal and prodigiously careful with where and how I spend my money, and that too has been a good thing for me to practice. Frugality and financial planning are art forms, you know, and while I might not be a Michelangelo by the time I leave here, I might manage to enter the States in the black instead of leaving Italia with my pocketbook redlining …
Oh! Speaking of planning: I have some fun plans coming up next month! First, my sister, Sarah, and my lifelong friend, Jamie, are coming to spend ten wonderful days with me the second week of October – too exciting! And then, a week after they leave my roommate from college, Cassie (who is teaching English in
After Cassie leaves November will be here and I’ll be home in only twenty-two days, which is unbelievable. How time speeds past one in a country like
I guess I better do my absolute best to enjoy each and every moment then, hadn’t I? I’ll be home before I know it! You know though, I am really excited about that too. I missed Thanksgiving last year, when I was in
a presto (I hope!),
Bekah
P.S. Did I mention that the food continues to be delectable at every turn? I’ve begun a list of things I want Patrizio to teach me how to make before I leave. His pesto recipe is at the top :)
giovedì 10 settembre 2009
P.S.
Forgive the lack of photos ... my camera lens is not cooperating so I am in the middle of trying to decide what to do next. I'm hoping it will work again, at least to get me through until the end of this semester, but we shall see. Until then, excuse the boring prospect! IF you need help wading through the flood of words, there are life jackets available ...
Well-Behaved Wednesday and Thankful Thursday
After Tuesday's public outburst, my embarrassed and exhausted little self decided to spend Wednesday with Veronica a casa - under the radar and safe from any judgmental nonnas! Sara and I both thought it might be better if the "transition" (read: meltdown) from five Falaschi's in the house to one took place behind closed doors ...
So when the others left the house for the morning, Veronica and I stayed home, and while the screaming lasted a bit longer, the only person exposed to it was me, a seasoned veteran to this type of auditory assault. Every now and then I'm impressed by a particular set of toddler lungs, but for the most part it's just a matter of finding something to do while waiting for the waves of noise to pass.
And pass they did, about five minutes or so after the others had left. In the meantime, I had made myself master of the childlock on the movie drawer (a new edition to the decor that Sara had forgotten to tell me about!) and pulled out La Spada nella Roccia (The Sword in the Stone) to use as a source of distraction for Veronica and education/entertainment for me. Before long the little munchkin had joined me and we played with blocks, dolls, and borse (purses) while the movie was running. I was so encouraged ... because I understood everything! I had Italian subtitles on, which really helped. My next goal is to get to the point where even those are unnecessary, and my ultimate goal is to be able to follow the evening news (!), but until then I'm quite happy to have had yet another instance show me that my knowledge of the language is improving!
The rest of that morning was easy. I watched Lolo until 11:30 or so when Patrizio got back and then the three of us went to get Ginevra from her morning school. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, which completely made my morning!
At lunch we were visited by a couple from the Netherlands that Dr. Webb had met and invited, as well as the Bankers (who were taking their art history class to Arezzo post-meal) and Lucia Bini, a twenty-something Italian girl Dr. Webb and John Rose have known for years. The frequency (as in, almost daily) and variety of visitors make our lunch table a very special time and place here at the Palazzo. Today, for instance, we had the two Italian girls (in their early 20s) from a favorite gelateria come for lunch - it's been a great way for us to meet new people and an equally nice way for them to see us in the flesh (after hearing about le studentesse americane for so long) and get a good sense of our pleasure at being here. I think it does them good to see how glad we are to be here, and how much we enjoy meeting various individuals of Sansepolcro. It is certainly furthering the Italian perception of Americans as being friendly, open, relaxed, and well, financially "comfortable." I can't help but wonder what our life in the Palazzo, from the beautiful living quarters to our abundance of electronics, clothes, etc., looks like to an Italian outsider. I'd give a lot to transpose myself into that perspective for an hour or so! Then I could write a bestselling expo on Americans in Italy and travel on a whim for the rest of my life :)
Ok, back to reality! Sort of. I mean, how much reality am I truly living right now, really? Not much in my opinion. When I titled my blog, I had only an idea of it being a "charmed" time of my life, but now I am convinced. Getting to live in Italy for a third time, work on my language skills, spend time with my dear Italian family and the likes of Dr. Webb, John Rose, and these lovely young women, AND get my own bathroom out of the deal? Oh, and there's a gelateria across the way ... is that a SHOWER of blessings or what?! So in actuality, it has nothing to do with being charmed and everything to do with being positively drenched with graces from above!
Backing up out of bunny trail ... yesterday afternoon I spent some time at the Happy Bar (main cafe in the piazza) with Nicole and Chelsea as we shared a lovely little reading hour over coffee. We all got some reading done and it's also the perfect setup for people watching, which I love. One can look on a good many interesting conversations and non-verbal interactions while tuning in on all sorts of cultural differences as well. I'm reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court right now, and while it hardly "matches" my current location (can one get much more American in literary makeup?), I am thoroughly enjoying Twain again.
Today was another better day with Veronica - a very good day in fact. We took off shortly after Sara left with the kids and made our usual grand sweep through the town. On the way down the mountain into the walled city centre, I made friends with an older man walking his dog (un bel cane, I said with a smile). He then proceeded to tell me that I was walking on the wrong side of the road, and that it was molto pericoloso (very dangerous) to walk on the right side instead of the left. Now, for my own parents and all other parents reading this who may be thinking, "She graduated from college and never learned to walk opposite of traffic!?!" give me a minute to explain ...
See, I realize that the left side is supposed to be safer ... but from my perspective, as a stroller-pushing pedestrian in Italy, I have to disagree. The way I see it, I would rather the car hit me first, with my body and the major part of the stroller shielding the munchkin, than have Veronica's little feetsies be the first thing to come into contact with a macchina that whips around those tight, hard-to-see-around corners too fast. I have just never felt good about that supposedly "safer" position when in Italy - the roads and even the small streets in neighborhoods are just different here.
I explained this to him, saying I was scared for her and afraid of a car hitting her first, but he kept arguing for the other side ... so I humored him out of respect and silently decided to try his way for awhile and see if I could convince myself that it truly was safer for Veronica. It may be a semester-long argument! After I took his advice, the old gentleman and I proceeded to talk a bit more, which was fun. I love making the odd friend here and there on my morning walks because the odds are I already "know" them (by sight at least) and will likely keep bumping into them again. Even if it's just a passing "buongiorno" or "come stai oggi?" as I pass through with Lolo, little things like that take me deeper into the heart of this community and make me feel even more local and permanent and "at home," or essentially, more italiana!
No worries on that front though - I remember last year around this time I was already sad to think about leaving at the end of the semester, and my family was beginning to feel like they'd lost me to Italia forever! But there is no need to fear :) I think I've finally reached a good medium between the two countries I formerly felt so caught between. A very wise woman (one I happen to be privileged enough to see on a daily basis these days!) once explained to me very well the traveler's dilemma: once you live somewhere new for awhile, and make new friends, and fall in love with new things, and find yourself captivated by new sights and beautiful places, you can't ever go back to the person you were before. From then on, your heart will be divided between these places (be they two or three or many, many!) and, most particularly when there are good friends and/or adopted family involved, you will always be missing something or someone. Because one cannot be in two or more places at once, there will always be events missed out on or people that are temporarily out of one's life. It's just the way it works!
So the moral of the lesson is, accept these facts. Live where you are at the moment, but don't forget or take for granted the other place(s) or person(s) either. It's yet another example of how life is a series of choices - I know I've made a good one in coming here, but that doesn't mean I've lost my heart and soul completely to Italy (quite the contrary!) either. I love both places, and I have people who are very dear to me in both, so yes, wherever I am, I'll be missing someone. But I wouldn't trade this "torn" feeling, for if I'd never traveled in the first place, I would never have met the newer ones at all - and how different my life would be!
All that to say, I think I've settled happily into this forever divided state of mine. I'm happy to be back in Italy and loving each day here, but at the same time, I'm looking forward to returning home again as well. It's a strange thing to hear I'm sure - the Bekah of last fall wouldn't believe her eyes and would probably lay a hand on current Bekah's forehead to check for a fever - but it's where I am now, and I'm content in it.
Whew, didn't see all of that coming! Back to today ... Veronica and I had a nice tantrum-less morning passeggiata-ing about Sansepolcro before heading back to the house for water and biscotti. Oh! Did I mention that I have become competent in my third language? Cookie-se. Veronica make be Italian, but she is fluent in Cookie-se (or as she calls her favorite treat, "toh-toh"). How does one speak Cookie-se? Well, it goes something like this (I have translated from the Italian dialect of Cookie-se to English, for your convience):
(Scene. Veronica, not wanting sit still in stroller, leans back to look up at me and starts spitting between her intervals of "no" and the occasional angry "Bekah!")
Me: Lolo, you may not do that.
Lolo: NO! (Spits again.)
Me: Listen. And look at me, please (she spits again) - no! Do not do that ... if you do that again, you will not get your cookies when we get home. Do you want to have cookies when we go back?
Lolo: (Eyes soften. Tongue returns to proper location.) Yesh ...
Me: Ok. Then do not spit again, ok? Do you understand?
Lolo: Yesh.
Me: Ok, good girl! Let's go to the park now, ok? You like the park, don't you?
Lolo: Yesh!
Total transformation. Now, it is not lost on me that I am walking the fine line between using loss of privilege as an enforcer/incentive for obedient behavior and, well, gross bribery. But I do not think I am abusing the previous method, and my fluency in cookie is even teaching the bambina please and thank you (in Italian though, of course)! I am quite pleased with her progress ...
The rest of my day went rather quickly. I walked back to the Palazzo around noon and enjoyed another wonderful lunch in the "great hall" shortly thereafter. Then I was very Italian and took a nice nap after lunch, something I've found that I actually really enjoy after my mornings with a kid or two! After that I made use of my lovely, striped shower and then met John Rose a bit later for another computer lesson (he too is making very good progress, so we are able to cover more and more ground as we continue on into the world of computers). After that I started this post, but was interrupted a couple times (first by the entire Falaschi clan, then to help translate for Dr. Webb when the water heater guy came to look at a faulty part in some of the wiring, and lastly to eat some dinner), but now that I have finished, I am off to read some more Twain and enjoy this amazing period of my life to the fullest.
A presto, tutti! Ciao ciao!
So when the others left the house for the morning, Veronica and I stayed home, and while the screaming lasted a bit longer, the only person exposed to it was me, a seasoned veteran to this type of auditory assault. Every now and then I'm impressed by a particular set of toddler lungs, but for the most part it's just a matter of finding something to do while waiting for the waves of noise to pass.
And pass they did, about five minutes or so after the others had left. In the meantime, I had made myself master of the childlock on the movie drawer (a new edition to the decor that Sara had forgotten to tell me about!) and pulled out La Spada nella Roccia (The Sword in the Stone) to use as a source of distraction for Veronica and education/entertainment for me. Before long the little munchkin had joined me and we played with blocks, dolls, and borse (purses) while the movie was running. I was so encouraged ... because I understood everything! I had Italian subtitles on, which really helped. My next goal is to get to the point where even those are unnecessary, and my ultimate goal is to be able to follow the evening news (!), but until then I'm quite happy to have had yet another instance show me that my knowledge of the language is improving!
The rest of that morning was easy. I watched Lolo until 11:30 or so when Patrizio got back and then the three of us went to get Ginevra from her morning school. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, which completely made my morning!
At lunch we were visited by a couple from the Netherlands that Dr. Webb had met and invited, as well as the Bankers (who were taking their art history class to Arezzo post-meal) and Lucia Bini, a twenty-something Italian girl Dr. Webb and John Rose have known for years. The frequency (as in, almost daily) and variety of visitors make our lunch table a very special time and place here at the Palazzo. Today, for instance, we had the two Italian girls (in their early 20s) from a favorite gelateria come for lunch - it's been a great way for us to meet new people and an equally nice way for them to see us in the flesh (after hearing about le studentesse americane for so long) and get a good sense of our pleasure at being here. I think it does them good to see how glad we are to be here, and how much we enjoy meeting various individuals of Sansepolcro. It is certainly furthering the Italian perception of Americans as being friendly, open, relaxed, and well, financially "comfortable." I can't help but wonder what our life in the Palazzo, from the beautiful living quarters to our abundance of electronics, clothes, etc., looks like to an Italian outsider. I'd give a lot to transpose myself into that perspective for an hour or so! Then I could write a bestselling expo on Americans in Italy and travel on a whim for the rest of my life :)
Ok, back to reality! Sort of. I mean, how much reality am I truly living right now, really? Not much in my opinion. When I titled my blog, I had only an idea of it being a "charmed" time of my life, but now I am convinced. Getting to live in Italy for a third time, work on my language skills, spend time with my dear Italian family and the likes of Dr. Webb, John Rose, and these lovely young women, AND get my own bathroom out of the deal? Oh, and there's a gelateria across the way ... is that a SHOWER of blessings or what?! So in actuality, it has nothing to do with being charmed and everything to do with being positively drenched with graces from above!
Backing up out of bunny trail ... yesterday afternoon I spent some time at the Happy Bar (main cafe in the piazza) with Nicole and Chelsea as we shared a lovely little reading hour over coffee. We all got some reading done and it's also the perfect setup for people watching, which I love. One can look on a good many interesting conversations and non-verbal interactions while tuning in on all sorts of cultural differences as well. I'm reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court right now, and while it hardly "matches" my current location (can one get much more American in literary makeup?), I am thoroughly enjoying Twain again.
Today was another better day with Veronica - a very good day in fact. We took off shortly after Sara left with the kids and made our usual grand sweep through the town. On the way down the mountain into the walled city centre, I made friends with an older man walking his dog (un bel cane, I said with a smile). He then proceeded to tell me that I was walking on the wrong side of the road, and that it was molto pericoloso (very dangerous) to walk on the right side instead of the left. Now, for my own parents and all other parents reading this who may be thinking, "She graduated from college and never learned to walk opposite of traffic!?!" give me a minute to explain ...
See, I realize that the left side is supposed to be safer ... but from my perspective, as a stroller-pushing pedestrian in Italy, I have to disagree. The way I see it, I would rather the car hit me first, with my body and the major part of the stroller shielding the munchkin, than have Veronica's little feetsies be the first thing to come into contact with a macchina that whips around those tight, hard-to-see-around corners too fast. I have just never felt good about that supposedly "safer" position when in Italy - the roads and even the small streets in neighborhoods are just different here.
I explained this to him, saying I was scared for her and afraid of a car hitting her first, but he kept arguing for the other side ... so I humored him out of respect and silently decided to try his way for awhile and see if I could convince myself that it truly was safer for Veronica. It may be a semester-long argument! After I took his advice, the old gentleman and I proceeded to talk a bit more, which was fun. I love making the odd friend here and there on my morning walks because the odds are I already "know" them (by sight at least) and will likely keep bumping into them again. Even if it's just a passing "buongiorno" or "come stai oggi?" as I pass through with Lolo, little things like that take me deeper into the heart of this community and make me feel even more local and permanent and "at home," or essentially, more italiana!
No worries on that front though - I remember last year around this time I was already sad to think about leaving at the end of the semester, and my family was beginning to feel like they'd lost me to Italia forever! But there is no need to fear :) I think I've finally reached a good medium between the two countries I formerly felt so caught between. A very wise woman (one I happen to be privileged enough to see on a daily basis these days!) once explained to me very well the traveler's dilemma: once you live somewhere new for awhile, and make new friends, and fall in love with new things, and find yourself captivated by new sights and beautiful places, you can't ever go back to the person you were before. From then on, your heart will be divided between these places (be they two or three or many, many!) and, most particularly when there are good friends and/or adopted family involved, you will always be missing something or someone. Because one cannot be in two or more places at once, there will always be events missed out on or people that are temporarily out of one's life. It's just the way it works!
So the moral of the lesson is, accept these facts. Live where you are at the moment, but don't forget or take for granted the other place(s) or person(s) either. It's yet another example of how life is a series of choices - I know I've made a good one in coming here, but that doesn't mean I've lost my heart and soul completely to Italy (quite the contrary!) either. I love both places, and I have people who are very dear to me in both, so yes, wherever I am, I'll be missing someone. But I wouldn't trade this "torn" feeling, for if I'd never traveled in the first place, I would never have met the newer ones at all - and how different my life would be!
All that to say, I think I've settled happily into this forever divided state of mine. I'm happy to be back in Italy and loving each day here, but at the same time, I'm looking forward to returning home again as well. It's a strange thing to hear I'm sure - the Bekah of last fall wouldn't believe her eyes and would probably lay a hand on current Bekah's forehead to check for a fever - but it's where I am now, and I'm content in it.
Whew, didn't see all of that coming! Back to today ... Veronica and I had a nice tantrum-less morning passeggiata-ing about Sansepolcro before heading back to the house for water and biscotti. Oh! Did I mention that I have become competent in my third language? Cookie-se. Veronica make be Italian, but she is fluent in Cookie-se (or as she calls her favorite treat, "toh-toh"). How does one speak Cookie-se? Well, it goes something like this (I have translated from the Italian dialect of Cookie-se to English, for your convience):
(Scene. Veronica, not wanting sit still in stroller, leans back to look up at me and starts spitting between her intervals of "no" and the occasional angry "Bekah!")
Me: Lolo, you may not do that.
Lolo: NO! (Spits again.)
Me: Listen. And look at me, please (she spits again) - no! Do not do that ... if you do that again, you will not get your cookies when we get home. Do you want to have cookies when we go back?
Lolo: (Eyes soften. Tongue returns to proper location.) Yesh ...
Me: Ok. Then do not spit again, ok? Do you understand?
Lolo: Yesh.
Me: Ok, good girl! Let's go to the park now, ok? You like the park, don't you?
Lolo: Yesh!
Total transformation. Now, it is not lost on me that I am walking the fine line between using loss of privilege as an enforcer/incentive for obedient behavior and, well, gross bribery. But I do not think I am abusing the previous method, and my fluency in cookie is even teaching the bambina please and thank you (in Italian though, of course)! I am quite pleased with her progress ...
The rest of my day went rather quickly. I walked back to the Palazzo around noon and enjoyed another wonderful lunch in the "great hall" shortly thereafter. Then I was very Italian and took a nice nap after lunch, something I've found that I actually really enjoy after my mornings with a kid or two! After that I made use of my lovely, striped shower and then met John Rose a bit later for another computer lesson (he too is making very good progress, so we are able to cover more and more ground as we continue on into the world of computers). After that I started this post, but was interrupted a couple times (first by the entire Falaschi clan, then to help translate for Dr. Webb when the water heater guy came to look at a faulty part in some of the wiring, and lastly to eat some dinner), but now that I have finished, I am off to read some more Twain and enjoy this amazing period of my life to the fullest.
A presto, tutti! Ciao ciao!
martedì 8 settembre 2009
The adventures of Monday and Tuesday
Catch-up seems to be the story of my life right now! Oh well ... I suppose I might as well accept it as reality and do my best to not get too too behind on my posts. If I go too long I begin to forget all the things I want to tell!
So, Monday first. I had another lovely morning with the girls that included all the normal activities - walking around town, spending time in the park, enjoying the weather phenom of the day (clouds, potential rain, sun, or wind ... this Monday it was wind that was particularly fascinating), and this, that, and the other. Ginevra has really taken to playing with my hair, which is very sweet (especially since there are plenty of hugs and ti voglio bene's thrown in as a bonus!), but I often have to remind her to do so "piano, piano!" (gently, gently!).
But then, I'm afraid the the loveliness was interrupted with a bang - a bang too literal for my taste! Let's put it this way: I got a generous serving of what true Mommy-anxiety feels like!
It seems that Ginevra cannot bear to be without a battle wound of some sort. Monday marked the first day that I could honestly say the awful black eye, from a fall that happened earlier last week, had truly disappeared ... and then she went and black-and-blued another member of her face!
Here's what happened: we had been walking for an hour and a half or so, and le ragazzine hanno sete (they were thirsty). Ginevra had also been begging to see gli americani all morning, so it all worked out and everyone was happy. We dropped in at the Palazzo for water and fruit, and then visited some with Alessandra, the lovely young woman that helps cook our meals and keep the kitchen well-stocked with delicious foods. The little girls also got to see a bit of John Rose, which both they and he enjoyed!
But then a few steps from the door, Ginevra wiped out on the last couple stairs ... I was so scared! I had Veronica on my hip and Gigia had been coming down behind me, but then Lolo started squirming to get down and I had to get to the bottom fast so that she didn't take us all down. No sooner had I gotten to the bottom and set Veronica down that I heard a boom and felt my heart hit the floor. Ginevra had tripped and, not holding the railing, fallen face first down the last three steps.
Since her nose got the brunt of the blow, there was quite a lot of blood at first and it got all over both of us. The funny thing was - and this is how I knew almost immediately that she wasn't too banged up - Ginevra was more upset about the blood getting on her clothes ("It's there, and there, and here," she said, pointing at her clothes and mine) than she was about her poor little nose! Go figure ... that's Gigia for you :)
The end of it was, I sat on the floor with her for a few minutes to calm her down and stop the bleeding, and then after both the tears and the blood had stopped, we all got back up on our feet and made for home with little to no drama. Gigia was pretty somber, but whenever I asked her how her nose felt she would simply say, "Bene," and then start calling my attention to the blood spots on her shoulder or her sleeve. A half hour later she was jumping off the couch and playing peek-a-boo on the floor with Lolo (Want proof? Watch the video on Picasa!). Oh, Gigia!
Thus, I am very happy to report that the adorable little nose remains intact - a little purple in one or two places this morning, but otherwise you'd never know anything was wrong with her!
Ahhhh, today. Today was challenging for me. The funny this is, I only had one child today! There really is a lot of truth to the notion that watching multiple children can often be much easier than watching only one ...
Ginevra, purple nose and all, had her first "day" (it's really only a couple hours in the morning) of school today, so Patrizio took the two of them to school and I took Veronica out the door at the same time. Our hope was that she would mind being left behind less if she felt that she too was going somewhere ... no such luck. She screamed all the way down the street and then all the way down the next, alternating between family members' names and spitting at me!
I tried everything I could think of to distract her and was about to throw up my hands in typical Italian fashion and say "Boh!" (I don't know), when Veronica started screaming a new word: "toh-toh." Read: biscotto (cookie). Ah-ha! There was my saving grace! I started talking to her about cookies, and how good they were, and how we would try to find one somewhere in town during our walk. Bribery? Borderline, sure. Effective? Absolutely!
In another minute the storm had passed and she was happily engaged in regarding all the people around her. Tuesday is a market day, so we wound in and out of the crowded streets for a half-hour or so, enjoying all the pretty things from a distance. A stroller is a wonderful preventative measure for those who struggle with window shopping :) One gets so caught up in the art of not taking anybody out or running over a stranger's toes that it is impossible to even consider reaching into one's purse for money.
Anyway, after that I decided to follow through with the biscotto discussion, and concluded that it was equally important that I have some coffee. So we dropped in a little bar and I bought a caffe lungo for me and then a brioche and some water for Lolo. All began very well - she sat up in a big girl chair, nibbled on her treat, and drank her water without spilling because she let me help her. I should have known things were going too well! It's hard to believe this cute little munchkin can cause the level of ruckus she did today ...
The trouble began with the brioche. Out of habit, and in the hopes of there being less mess (which ending up not being the case at all), I tore the sweet bread in half to make it easier for her to eat. Bad idea. The screaming recommenced with greater force this time, in the middle of a very public place, and I could feel the judgmental eyes descend upon what they likely deemed a mother who was incapable of controlling her child. There were two old grandmothers sitting nearby who were particularly obvious in their disgust with the scene. I wanted to ask if their children had never cried or misbehaved, and if not, whether they would share with me their secret formula for the perfect child ................................. but I refrained.
When I finally got her calmed down, there were bits of brioche everywhere, my pride was seriously marred, and cutting eyes of the nonnas as frustrating as ever. But then Veronica la Cattiva disappeared and Veronica la Bellina returned in full swing, so she started being sociable and saying "Ciao!" to everyone, including the disapproving nonnas. I expected this would help, and that in another minute they'd be commenting on how sweet and adorable she is, as is the normal response to la Bellina. Well, I was wrong.
At first, they simply ignored her, which was rude enough, but then, while Veronica is smiling and saying "ciao" like the sweet little thing she usually is, one of them looked into her little face and said, "Stai zitta!" ... which is the Italian equivalent of "shut up." I was so mad! It took a whole lot more self-control than the first time to keep myself and my knowledge of smart alec Italiano in check. I couldn't believe how rude and, really, just downright mean they were!
Lesson learned: not all Italian nonnas are kind. There are sweet ones and there are sour ones, just like green grapes.
And on that profound note, I will have to call it quits for tonight! There is more of Tuesday to be told, but it will need to wait until the next post ...
Buonanotte!
So, Monday first. I had another lovely morning with the girls that included all the normal activities - walking around town, spending time in the park, enjoying the weather phenom of the day (clouds, potential rain, sun, or wind ... this Monday it was wind that was particularly fascinating), and this, that, and the other. Ginevra has really taken to playing with my hair, which is very sweet (especially since there are plenty of hugs and ti voglio bene's thrown in as a bonus!), but I often have to remind her to do so "piano, piano!" (gently, gently!).
But then, I'm afraid the the loveliness was interrupted with a bang - a bang too literal for my taste! Let's put it this way: I got a generous serving of what true Mommy-anxiety feels like!It seems that Ginevra cannot bear to be without a battle wound of some sort. Monday marked the first day that I could honestly say the awful black eye, from a fall that happened earlier last week, had truly disappeared ... and then she went and black-and-blued another member of her face!
Here's what happened: we had been walking for an hour and a half or so, and le ragazzine hanno sete (they were thirsty). Ginevra had also been begging to see gli americani all morning, so it all worked out and everyone was happy. We dropped in at the Palazzo for water and fruit, and then visited some with Alessandra, the lovely young woman that helps cook our meals and keep the kitchen well-stocked with delicious foods. The little girls also got to see a bit of John Rose, which both they and he enjoyed!
But then a few steps from the door, Ginevra wiped out on the last couple stairs ... I was so scared! I had Veronica on my hip and Gigia had been coming down behind me, but then Lolo started squirming to get down and I had to get to the bottom fast so that she didn't take us all down. No sooner had I gotten to the bottom and set Veronica down that I heard a boom and felt my heart hit the floor. Ginevra had tripped and, not holding the railing, fallen face first down the last three steps.
Since her nose got the brunt of the blow, there was quite a lot of blood at first and it got all over both of us. The funny thing was - and this is how I knew almost immediately that she wasn't too banged up - Ginevra was more upset about the blood getting on her clothes ("It's there, and there, and here," she said, pointing at her clothes and mine) than she was about her poor little nose! Go figure ... that's Gigia for you :)
The end of it was, I sat on the floor with her for a few minutes to calm her down and stop the bleeding, and then after both the tears and the blood had stopped, we all got back up on our feet and made for home with little to no drama. Gigia was pretty somber, but whenever I asked her how her nose felt she would simply say, "Bene," and then start calling my attention to the blood spots on her shoulder or her sleeve. A half hour later she was jumping off the couch and playing peek-a-boo on the floor with Lolo (Want proof? Watch the video on Picasa!). Oh, Gigia!
Thus, I am very happy to report that the adorable little nose remains intact - a little purple in one or two places this morning, but otherwise you'd never know anything was wrong with her!Ahhhh, today. Today was challenging for me. The funny this is, I only had one child today! There really is a lot of truth to the notion that watching multiple children can often be much easier than watching only one ...
Ginevra, purple nose and all, had her first "day" (it's really only a couple hours in the morning) of school today, so Patrizio took the two of them to school and I took Veronica out the door at the same time. Our hope was that she would mind being left behind less if she felt that she too was going somewhere ... no such luck. She screamed all the way down the street and then all the way down the next, alternating between family members' names and spitting at me!
I tried everything I could think of to distract her and was about to throw up my hands in typical Italian fashion and say "Boh!" (I don't know), when Veronica started screaming a new word: "toh-toh." Read: biscotto (cookie). Ah-ha! There was my saving grace! I started talking to her about cookies, and how good they were, and how we would try to find one somewhere in town during our walk. Bribery? Borderline, sure. Effective? Absolutely!
In another minute the storm had passed and she was happily engaged in regarding all the people around her. Tuesday is a market day, so we wound in and out of the crowded streets for a half-hour or so, enjoying all the pretty things from a distance. A stroller is a wonderful preventative measure for those who struggle with window shopping :) One gets so caught up in the art of not taking anybody out or running over a stranger's toes that it is impossible to even consider reaching into one's purse for money.
Anyway, after that I decided to follow through with the biscotto discussion, and concluded that it was equally important that I have some coffee. So we dropped in a little bar and I bought a caffe lungo for me and then a brioche and some water for Lolo. All began very well - she sat up in a big girl chair, nibbled on her treat, and drank her water without spilling because she let me help her. I should have known things were going too well! It's hard to believe this cute little munchkin can cause the level of ruckus she did today ...
The trouble began with the brioche. Out of habit, and in the hopes of there being less mess (which ending up not being the case at all), I tore the sweet bread in half to make it easier for her to eat. Bad idea. The screaming recommenced with greater force this time, in the middle of a very public place, and I could feel the judgmental eyes descend upon what they likely deemed a mother who was incapable of controlling her child. There were two old grandmothers sitting nearby who were particularly obvious in their disgust with the scene. I wanted to ask if their children had never cried or misbehaved, and if not, whether they would share with me their secret formula for the perfect child ................................. but I refrained.When I finally got her calmed down, there were bits of brioche everywhere, my pride was seriously marred, and cutting eyes of the nonnas as frustrating as ever. But then Veronica la Cattiva disappeared and Veronica la Bellina returned in full swing, so she started being sociable and saying "Ciao!" to everyone, including the disapproving nonnas. I expected this would help, and that in another minute they'd be commenting on how sweet and adorable she is, as is the normal response to la Bellina. Well, I was wrong.
At first, they simply ignored her, which was rude enough, but then, while Veronica is smiling and saying "ciao" like the sweet little thing she usually is, one of them looked into her little face and said, "Stai zitta!" ... which is the Italian equivalent of "shut up." I was so mad! It took a whole lot more self-control than the first time to keep myself and my knowledge of smart alec Italiano in check. I couldn't believe how rude and, really, just downright mean they were!
Lesson learned: not all Italian nonnas are kind. There are sweet ones and there are sour ones, just like green grapes.
And on that profound note, I will have to call it quits for tonight! There is more of Tuesday to be told, but it will need to wait until the next post ...
Buonanotte!
domenica 6 settembre 2009
Catching up: Thursday with the ragazzine, Friday fun, Saturday trips, and a sunny Sunday spent writing this blog!
Well, I knew the time would come where I slacked off for a couple days, but now it is officially coming to a halt! Let me run through the events that have transpired since I wrote last day by day so as not to overwhelm yours truly ...
Giovedì (Thursday)
Another morning begun with two pretty little Italian girls. It was overcast and the sky looked pretty threatened, but I declared it all bark and no bite and we played outside extra long just to spite those gloomy clouds. The girls even did their part by pulling out umbrellas to show the dark skies that we didn't care if it did rain ... with our umbrellas in tow, we were covered!
They were just precious with those things too. Ginevra started spinning around with hers and saying "Piove, piove, piove!" (It rains, it rains, it rains!), even though it wasn't raining, and so then of course Veronica, little sister that she is to a T, joins in with the chant as well!
After that game got old, we loaded Lolo into the stroller (along with no fewer than three umbrellas) and set off for our daily mid-morning walkabout. Now Ginevra does the sweetest thing when we walk: she holds onto the stroller! It is actually a very good thing that she does, for several reasons.
One, because with only me to look out for them, they can't both be in strollers ... so she has to walk. I think this is a good growing up moment for her. Secondly, the growing up part includes learning to be safe when crossing a road or walking down a street where cars can appear out of nowhere, and by learning to stay close to me, she's becoming more aware of the world around her. And finally, she is becoming very good at listening to and obeying me (most of the time!). I always like her to be on the inside (with me on the outside, closest to the cars), but that changes depending on where the best sidewalk or walkway is from street to street. So every now and then we'll change sides and I'll take her little hand and either say "A destra," or "A sinistra, cara," depending on whether I want her to move to the right or left side. She is so much more complying now than eight months back, and her vocabulary has improved to the point where I can explain things to her, such as, "I am moving you over here because there are cars on this side." She responds quite well to these, and seems to enjoy being my helper with Veronica (when little sister takes off her shoe and throws it on the road, Ginevra hops over to pick it up and then hands it to me). I'm excited to keep watching these girls grow up over the next year!
Lolo is in a copycat stage (which takes a individualistic turn every now and again), and that day in the park, she kept doing everything Gigia did! So both girls when up, then down ...
Then played with their feet ...
And then they moved on to playing with little rocks with their tiny fingers ...
... who knew a stone step could be so diverting!
After we got back things got interesting. The weather cleared completely up and it was hot and sunshiney yet again, so we put the stroller away and went inside to get some water. Well, Veronica didn't want to stay in, so she ran back outside and wanted to play out there. So Ginevra and I braved the heat for awhile longer, sitting on the steps while Lolo ran here, there, and everywhere. This included back up the stairs to the front door, where she started playing with the door. Do you see where this is going? I think to myself, "Hmmm, it would be really bad if she closed that door right now, because I don't think the keys are in the lock and if she manages to close it, we're in trouble." Now, you should know that this is no piece-of-cake kind of door - that very morning I had battled with it for over a minute trying to get the thing to close all the way! It's quirky, it's tricky, it's difficult ... I've even see Patrizio have a time closing it before. But the moment after the fearful thought of being locked out had passed through my mind, tiny little Veronica reaches up, gives a little tug, and with an innocent little click, the door closed as the sound of the lock shifting into place rung in my ears. I was dumbfounded!
Thankfully, Patrizio got back thirty minutes earlier than planned, so we were only waiting for five minutes tops. But the funny thing was, he had been out biking that morning, as in, on a mountain bike, not a skooter. So we had been using his keys ... which had his motorcycle keys on it too. So to go fetch another set of keys from Sara's parents, he had to pull out the ancient, creamy beige Vespa from the garage, AND he had to fit it through the small gate because the larger one is operated by a remote control that was also on his keychain!!! The whole situation was hilarious ... ridiculous even, like a masterful comedy of errors. Needless to say, an extra set of keys is being made with my name on them :)
Venerdì (Friday)
Another morning with the girls ... which meant another walk, another park date, and another good start to my day. It was an especially nice day in the park because I made friends with one of the nonnas there! She has a little one year old granddaughter named Georgia - who is both adorable and seems to be one of the easiest and contented little low maintenance baby! - and the three little girls played together pretty well while the two of us joint-watched them. Gigia and Lolo were pretty fascinated by the little one, and it felt so wonderful to me to be able to converse with this sweet old lady without struggling linguistically! I don't even think she realized I was American for a good little while there because when I told her she looked really surprised (which of course made my morning!). She's also one of the first older ladies that didn't correct my Italian as I talked to her - they almost all do that, presumably without even realizing it - and I think that was one of the things that made her so easy to talk with that day. I hope we'll bump into her again! It would be nice to have a park friend, both for me and for the little girls :)
Friday night I revisited a favorite place of mine - a little trattoria just off the main piazza that became a haunt of mine the first summer I was here (2007). It's a tiny place, but the food is just excellent and the people are wonderfully kind! I went with a couple of the girls and had a fabulous meal - I ordered ravioli with butter and sage, mmmmmmmmm!
One more fun fact from dinner - I think our waitress may have thought I was Italian at first after a few basic interactions, because she was talking way too fast when describing the specials of the evening to have thought I was American. When they do, they slow down considerably, and there's usually a shift in tone too, as if they are talking to a younger child. Oh, and I lied ... one more fun fact: I understood her when she talked super fast :)
After dinner we were off to our favorite gelateria - The Goblin. So delicious! I got pera (pear), melone (cantaloupe), and fragola (strawberry). With gelato in hand and smiles on our faces we made our way down Via XX Settembre, the main street of Sansepolcro, found an empty bench, and plopped down to enjoy our bowls of yummy goodness ...
Here are our happy faces post-gelato:
It was a delicious way to end a good night!
Sabato (Saturday)
First day of day trips, yeah! The whole group (meaning Dr. Webb, John Rose, le ragazze, and I) got up and at 'em and were on a bus bound for Anghiari at quarter after nine. It wasn't my first time in this pretty little hill town, but the place never ceases to bring a smile to my face - it's simple beauties and sweet, small town personality are nothing short of charming. There are gardens and flower pots at every turn, and little attentions to detail that tells you just how special a place you've wandered into that day. Case in point: three little snails crawling across the window guards ...
In addition to its lovely collection of flower pots, Anghiari has beautiful selection of views to choose from as well - it's hilltop location gives it a decided edge. And then we went and made the landscape even more stunning by adding our own beauties to the mix!
We also have the distinct pleasure of not only meeting the mayor of Anghiari, but getting to see his office (I've said it many times and I know I'll say it more: John Rose can get one in anywhere, even without previous connections). Now, seeing a mayoral office may not seem like that big of a deal, but it is when you live in these small but ancient towns like Sansepolcro and Anghiari. There is was so much history within those walls: frescoes and family crests from the Florentine families that ruled the area ... it was incredible! His furniture was probably older than our whole country, and that's a funny feeling I don't think I'll ever quite get over here.
After our tour of the mayoral office we kept walking up and down, here and there, trying to see as much of the town as we could before our bus for Arezzo arrived. We happened upon a lace weaver that Dr. Webb had talked with on a previous visit, and her work was one of the most intriguing craft processes I've ever seen!
Mary, you should get into lace making ... so you can make me pretty earrings like these (Disinterested motives on my part? Absolutely not!):
A few of us also got to visit a gorgeous view of the hills and valleys and enormous mountains beyond from a little cafe balcony. You really can't see just how incredibly far the view goes from a snapshot (my camera won't do it justice!), but you can get the idea. I don't have time or space to post all my photos here (because I took a lot!), but be sure to check out more of Anghiari on Picasa site if you get the chance ...
After Anghiari we were off to Arezzo to introduce the girls to their "gateway away"! Since Sansepolcro isn't connected to the main railway system, a bus ride to Arezzo is the pathway to other places. With a population sitting just under 100,000 (as of 2008), it's quite a jump in size and general feel from little Sansepolcro, which has about 16,000 people in and around its city walls. We don't see sights like this every day: people, people everywhere!
I can hear Amber laughing at me now ... she lives in Milan, which has a population of approximately 1.3 million :) But one gets used to, and soon enjoys the small town feel, so that even a not so very large city like Arezzo feels enormous at first!
My favorite part of our hours in Arezzo was definitely the antiques market. I walked through, around, and through it again for over an hour with a couple of the girls and picked out all sorts of mysterious, romantic, and ancient things for the Gothic castle I will never own :)
I really loved some of these plates. My heart fluttered at the sight of those pretty little white and blue/white and red/white and green imageryish ones, and for one fleeting second my whimsical side wondered if they could survive the trip home ... but then my practical side kicked in and I thought better of the idea! Would you believe me if I told you that I didn't buy a thing? You better, because it's true ... and it wasn't easy!
Then on the way back down the hill to the bus stop ... I saw this pretty Vespa and fell in love. It was the perfect color (a mix between a soft, powder blue and light aqua) and had my name written all over it!
Domenica (Sunday)
I spent most of today writing this blog, reading, and gearing up for this week, so there's niente to tell! Hopefully I won't let this many days pass again for awhile ... thank you for your patience :)
A presto!
Bekah
Giovedì (Thursday)
Another morning begun with two pretty little Italian girls. It was overcast and the sky looked pretty threatened, but I declared it all bark and no bite and we played outside extra long just to spite those gloomy clouds. The girls even did their part by pulling out umbrellas to show the dark skies that we didn't care if it did rain ... with our umbrellas in tow, we were covered!
They were just precious with those things too. Ginevra started spinning around with hers and saying "Piove, piove, piove!" (It rains, it rains, it rains!), even though it wasn't raining, and so then of course Veronica, little sister that she is to a T, joins in with the chant as well!
After that game got old, we loaded Lolo into the stroller (along with no fewer than three umbrellas) and set off for our daily mid-morning walkabout. Now Ginevra does the sweetest thing when we walk: she holds onto the stroller! It is actually a very good thing that she does, for several reasons.
One, because with only me to look out for them, they can't both be in strollers ... so she has to walk. I think this is a good growing up moment for her. Secondly, the growing up part includes learning to be safe when crossing a road or walking down a street where cars can appear out of nowhere, and by learning to stay close to me, she's becoming more aware of the world around her. And finally, she is becoming very good at listening to and obeying me (most of the time!). I always like her to be on the inside (with me on the outside, closest to the cars), but that changes depending on where the best sidewalk or walkway is from street to street. So every now and then we'll change sides and I'll take her little hand and either say "A destra," or "A sinistra, cara," depending on whether I want her to move to the right or left side. She is so much more complying now than eight months back, and her vocabulary has improved to the point where I can explain things to her, such as, "I am moving you over here because there are cars on this side." She responds quite well to these, and seems to enjoy being my helper with Veronica (when little sister takes off her shoe and throws it on the road, Ginevra hops over to pick it up and then hands it to me). I'm excited to keep watching these girls grow up over the next year!
Lolo is in a copycat stage (which takes a individualistic turn every now and again), and that day in the park, she kept doing everything Gigia did! So both girls when up, then down ...
Then played with their feet ...
And then they moved on to playing with little rocks with their tiny fingers ...
... who knew a stone step could be so diverting!
After we got back things got interesting. The weather cleared completely up and it was hot and sunshiney yet again, so we put the stroller away and went inside to get some water. Well, Veronica didn't want to stay in, so she ran back outside and wanted to play out there. So Ginevra and I braved the heat for awhile longer, sitting on the steps while Lolo ran here, there, and everywhere. This included back up the stairs to the front door, where she started playing with the door. Do you see where this is going? I think to myself, "Hmmm, it would be really bad if she closed that door right now, because I don't think the keys are in the lock and if she manages to close it, we're in trouble." Now, you should know that this is no piece-of-cake kind of door - that very morning I had battled with it for over a minute trying to get the thing to close all the way! It's quirky, it's tricky, it's difficult ... I've even see Patrizio have a time closing it before. But the moment after the fearful thought of being locked out had passed through my mind, tiny little Veronica reaches up, gives a little tug, and with an innocent little click, the door closed as the sound of the lock shifting into place rung in my ears. I was dumbfounded!
Thankfully, Patrizio got back thirty minutes earlier than planned, so we were only waiting for five minutes tops. But the funny thing was, he had been out biking that morning, as in, on a mountain bike, not a skooter. So we had been using his keys ... which had his motorcycle keys on it too. So to go fetch another set of keys from Sara's parents, he had to pull out the ancient, creamy beige Vespa from the garage, AND he had to fit it through the small gate because the larger one is operated by a remote control that was also on his keychain!!! The whole situation was hilarious ... ridiculous even, like a masterful comedy of errors. Needless to say, an extra set of keys is being made with my name on them :)
Venerdì (Friday)
Another morning with the girls ... which meant another walk, another park date, and another good start to my day. It was an especially nice day in the park because I made friends with one of the nonnas there! She has a little one year old granddaughter named Georgia - who is both adorable and seems to be one of the easiest and contented little low maintenance baby! - and the three little girls played together pretty well while the two of us joint-watched them. Gigia and Lolo were pretty fascinated by the little one, and it felt so wonderful to me to be able to converse with this sweet old lady without struggling linguistically! I don't even think she realized I was American for a good little while there because when I told her she looked really surprised (which of course made my morning!). She's also one of the first older ladies that didn't correct my Italian as I talked to her - they almost all do that, presumably without even realizing it - and I think that was one of the things that made her so easy to talk with that day. I hope we'll bump into her again! It would be nice to have a park friend, both for me and for the little girls :)
Friday night I revisited a favorite place of mine - a little trattoria just off the main piazza that became a haunt of mine the first summer I was here (2007). It's a tiny place, but the food is just excellent and the people are wonderfully kind! I went with a couple of the girls and had a fabulous meal - I ordered ravioli with butter and sage, mmmmmmmmm!
One more fun fact from dinner - I think our waitress may have thought I was Italian at first after a few basic interactions, because she was talking way too fast when describing the specials of the evening to have thought I was American. When they do, they slow down considerably, and there's usually a shift in tone too, as if they are talking to a younger child. Oh, and I lied ... one more fun fact: I understood her when she talked super fast :)
After dinner we were off to our favorite gelateria - The Goblin. So delicious! I got pera (pear), melone (cantaloupe), and fragola (strawberry). With gelato in hand and smiles on our faces we made our way down Via XX Settembre, the main street of Sansepolcro, found an empty bench, and plopped down to enjoy our bowls of yummy goodness ...
Here are our happy faces post-gelato:
It was a delicious way to end a good night!
Sabato (Saturday)
First day of day trips, yeah! The whole group (meaning Dr. Webb, John Rose, le ragazze, and I) got up and at 'em and were on a bus bound for Anghiari at quarter after nine. It wasn't my first time in this pretty little hill town, but the place never ceases to bring a smile to my face - it's simple beauties and sweet, small town personality are nothing short of charming. There are gardens and flower pots at every turn, and little attentions to detail that tells you just how special a place you've wandered into that day. Case in point: three little snails crawling across the window guards ...
In addition to its lovely collection of flower pots, Anghiari has beautiful selection of views to choose from as well - it's hilltop location gives it a decided edge. And then we went and made the landscape even more stunning by adding our own beauties to the mix!
We also have the distinct pleasure of not only meeting the mayor of Anghiari, but getting to see his office (I've said it many times and I know I'll say it more: John Rose can get one in anywhere, even without previous connections). Now, seeing a mayoral office may not seem like that big of a deal, but it is when you live in these small but ancient towns like Sansepolcro and Anghiari. There is was so much history within those walls: frescoes and family crests from the Florentine families that ruled the area ... it was incredible! His furniture was probably older than our whole country, and that's a funny feeling I don't think I'll ever quite get over here.
After our tour of the mayoral office we kept walking up and down, here and there, trying to see as much of the town as we could before our bus for Arezzo arrived. We happened upon a lace weaver that Dr. Webb had talked with on a previous visit, and her work was one of the most intriguing craft processes I've ever seen!
Mary, you should get into lace making ... so you can make me pretty earrings like these (Disinterested motives on my part? Absolutely not!):
A few of us also got to visit a gorgeous view of the hills and valleys and enormous mountains beyond from a little cafe balcony. You really can't see just how incredibly far the view goes from a snapshot (my camera won't do it justice!), but you can get the idea. I don't have time or space to post all my photos here (because I took a lot!), but be sure to check out more of Anghiari on Picasa site if you get the chance ...
After Anghiari we were off to Arezzo to introduce the girls to their "gateway away"! Since Sansepolcro isn't connected to the main railway system, a bus ride to Arezzo is the pathway to other places. With a population sitting just under 100,000 (as of 2008), it's quite a jump in size and general feel from little Sansepolcro, which has about 16,000 people in and around its city walls. We don't see sights like this every day: people, people everywhere!
I can hear Amber laughing at me now ... she lives in Milan, which has a population of approximately 1.3 million :) But one gets used to, and soon enjoys the small town feel, so that even a not so very large city like Arezzo feels enormous at first!My favorite part of our hours in Arezzo was definitely the antiques market. I walked through, around, and through it again for over an hour with a couple of the girls and picked out all sorts of mysterious, romantic, and ancient things for the Gothic castle I will never own :)
I really loved some of these plates. My heart fluttered at the sight of those pretty little white and blue/white and red/white and green imageryish ones, and for one fleeting second my whimsical side wondered if they could survive the trip home ... but then my practical side kicked in and I thought better of the idea! Would you believe me if I told you that I didn't buy a thing? You better, because it's true ... and it wasn't easy!
Then on the way back down the hill to the bus stop ... I saw this pretty Vespa and fell in love. It was the perfect color (a mix between a soft, powder blue and light aqua) and had my name written all over it!
Domenica (Sunday)
I spent most of today writing this blog, reading, and gearing up for this week, so there's niente to tell! Hopefully I won't let this many days pass again for awhile ... thank you for your patience :)
A presto!
Bekah
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