South to the Heel

May 14, 2019navabruzzo 4 Comments

I think folks here are wondering if there will ever be a spring this year. Very unusual weather has hit the country and the mountains are blanketed with new snow, and unseasonable cool temps are affecting almost everywhere. Temperatures are chilly even further south into the heel. We found this out on our recent week-long vacation to the Puglia region.

With all the renovations we’ve been working on and the never-ending spring yard work, we figured it was time for a break. We would just be tourists and head south. Romeo went to his favorite dog kennel to have his vacation and John and I board the train with hopes of a warmer destination.

As we only blocked off 5 nights for our journey, I picked two cities for a quick stop. First would be Otranto, a lovely city set on the Adriatic Sea, then we’d finish up in the city of Lecce, a bit inland. My itinerary worked well with us using the train, which we truly enjoy here in Italy. This time we boarded the train from Pescara as it was close to Romeo’s kennel. We treated ourselves to First Class seats, as they are very economical in comparison to those in the US. We had a comfortable 4 hour ride to Lecce. At the Lecce station, we needed to jump on a series of 3 regional trains to reach Otranto, our final destination. We made all our connections, even though they were very tight. We arrived at our final destination in time for check-in to our room, a lovely evening walk around the historic center and finishing out our first evening with a delicious dinner at the seafood restaurant owned by the B&B.

Our first full day in Otranto was set aside to visit the historic center. The city is well known for an event that occurred in 1480, when 813 Christians were martyred by the invading Turks. We visited the cathedral that honors these martyrs with a sobering display of their bones in a side chapel. I found the display deeply moving and a poignant tribute to those of unwavering faith. Also within this cathedral, there is the encompassing mosaic work from the 12th century, commissioned by a bishop and carried out by a monk and his crew. Just fantastic work. Make certain to head downstairs to see the ethereal crypt.

The imposing castle, with strong massive walls surrounding the historic center, was full of great exhibitions, both historical and cultural. There is an in-depth archaeological exhibit that outlines the fantastic ‘Deer Cave‘ discovery just down the coast from Otranto. The interconnecting caves, discovered in 1970 by a team of speleologists, was deemed to constitute a notable local cultural continuity of Paleolithic and Neolithic human occupation. (Wikipedia) Make sure to take your time in the castle.

This formidable castle is staunchly protected by its moat, probably the widest and deepest John and I have ever encountered in our limited travels. The towers along the wall look out over the countryside, but the best views are toward the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic and beyond. On a clear day, you can see the mountains of Albania about 35 miles away.

Our second full day was originally planned to be a short hike to Torre del Serpe, a lighthouse built by the Romans just south of town. But once we got to the tower, we realized this would be our day… here outside along the rocky seacoast. Just stunning and John was lost in his photography and I just in walking. I share some of our combined photos in the slideshow below.

We walked the walled city, visited the main historic sites, saw an awe-inspiring photo exhibition in the Aragonese castle, ate lots of great seafood, took a hike along the coastline and people watched, all packed into the 2+ days we had in Otranto. It’s a lovely spot to relax, gaze out over the sea, shop or visit rocky outcroppings and WWII entrenchments.

There are few points to take into consideration in regards to Otranto, as it is a tourist destination. Costs of lodging and food can be a bit high. Also there is an onslaught of chintzy touristy shops lining the characteristic historic streets. We tend to be a bit sheltered from these living up in the mountains of Abruzzo. 😉 But Otranto is so worth the visit. Simply gorgeous.

When it was time to move on, we boarded our bus, heading inland to Lecce. Our remaining two nights of our vacation would be spent there.

Two days certainly only scratches the surface of this amazing city. We were drawn to visit as it has been labeled as ‘The Florence of the South’. This is due to the ornate Baroque architecture that shouts at you at every turn. Big ‘Wow’ factor! The historic center is large, overflowing with ornate churches (inside and out), piazzas, restaurants and bars, museums, shops and more. We toured, ate great food and toured some more.

The ornamentation lived up to what we had read and seen online. Each church we walked past was embellished and when we ventured inside, we were never disappointed. Below is one of many side chapels in one of the churches we visited.

We visited many of the famous churches, missed some of the larger museums, but had a wonderful find. There is a small museum/archaeological exhibit, Museo Faggiano, that tickled my love for ‘the old’. Many years ago, I studied archaeology in college and then went on to work a dig in Virginia. My career took a different path, but the link is still there to the love of the past in objects created then found. Truly a fascinating place, located because the owner wanted to fix a leaky sewer pipe…What he uncovers in this small building is mind-boggling. It’s funny how the smaller exhibits can speak so loudly. (You may enjoy reading this New York Times article – ‘Centuries of Italian History Are Unearthed in Quest to Fix Toilet’

We did a lot of walking through the historic center, so having a nice place to kick back and rest our feet was important. Our lodging was a fantastic B&B right in the middle of the center, but tucked away in a quiet street. Our host made our short stay very special by bringing fresh pastries to our door each morning. The local breads are truly lovely and the sweets are filled with cream. And in the evening, when dinner was done and we were ready to quit for the day, a quiet comfortable room was all we needed. Just perfect.

Unfortunately, I had come down with a bad cold just at the onset of our vacation and I didn’t shake it off until a few days after we got home. So with only two days in Lecce and me feeling a bit under the weather, we missed a lot to be seen. This city will definitely be revisited by us in the near future.

As I finish writing, it’s still rainy and cold. I think Spring will arrive sometime next week, if the forecast is correct. I’m ready to get my bike out and also do more hiking. Normally I leave you with a landscape view, but today I have this photo John took of me on vacation. It turned out kind of artsy unintentionally. Something to do with the settings not quiet right on his camera, but I kind of like it. And before I go for today, thank you for your kind comments and support of my blog. I hope some of what I share speaks to you and maybe help you plan a trip or even a move here. Hope to see you soon.. ciao for now..

More DIY

April 7, 2019April 7, 2019navabruzzo 3 Comments

Many folks come to Italy to buy a character stone house. That house may actually be unlivable and in the need of a lot of work. A little to a lot of money is needed to complete their dream. But eventually, they have a lovely home to move into or to use for vacation.

That is the simple truth. The more complicated truth would be that their home is going to cost a lot more than they budgeted and the work will either continue for more years than they hoped, or the work stops indefinitely. I’m not trying to be negative or ugly here, but we’ve seen it sadly happen to others. So, if owning a character home is important to you, make sure you have deep pockets or you have some good DIY skills.

We came to Italy, with downsizing in mind, to purchase a house we could live in immediately… No big renovations or huge budget needed. And we got that with our home here in Roccaspinalveti. It may appear that we didn’t downsize from our home in Virginia, but we actually ended up with two separate apartments. Ok, that really isn’t good rationale. I still have to clean both floors! John and I live upstairs and the lower apartment will be for family, friends and guests. I’ll get to the ‘guest’ part in a minute.

A bit of our apartment needs some updating as it was built back in the ’70s. We’ve updated our kitchen with some new appliances, and plan to open a wall between the working and eating areas of our kitchen. We also have two small bedrooms which we’ve decided to make into one large master suite. This leaves us without space for family to visit, and that is unacceptable. 😉 But with the lower apartment, we have ready-made space for our family and friends to be comfortable and private.

Scrubbing, painting, some new furniture are all happening downstairs now. But the big renovation is the bathroom. John, being the handy man he is, is ripping, or rather, sledge- hammering the old tub out as you see below. The shower and bidet have been removed. Anything blue that isn’t tile is also being removed. Eventually there will be white fixtures, a large glass walk in shower and more tiling, mostly white.

Tub Demolition
Shower & Tub are history

Since John is the mastermind behind our renovations here, I wanted to get his take on the work here so far. And I quote John…”As I have come to Italy from the US, I bring a background in architectural design and construction. What I continue to discover, while renovating here, is that, of course, building practices in Italy differ greatly from much of those in the US. But, beyond this, consistent methods are not often to be found. So if you renovate or even attempt to restore, which are two separate approaches, be prepared for surprises.”

When we purchased our home, it came totally furnished. Some pieces we kept, and those that didn’t really work with our furniture or we didn’t need, were either sold or donated. Below are some pieces we kept that John has updated the look for the guest apartment. Told you he is handy….

Nightstand before

One of two nightstands now in guest master bedroom

Kitchen sideboard before
And after

work in progress
John created this new headboard!

And not to forget John’s outside work, here are before and after shots out front, showing the completed fencing project. I’m tasked with painting the stucco, which I hope to attack next week. We continue to plant shrubs and flowers, with some additional courtyard work scheduled.

original front — Front View At Time of Purchase

updated front — Update View – Romeo at the gate adds a nice touch;-)
The gate to the right is private entrance to guest apartment.

We truly believe that our lovely part of Abruzzo, Roccaspinalveti, is undersold and underestimated for its ‘Wow’ factor. Since we are already fixing up the guest apartment for family, why not also offer it for short holiday rental through Airbnb. I met with two local friends, that are actively promoting tourism here in Rocca and we discussed ideas to make this happen. John and I then went to our local accountant to see what we needed to do to proceed as a holiday rental. To stay in a certain tax bracket, we will be renting for less than 30 days at a time. Ideally, we are looking at week-long or weekend rentals. There aren’t, presently, many rooms available for holiday rental here in town, so we are hoping that our enthusiasm will lead others to open their homes in a similar way.

So as John works away on updating the apartment, I am contacting local artisans in the hope they will be interested in conducting tours of their establishments and also to offer workshops. Not only does this support our local businesses, but it gives our guests the opportunity to experience Abruzzo here in the Frentani Mountains of Roccaspinalveti. There will be events, tours, tastings, hands-on workshops and classes, with translators available for those not quite ready to dive into an all Italian experience. 😉 You will find this information, as I continue to work on the website for Casa Serre Holiday Rental. 😉

View Toward Town of Carunchio from Guest Master Bedroom

So with all this work, which can be really fun…but still kind of like work…. I make certain to add some time away from the house project. This past Sunday, we went on a lovely 8.5 km loop around Monte Pallano ( know for its megalithic walls) , an awe-inspiring hike for both its archaeological history and richness of its diverse flora. And the 360° view isn’t too shabby either. The launch town was Tornareccio, “Le Città del Miele” -the capital of honey in Abruzzo, only 1/2 hour drive from our home. The hike, and following tour of the award-winning honey producer Adi Apicultura, is led by our guides from ‘Itinerari d’Abruzzo Associazione’. Both our guides are experts in botany and history, thus making our hike truly a great experience. But to top it off, all the hikers in our group on Sunday were just outright fantastic people. John was relaxed and smiling…we both needed that.

It’s definitely great weather for hiking so hope to post a few more that we have the chance to do this spring. Also, we’re heading to Puglia region in a few weeks for a mini vacation. And always, I’ll continue to share all that we love and cherish here. Ciao for now…..

Just Plain Fun

March 18, 2019March 18, 2019navabruzzo Leave a comment

There is so much fun to be had here in Roccaspinalveti and I love sharing the good times with you. That doesn’t mean we haven’t had a few challenges recently, but that just life on Planet Earth. What we have found is, even when there are bumps along the way, friends, family and neighbors can all make life so worth it all and oh, so much fun!

Carnevale is an Italian word derived from the Latin carnem (meat) and levare (remove), corresponding to English “carnival”. It is a traditional Christian celebration which marks the beginning of Lent, the period of 40 days before Easter during which no meat is eaten. Wikipedia… Now lets take it one step further with Italian Wikipedia – Il carnevale è una festa che si celebra nei Paesi di tradizione cristiana e in particolare in quelli di rito cattolico; è una festa mobile. I festeggiamenti si svolgono spesso in pubbliche parate in cui dominano elementi giocosi e fantasiosi; in particolare, l’elemento distintivo e caratterizzante del carnevale è l’uso del mascheramento. (Google translate: The carnival is a feast that is celebrated in countries of Christian tradition and in particular in those of the Catholic rite ; it’s a mobile party. The celebrations often take place in public parades in which playful and imaginative elements dominate; in particular, the distinctive and characteristic element of carnival is the use of masking.

Case in point are our crazy, funny, wonderful neighbors here in our neighborhood, Serre. Each year for Carnevale, some of the fraziones of Rocca get their inhabitants together to create fun theme floats. And it’s important to remember you NEVER reveal the theme to another frazione beforehand….it absolutely stays a secret until the last minute. Saturday, March 2 was the big day here, and the theme for Serre was American Football. We were the Serre Rams and our mascot was a wolf! How funny that we, two American transplants, were here to participate on a float of an American theme in Italy! The costumes were hilarious with the men dressing as cheerleaders and the women as football players. Great artwork and construction were done by all, organized by Luce Bruno and Lucrezia Lalli, two local talented artists in our frazione.

Francesca & Lucrezia

Andrea helping?

Just before the float took to the road, everyone finished applying their ‘makeup’ and arranging their costumes. The cheerleaders got their ‘curves’, bright blue eye-shadow and pom poms. The football players got their ‘eye black’, helmets and footballs, of course. We posed for a few shots and with music blaring from our sound system, headed up to town.

The participating floats convened just on the edge of town, building the anticipation for a fun afternoon of creativity, music and just plain fun and silliness. As the floats circled the town center, people crowded the streets and sidewalks, many of them in lavish and innovative costumes. The procession would frequently stop in front of a bar along the way, so that everyone could enjoy the party. But truly our float was like a party bus, overflowing with music, food and vino.. it was a memorable day and we were so excited to be a part of it.

I hope you enjoy some of my pics and a few I borrowed from our ‘referee’ Tarquinio Bruno. The party didn’t end here for many. The bars and streets remained filled and later there was a dinner up at the gymnasium. But truth be told, John and I were exhausted and never made it to the bars or dinner. John was in bed asleep by 7 pm and I by 8…just getting a bit old I guess.

It’s funny how folks I meet in larger towns all say Rocca is small. That is certainly a relative term. I think my new hometown is big on fun and heart, as so often demonstrated by the great folks here! There’s never a dull moment, for sure, if you know where to look….

A quick note on some of the work around our house, but no pics this time around. Promise to catch you all up on what we’ve completed and working on…Fencing project around front of house is now completed and John outdone himself…We’re now deep into fixing up the apartment below for renting on Airbnb. Hope to have it ready by late June, early July, the latest. So next posting, I’ll share some of our project work . For now, as always, I like to leave you with a few gorgeous views….maybe someday you’ll come visit our wonderful part of Italy. Ciao for now..

Between the Two

February 12, 2019navabruzzo 7 Comments

There is this place between the cold and the warm, where winter appears to be on the wane and spring is teasing its way into our lives, that gives us hope. You all know that place. The optimist in me would say Spring is almost here, but I’m not holding my breath. That must be the realistic talking back at me. It’s just early February, and as I’m writing this, we had another dusting of snow last night.

January was cold and full of snow. Homes here are expensive to heat as most houses pre-date insulation. I found myself taking afternoon naps with Romeo to make the cold days go by faster, just trying to sleep them away. John seems impervious to the cold and is out in the front courtyard working on his fence project. I do get out for a few walks, as the mountains are stunning all clad in snow, but the wind usually beats me back home. John and I are seriously considering a few weeks vacation further south for January 2020. 😉

Beginning of three days of snow early January

Romeo in his element

John digging out

third day of snow

The deep snow has been long gone and buds starting to swell on plants and trees. John and I are prepping for the spring. Lots of projects to do around the house, with the big one being getting the downstairs apartment ready for holiday rental. (As that project kicks in, I’ll be certain to post renovations.) Outside, we have olive trees to prune, plants to get into the ground and John’s fencing project is almost completed. I hope to have all the ironwork on and around the house painted black as the weather warms. The boars are tearing up the ground under our trees, so fencing in the whole back property is in the near future. It will also protect Romeo from the wolf (probably more than one) that came up into our backyard a few nights ago. And not to be forgotten, February brings us two events to enjoy the local Italian food – St. Valentine’s Day and our wedding anniversary. Both events will be at Roccaspinalveti restaurants, our two favorite haunts.

As many of you know or have heard, bureaucracy and paperwork can be problematic in Italy. Just last week we hit a mind boggling snafu with some paperwork. We have a piece of land in the mountains of Virginia that is stunning. We had planned to retire there and live pretty much off the grid. But plans and dreams do change, don’t they. 🙂 Retiring to Italy became a reality and we switched gears with no regrets. The land has been for sale in a very slow market for undeveloped properties. Now that we have a buyer, we came to the realization we never gave Power Of Attorney to our attorney before moving to Italy. I won’t go into all the exasperating details, but just know that that the process, in Italy, is laborious, time consuming and frustrating. We have a wonderful notary with a great staff that are doing their best to expedite the process. We are hoping the process will be completed in the next few days and the property transaction will be completed.

Friend-time and enjoying Italy are so important no matter what the weather or bureaucratic nonsense is going on. This past Saturday, we headed out to Schiavi di Abruzzo to visit our friend, Alex. She and her husband have a sweet townhouse perched high above the surrounding mountains and countryside. The panoramas steal the words out of my brain…truly…I’m stumped to express the majesty. I felt like I was far above the world spread out in front of me.

As we approached the town of Schiavi di Abruzzo , we saw that it sits on the pinnacle of a mountain, inviting the winds and sun… Our friend Alex shared stories and pictures of their snowfall this January. It made our snow look trivial. If you’re going to stay year round in this sweet spot, you better love snow and strong winds. 😉 But I am sure it is a great escape from the summer heat and tourists…. mountain air conditioning at its finest. After a yummy lunch at Alex’s home, we headed around town with our dogs in tow. The streets can be very narrow and winding, just as you would hope for in this characteristic place. The land drops away quickly from the belvederes and the views are breathtaking.

At one end of town, is a wooded park, where we could let the dogs romp. At the entrance is a tribute to the Alpini.

The Alpini (Italian for “alpines”), are a specialised mountain warfare infantry corps of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpine Troops Headquarters.

Established in 1872, the Alpini are the oldest active mountain infantry in the world. Their original mission was to protect Italy’s northern mountain border with France and Austria-Hungary… Recruiting Italy’s mountain valleys locals and organising them into a special corps was indeed an innovative idea. They possessed superior knowledge of mountain territory and greatest adaptability to Alpine conditions.

After the end of the Cold War, the Italian Army was reorganised in the 1990s. Three out of five Alpini brigades and many support units were disbanded. Currently, the Alpini are deployed in Afghanistan. (excerpts from Wikipedia)

From town to town, we have found the Alpini to have reunions and parades celebrating their history. They are well known by their distinctive hats.

Image courtesy Stripes.com

Stone stairs lead to a knoll with access to more views around the region. We have plans to return soon to climb the nearby mountain and let the dogs truly have a good run. Alex’s husband should be back from his work in about a week and we look forward to meeting up with him as well. After thanking Alex for the lovely lunch and tour, we headed down from town for about 3 km to the Templi Italici.

In the valley 200 metres (660 ft) below the town are the ruins of two temples dating from the period of Classical Antiquity, from about 3 BC. Known as the Templi Italici, referring to the Italic people of whom the Samnites, who lived here before the Roman conquest, were a subgroup.

Museo dei Templi Italici di Schiavi D’Abruzzo:

“Guided visits to the Archaeological Museum of Schiavi D’Abruzzo, in the province of Chieti, on the occasion of the European Heritage Days. The Museum is dedicated to one of the most important and best preserved sacred areas of worship used by the Samnites Pentri: the Italic population that built the temples from the 2nd century BC. Housed in the historic center of the town, the Museum is the result of the collaboration between the Superintendent of Archaeological Heritage of Abruzzo, the Municipality of Schiavi D’Abruzzo, the Province of Chieti and the Parsifal Cooperative. The two temples that stand out in the Sacred Area are located at about 1000 meters above sea level and are of great interest for the history of Etruscan-Italic architecture, both as an articulation of the parts and for terracotta anatomical votives emerging from archaeological research.
In the Sacred Area the cult activity would seem to continue without interruption from the Hellenistic age until the 14th century, when the site was buried by a landslide. Also in the sphere of the sacred seems to be the presence, in the immediate vicinity of the Sacred Area, of a necropolis that has so far returned tombs dating from the eleventh century BC. to the IVth century AD.
The Museum enters the visitor in a ring-shaped itinerary that explores two main themes: the Sacred Area, with an analysis of the architectural solutions adopted in the two temples and the rituals connected to them; burials and funerary rites, with the rich kits of early imperial age coming from the burial and incineration tombs found in the nearby necropolis.”

The weather was warm and inviting. We enjoyed this site and could have lingered much longer, but we needed to head back home. I promise myself to do more reading on this site, as many moons ago, archaeology was my study.

If you’re heading this way into the mountains bordering Abruzzo – Molise, put this town on your list. Breathtaking, wild, just lovely….We hope to return very soon to do more in-depth exploring. Should be stunning with the greening of new spring growth..ciao for now.

This Amazing Year

December 31, 2018navabruzzo Leave a comment

It has been amazing.. this year 2018, though almost behind us as we approach the New Year. We found a true home in Roccaspinalveti.. a perfect match. Wonderful neighbors, a comfortable home, wide open vistas, a village that has pretty much everything we need, mountains all around us, sea just 40 minutes by car.. and of course, the amazing food of this region. That’s the short list. The folks here scratch their heads, always asking if we like it here in Rocca and why Rocca? If you look at our short list and you’re from Nelson County VA, you’ll see many similarities… we found our place here… it works for us..

For a good portion of the year, we rented a farmhouse between Atri and Silvi Marina in the Pescara provence. A gorgeous setting and great friendships made. Unfortunately, we knew that house hunting would most likely take us away from these friendships, but hopefully not too far. As we found our home here in Rocca, we are only a few hours away from some dear friends. House hunting went faster than we planned, with a few bumps along the way. But in the end, we are home.

We spent most of the summer moving our belongings to our new home as well as preparing area for the dogs. Our neighbors jumped in to help in many ways. We are so blessed. During the summer, my daughter, Brooke, and our son-in-law, Ryan, came to visit for about 10 days. They live in Chile and travel as much as their busy schedules allow. They have seen a fair amount of this world to date. I was thrilled to be able to show them a bit of Abruzzo, especially since it is also my daughter’s heritage. Hopefully, a return visit in 2019 can happen for them and they can truly experience Rocca and the surrounding area.

Visiting Rocca Calascio w/Brooke & Ryan

Family w/friends at local Rocca bar

Our two canines, Orso and Romeo, handled the move to their permanent home like troopers. Romeo and I had been active in the water rescue group, Sea Rescue Dog Association, out of Pescara. Unfortunately, with the move to Rocca, the longer drive became problematic and we sadly left the group in November (a visit or two will definitely happen this summer). Orso, my old retired search dog, just recently succumbed to complications with pneumonia and we are heartbroken. Dogs just do not live long enough, as most of us know. Romeo, my younger dog, is now adjusting and receiving an abundance of love, interactive playtime with me, long walks and visits to our neighbor’s dog down the road.

The house we purchased doesn’t need much work as it is well constructed and relatively new by Italian standards. (circa 1970s) John has done some internal work to warm the house up a bit, such as adding shades, insulation in colder areas of the lower apartment and cantina. But mostly, we wish to put our personal stamp on our new home. We are changing the front courtyard configuration and adding some fencing, hopefully to create some exterior space for entertaining and relaxing. I’ve added plantings of shrubs to soften walls and also to add some privacy, as we live right on a road. It’s a work in progress between John and I, and I think by next summer it will all come together and make visual sense.

Original front courtyard layout with parking area and dirt-filled soaking pool

Work in progress – parking area now will be for outdoor entertainment and relaxation

Christmas time in Rocca is centered primarily around activities at the stunning local Catholic church. The piazza in front of the church, as well as the village, is strung with Christmas decorations and the Nativity scene is set waiting the arrival of Baby Jesus. Just recently, the defunct fountain has been beautifully repaired in time for the festivities. John and I attended the late night mass on Christmas Eve with some friends, as well as a music program presented by the children’s choir. The piazza, that evening, filled with folks from the performance to enjoy the chestnuts ( traditional) roasting on an open fire.

Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and John and I are heading to Trattoria La Fonte for a long night of food and fun. We meet up with our neighbors to enjoy the delicious Abruzzese cuisine and dance a bit. And of course, we will stay long enough to meet the New Year together with our neighbors and friends…hopefully… John and I are notorious for bailing and heading home early.

Sure there have been some bumps in the road this year, but we navigated over them just fine. Then our hearts were broken by the passing of Orso, but we knew his time was drawing near as he celebrated his 13th birthday December 7. Big labs just don’t live very long. We miss him but we are so very thankful for the time given to us to have him in our lives. It’s been an amazing year and we are so very thankful for our new home here in Roccaspinalveti. We wish everyone of our readers and friends a Blessed Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. And may your New Year bring you love, joy and good health, and if you so desire, the chance to visit Italy….ciao for now..

Walk to the village

November 22, 2018November 22, 2018navabruzzo Leave a comment

….can be translated a piedi al paese. It refreshes me. It makes me smile. It calms and thrills me at the same time.

When John and I were shopping for a house, one of the major criteria it had to meet was that it would be situated so that I would be able to walk to town in a reasonable amount of time. Reasonable to me is under 45 minutes. A quiet pastoral walk would definitely be more pleasing than tons of traffic and urbanization. Our house, in one of Roccaspinalveti’s fraziones, is perfectly situated… about a 35 minute walk uphill – about 2.7 km or 1.6 miles. The uphill gives me a good workout, and after shopping, downhill is relaxing with my backpack filled with groceries.

So what pleases me when I take this walk to town? Why should it make much difference in my day or to you, my readers? It’s all about the essence of living here… the essence of Rocca; the mountains with breathtaking vistas, quirky & quaint fraziones (the neighborhoods), the animals (mostly domestic) that I come upon, gardens and fields and of course the wonderful folks. And there are all the smells that are associated with the visual; earth recently plowed, flowers still giving off their fragrances, tantalizing kitchen smells teasing me through windows, a cow barn’s manaure pungently waiting to fertilize a garden or field, and clean lung-piercing mountain air. I’m hooked and in love.

I want to share this experience with you. Below are some pics taken along the way to town. I hope you can get a sense of this lovely community and just what these walks mean to me. And I hope you can vicariously enjoy them through my postings.

Italians are gardeners, exceptionally talented gardners. I remember my dad having the most amazing rose gardens when we lived in New Jersey. We had to move around a lot for my sister’s schooling, and every new home got a luscious garden thanks to Dad. It’s funny how some things get passed on..love for the scents of flowers, turned earth, the smell of manure and of course, getting hands dirty! And I hadn’t thought back to those rose gardens of dad’s until I found myself planting roses in Virginia as well as here in Italy. The walk to and from town is full of flowers (not just roses), and even as the weather turns cold approaching winter, colors and scents abound.

Silvana’s

Silvana’s flowers

a field volunteer

Along with the lovely gardens are the freshly plowed fields. This time of year, when it’s not raining, the farmers are plowing and sowing winter grain, as well as putting in some winter crops in their vegetable gardens. The families, that heat primarily with wood, are ready for the cold weather. Apples and olives have been picked and peppers long ago dried in the hot sun. Persimmons are weighing down limbs, hopefully being harvested with surplus available for the birds and insects to enjoy.

The fraziones are filled with dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys as well as wildlife such as boar, fox, martins and the like. Normally, I only see domesticated animals on my walk to town, but there are always a few kites (birds of prey in the family Accipitridae) flying overhead, looking for their next meal. Many dogs run free, hanging out in their driveways, guarding their territory or lying in the road sleeping. A bit nerve-wracking. Most drivers are careful but every so often someone will go speeding by.

I’ve gotten to know the dogs on my walk, but I still keep my distance from many of them. There is one particular dog that ‘leads’ the way when we take our dogs for their evening passeggiata. That little guy is a real character. And of course, there is “King”, a yellow lab similar in looks to our Romeo, who gets extra love and attention from me, as he is Romeo’s playmate and buddy. Lena and her daughter, Giovanna, have embraced Romeo and they make certain the ‘boys’ get playtime together when possible. We’re looking forward to the day we fence our entire backyard. Then the dogs can truly play!

Lena and King

The breathtaking views are never taken for granted here, even with the old timers. Everyone one loves the first snows on the high mountains of the Majella or just the wide vistas to the sea. I enjoy the colors of the fields and forests backdropped by blue sky and clouds. Ever changing, always captivating.

My walk wouldn’t be complete without the interesting and lovely people along the way. They are always ready with a ‘buongiorno’ and ‘ciao’, and would I like to drop in for some coffee. My neighbors are welcoming and just outright kind and endearing. There are so many folks whose pictures I wasn’t able to take for this posting, but just know that they are part of what makes our lives here in Rocca complete.

Franco and my John

Silvana

Silvana’s mama…sweet lady with amazing flowers

Maria

Sergio

DIY Abruzzo style

October 26, 2018navabruzzo 2 Comments

My husband, John, has to be one of the most talented men I’ve known in my life. He’s not only a gifted chef, but he can fix or do anything around the house, in the yard or with our cars. Before we met, he had already built, on his own with the help of his dad and a few friends, three houses in his spare time. When we got married, we planned ‘our dream house’ on the land we owned in Nelson County, Virginia. John took on this long daunting project, with the assistance of some necessary sub-contractors. But believe me, he did the bulk of the work to the exterior and interior of our 3400 sq foot home (pictured below). Yes, he built this!

So when we moved to Italy, there were no concerns that John couldn’t accomplish house related projects. Little did we know that acquiring the right materials would be the issue. But let me say, this is just from our experience alone. Others doing DIY projects, renovations, etc., may have had or have different experiences in sourcing than we have. And it is most likely very different for those living in metropolitan areas. Since we’ve chosen to live out in the countryside, we have had to adapt. 😉

Now we are big supporters of the family owned small businesses, whether here or back in Virginia. We frequent the ones in Roccaspinalveti, where we are able to buy most of what we need for daily household use. And we don’t want this country overrun with box stores that put the smaller enterprises out of business. But from time to time, we find we do need to look elsewhere for some items.

While we were living on the farm and just renting, John had some small projects and usually the BricoCenter about 20 minutes away in Citta Sant’Angelo had what he needed. He did say that, unlike the big box-store Lowes in the US, the layout of this store, as well as others he’s been to here in Italy, were not as user-friendly. He has to really search for items that were related but not located near each other. He also used OBI and Leroy Merlin (our two favorites) about 45 minutes from the farm, for materials….. Big selection for those DIY.

So, with the move to Roccaspinalveti, came the adjustment. John is one of those guys like Tim Allen “Tool man”. In the US, he logically presented to me the need to own just about any tool there was as ‘he was building our home’. Most of those tools got sold at our big moving sale before we came to Italy. John’s favorite place to shop was Lowes. Here we are in Rocca and we have a surprisingly well equipped general/hardware store – Il Mercatino Di Battista Marcello. For me it was a surprise as it has dry goods for the kitchen and home! ….Pastas, cereals, drinks, cookies, wine, flour, sugar, detergent, paper goods, on and on. For John, he can get most things he needs for his projects, up to a point. …Nuts, bolts, varnish, saw blades, fencing, peat moss, flower pots, ……. I’ve included a few pics below to give you an idea. Great store and great people and only about 5 minute drive from our house. It has been a longstanding business in the community and we are thankful for both Marcello and Lucia.

Marcello locating what you need

Everything imaginable

Lots of goodies outside

Lucia ready to check you out

John is in the process of updating our courtyard, including some gates and fencing to allow the dogs access and give us a place to relax outdoors and barbeque. This project would also require some masonry work. Down the road about 20-30 minutes away is the next DIY business, Edilizia Del Gesso SRL. We ended up there yesterday, ordering block, cement, rebar and the such to be delivered in a few days. Family owned and run, with a smattering of English speaking thrown in to assist with the more technical stuff.

In Italy, many homes are encompassed by lovely gates and fencing, or on the farms, maybe just utilitarian fences and gates. There are many reasons it was done and continues today. Security from roaming bandits, keeping animals at bay, whether wild or containing domestic, and privacy. There are talented blacksmiths ready to craft you the most amazing gates and fences, custom-fitted to your design. But with beautiful custom ironwork come substantial costs. For our budget, we are going with factory built. We actually located our fencing online at Bricoman and they deliver. There are all kinds of ‘Brico’ stores in Italy and they are small or grand sizes. I’ve put a few logos below to some of them as well as other DIY stores mentioned earlier.

We placed two separate orders with Bricoman and all the materials are now here for John to complete his project. It may take a couple more weeks for the fencing to be scratched ‘finished’ on his list, as John is fitting in some winterizing projects. He has gotten most of the gates up, taking into account pre-existing brickwork to which he is adapting into his courtyard design. Fencing will go up last after the masonry work is completed. I promise to post pics when dogs are happily in the courtyard. 🙂 And of course, we plan to use it as well!

Fencing will reach height of gates

Gate Entrance to our lower AirBnB apartment

Fence delivery from Bricoman

Fencing next!

I have to say sourcing materials has been the most frustrating issue for John here in Italy, requiring adjustment and patience. Lowes USA set the bar high in regards to ease of purchase, cost and availability. But at the day’s end, neither of us would change how it is here. We patronize our local businesses, develop friendships and working relationships, and support the local economy. No Lowes can ever compete with that! Ever!… projects get completed, my husband smiles..we relax and enjoy life here…

I leave you with a totally unrelated picture… the beauty of the Majella, Central Apennines with an early snow…everyday there is beauty around us..when we get too caught up in projects, we take a walk, most often with the dogs. We are always ‘wowed’ by the views here. Enjoy and ciao for now..

Some Lovely Ladies

October 3, 2018navabruzzo 4 Comments

We are blessed to live in Roccaspinalveti, a town with history dating back to the 1000’s. Today traditions hold strong, especially concerning the family nucleus, but also there is room for innovation and creativity. Hopefully, as John and I get to know this town better and learn about its history and environs, we can share some of that which we have learned.

What did catch my eye recently is that many of the older women continue to dress in the traditional costumes of the area. My blog today is mostly a pictorial dedication to these ladies. I didn’t want to offend any of those pictured here, so I asked permission before snapping any pics. These ladies are from our frazione (neighborhood) or a nearby one and we see them on our ‘la passiggiata’ (evening stroll) with our dogs.

Black is dominate along with dark blues and purples. The costume can consist of a dress or skirt and blouse along with head kerchief and dark hose. Most of the ladies wanted to remove their kerchiefs upon me taking their pics, so I have some ladies with and without. I just had to post all the lovely smiles. There are numerous traditionally garbed women in Rocca, but I stuck to my neighborhood due to familiarity with these ladies. But truth be told, everyone is very welcoming in this town, so maybe I’ll get John to do a compilation on costumes. 😉

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Maria is always ready with a smile and a hello, when we walk every day. This evening she graciously offered us some of her grapes. We happily complied.

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Gina

Gina, with her husband Nino, starting their annual wine making process. I thought it interesting that the colors of both their attire were in keeping with the grape juice flowing. Truly sweet couple that live just down the road from us.

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Another gracious lady.. interesting to see ladies still working olive groves attired in skirts. Just I was taking the shot, she slipped her kerchief down on her shoulders.

This dear lady was a bit shy at first to have her picture taken, tending to hide her face. But I felt she was beautiful and told her so, and she blew me this kiss. The blessings that come our way….

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As with the other ladies, this evening one of my neighbors spoke the local dialect. It usually leaves me very confused, but I do get a few words figured out here and there. Maybe, after years of listening, I’ll truly understand. Until then, basic academic Italian for me.

There are many more lovely ladies, but with the weather turning cooler, it is more difficult to find them out and about, as when it was warmer. If I get more, I will add to this posting.

In parting, just know that John and I count our blessings everyday to be among these wonderful people. I hope I can say ‘thank you’ to these ladies by sharing their traditions here.

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A Year

September 9, 2018September 9, 2018navabruzzo 4 Comments

We’e coming up on our one year anniversary for making the move to Italy. Every day, we still live the dream and the fact we’ve been here a year still blows us away… truly.

So what have we learned? Is it what we hoped it would be? Absolutely. We came into this life-change with eyes wide open and any bumps we hit along the way haven’t thrown us. But what would we have done differently or what really bugs us? I’ll go there first and save all the good stuff for later..

First, living on a farm…. hmm…well, this particular farm, would we have changed that if we had time or could find something else…most likely. Or at least dig a bit deeper…yes an unintentional pun… to really understand the facts. We were told at the onset that the vineyard surrounding the farmhouse was organic. Well, at one time it was, but the farmer gave it up as too costly. Yes, there is a biologic vineyard down the road, but unfortunately…down the road. We endured constant chemical blasting most evenings as insecticides were sprayed in different sections around us, depending on the day of the week. Then, there were the applications of pig waste as fertilizer. You say that’s organic, and yes, but an amazing stench assaulted us through our windows at night.

The farmhouse we lived in had a barn below our living area. This is very common in rural Italy. This area had to be winterized to keep the cold air from blowing under our floor. John tacked up lots of cardboard and tarps and we knew that would help. But unfortunately, even with the radiators and fireplace going, we froze in the winter. And many folks will tell you that is how it is in Italy in the older houses, unless your sitting right in front of the fireplace. So now we understand why there are daybeds in the kitchen. That room becomes the center for living during the winter.

Then there’s the septic tank….our property manager believed that our sewage system was connected to the comune’s, similar concept of county sewer back in the States. Again, we should have dug deeper…or probably not, just asked more questions. Turns out we were on a very faulty private septic system which alerted us as the weather got warmer and we did more laundry. I won’t go into the nasty details, but just know that raw sewage was escaping out into the field behind our house.

There was the issue of the farm road. Great in dry weather.. a disaster to drive in the wet winter, mud bogging the tires down. This past May, the comune did come out (right before local elections) to work on the road. It made a huge difference, but I’m only going by summer weather. Not sure how it would fare in the wet winter.

Even though we lived on a farm, we were about 15 minutes for the beach. Beautiful, yes, but oh the traffic! Off season a bit crazy but we endured it. Summer was another story and it was just too much for us country folk. We did the bulk of our shopping there, as John had fallen in love with IPER supermarket. When the summer tourists arrived, we realized we would gladly change our shopping habits when we moved to Roccaspinalveti.

As far as paperwork and bureaucracy in Italy, we came expecting it, so it really didn’t bother us. Whenever we had an appointment, I did my research well in advanced to be prepared. Not too many bumps, but just some frustrations as they handle paperwork very differently here. And there is a lot more of it, especially in social services and government offices.

Farewell to the farm in Treciminiere

So yes, there were some issues that we dealt with but through it all, the views and our awesome neighbors (though few and far between) made it worth it for our short stay in the Atri area. Just living in Italy basically erases any annoyances we found on this farm!

We woke to amazing views of the Gran Sasso Mountains and rolling fields, vineyards & olive groves. We made great friends there, some English-speaking, some not, and we hope to continue those friendships even though we have moved a bit further south. Romeo and I joined Sea Rescue Dogs out of Pescara and we look forward to new endeavors with them this coming year. John became one of their unofficial photographers, enjoying new friendships and the beach 😉 Our neighbor, Ugo, checked in on us most days and gave freely of the bounty of his very large garden. He amazed us, at 86 years old, out working his garden as well as in the groves and vineyards. Our first year…. the list goes on..what a blessed first year.

Our move to Roccaspinalveti and to our very own home was a bit exhausting. We did many runs in our car with the small stuff over the course of a month, then the movers brought our furniture. The dogs have settled in and I’m still working out some areas to take Romeo on some long treks. (Basically, I’m scoping out where the boars are mostly during the day and to stay clear of those areas.) We have been welcomed in this lovely mountain town with open arms from our neighbors. Everyone is ready with a ‘buongiorno’ and ‘would you like to stop in for coffee’. Our neighbors directly across the street from us have been a God-sent. And John has a true buddy in his friendship with Franco. It’s wonderful to hear them both laughing and see them working together. John’s language skills are on super drive!

Moving Day – Great Guys

The boys settling in

Our house is sturdy, but needs some cosmetic updating. John and I both have projects, but take time to be more Italian. Work a bit, take a break, visit neighbors, take a nap, work a bit more, go for a walk, oh and don’t forget to enjoy some food in all of this…

We’re catching up on our sleep, as the move knocked us down a bit. As we start visiting the local hill towns as well as enjoying fun stuff around our new hometown, I promise to share what we see and certainly assault you with pics of the delicious food here. And as always, I post some pics from John..

Ciao for now

Peppers drying at a neighbor’s house

Fantastic Pizza – 5 minute walk from our house

Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo located in Piazza Roma – festivities in honor of the Holy Liberata and Filomena

Roccaspinalveti at dawn – view from our balcony

Girl Time

August 13, 2018August 13, 2018navabruzzo Leave a comment

You may have heard that some retired couples go crazy now that they are spending all their time with their partners. Certainly, we are enjoying our lives together here in this amazing land of Italy. We are best of friends and have very similar likes and dislikes. That doesn’t mean we can’t get under each others skin in a heartbeat.

A few years before John and I moved to Italy, we both semi-retired, transitioning from full time to part-time jobs. I remained active in my search and rescue group along with a 30 hours-a-week job. John went from a full time fine-dining chef to a part-time chef position at a local brewery. We stayed busy and saw each other for evening meals and weekends. A few weeks prior to our move to Italy, we resigned from our jobs and went into full retirement mode. As we were caught up in the process of moving with our dogs, the reality of retirement didn’t hit us until a month or so into our life here in Italy. We were spending a lot of time together, and we only had one car! We developed wonderful new friendships , but at the end of the day, it was the two of us..

So, after 10 months here, some serious girl-time was needed. I planned a trip to northern Italy to see my friend, Giuliana. She and I had met online…sounds dubious but not..on the site Conversation Exchange. I was looking for someone to practice my Italian and she was looking for someone to practice her English. We hit it off and became good friends. John and I visited Giuliana a few years back on one of our vacations. We not only wanted to visit her, but we wanted to see her region. We were still doing research on where we wanted to move, as well as just enjoying the diversity of Italy.

So, this time it would just be us girls. I bought my train tickets and set out for a short visit this July. Not certain about the train system in Italy, I was pleasantly surprised. For me, with a few connections to make, I fell in love with the system. Sure there were some tight connections, but I made them all. Most likely on my next train trip, I’ll make certain to plan for more connection time. The stations are well marked, and I could find all my track changes quickly. Trains were clean and quiet. Definitely will use for a trip in the fall for John and I.

Giuliana lives in Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. It consists of mountains (some Alps), plains, hills and coast of the Adriatic. It has a moderate climate in the lower altitudes, and much of the flatter land is devoted to agriculture, predominately grapes. Guiliana and her lovely daughter, Irene, live in the quaint town of San Quirino, just north of Venetian-influenced Pordenone. If you’d like to following Giuliana, as she is very involved with the local food promotion of her region, here are her Facebook page and website.

During this visit, Europe was experiencing an intense heat wave. Friuli was in the 32-35C. Luckily, most of our first full day was in the mountains of Carnia. As Giuliana’s car climbed the Passo Rest, we entered into a world of heart-stopping beauty. The road taking us up and over the pass was basically a single lane, switchback line drawn through the forest. You would hope not to meet cars in the opposite direction. Once over the top, we continued our switchbacks down to eventually cross a large flat river, popular with sports fishermen. We then passed through tunnels carved out of the mountains! Our destination was getting closer..

Passo Rest

Fiume Tagliamento

Tunnel carved through mountain

Our reward was the immense beauty of towering mountains, a crystal clear lake of Caribbean blue rimmed by vibrant green pastures. The vista opened up across the lake to Sauris, which I learned has an upper and a lower – Sauris di Sopra and Sauris di Sotto. As this part of Italy is very close to Austria, the language and architecture take on a more Germanic blend. (Quick aside – While I was on the train to Giuliana’s, there where two ladies sitting near me, speaking a mix of Italian and German. Giuliana informed me it was a specific dialect of the area.)

Upper and lower Sauris from Lake Sauris

Chapel in Sauris di Sopra

Sauris di Sotto

Creative wood stacking

Upper Sauris

We walked both upper and lower Sauris, stopped in a mouthwatering cheese shop and then lunched at a friend’s hotel – Riglarhaus. If you have had the chance to tour different areas of Italy, you have been blessed with trying the local specialties of each region. To generalize, the south of Italy is heavy on pasta while the North uses more corn – polenta. I find the portions lighter in the Friuli region, which works well for summer heat. You will not see the large plates of pasta my southern heritage craves , which I sometimes regret if I don’t push back from the table sooner than not. Our antipasti arrived with the glorious local ham – Prosciutto di Sauris . “The Prosciutto di Sauris (Sauris Ham) is renowned and appreciated on both a national and international level and it owes its uniqueness to the particular method of smoking used, that is carried out by burning beech from the local woods in the traditional fireplaces and by channelling the smoke into the rooms used for smoking.” We followed with the tipico dish, Cjalson, light and yummy.

Cjalson

And of course, through all of this, was scenery out of ones’ dreams. We then traveled back down out of the mountains to visit Venzone, a beautiful medieval walled village devastated by an earthquake in 1976. An amazing reconstruction project has restored this village to be enjoyed by inhabitants and tourists alike.

The next day, Giuliana and I took the train into the capital city of the region – Trieste, bordering on Slovenia. What strikes you immediately about Trieste is the elegant architecture, as dramatically evident in the Piazza Unità d’Italia. And as a surprise to me, it is a city famous for its cafes and coffee. With a daytime temperature rising to 36C, we sought some shade and made plans to return in the future.

Piazza Unità d’Italia

It was lunch time and Giuliana’s friend and impromptu tour guide, Mauro, led the way to a repast I wasn’t too sure about but was game to try….Sardines. We boarded a harbor taxi to take us to Muggia, a lovely Venetian-influenced village just a 20 minute refreshing boat ride from Trieste. Mauro, as an inhabitant of Trieste, was a fountain of information, both historical and current, and I enjoyed our time together. Upon disembarking, we strolled around the lovely village, working up an appetite…

It was now lunch time…. Now just the word ‘Sardines’ conjures up oily little nasty fish in a can, stinking to high heaven. Sorry, I’m just not into those things. So it was with great reservation, I allowed my lunch to be ordered for me and, it turned out, I was in fish heaven – thankfully..The fish were much larger than the canned ones and came breaded and fried as well as grilled. My favorite were the sinfully delicious deep fried.

We ended our outing back in Trieste at the Eataly. This particular Eataly was set right on the waterfront with an impressive wall of glass to a stunning view of the harbor. We ordered gelato (of course), and relaxed in the cool air. Though the weather was brutally hot outside, we ended our day with a lovely air conditioned train ride back to Giuliana’s home. Trieste deserves a much longer stay from me… next time in cooler weather. I heard the piazza is lovely at night all lit up.

The Friuli-Venezia Giulia region has a lot to offer and the few days I spent there barely scratched the surface. But truthfully, I was there for some girl time with my friend and that was the best part. Lots of talking, laughing, eating great food (Giuliana is an awesome cook) and of course the sightseeing. I’m sure I’ll be back to visit with John sometime in the near future.

Fig Crostata – handsdown the best I’ve ever had

Frico – tipico fried cheese

and of course pizza!

A quick note – John and I are in the process of packing up and moving all our belongings to our new home. We hope to be all settled within the next few weeks. We’re exhausted but very anxious to be residents of Roccaspinalveti very soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Ciao for now…

Navigating Life in Abruzzo

Not Really Expats Living the Dream

Author navabruzzo

South to the Heel

More DIY

Just Plain Fun

Between the Two

This Amazing Year

Walk to the village

DIY Abruzzo style

Some Lovely Ladies

A Year

Girl Time

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