Mi Chiamo Helene Rosalie Jordan

February 20, 2021February 20, 2021navabruzzo Leave a comment

In January 2021, the project called “Terra delle Radici‘ (the Land of Roots) was presented to the public with the aim of organizing and promoting tourism in the Alto Vastese area. I was approached by Alessio Massari (mountain guide, environmentalist and good friend) to write a testimonial telling my story of rediscovering my Italian roots, from New York to Roccaspinalveti via San Salvo. Below is that story. You can also find my story at this link in both Italian and English. I encourage you to browse the various pages of this site to better understand the objective of the project, which involves the Alto Vastese and Valle del Trigno Study Center (altovastese.it). The communities involved in this project include: Carunchio, Castelguidone, Castiglione Messer Marino, Celenza sul Trigno, Fraine, Montazzoli, Municipality of Roccaspinalveti, Schiavi Di Abruzzo, Torrebruna, as well as the Proloco San Giovanni Lipioni. The project will continue to grow and I am excited to see what it will bring to our area and also how we might all contribute.

My name is Helene Rosalie Jordan. You could not tell that I am Italian by heritage with such a name, except possibly for the “Rosalie”. I am 100% Italian, Italian/American that is, with dual citizenship with the United States and Italy. It was my pride of being an Italian and the love of Italy that spurred me on to apply for recognition as an Italian citizen by blood (Jus Sanguinis). But first let me back up a bit and give you some history of my family. My mom and dad were both born in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1900’s. My father’s family was from Naples (Giordano Americanized to Jordan) and my mother’s family was from Abruzzo. In fact, my mother’s father, Carlo De Felice, was born in San Salvo, only 40 minutes from where I live now in Italy. He emigrated from Italy in 1910 on a ship leaving the port of Naples, arriving at Ellis Island, New York. My mother always told me the story that he came over by himself at the age of 13, but I found out later that his entire immediate family came over with him when he was 17 years old. I did not pay a lot of attention to the conversations when I was young, as Grandpa would speak in dialect and Mom would answer him in the same. If either my sister or I were nearby, she would answer him in English. As children, we were not allowed to learn or speak Italian. We were Americans! I missed all the amazing stories Grandpa Carlo had to share, and now it is too late, sadly to say.

I can remember fondly all the daylong meals the entire family would have, whether in New Jersey, where I was born and raised, or in Brooklyn, NY. Family was everything and my mom had 4 siblings, although my dad was an only child. Still, we all gathered most weekends to enjoy the cooking competitions between the siblings. How I miss those times, as we all grew older, moved further apart, and our grandfathers and grandmothers passed away.

During my adult years, a desire to visit my family’s homeland grew stronger. The times I mentioned this to my mother, she would discount the notion, saying that Italy was dirty and poor, even though she had never visited it herself. I believe now that she said this as it was engrained in her to not look back at the ‘old country’ but to embrace America. But this did not dissuade me, so my husband and I made our first trip in 2011. We were determined to visit the quieter towns to truly experience ‘Italy’, and not the regular tourist stops. It all started with a trip to the medieval village of Scanno in the mountains of Abruzzo. We were enchanted. We continued our vacation to other parts of Abruzzo, Marche, and Tuscany. We added a few more visits to other regions over the past years, but we always made time to visit a small village for a few days in Abruzzo. At some point during those years, I found out that I could apply for my Italian citizenship. That got us thinking that we would like to live in Italy a few months out of the year after we retired. It was my husband, John, who came to me with the proposal that we should seriously consider moving to Italy full-time. I was extremely nervous as how could I leave our adult children and elderly mothers behind in the USA. Did I really want to leave my friends and the mountains of Virginia for a foreign country? My daughter solved the problem by saying to me ‘Mom, go live your dream”. The decision was made. After my dual citizenship was recognized, with Italian passport in hand, selling most of our belongings and loading our two huge dogs on a plane, we headed to Abruzzo to start our lives in Italy.

Receiving my Italian birth certificate in San Salvo

We first rented a farmhouse in a small town about 15 minutes from the Adriatic Sea just north of Pescara. We became accustomed to living a new life as we looked for a house to buy in Abruzzo. Finally, after a year renting, we purchased our home in Roccaspinalveti located in the Frentani Mountains of Abruzzo. It was a perfect match for us. The weather, rural setting, friendly folks, and the mountains reminded us of our home in Virginia, but of course, we were in Italy. The views are always captivating and beautiful, the food amazing, the people of the villages friendly and helpful, and every day we are so thankful to be here. We know we are truly home.

Both John and I worked in the hospitality industry when we lived in the United States. John had been a professional chef for many years, and I worked in customer service and hospitality at a whisky distillery. Since the house we purchased has two apartments, with us living upstairs, we turned the lower apartment into Casa Serre Holiday Apartment. We invite guests from all over the world to visit us to experience Roccaspinalveti and the surrounding region. This successful venture not only gives us some additional income but allows us to share the love we have for this region with others. Here there is so much beauty with the surrounding mountains and hilltop villages, local artists and artisans, welcoming citizens, and pristine beaches a short drive away. As John and I are avid trekkers and hikers, we share our excursions with others in the hope that they also will experience the amazing natural gifts of the area.

As we settled into life in Roccaspinalveti, I decided to reach out to find if I had any living relatives in Abruzzo. Since my grandfather, Carlo De Felice, had lived in San Salvo, a nearby city on the Adriatic Sea, I hoped that a few relatives remained in the area. But I would need some help to do this. There are several companies here in Italy that will help you locate your relatives. I chose ‘Touring Abruzzo’ and with the wonderful help of Luciana and Alberto, the De Felice tree was fleshed out all the way back to the early 1800s. And Alberto located a few of my cousins alive and well in San Salvo! The next step was a bit precarious and sensitive. How do I approach my living relatives in a manner that was not threatening and once I explained how I was related, would they be interested in getting to know me?

‘Touring Abruzzo’ was able to give me a contact name and number of one of my cousins (more like a fifth cousin). When I finally reached him by phone, he was very hesitant for me to meet his grandfather Michele De Felice, my third cousin who is in his late 80s. The sad outcome of the phone call was that a meeting was not immediately arranged. I did not know what to do next. Do I enlist an Italian friend to come with me to interpret or just take the chance on my own? In the meantime, I located the home where my grandfather Carlo and his brothers and sisters grew up in, located in the historic district of San Salvo. It was a very emotional day, as this helped to solidify the reality of my mother’s family here in Abruzzo.

What next ensued was serendipitous and I honestly believe I was pointed in the right direction at the right time. John and I decided to stroll past my cousin Michele’s house in the historic district of San Salvo. Being unsure of what we might accomplish, we had to try. As we sat across from Michele’s house, two ladies approached the front door and knocked. While they were standing there, I mustered up some nerve and asked them if they knew Michele. They said they did and that they were his daughters! Unbelievable! I was looking at two of my cousins. A dream realized. I believed both Angela and Paola were equally as excited. Paola located her dad, and we had a few wondrous minutes chatting away. Unfortunately, another appointment in town pulled us away, as we left with promises of being reunited soon.

While I waited to hear back from my cousins, I worked on our family tree. I wanted to bring this, along with some of my family pictures, to our next visit. I used all the information that Alberto collected along with Familysearch.org, Ancestry.co, Ancestry.it, and antenati.san.beniculturali.it for my research. As the tree grew in unbelievable proportions, I cut and taped until I had both De Felice lines spread out to show Michele. I felt I had to substantiate my claim as a De Felice. Not that they asked to see this, but I just felt it was a reassuring measure for them to see the actual family connection. You may gather that I was excited when Angela set a date for coffee at her father’s house. It was a grand gathering with six of my cousins! How amazing is that! We talked about the family, compared pictures, saw strong family resemblances between our ancestors and enjoyed coffee and sweets.

There is so much more work I want to do on my family tree, but mostly I just want to enjoy being a part of my Italian family. We are all looking forward to being together over a meal or coffee again soon, both here in Roccaspinalveti as well as in San Salvo. No, I have not forgotten my father’s side of that family. The information that I got from my father, was that they were from Naples. I have a lot of researching to do on the Giordano family and hope to start on that soon. And during this search for my family, John received his Italian citizenship by being married to me (“Jure Matrimonii“). We both have fully embraced our lives here.

I encourage anyone seeking their Italian relatives to gather all information needed and not give up. I almost backed out of trying to reach out to them. Would they genuinely want to know me, to take the time even though my understanding of the Italian language is still somewhat basic? Why would a distant cousin, such as I, be important to them? We are family… we are blood… we are Italian together. It does make a difference, so do not give up on your dream.

My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, and his wife, my grandmother Maria Laura Paciello, Brooklyn, NY
De Felice Family Business, Blacksmiths, San Salvo
Filippo De Felice, father to Michele De Felice, San Salvo
Michele De Felice & Adalgisa Maccarone on their wedding day, San Salvo
Raffaele De Felice, 1st cousin to my grandfather, Carlo, and grandfather to Michele, San Salvo
My mother, Helen Mary De Felice, Brooklyn, NY

Room To Move

November 22, 2020navabruzzo 2 Comments

We are in a lockdown now, just a softer one. Our range of movement went from the whole of Italy and beyond down to just our town. But our town, or municipality, is relatively large, with mountains, forests, rivers; lots of places to exercise, relax and not see another person. So truly our world, even right now, isn’t that small, but rather large and grand.

Movement is allowed around our municipality for necessities and health reasons, exercise being one of those reasons. Bars and restaurants are closed, only allowing takeout (or takeaway as it is called here). John continues to do the shopping in our village and I’m sticking close to home. But let me back up a bit prior to this new lockdown.

Through the months of September and October, John and I enjoyed at least one or two hikes together per week. We kept them within 1- 1/2 hr driving distance from home. After such a hot, dry summer, with treks and hikes difficult by mid-day, I’m in a hiking frenzy. I want to pack in as many experiences as possible before the ice and snow arrive later this year. So I did my research and made a list of some village to village treks as well as some mountain trails. John is a willing partner, but he takes a more relaxed view. If I had my way, we’d hike every day!

We did spend an October day hiking with the group Majexperience, as always a great time. This time we were a bit challenged as it rained all day and the trails and fields turned into a mud bath with footing a bit precarious. But it still was another amazing hike to remember. The leaves were just changing and the temperatures were cool with the rain. The forests were mystical with fog and I hoped that we would see a wolf or fox. We had a break in the weather for a little while and we’re able to eat lunch without getting soaked. Our goal was Il Laghetto di Pietra Cernaia, a small lake at the foot of a monstrous rock outcropping. The day closed with us returning through pastures in the cold rain as evening approached. Definitely a tough day, but invigorating and satisfying.

As October marched on and the numbers of positive cases escalated, we decided it was a safer bet to hike just with each other. Also, I truly hate hiking with a mask on, so hiking with only John was the answer. We found some great places to hike only 1/2 hr from the house; our favorite just outside of Castiglione Messer Marino in the area of Oasi Naturale Abetina di Selva Grande. The views are stunning, the wind turbines enormous, and a beautiful valley to complete the loop.

And just before this new lockdown came into force, I got in two separate hikes, one with girlfriends and the other with John, to Monte Pallano with its daunting Megalithic Wall and breathtaking views of the Majella. Both days had perfect weather, far-reaching views to the Majella and Adriatic, and stirring remains of civilizations and inhabitants long gone.

Now that I think about it, it was a big deal for me to hike with lady friends. I’m either alone, hiking with John, or sometimes in a larger group, most likely strangers with a guide. But hiking with Alex and Maria was a relaxing time; time for those conversations and observations that come naturally with friends. I hope for many more trails with these ladies. 🙂

So what else have we been doing besides hiking? We did have our rental apartment, Casa Serre, to take care of as we actually had guests this summer and fall. We opened the apartment, after the spring lockdown and had guests in July and August, to our surprise. We added Self Check-in as well as got onboard with Airbnb’s Enhanced Clean program. But after the month of August, when European holidays end, it got quiet for us. We did have some lovely guests from Belgium in October, just before we closed for the season. We will be ready to reopen in April, hoping that 2021 will be a safer and healthier year.

John had a few projects, one being a retaining wall between us and our neighbor’s field. The wall had been cracking substantially due to moving water. My tool man, as always, had a plan and the wall is now stable after a lot of cement work. We also decided to open a doorway between our two small bedrooms in our home, creating a suite. John will be adding French doors between the two, so if we have family or friends visiting, we have extra room for them if needed.

And Fall is of course harvest time here, whether it’s tomatoes, peppers, corn, olives, grapes…. the list is long. I love seeing all our neighbors enjoying each others company as they collectively work together. It’s been a tough time for everyone, especially when large gatherings amongst family and friends are on hold now. It will be an amazing day when we can all get back to having fun with our neighbors, friends and family!

One final hike to share with you today and I thank you for your indulgence. I am always so blown away by the land we live in. It is everchanging depending on the weather and lighting and I just cant’ get enough. This hike was just before lockdown and we were ‘legal’. We were in our municipality and felt like we were on another adventure, locating trails that all the local hunters already know about. But for us, it was a new discovery 🙂 We started (and ended) at SAN PIETRO DEGLI ALPINI A ROCCASPINALVETI, the small chiesetta (church) on the mountain. Up the mountain, along farm roads and fields below the wind towers, down to the hamlet of Olmi, through the woods to return up the mountain to the church. The hike was filled with long views, stunning fall colors, discoveries of ancient farmsteads and homes and the development of the Valle del Treste trail network. We plan to head back to this area to discover more.

As always, we wish you all good health, a time to find blessings even during these unsettling months, hope for some normality in the New Year, a visit to Abruzzo and maybe even to Roccaspinalveti in 2021. I leave you with a sweet, heart-tugging picture of Romeo, our dear boy, now 9 years old. He can no longer handle the long hikes, but we do get him out for neighborhood walks and sometimes a short one up the mountain. Here he is greeting us upon our return from one of our hikes. Until next time….

Why Wait

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020navabruzzo 3 Comments

Do you ever wish that you had tried something much earlier in life? It comes to mind more often now that we are older and we’re slower to recover from certain physical activities. But maybe this is the time of our lives when we should start. It jumbles around in my brain. The outcome was that our first cammino left me wanting more! An accomplishment and an experience to always remember, it has given me the desire to continue searching out the many paths here in Italy.

Probably the most famous cammino (the Italian spelling for ‘the way’) is The Camino de Santiago, Spain (the Way of St. James), with its many alternate routes. [The most popular route (which gets very crowded in mid-summer) is the Camino Francés which stretches 780 km (nearly 500 miles) from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port near Biarritz in France to Santiago, Spain. The Pilgrimage Routes to Santiago de Compostela] Do you know the film ‘The Way‘ (Starring: Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez)? John and I have seen it at least 10x. We became hooked on the essence of the movie as well as the concept of travelling on foot from town to town, being able to experience the beauty of the trails and roads with a final destination in mind. As the average time to complete this cammino is about 35+ days, it would mean being apart from our dear dog, Romeo, much too long a time for all of us. We decided to look closer to our area of Italy for a cammino (or partial one) that we could accomplish in about 6-8 days.

Here in Abruzzo, there are a number of cammini traversing this mountainous region, such as Cammino de i Briganti (100 km, the one we just completed), Cammino di San Tommaso (316 km) , Cammino della Pace (470 km) and others. The Cammino dei Briganti is a ring course of 7 stages or tappe that traverses the mountainous regional boundary of Abruzzo and Lazio. The Cammino di San Tommaso starts in Rome (Lazio) and ends in Ortona (Abruzzo), on the Adriatic Sea. The Cammino Della Pace starts in L’Aquila (capital of Abruzzo ) and ends on the Gargano Peninsula (the spur of the boot of Italy) of the Puglia region. Hiking any parts of these are all on my radar. Some cammini are about a spiritual trek, others historical or cultural. The one we choose this year would follow the routes that the Briganti travelled in this region.

The brigands lived on the border (Lazio and Abruzzo) to move from one side to the other depending on the threat. The brigands were not criminals, as they were more like partisans. They fought against the invasion of the Savoy, who had forced the people to join the army. They were free spirits, who did not want to submit to the new masters, and for this they had gone underground. A story also made up of kidnappings, ransoms, and lots of violence. A story from 150 years ago.

John and I agreed our first cammino would be with a guide and group. Not ever doing one on our own, we wanted to see what the planning entailed, not only for each stage, but sleeping accommodations, meals, etc. Spending 7 days with a group hiking, touring and eating together was going to be a new experience for John and I. When we take vacations, it’s normally just the two of us heading out to locations not frequently travelled by many tourists. We were going to be hiking with about 8 others. 🙂 What would the week hold for us?

There are a number of mountain guides here in Abruzzo and, after a couple of years following a few of them on Facebook, I knew that I wanted Ercole Wild (Marchionni) to be our guide. Ercole has become one of those legendary guides and you can find him at these sites: Facebook Montagne Selvagge, website Montagne Selvagge. He would be hiking his 12th Cammino dei Briganti, if I’m not mistaken. 🙂

Ercole and Appennino Slow tour group partnered for our cammino. Appennino Slow handled the booking of accommodations, luggage transport and collection of all fees. Ercole did all the day-to- day detail work as well as guide us, inform us, teach us, share his prose, plan meals… making the week an experience to remember always. You may be thinking at this point…’luggage transport’? This cammino we did not carry all our total needs, just our daily items in our backpacks. Each person was allowed one small duffle or piece of luggage that was transported to each accommodation daily. A bit of a luxury for us but certainly lightens the backpack a little. 😉 Next cammino we plan on backpacking everything we need for the entire trip.

We begin at the village of Sante Marie. Everyone has their passports to be stamped along the way.

Basically 100 km starting and ending in the village of Sante Marie.

This amazing week was chock full of wonders; breathtaking scenery, challenging trails and scenic roads, quaint villages, lovely accommodations and delicious food. The list is long. John and I hike well together; we are matched for stamina and style and we enjoy our time together on the trail or relaxing off. Ercole was inspiring and fun to get to know. He is friends with many people in this area, as he lives not very far from the route. This opened the door to meeting locals along the way that added a special flavor to the experience. I highly recommend that you hike with him someday!

And what about us hiking with a group? Truth be told, at the onset, it was a struggle for John and I. But as the week unfolded and we got to know the others a bit better, we could enjoy the diversity. John ended up being the only male hiker along with Ercole, but he dove in and had fun. Apart from us and Ercole, everyone else had met on another cammino in northern Italy a year ago. Italian was the predominate language spoken for the week, but most everyone knew a smattering of English. Each hiker had his or her individual strengths and experience, but also there were challenges we all had to meet. Whether hiking 22 km in hot humid weather, ascending or descending a trail outside one’s comfort zone, we all took pleasure from our accomplishments together.

Would I do another group cammino in the future with strangers, spending every meal and all my trail time together? In support , there was a strong sense of the daily accomplishments as a group…. To cheer one on when the going got tough ..To take the time to get to know someone and who they are off the trail. And to laugh at the end of the day over amazing food…..we all could smile at that. But on the flip side, for me as well as John, we would like to take more time in the villages that we passed through and to spend more quiet moments as we hiked. So, for us, future walks will be with each other and a few close friends.

With 2021 in our sights, I’m already researching other cammini (or partial ones) here in Abruzzo. John is just shaking his head…. he’s not ready to plan that far in advance. And how did we fare after we returned home? Believe me, the desire to do anything wasn’t very overwhelming. There weren’t aches or pains, but there was a serious lack of energy in both of us for about a week or so…. So a well deserved rest and on to other trails and projects.

Oh and let’s not forget the Briganti that ambushed us on the trail
and forced us into servitude!

The finale…. receiving our certificates of completion back at Sante Marie and a photo op with Ercole.. Just a grand week! We hope that you will also enjoy such an experience someday soon here in Abruzzo if not Italy!

Blazing Hot Summer

July 16, 2020August 20, 2020navabruzzo 4 Comments

Another hot and dry summer has overtaken us. When the heat is blasting outside, we relax in a darkened, cool house. Then the weather relents a bit and we’re out hiking or working in our yard. No masks needed on the trail or social distancing when it’s just John and I. 😉

As I mentioned last summer, most houses are not air-conditioned here. Walls are thick (stone, brick or block) and windows have shutters (rolldown or hinged). We roll down our shutters just at dawn and they stay down until the sun has progressed low in the evening sky. It’s a bit claustrophobic in such a darkened house but definitely much cooler and how we manage 90+F days. We nap, binge Netflix and Prime, look at social media and eat very lightly. There’s this scene in the movie ‘Hidalgo’ where the actor Omar Sharif, playing a Bedouin sheikh, commands his servants to lift the sides of his tent and let in the light at the end of the day. I feel like I’m in this movie every evening, when we lift the shutters. It somehow makes that daily event even more anticipated and a bit thrilling. 🙂

This year, John put in a small garden out back and it’s gone ballistic. Just a few varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and onions, but we are happily overwhelmed. I am very proud of him and love the warm tomatoes I can grab at anytime. He uses the lawnmower clippings for mulch, an organic fertilizer that we use for the olive trees, and a soaker hose when watering is absolutely necessary. The plants are now about 9 feet tall and producing all the way to the tops!

There is a memory my mother shared with me when I was old enough to understand. One day, when I was a very young toddler, she and my dad couldn’t find me. Pretty scary I am sure for them. They searched inside and outside the house. Dad had a vegetable garden out back then and there I was found with tomato smeared all over my face and body. I was a very happy baby and the love story, for tomatoes handpicked and warm, continues to this day.

Our tomatoes came in early as the garden was in a very protected and sunny location. Many of our neighbors got to enjoy our abundance until theirs where ready. Now we’re eating, eating, eating…freezing some and eating more and more…

Since lockdown, which ended on May 4th, we’ve been hiking or trekking a few times every week, temperatures permitting. It’s just not fun when it gets over 31C/ 88F, so we pick and choose our days. When we hike with a group, it is usually Majexperience. We really like their guides and tours located in the Majella National Park, with most of their hikes within 1- 1/2 hours from home. This hike below was to the summit of Monte Porrara (2137 m/7011 ft). It was an amazing hike!! It was challenging but oh so very worth it! A must when you visit the Majella mountains… medium+ level hike.

Another tour/hike with Majexperience. A recently reopened Gole di Fara San Marino with the Abbey ‘L’Abbazia Benedettina di San Martino in Valle’. Mysterious and very moving… some others have done this in the evening after sunset where lighting is provided… Just beautiful. Ours was a day hike, about 6 miles out and back. A popular area so plan your hike during the week or early in the morning if a weekend. Very family friendly!

Apart from these group hikes, John and I have been heading out to new towns in southern Abruzzo and northern Molise. Three Abruzzesse towns we trekked between recently were Casalbordino, Pollutri & Scerni (about 50 minutes from our house and a bit closer to the sea.) The architecture is lovely, with each town having a medieval historic center, and the verdant valleys boast endless vineyards and olive groves. We will definitely return to this area in cooler fall weather to better appreciate the endless beauty.

Of the three towns, I like the atmosphere of Pollutri the best. It’s relatively small with about 2200 inhabitants, narrow streets lined with historic townhouses, ancient palaces and churches, beautiful valley and mountain views, friendly people around a couple of large piazzas and some inviting restaurants we’d like to try out.

The other two towns were equally interesting with the much larger town of Casalbordino, 6000 inhabitants and Scerni, about 3600. These two towns also have great views of the Adriatic Sea and the Majella mountains. I’ll give them more of my time in the fall, as we missed some special places, such as the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli in Casalbordino and the Chiesa di San Panfilo in Scerni.

There are many more hikes and treks we have taken so far this summer, but we have an ultimate goal coming up next week… Cammino dei Briganti. We will be sure to share some experiences, most likely when we return home. I’m going to do my best to stay off social media and only use my cellphone for those unforgettable images. Sometimes I need to remember to stay in the present and enjoy the experience, without being behind my camera!

But always, I like to leave you with an image from here in Abruzzo. This one was taken about a 5 minute walk from our house here in the neighborhood Serre . Until next time…..

Back on Track

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020navabruzzo 2 Comments

Restrictions are slowly easing here in Italy. There are more smiles to be seen around town and folks are getting outdoors, finally! It doesn’t mean we can recommence hugging and kissing all our relatives and friends, but at least we can visit. A weight is lifting off our hearts and shoulders.

A few days before Phase 2 (as it’s called here..coming out of lockdown of 8 weeks), I was chomping at the bit to get hiking. That’s all I could think about! My pack was loaded, clothes and boots ready, food planned. What a mess I was. John was almost as eager, and when May 4 arrived, we headed to the top of the mountain behind Roccaspinalveti to the wind turbines. The weather was outstanding. The sky must have gotten bluer during the 8 weeks and the turbines had to be whiter. Truly!

We’ve been crazy to get outside this spring, not only because of the long lockdown, but the weather this year has been gorgeous; somewhat dry for agriculture but for hiking and trekking, just perfect. So now, each week we head out to do a circuit around a local town, using the Valle del Triste trail system. A great local organization out of Palmoli that has spent numerous hours and hard labor (of love) to put this project into motion. You can download their map that shows all the interconnecting trails. They are well-marked with wooden arrows and red & white paint. We’ve walked where ancient cultures tred and we’re awed..

The past few weeks, we’ve done circuits around the stunning town of San Buono and also the medieval town of Furci, all just about 20 minutes or so from our house. And just a couple of days ago, we hiked around Liscia. Here are a few pics from those circuits. I am in my happy place.

Being outside is something both John and I have always loved, whether together or separately. We spent many years out in the wood while we lived in the US; I with search and rescue and John as an avid hunter. Being here in the Frentani Mountains, we are mesmerized daily by the big sky…the wide open vistas. But a confession… not only do we like to get outside, but John and I are gear junkies.. My issue is collecting backpacks and John loves hiking clothes and boots. We’ve tried to tame it down a bit now that we’re retired, but with sites like TrekkInn and Decathlon (as well as a store opening up only 40 minutes from us!), we have to slap our hands a lot when we even think of adding something to the ‘cart’. But truthfully, we are also preparing for some longer hikes here in Abruzzo – this August a 7 day hike (100 km) – Il Cammino dei Briganti. We’re passing on camping out in tents and going for staying in hostels and B&Bs. This first cammino will be with a tour group (Appennino Slow) and well-known and loved mountain guide, Ercole Wild of Montagne Selvagge. Next year, our plans are for a longer cammino, 16 days 316 km , Cammino Di San Tommaso. This one we plan to do on our own and possibly lengthen the time to finish by visiting some of the towns along the way for an extra night or two. Will keep you posted on both these hikes.

My latest acquisition and my new Go To backpack. Just love this one! As I am no longer carrying all my dog’s water for search and rescue, I can go with a small pack and much lighter weight . This one is a dream on my back and shoulders and only partially filled at the moment.

And John couldn’t resist these crossover trail runners low hikers from Salomon. TrekkInn will be the demise of our bank account! LOL

Apart from getting out into the woods and mountains, we’ve been setting up our holiday rental for this season. The restrictions should lift this June 3, allowing people to visit from not only other regions of Italy, but from the rest of Europe. I unpacked all the linens, blankets and soft goods that had stayed clean and safe in plastic containers and bags over the winter, and we are open for business this June 1. As we are all trying to do the best for our guests in regards to safety and cleanliness, we have added a self check-in key lock-box, check-in instructions and disinfecting protocol. We’re resigned to the fact that this season will be quiet at best but we have big hopes for 2021. Still we’ve added some improvements both inside and out.

Also keeping me busy have been my Italian lessons. The past year or so, John and I have been enrolled in online courses ‘From Zero to Italian’ with Manu of www.italymadeeasy.com. Many folks have asked me what program I use. I’ve tried a number of online free language portals, private lessons, Italian government lessons, phone apps and I have to say, apart from living in a town where 98% of the populous speaks dialect or Italian and we get Italian ‘lessons’ on the fly, Manu’s style of teaching works for me! You can check out some of his free videos, etc. to get a feel for his teaching style. When I signed up, I decided to start back at the basic beginners and it has been invaluable to me.The courses are at ones’ own pace, which works well for me at this time of my life. And thankfully, I just passed my second course’s final exam and I’m moving up a level!

So apart from not being able to have big family and friends gathering, hugging, kissing and the such with them as well, we feel we are back on track in our lives. Following the rules means wearing a mask when in close proximity to others and distancing oneself as well. Restaurants are doing takeout and the two here in Rocca are reopening with spaced seating. But all in all we feel blessed and very thankful.

As always, I’d like to leave you with something beautiful ….. here in Roccaspinalveti. Please take good care of you and your family and we wish you all good health!

Treasures

February 25, 2020February 28, 2020navabruzzo 4 Comments

People are treasures, giving freely of their gifts, thus our lives, in turn, are enriched and blessed. I would like to highlight a few artists and artisans of Roccaspinalveti. They make a daily impact on the lives here and I hope, someday, on yours as well. There are also artists that go unsung, as their visibility is minimal and their talents are only well-known to the locals. It is my desire to incorporate them in some of my future postings.

If you know me, you know that I love to share everything that Roccaspinalveti has to offer and it is my hope and dream that you will make this wonderful place a ‘must see’ stop on your next vacation to Italy.

ZENò’R

Just a few minutes walk from our house is the print and graphic design studio ZENò’R of Luca Bruno and Lucrezia Lalli. Together they have a workshop centered around screen printing, xylography (woodcut), engraving and restorations. We met both these wonderful folks when we moved to Rocca back in August of 2018. They are extremely talented but also very down-to-earth. There are some insightful quotes from Luca below, as well as a link to their bios and information on their workshops. Contact Luca if you wish to discuss customizing instruction or wish to reserve your spot in a one or two-day workshop. Not to be missed!

Before a printer I am a graphic designer, so I always try to put my own work into what I do. The idea was born in the winter of 2014, my last period in Bologna, when I always looked for more to define in my mind the project that then came to life shortly after my graduation (March 2014) by investing gift money from my grandparents by buying a bromograph (is a device which allows printing by negative photographic contact on sensitive paper) and a few frames. My grandfather passed away from there little for which I chose to give the name “Zenò’R” to my project which is the family name of my maternal family.

We deal with dexterity in all its aspects from the artisan to the artistic one. We intend to create opportunity to practice, to deepen and to face new and traditional techniques as well as collect and exchange information so that the laboratory can become a meeting place, communication and knowledge. We intend to defend the artisan culture, because we believe it is important for us and for the future generations, being able to continue to draw on a wealth of enormous resources guarded precisely by those professions that disappear from day to day under our eyes. The goal is to respond to the increasingly widespread need to rediscover the ability to do things, directly with one’s own hands, through the knowledge of materials and techniques.
Luca Bruno

Trattoria La Fonte

Just about across the street from the studio of Luca and Lucrezia, is our wonderful local Abruzzesse restaurant, Trattoria La Fonte….just a 3 minute walk from our home! Family owned and absolutely the most delicious food at humble Abruzzo prices.

All dishes are made by hand with typical local products, including a wide assortment of pastas, sauces, meats, vegetables and of course delicious desserts. They also serve outstanding woodfired pizzas on Friday through Sunday. Here at the trattoria, you can taste and savor the typical Abruzzese dishes of the area, specifically of Rocca. And they are very willing to be creative with American dishes, such as hamburgers and main salad dishes! 😉

Rina and daughter, Angelica, along with the entire family, do the cooking and manage daily operations of the restaurant. In 1982, Rina opened Trattoria La Fonte, here in Serre, one of the lovely fraziones (neighborhoods) of Roccaspinalveti. After studying at the State Institute of Art in Vasto, Angelica joined her mother in 2006 at the trattoria. At age 40, Angelica has been working with her mother for the past 13 years. Together they manage the business, serving from a full menu as well as offering special dishes.

Along with regular service at the Trattoria, Rina and Angelica host many a party and holiday meals. Just recently, they offered cooking classes to be held at Casa Serre Holiday Apartment in Serre. You can find information on the cooking classes here. We hope you not only consider a class, but most definitely make time in your visit for a meal at Trattoria La Fonte. Always fun and delicious!

-We participated in a cooking class with the wonderful ladies from La Fonte restaurant. It was held in the sunny kitchen of Casa Serre with fantastic views of the surrounding area. We made two types of traditional pasta, two different sauces, and a delicious chocolate cake. It was great to have a hands-on experience and to learn how the dishes have been prepared for decades. It was even better to enjoy our delicious hand made food with a glass of wine! Grazie mille!
Google review

Ventricina & Dintorni

In the center of town is located the laboratory of nationally acclaimed Michele Piccirilli of Ventricina & Dintorni, a relatively new business started in 2011 by Michele. As we have enjoyed their delicious meats since we first moved here, we recently had the opportunity to visit the laboratory. Along side Michele, are his lovely wife, Stefania, and his father, Guiseppe. We had the chance to not only observe the cuts of meat being prepared, but the process of making a few different types of pork sausages; soppressata (salt & black pepper only), stagionata (added pulverized red pepper) and fegato (added orange zest and garlic). Truly fascinating and we will be enjoying some sausage this weekend. 😉

The ‘Ventricina variety del Vastese’ is a sausage typical of the area in the province of Chieti bounded by the rivers Trigno and Sinello, straddling Abruzzo and Molise. It is the salami of friendship: traditionally it is eaten in company or on important occasions. It owes its red color to the pepper powder, while name and shape derive from the use of the pig’s stomach for the bag.
The secret of success lies in passion and dynamism, but also in factors such as the great knowledge of the product, the breeding of pigs, The careful choice of raw materials, the naturalness of production processes, optimal climatic conditions, the refusal of additives and preservatives, the connection with the territory and its traditions, the mastery of technical skills and the hygienic-sanitary norms.
Michele Piccirilli

These delicacies are for sale in-shop in Roccaspinalveti,and in some gourmet shops (list on the site) and also on line from the site http://www.ventricinaedintorni.it. The company also produces splendid gift-wrapping with salami and other delicacies of the best local and regional producers. Tours and tastings are available. For details, click here and don’t miss this delicious and interesting experience.

L’Azienda Agricola ‘Lo Zafferano

Just a short way out of the center of Roccaspinalveti, in the frazione Quercialtieri, is the peaceful and productive saffron farm, L’Azienda Agricola ‘Lo Zafferano, of Antonella Fabiano & Luigi Suriano and their family. Abruzzo has been called the land of yellow gold, the precious and fragrant saffron which in addition to flavoring foods, also has significant healing properties. Here, tucked away on this lovely farm, is the chance to experience something very magical.

L’Azienda Agricola ‘Lo Zafferano’ is a small reality born in Roccaspinalveti only in 2016, even if the cultivation of the precious spice has been taking place for many years, for personal passion and for family use. At some point in our lives we decided to introduce our passion and our wonderful product to the public.
The cultivation and subsequent processing of saffron takes place exclusively by hand as required by the ancient tradition and this also explains the high cost of the product. To obtain 1 gram of saffron, it is necessary to collect about 150 flowers and then 450 pistils (in fact, each flower has only three pistils). Saffron is a wonderful spice that gives a lot of satisfaction but requires a lot of sacrifice and commitment.
Antonella Fabiano & Luigi Suriano

Tours are offered during the summer and fall harvest months. Click here for details and contact information. What an unique opportunity!

People…… good people with a vision, talent and drive to make a dream come true. We hope these few vignettes inspire you to make Roccaspinalveti your next destination. There is so much to experience here in our ‘not so quiet’ mountain town. 😉

We will catch up with you soon as we head off to Virginia to visit family and friends. It’s been way too long since we’ve seen them! Best to you all and ciao for now…

Winter Wellness

January 17, 2020navabruzzo 2 Comments

January has been a month full of medical appointments and emergencies. It’s not how I envisioned starting out the New Year. We did do a great hike right at the onset of the month, but mostly it’s been a time of necessary health maintenance. As always, what I share is just from my limited personal experiences. Though a few are routine, maybe you’ll glean some helpful information or at least have a laugh or two.

When looking for any kind of medical help, I check recommendations on Google and Facebook, as well as asking some of my local friends. This helped me locate my dentist and Romeo’s veterinarian. But when it comes to using the national healthcare, I may have a local doctor who would be assigned to me or I may be able to choose. When we lived near the much larger city of Atri, there were a half a dozen doctors, and I choose one that was still accepting new patients. Here in Roccaspinalveti, there are two doctors and I like the doctor I chose. He is a man about our age, speaks a little bit of English, has a warm and caring personality and a sense of humor. He also plays Arlo Guthrie & the Rolling Stones in his waiting room! That doesn’t mean I don’t miss my wonderful general practitioner in the US; a doctor with whom I had built a trusting professional relationship over 15 years. It’s okay, though. I am embracing life in Abruzzo and all that entails.

But returning to the present..The office here in Rocca is run like a clinic where no appointments are made. First come first served. There is no receptionist or nurse. There are morning and evening hours. The office here is modern and seems well equipped, but the waiting area is purely functional with chairs against the walls. Not intended for comfort but efficiency. Last year, when I went for my annual flu shot, I tried the morning hours. When I peeked inside the waiting room and saw about 20 people waiting, I balked. Wow, was I really up for that? No, I just didn’t have the mindset,….. yet. Luckily to date, I have not had a lot to talk to the doctor about and I did find that evening hours are thankfully less busy.

In the US, I could see a nurse at our doctor’s office and get a flu shot right then and there. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that the doctor does not stock the flu vaccine. He wrote me a prescription for the vaccine, I walked next door to the local pharmacy to buy it, headed back to the doctor with syringe in hand, waited my turn in line… again, and then received my vaccination.

An interesting note is that pharmacists wield a bit more power here than they do in the US. They can dispense many drugs, that require a prescription back in the States. I am able to buy some antibiotics and my thyroid medication, without visiting the doctor. That is a plus, definitely. On the negative side is that many OTC drugs just aren’t available here, and if they are, they are unobtainable in generic bulk and expensive.

This year, when I went for my flu shot during evening hours, I found out that the pharmacy was out of stock of the vaccine. I had to return in the morning to purchase the just-delivered vaccine and then wait with the 20 other folks during the morning hours to get my vaccination. 1 1/2 hours wait = 2 minutes for office visit. LOL ….thankfully I had an e-book with me. 😉

Next on the have-to-get-over-with list… the ‘dreaded’ dentist.

So something I’ve been putting off for way too many months is getting a replacement crown. It’s not that I haven’t found a great dentist here in Italy, because I have. He is very knowledgeable, up on the latest techniques, gentle and speaks some English. His office staff are welcoming and efficient. And prices seem very reasonable, even though dental procedures are not covered with the National Health plan. So why the hesitation to go to the dentist…. I was just plain nervous… nervous that when he tried to remove a 35 year old crown (!), another tooth would take the brunt of the work or I would need a root canal. Just silly fears…. So 10 months after he recommended that I replace the old crown, which had holes in it, I finally showed up for my appointment. I was a quivering mess, which didn’t bode well for my poor dentist. Per my request, he numbed my mouth and proceeded with care and encouragement, reminding me to breath slowly. It went exceptionally well, I calmed down and I return in a few weeks for the impression to be taken for the new crown. Whew.

A big difference I found between my dentist here in Italy and the dentists back in Virginia, is that x-rays are not taken at the office. He can do digital imaging on his computer, but he sends you to another medical center for full mouth x-rays. Luckily, I had brought a set with me from the US, which were usable. I’m sure next major appointment, I’ll need to bring in a new set.

On to our dear dog, Romeo, and the vet clinic:

Right now, we are in the middle of a mess with Romeo. We’re short on sleep, anxious and stressed. A simple surgery of removing a small mast cell tumor from the inside of his right rear leg has turned into the surgery from Hell. What happened? Very first day back from surgery, he sneaked a lick around his collar of shame and the incision opened a small bit. (Collar immediately got corrected but the damage had been done.) We took him back in the next day to see if re-suturing was necessary. It appeared to be healing but slowly. Ten days into the healing process, he turned suddenly and BAM, pop went all the sutures. It was a bit scary for me and we rushed him ( Sunday emergency) to the clinic. The surgeons applied a different technique and he is now sutured to the max. It will be a few more anxious weeks for recovery.

Dear Romeo slowly recuperating from surgery

We were very happy to have found this vet clinic, even though it is almost an hour from our house. There are a number of surgeons on staff, some speak English, all excellent doctors. They are compassionate and very reassuring, with wonderful ‘bedside’ manner with their patients and humans. Once again, most medications needed are obtained at the local pharmacy with a prescription. The larger pharmacies carry animal-specific medications, which may be expensive. In some cases, the human equivalent is available at a much lower price. Here in Roccaspinalveti, there is usually a day’s wait for some of the dog specific medications to arrive. Sometimes I can wait, other times I have to use a larger pharmacy in either Vasto or San Salvo.

I don’t want you to think that January has only been a month of tedious if not alarming appointments! Yes, it has been and will continue to be those events in life that we’d rather avoid, but we did bring in the New Year with spectacular, challenging hike. This hike was organized and guided by the experienced ‘Majexperience’. This past Fall, we also attended a fun filled day outing with this group. We like their guides and how they plan their excursions. So this time, we headed off to the mountains on New Year’s Day for a hike to a waterfall. Little did we know that the trail, which meandered through a breathtaking gorge, was packed with ice and snow; highly challenging and precarious with just hiking boots.

We completed from trailhead in upper right hand corner to point of falls bottom left. Returned in reverse.

We were a small group of 6 and one beginner hiker found it a bit more than she bargained for. The waterfall was stunning but we arrived late. Options were given; continue from the falls on to the circuit to finish out the hike or return the shorter distance from the starting point. The circuit was nixed and we returned the short route, understandably.

We enjoyed the walk along the stream, studying the various animal tracks evident in the snow. We learned how to distinguish between wolf and large dog tracks. We also saw caprioli tracks and heard them off in the distance.

In spring, we will return to do this gorgeous gorge and hike the circuit in its entirety. Location: Bocca di Valle Cascata di San Giovanni approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from our home in Roccaspinalveti.

We’re hoping Romeo is all healed up by the end of this month so that in February we can all hike together up the mountain. Until then, we are keeping him quiet as we sit by the fire. Enjoy your winter and we’ll be back soon!

John is all set by the kitchen fire….. Bailey’s in hand 😉

Among The Giants

December 6, 2019navabruzzo Leave a comment

When we moved to this area of Abruzzo, we were greatly surprised and encouraged to see so many solar fields and wind farms. The land around us opens up into wide valleys with steep ridge lines, providing many hours of sun as well as stiff winds off the Majella.

My initial belief was that this green power was coming directly into our home from the comune. I had read somewhere that a village was doing just that. What about those power-lines coming from the closest solar field just behind our house? I thought this couldn’t be more perfect. And it wasn’t just me who thought this! Other expats moving to the area also commented on the wonder of their electrical power coming directly from the solar fields and wind farms. Well, the truth is all that green power is going back into the area grid. We are getting it but just not the 100% that I had thought. Yes, I admit, I was seriously naive..or maybe just mistaken. 😉

Wind and solar parks in Italy produced 35 TWh of electricity in the first nine months of 2019, equal to 16.25% of net power production and 14.5% of total demand for the period.
smart-energy.com/renewable-energy/renewables-power-20-of-italys-power-demand-in-2019/

Below is a map of some of the solar fields (blue) and wind farms (pink) that I located within our area of Abruzzo. The red rectangle centered in the photo is the approximate location of our home. Well done, Italy!

The turbines just above Rocca Vecchia are visible from our house as they are for many homes around here. John and I have been talking about hiking this mountain top for some time now. There is an access road that runs the length of the ridge, and numerous wind turbines. We finally headed out one day in early November, hoping for gentle winds and sunny skies..

We parked up the mountain, just below the ancient village. Basically this was going to be a gravel road trek, total about 6+ miles. We would end with a short piece of trail to the castle and back to our car. As we began our hike, the road wrapped behind the mountain, facing the frazione of Acquaviva and the town of Montazzoli. The leaves were changing and the views toward Montazzoli and the Majella were vibrant and stunning. (Just note that you cannot drive behind the mountain on this road. It has washed out and is only passable on foot. )

This part of the hike is relatively flat and relaxing. We passed by a herd of free range cattle and arrived at a barn. Out back was a lone horse, napping in the sun. Numerous trails were etched into the mountainside; a reminder of those days when many herds and flocks roamed freely.

Just a short distance past the barn, we started the switchbacks up to the top. It was a comfortable climb and we were rewarded with amazing views of the towns of Castiglione Messer Marino and Schiavi di Abruzzo, close to the Molise border.

John posed under a turbine, giving a daunting perspective of the size of these giants. But truth be told, even larger ones are now taking the place of many turbines in the area. Where 10 turbines may have existed, far fewer are now needed for greater output.

We continued on the ridge road, stopping frequently for the views. This was a great day to see the distant Tremiti Islands and the Gargano Peninsula from our perch. The wind had picked up by now and threatening clouds moved in, but it never deterred us. The noise level was elevated by the turbines and it presented a slightly unnerving atmosphere. I think I was just overwhelmed by the height and power of these sentinels.

We continued our trek to the end of the gravel maintenance road to a grassy trail that led us to the ancient castle at Rocca Vecchia. Here, we took a short break to enjoy the beautiful old castle and the expansive views to Roccaspinelveti below and the Adriatic Sea on the horizen. We finished our hike heading down the trail to return to our car.

John and I encourage you to do this hike when you come to Roccaspinalveti. We stopped a number of times along the way to take pictures and completed the 6+ miles in about 3 1/2 hours. It is not a hike to do fast, but to take one’s time to enjoy the views and being among these giants.

Christmas season is just about here. I plan to post lots of pictures of the celebrations around town. But until then, wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year!

Family Found

October 13, 2019October 14, 2019navabruzzo 4 Comments

My very first posting for this blog was about Family… how they can form us, steer us, instill drives and directions. For me it was ‘For the Love of Family’, my Italian family still living in Italy. Some unseen force propelling me to locate them and meet them. And if and when I found them, would they really consider me ‘family’?

My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, came over from Abruzzi (as it was called back in the early 1900’s – now Abruzzo since Molise split off in 1963) to live in Brooklyn with his father, mother and siblings. Did Carlo have any uncles, cousins, siblings who remained in Italy and could I find their descendants, my probable cousins? His town of origin, San Salvo is in southern Abruzzo, just 40 minutes from where John and I now live. Was it our plan to have purchased our home so close to my ancestral town? No, it just happened. How crazy is that?

There are a number of companies here in Italy that will help you locate your relatives. I used Touring Abruzzo and with the wonderful help of Luciana and Alberto, the De Felice tree was fleshed out all the way back to the early 1800s. And Alberto located a few of my cousins alive and well in San Salvo! The next step was a bit precarious and sensitive. How do I approach my living relatives in a manner that isn’t threatening and once I ‘prove’ I am related, will they be as interested in getting to know me as I am wishing to know them?

Touring Abruzzo was able to give me a contact name and number. This person would be one of my cousins (more like a fifth cousin). I wouldn’t say he was particularly warm to me just showing up to meet his grandfather, my third cousin who is in his late 80s. We hemmed and hawed back and forth and a meeting died in the wind. I didn’t know what to do next. Do I enlist an Italian friend to come with me to interpret? Just bang on Michele’s door and introduce myself?

My three cousins, Michele, Paola & Angela De Felice, with Michele’s wife, Adalgisa. I was trying my best not to break out crying from happiness and relief. Cousins Found!

What ensued was serendipitous and I truly believe I was pointed in the right direction at the right time. John and I decided to stroll past my cousin’s house in the historic district of San Salvo. Not sure what we would accomplish but we had a few minutes before we needed to be at an appointment with our insurance agent. We located Michele’s apartment and just sat across the way, trying to decide our next step. Two ladies approached the front door and knocked. While they were standing there, I mustered up some nerve and asked them if they knew Michele. They were his daughters! Unbelievable! I was looking at two of my cousins. A dream realized. I believed both Angela and Paola were equally as excited. Paola located her dad and we had a few wondrous minutes chatting away. Unfortunately our appointment pulled us away, but with promises to be reunited soon.

While I waited to hear back from my cousins, I worked on our family tree. I wanted to bring that, along with some of my family pictures, to our next meeting. I used all the information that Alberto collected along with Familysearch.org, Ancestry.com (and Ancestry.it) and antenati.san.beniculturali.it for my research. As the tree grew in unbelievable proportions, I cut and taped until I had both De Felice lines spread out to show Michele. I felt I had to substantiate my claim as a De Felice. Not that they asked to see this, but I just felt it was a reassuring measure for them to see the actual family connection.

My six cousins with spouses – a great day!

You may gather that I was excited when Angela set a date for coffee at her father’s house. It was a grand gathering of SIX of my cousins! How amazing is that! We talked about the family, compared pictures, saw strong family resemblances between our ancestors and enjoyed coffee and sweets. I sit here now with emotions choking me up and a huge smile on my face. There is so much more work I want to do on my family tree, but mostly I just want to enjoy being a part of my Italian family. We are all looking forward to being together over a meal or coffee again soon, both here in Roccaspinalveti as well as in San Salvo.

My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, and grandmother , Laura

I encourage anyone seeking their Italian relatives to not give up. I almost backed out of trying to reach out to them. Would they truly want to know me, to take the time even though my understanding of the Italian language is still somewhat basic? Why would a distant cousin, such as I, be important to them? We are family… we are blood… we are Italian together. It does make a difference, so don’t give up on your dream.

No, I haven’t forgotten my father’s side of that family. The information that I got from my mother, was that they were from Naples. That will be another story to share for the future…. ciao for now..

More Fun, Less Work

September 13, 2019September 15, 2019navabruzzo 4 Comments

The apartment renovation work is behind us and the hot weather is gone. Time to do some more fun stuff. Why else move to Italy… certainly not do be consumed by projects!

So what am I cooking up for fun? The most obvious are the town festivals. Entertainment is usually free and they are more predominate in summer but are year-round. This past summer, our comune’s calendar was chock-full of music, food, historic and sports events and they continue on into the fall. The venues are usually in our town’s piazza or a street that has been closed for foot traffic only. Food vendors are prominent, and the offerings are so wonderfully delicious. In conjunction with the street food, the local ProLoco group may cook up an amazing array of the area’s typical dishes. Check out below what was cooking here in Rocca! ….. traditional lamb fest, and this tradition has been going on for 43 years here… So we check out the calendar here as well in neighboring towns to make our decisions. 😉

Each year, a day prior to the Lamb Fest, a local hiking guru offers an excursion, usually up the mountain to historic or ecological sites. This year, we were able to join this event with about 30 others. A quick breakfast of the delicious local pastry, Le Scrippelle, was offered. We headed up into the countryside to a local grotto, just underneath the wind farm and Roccavecchia. The weather was iffy, with clouds and fog and the threat of rain, but just as we began the hike, the wind pushed all that away for a glorious day. It was a diverse group of various ages. I think the most memorable part was when some of the group began singing local folk songs as we hiked along. We finished up the day with a delicious group meal and more fantastic folk music at Le Due Querce Ristorante here in Rocca .

A while back in one of my postings, I had mentioned the difficulty I was having finding a place to take Romeo for off-leash walks. In the US, if I went hiking with the dogs, the only true danger would be coming up on a mother bear and her cubs. But if you make enough noise as you move along in the woods, having a bell on your dog and backpack, you normally will not have any issues. Here in Italy, I’m not as comfortable. There is the concern of meeting a herd of wild boar, with some angry males and their maiming tusks. Just not something I’m keen on Romeo running up against. The perfect and obvious solution was to take Romeo up the mountain where we had recently hiked with the group. There I can see for miles to assess if all is safe. Romeo is recovering from a lazy year now that he is back on the trail, and we’re all getting some extra miles in and loving it.

Our friend Alex and her dog Jack joined us for a fun morning.
The castle of Roccavecchia is directly above Romeo at top.
The grotto is located in the large rock outcropping to the left.

So apart from hiking and road trekking, we love to bike. Well, not as much as in our younger years. Many moons ago, we both had road bikes. I can remember putting in some serious mileage back in college. Those days are long gone. Now, we have mountain bikes, but truth be told, we are not into biking the killer climbs at our age. So we dusted off our bikes and headed to the sea. There are some fantastic bike trails throughout Italy and the one along the Adriatic coast is called Il Corridoio Verde Adriatico. We stick with stretches that are relatively flat as we get back into shape.

Last year, when we lived near Silvi Marina, we could bike to the town of Pineto and up towards Roseto d. Abruzzi. Some stretches still go along a busy route 16, but slowly almost the entire coastline will have a beautiful dedicated bike path. Last week, our jaunt was a short one from San Salvo Marina up to Vasto Marina and back. Only about 8 miles, but we could tell that we were seriously out of shape in the comfort department! So we’ll be back each week as we enjoy this great fall weather.

Monument of the Bather, Vasto Marina

We have some more fun events planned as well as just sightseeing around the many hilltop villages. I promise to share pictures and also recap John’s application process for his Italian passport.

Normally I leave you with a few stunning panoramas, but this time, instead I’m all about food . We’ve tried a couple new places in the area but always come back to our local favorite, Trattoria La Fonte. Angelica at La Fonte has been creating some awesome salads for me and friends around are now enjoying them as well. Yes, I love to eat… being Italian… but also like to stay in shape. One new restaurant for us is close to the beach in the town of Cupello. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for following…