Return Thoughts

As I sit here this morning, wondering what to write and knowing that I have to write because it ultimately gives me such great pleasure, I sift through an assortment of recent memories and allow my thoughts to wander. I try to express my feelings about how, for three very recent weeks, I was in a different world and not one so defined due to geography. 

It's hard returning. Always has been. Especially difficult this time. It's literally as if I have been on another planet or two and have been dropped off on this one with a thud. As I emerge from my cocoon, my cozy condo, and have conversations with friends and neighbors, I answer the common query....."was it sad leaving Italy?".  My answer so far, has been "well, yes, it always is but it was nice knowing that we would be returning to friends and to familiarity". Having left at the very tip of Spring, we were literally jet-propelled into full engagement with Spring on steroids. Actually, we were met by the tip of Summer as we settled into Umbria and then, with more intensity, as we lived our Italian days in Puglia. And then, our return to our home and the advancement of Spring here, flowers and plants bursting from their former dormancy just at our doorstep. How did that happen? 

I honestly thought that the familiar would have a ring to it. But it did not. Everything, but everything, is changing, rapidly, everywhere in the world. The notion of familiarity and comfort from it, is gone, replaced by the sense of having to catch up, re-invent and reset moment by moment. Acute culture shock in one's own culture. Know what I mean? You do if you have been alive for the past almost-three years.

But, my thoughts do take me back a few weeks and the recollection of those days is still bright. I try to understand the difference. Why was every day there, in a "foreign" county, so much more "familiar" to me than here? What was the key ingredient to the sweetness and the feeling of harmony with the world? 

I think I know. The Italians have once again, as they have for centuries, moved on. They are wise, brave, and respectful of their surroundings. Every season brings a sense of order and purpose. Every day, a pattern of participation and engagement in life. Rural Italians don't have to do internet searches on what to do with what and when. They just do it. The cycles, they repeat over and over. They don't dwell on anything and they trust that if they just keep on living, all will eventually be well. Rarely does fear dominate. Joy comes easily, from the smallest of things. Nature figures prominently into their lives and they grow up understanding this. Love is big. Family is everything. 

So, for the past weeks, we zoned into a world that was free of the angst that we returned to. While the threat of testing Positive to Covid before flying back to the U.S. is huge, it only is because it is government imposed. The people have a respect for what has happened due to Covid, after all, they lost thousands of lives before we ever even donned a face mask here. But they don't let this, or any other outside factor, dominate their lives. And that, makes all the difference. 

It's sad to come to the conclusion that a war on our own soil would have made us a better country and I'm certain that the Italian lifestyle, the one of facing each day and really living it. is based upon their memory and that of their ancestors, of days when they were barely able to face five minutes once upon a time.

Farewell Party

Transition Thursday

We made the decision earlier in the week, to remain here in Martina Franca for just one more day and will make our way to the airport Hilton in Rome tomorrow instead. It's a long drive but for the most part, it will be Autostrada and we can take our time, let every would-be Mario Andretti zoom past us and we can once again, visit each and every auto stop along the way. Chocolate warning!!!!

When we asked if another night was possible at our fantastic Airbnb, our hostess Mimma told us with regret, that there was another set of guests arriving this evening and so it would not be a possibility. But.......she quickly offered, the "rumpus room" of their large and beautiful home as an alternative. She told us that this is not something that she would ordinarily do, that we are considered to be "special guests" and therefore, their home would become our home and that was all there was to it. So, we are now ensconced in the World's largest "rumpus room", complete with a kitchen and a fireplace that could house a circus-load of clowns.  We were told to take full advantage of everything, including the espresso machine and to spend as much time lounging around the property as we care to. And we are. And, it's wonderful. Ahhhhh.

Yesterday, we gave ourselves one, huge treat. Instead of driving and making ourselves pazzo, we  actually hired a car from a tour company. Extravagant as it sounds, it was worth every Euro. Our driver extraordinaire, Flavio arrived in a Mercedes minivan after he got lost (phew, we aren't the only ones) and away we went, off to Ostuni. We sat back and relaxed, not a care in the world as this highly skilled and very nice young man drove us through narrow streets and on highways, to our destination. Ostuni. The "White City". Aptly named. Every building is pure white and against a true blue sky, punctuated by absolutely perfect weather, they are breathtaking. Had we not had a driver, we would have been nervous and confused and might have missed out on the lovely opportunity. 

Flavio brought us directly to Step Two of this perfect day, our reserved appointment with one of the town's "Tuk Tuk" tour operators.  We paid our fee and waited just a few minutes for the arrival of Pietro, our own bold, skilled, fun driver.  A Tuk Tuk is a three-wheeled open topped vehicle, probably around 6 feet in length. It's steered with two handle bars, kind of like a bike. And, it's noisy. Almost like riding in a lawn mower. One that goes really fast at times. Up hills, down hills, through very, very narrow streets, around bends and.....well, basically, it's a roller coaster. Not much more. No seat belts, no helmets, just pure trust. Trust, because this guy is really good at driving this strange, tiny truck. It was thrilling, to say the least. Our tour lasted close to an hour. We laughed like children as the tiny engine chugged underneath us and we held on for dear life most of the time.  As we drove by Pietro's Nonno's house, we made a stop and got out to meet this charming man. With pride, Pietro explained that Nonno is an artist and that all of the intricately carved wooden objects in his tiny garage were done by his hands. Fatto a mano. Holy cannoli!  Never have we ever seen such an incredible display of artistry. His collection includes scaled models of famous places, not the least, the Basilica of St Peter.  Pietro, who is 31, thinks Nonno is an old man. He's probably our age!  Maybe slightly older. We amused him with our phones. Antique Iphones by his standards.  

Following our fun tour, we arrived back at our starting point and bingo....there was our new bff, Flavio!  Our minivan awaited us. And, off we went to Step Three.......a nice smooth ride this time (gazillion times faster than we would have done), along a shore route. Not just any shore. We were hugging the Adriatic Sea on a fairly windy day. White caps, two-toned water. White rocks. Who knew this much beauty even existed?  First,  a stop at the memorial to Polignaro a Mare's, ( a small, beautiful seacoast town near Bari), most famous resident's memorial. Dominco Modungo. You might recall a song called "Volare"? Well, that's what we grew up thinking its name was. It actually was Nel Blu di Pinto de Blu. There's a beautiful statue of him, arms widespread, overlooking the sea in the town's center. 

 From there, we were whisked away to pranzo (lunch) at a sophisticated seaside spot for a lunch of all things wonderful from the ocean right next door. A bottle of local Savignon Blanc and two very satisfied, happy passengers we again became. 

It's really hard to say what has been the best of our times here but when we reminisce one day in the future, surely we will have to say that yesterday, well it probably holds a record.

So, tonight, it's dinner out with the lovely family who have given us the gift of an incredible visit to Martina Franca, to the Casa tra il Trulli clan. Tomorrow, it's white knuckle morning. A trip to the local farmacia for our Covid tests, the green light for our flight home on Saturday. 

Let's hope our good fortune continues. We really miss our home and our good friends there! 

Live, From Martina Franca....It's Wednesday Morning!

Okay. Hands-down. Without a doubt. Really and truly. It just does not get any better. Punta. Basta!

That is, it can't get much better here, on Earth. I'm sure that God has reserved the Best Place on Earth award for Heaven. But, until I get there, I will take this and the past almost three weeks as an example of how very, very nice the world can be.

Up early here, just as I am at home, I can hardly resist the first passegatta of the day. Strada Chiafele is a country road, lined with ancient stone walls, just high enough to border expanses of properties that showcase the bounty of each owner and just high enough to support wild flower clumps, hedges of jasmine and wild bunches of rosemary, lavender and other earthly delights. It's quiet (as it usually is), with evidence here and there that a work day has begun. As I stroll along, I make way for small vehicles driven by people who must leave the area for their day, and tiny work trucks. Dogs bark, roosters crow, all blending into what I can safely say is a perfect morning. Fresh air. Sun. Soft breeze. Just me and my thoughts

Halfway down the road, I encountered a lovely couple who were chatting with a man in one of those little trucks. Ciao, ciao, they sent him back on his route and greeted me with huge golden smiles. "Buongiorno", my first of the day. Suddenly, my words came back to me and together, without the stress that has stopped me, I joined in a simple conversation in Italian about the beauty of Puglia and the special time of day. They knew that I was staying here with Mimma and her family and did a sign-language tribute when I told them that I was Americana. That always makes me feel extra great. My new besties. 

Yesterday. well, it's hard to describe. Mimma put us in touch with an English speaking resident last week, one who volunteers her time in her retirement from her career as a high school English teacher, as a local resource person.  We spoke with the lovely Anna and had a few questions answered and were told to call anytime we needed assistance. She also mentioned that she teaches cooking classes and would we be interested in taking one, complete with a full meal and hospitality, on Tuesday of the following week. Who could resist such an offer!!!

So, yesterday morning we set out for the country home of Anna and Paulo - which is five minutes away from their city home. Needless to say, our GPS sent us up narrow (but lovely) roads, through miles of countryside until we had to admit that we were hopelessly lost (again). We were told to just stay put, help was on the way and within minutes, Anna and her daughter, Lori, rescued us and brought us to their home which we would never, ever have found on our own. Paulo was there to greet us, warm smile, looking very much like my beloved Uncle Peter, my grandfather's elder brother. A vision from the past.

We were escorted into the home, and told that for the day, it would be "our" home, and immediately we became part of the family. Theirs is a house made up of a series of trulli, with walls several yards thick. Small rooms, arches, stone floors, authentic in every way. This part of the house dates back to Paulo's grandparents who built it. Twenty five years ago, Anna and Paula added on a "lamia" section, open and spacious, filled with love and the reminder that here, connecting nature and humanity is the most important part of life. In the U.S. this is now called "open concept" and it's a trend. Here, it's a way of living. Room for family, for cooking and for enjoying. So, together, we got right to it in the kitchen.

Anna and Paulo are people with whom we have much in common. Similar ages. Married within a year and a day of each other. They have two daughters and a son, four handsome grandsons. We bonded quickly.

Anna, is Lidia Bastianich personified. Personality and enthusiasm are what one sees at first meeting and it only grows better as we prepare our big meal. Lori becomes our sous chef and makes a batch of orecchiette pasta as we struggle through our own attempts at cavatelli and orecchiette under the tutelage of Anna and the pontification of Paulo. Watching Lori, I am reminded of a violinist, plucking strings during a symphony. This is not her first symphony! With practice, perhaps we can make some music but for now, piano, piano (slowly, slowly). 

Our menu consisted of toasted peppers, cavatelli with broccoli rape, braciole in a pomodoro ragu, topping our just-born orecchiette. We're told that part of the goodness comes from the simplicity and the use of only the most local and fresh of products. Eggs, huge and golden-yolked, make very good pasta. Herbs are from the orto just outside the door. Sage, wilted in olive oil and set aside while cooking the cavatelli, then joined with that pasta. Sage, we're told, prevents dementia. Basil, cooked, is poison. It must be green, and used last minute.

Our pastas made, sauces completed, typical Puglian cakes, one filled with a pastry cream made first thing, the other with a quince preserve that Anna made months ago and jarred, snack done, we were ready to sit down as a family to one gorgeous Puglian lunch outside the kitchen, next to the heavenly pots of flowers and herbs, adjacent to Paulo's "Pizza Hut".  Local wines, fabulous conversation, the best home-made cordials (walnut is beautiful), and what Joe describes as the best espresso he's ever had, and we were in Paradise. 

Anna and Paulo filled us in on so much of the local culture about which we had been curious. They are skilled and sainted teachers, preservationists of their heritage, authors of their own sweet lives in the land of their ancestors. 

A gorgeous, unforgettable day with memories that surely will last a lifetime and the best part.....well not the "best" maybe, but extraordinary.......we arrived back at Strada Chiafele without getting lost!

Thank you Anna, Paulo and Lori,  

Saturday, All Day

Yesterday afternoon found us in one of the prettiest places we have ever been to in this country, a small town nearby called Locorotondo.  We needed a cash machine, and easily found a convenient one. After our transaction, we spun around the periphery and found a nice parking space. We hesitated, it was getting late in the afternoon, but then, I said to Joe...."let's park, grab a Spritz, and enjoy the magnificent view of the valley because, you know what? Life is too short!"

We had just about sat down at an outdoor table with a breathtaking view when I received an email from one of our dearest friends back at home.  Beth wrote to tell us, knowing that we would want to know immediately, no matter where we were, that her husband, our dear friend of almost fifty years, Peter, had passed away only hours earlier. His health had been declining. Lung cancer and COPD won the battle after a long and valiant try at remaining alive. We were truly saddened to hear the news. I was especially sad, knowing that were I at home, I would have been in close proximity, ready to comfort and help Beth in any way possible. What an amazing wife she was. Together, with her children, she protected Peter, in his immunocompromised state,  from Covid. Because of his fragility, she went nowhere, did very little outside of their home. For two years, her daughter did all of their grocery shopping. Peter never got to enjoy life post-Pandemic and that, for a man who really did, once upon a time, enjoy the best of life, is tragic. So, rest in peace, friend. And, yes, life is too short. Indeed.

This morning started with joy.  Another beautiful day dawned and I greeted this one with an early walk through the narrow roads surrounding our lovely vacation home. Clean air, wild flowers everywhere, the sounds of nature. This is so special a place and mornings are incredibly beautiful. In the serenity, there is time for prayer and contemplation. Prayers for friends who are in need, and for their care providers. Prayers for dearly-departed and those who are left to mourn their loss.

When I arrived back at the Casa il Tra Trulli, Theresa and Pietro, the senior generation, were already hard at work. It seems that they never stop working. Their understanding of the ways in which they must cooperate with the land upon which they live, is palpable. They go about their chores in a cadence. She, to her beautiful and already bountiful garden, and he to his agricultural pursuits. We're told, by their lovely daughter, our hostess, Mimma, that Pietro grew up on this very land. His parents lived in the tiny trullo on the property, and in it they raised their children and remained until 1950. Mimma, her brother, and her children, all have lived here for their entire lives. 

Shortly after my return, as I sipped my coffee, Mimma sent me a message. Would we like to see the "baby horse" that was born last night? So, later this morning, accompanied by Mimma, we visited the equestrian family and welcomed the newest boy in town. The colt is gorgeous, already following his mother around and nursing. She looks wonderful! Imagine giving birth to a horse and going about your business hours later? Our hostess gave us a lesson in horse-husbandry, explaining that there is one father, and two mothers.  The other mother gave birth to their baby horse-daughter just over two weeks ago. So, it's one, big happy horse family back there, complete with last Spring's addition. We learned that the mothers will become pregnant again shortly and that they, after a thirteen month pregnancy, will give birth again next Spring! Fortunately, these horses are for their owner's pleasure, not to become a meal (horse meat is on the menu in many an Italian restaurant), and one day, the new baby will go on to another family.

Early afternoon found us on the road. A nice drive to Massafra, another small city, near the very active coast (lots of shipping happens from these shores to other parts of the world), and lunch at a small trattoria that was also a fish market. Sorry, Cape Cod, but your fish isn't as fresh as this fish!  Mine was a cavatelli with small chunks of swordfish and eggplant. I could tell that the fish and veg had been first sauteed in olive oil, combined with tomatoes, and then joined with tiny cavatelli pasta. Joe's was a cavatelli with shrimp. Our antipasti consisted of small portions of everything wonderful from the sea, including stuffed mussels, white anchovies, shrimp and an assortment of other lovely items that only seafood lovers as are we, could fully appreciated. The costs associated with food here have risen, just as they have at home but, this meal was slightly more than the price of a small pizza and beverages for two. Here, lunch is dinner so dinner is relatively inexpensive given the quality, size and atmosphere. 

We're back at our joy-filled casa, enjoying the shade and breeze. There hasn't been any rain for a very long time, at least not in these surrounds. The fear is that vegetation will soon die if this continues. While we're hoping that nature will accomodate the needs of those who live here, we'd just as soon have that happen after we depart. We've seen many an Italian rain storm and know that the dry ground does not do well with torrential downpours so please, sometime in the future would be just fine with us.

The day is winding down. We've learned a lot today. Mimma is a wonderful guide to the Puglian lifestyle and together, with our Google Translate apps, we shared life stories and had a few girlie laughs. She's extremely sweet as is the entire family and we have been made to feel very welcomed. She just popped around with a bouquet of lavender, fresh from her garden and some bread crumbs that I will use in prepping dinner much later. 

I may even ask her if they might consider naming the new colt Peter. Strong and determined to live.

Bella Giornata, Again...and Again

 Today is a rest day. Oh, and, it's another totally beautiful one, weather-wise. It's the kind of day that I could easily enjoy every day of the year. Domenica, our adorable hostess, tells me that we are in "Summer" now. How lucky are we? Summer without the sweat, high heat and humidity?  I will take it with a huge thank you. Joe has just entered my trullo and handed over a napkin filled with still-warm little pastries, baked by Mamma Theresa. I honestly don't know how she found the time. She's up and busy, busy from very early and never stops until evening. Her garden is enormous. Not a weed to be found. Lush and bountiful. This gal really knows how to do it. 

It's not entirely easy to garner, (remember, they don't speak English) but, we do know that Domenica, our light and lively hostess, lives here in a gy-normous and beautiful villa which her husband built entirely by himself, in 2003. This morning, she graciously took me on a tour. Her husband manufactures flooring and the area underneath the house is the place where it's all done. This is their headquarters. And, what a lovely place of business it is!  Naturally, she has very nice floors. But she also has large rooms and huge windows that all open up onto a wrap around veranda and total view of the beautiful valley. She did not deny it when I referred to her as a "Principessa", the Italian word for, you got it...."Princess". 

Yesterday, we drove to the coast, to the city of Taranto. I wouldn't doubt that half of the imports from Southern Italy pass through this port. It was an easy drive once we hit the modern roadways and, while it was totally unfamiliar to us, we enjoyed our trip and will return. We had the most delectable seafood lunch in a small trattoria, possibly the best pasta I have ever eaten in this country or any other. Home-made rigatoni, a fresh tomato sauce with the taste of the sea, and two small whole, perfectly baked, delicate fish. I'm not sure what the fish are. The waiter selected my lunch so I did not see this on the menu. Maybe the "Speciale per giorno"?  

It's back to resting. Back to realizing that we are, after all, on a vacation. We've waited a long time for these moments. I will sit back, enjoy the breeze, listen to the birds and the farm animals, visit the horse family, marvel at the beauty of the wild poppies that carpet the countryside and watch the family at work as they pass another perfectly orchestrated day in beautiful Puglia.

Little side note about the language and then I probably will leave it alone......if you are traveling, please do NOT expect everyone to speak English.  We see evidence of the toll taken by the Pandemic just  about everywhere, at home and here, and we have to realize that we have all lost two years of our lives. Pre-Pandemic, my Italian language capabilities were far greater than at present. Same problem applies here.  Without having to speak English for the past two years, they are as rusty at it.

We were all in it together and together, we're all managing to come out of it. 

Here We Are in Trulli-Land

We are surrounded, I mean totally encased in a countryside filled with trulli. Here, in the Itria Valley, these fairytale-like conical structures look like beehives from another planet altogether. They are constructed in layers upon layers of limestone and each is topped with a symbol or simply a ball, making the building look like a party hat. On many, large icons are painted onto the front exterior. We've learned that these signify some type of a Keeping-up-with-, the-Jones in the neighborhoods.  Several thousand of them dot the countryside here. It's important to remember that they aren't  some part of a Disneyland display, too good to be true. Diminutive in size, they serve as homes, farmsteads, guest houses and more. 

We're near the beautiful town of Alberobello, forty miles south of the port city, Bari, in Martina Franca. The sounds of nature and an occasional toot as a car rounds the narrow bend in the road just beyond our front door, pretty much describe the days. Nights are crystal clear and silent. When I looked out of the window last night, I felt as if I were looking at a Christmas card. Sapphire blue night sky, punctuated by tiny lights, spread apart from home to home over the spanse of acres. Early mornings, the roosters. Later morning, cows mooing in the distance. Birds chirping all day.  Doves cooing. Farm machinery. Agriculture is the heart and soul of Puglia. The sun is brilliant, the sky blue. A gentle breeze seems to never end when we sit on the upper outdoor deck.  

At the moment, the temperature inside my little personal paradise, my get-away trullo, is absolutely perfect. I feel as if I am in a spa or, at the very least, a little stone cavern, very far away from reality. I think I may have just been joined by a lizard.  I saw a tail behind a piece of furniture. Maybe a mouse? Funny how that thought does not undermine my tranquility. I doubt that anything could.

While traffic and tourism is not the same as in other regions, we still feel the need to come back "home" after venturing out and rarely do we eat anywhere but here. Yes, I cook. Yes, we shop for groceries. And, yes, the activities of daily living are still a challenge after all these years. Living in a foreign language does not come easy to me. While I have studied the language for many years, I don't use it every day and still can only speak, what I can, in the present tense as did the American soldiers here during the war, we're told. We've had too long a gap, thanks to the Pandemic, and we basically have to re-learn much of what used to come so naturally to us in earlier travels. Different from a lot of other areas, very few people here speak English. We never presume that one does. But, we manage.

Basically, can one imagine an Italian tourist on Cape Cod, asking everyone if they spoke Italian? Some rules apply no matter where we go. And, no matter where we go, there we are.