Over the past 12 ½ weeks Cortona has become my tiny world. Like a princess in a tower, I sit on this ancient hill, safe and protected, the world spread at my feet with Cortona’s army of archers ready to do battle at the first hint of danger. I have been sheltered in my hilltop bower while I grow and begin to blossom.
I will forever have special memories of Italy, especially Cortona, etched in my mind’s eye. Awaking to the enthusiastic song of a choir of birds, and the pealing of church bells calling the devout to prayer. Watching a pigeon poking the ground for tidbits or tottering along with it’s head bobbing rapidly back and forth like a child’s wind-up toy. My tongue discovering a rich and chocolaty ribbon of Nutella in my creamy gelato. Praying in a simple church of stone and in a towering cathedral of silver and gold. The gentle eyes of the Madonna in her glowing mantle of blue, and the haunted eyes of her dying son suffering for the salvation of humanity. Tears pouring down my face as I encounter the grace of La Santa. The rat-ta-tat-tat of snare drums and the heralding trumpets of the marching band practicing at 10:00 PM every Monday evening. Five craggy-faced men huddled around a stroller outside the barber shop cooing at a tiny infant with a wrinkled face. Tiny cups of very strong espresso. The hazy Tuscan light settling gently over the brilliant green countryside like a lover’s embrace. Slim pieces of salty pizza, warmed, folded lovingly, and placed in a white paper sack. Stacks of salty, crispy, garlicky porchetta mounded on a crusty roll. Watching swallows dart and swirl in joyful exhuberance over terracotta tiled rooftops like dancers in an aerial ballet. Three cheeked kisses, shoulder rubs, and warm cries of, “Buon Giorno!”. Walking in the park overlooking the valley, while a gentle sun kisses my face or a soft rain baptizes my soul. Snuggling warmly under a downy comforter while wearing knitted gloves. Red wine, delicious salty olives, and crunchy biscotti. Giggling with wonderful new friends. Generous people who have welcomed me warmly, and treated me kindly. And a curly-haired, dark-eyed man with a pointed goatee crouching to hug a small boy so tenderly.
Arrivederci….you will be missed… per sempre.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Dinner and a Gift
The skies clouded over yesterday afternoon and it looked like rain. A slightly cooler wind settled over the mountain relieving a bit of the terrible humidity and heat we’ve been suffering.
A couple of interesting things happened yesterday. First of all, I trotted up the hill to buy my very last porchetta sandwich from the handsome porchetta man, who was kind enough to introduce me to his WIFE. She was polite, though not overly friendly, and I could hear him babbling away to her about how I speak English and taught him some English words. I do believe he was defending himself although there was no reason. American woman have a reputation here of “giving it away”, although I can assure you I’ve not given a darned thing away to the porchetta man or any other.
Next I ran into one of my new friends, Perry, from England. We wandered down via Nazionale, talking, and came to a stop, still talking, in front of Bar Signorelli where I drink coffee. The man that works in the morning, Claudio, walked out of the bar and stopped in front of Perry and me and gave us a long, hard look. Then he looked at Perry and said loudly, “She’s my friend.” and extended his hand to shake mine, but not Perry’s. Being the innocent I am, I’m thinking, “Awww, how sweet.” My friend Terri, the resident expert on the Italian male, had a slightly different take on it. “Ohhhh”, she said, “He was warning Perry.” So, that brings me to the question of why. Claudio has never touched me or made such strong eye contact with me before so why now? I asked Laura and Maria what they thought as we drove out of Cortona to a restaurant on the mountain, and they both thought he was being protective. A “you can go out with her, but she’s my friend and you’d better behave yourself” sort of thing. It was actually kind of sweet that someone is concerned enough to look out for my well-being.
Dinner was heavenly! We drove to Castel Girardi, a family-run pizzeria and ristorante high upon the hill, where we had reservations to dine on the terrace. We arrived shortly after 7:30 and walked around the side of the stone building to a covered terrace overlooking the tree-covered valley. The entrance was decorated with roses in bloom and the low stone walls surrounding the terrace were decorated with bright red geraniums in terracotta planters. Tables were decorated with gold linens and lit by antique-style lanterns. I took some pictures of Laura and Maria, who were both dressed beautifully; Laura in a white halter dress and Maria in a black skirt and pretty top. I, of course, was wearing jeans since they are all I possess, and a black top.
The sunlight gently faded as we sampled an appetizer of wild boar and thinly sliced ostrich, followed by a pizza for me, rabbit with truffles for Laura, and a salad with prosciutto for Maria. The food was outstanding and Maria treated us to a bottle of a wonderful red wine, a Syrah, which I have never tried before. The table was ours for the evening so there was no hurry for us to depart and we talked, drank, and laughed until nearly 11:00. I enjoyed listening to the Italian guests at other tables, talking and laughing so comfortably with family and friends. The many children were quiet and well-behaved, and even the resident cats were polite!
After dinner we drove home slowly on the drk, narrow, twisty road and then Laura and I ran over to the gelateria and bought a container with 4 different types of gelato. My favorite gelato guy even included some biscotti (cookies) for us to nibble along with the creamy, sweet gelato. I brought out my computer and shared some of the beautiful pictures I have taken, including the ones I took at the medieval wedding which they attended with me. After hugs and thanks yous I finally headed for bed at 12:30….and didn’t sleep more than 3 hours. It’s just too hot and maybe I am a little too emotional these days to really sleep well.
This morning I went to Bar Signorelli for coffee as usual, and when I left the sweet lady squeezed my hand, gave me a double cheeked kiss, thanked me for everything, and asked when I was returning. Claudio also kissed me farewell and gifted me with a bottle of Chianti with wishes that I would think of them as I enjoyed it. You can be sure I will always treasure such kindness. Today I feel loved.
A couple of interesting things happened yesterday. First of all, I trotted up the hill to buy my very last porchetta sandwich from the handsome porchetta man, who was kind enough to introduce me to his WIFE. She was polite, though not overly friendly, and I could hear him babbling away to her about how I speak English and taught him some English words. I do believe he was defending himself although there was no reason. American woman have a reputation here of “giving it away”, although I can assure you I’ve not given a darned thing away to the porchetta man or any other.
Next I ran into one of my new friends, Perry, from England. We wandered down via Nazionale, talking, and came to a stop, still talking, in front of Bar Signorelli where I drink coffee. The man that works in the morning, Claudio, walked out of the bar and stopped in front of Perry and me and gave us a long, hard look. Then he looked at Perry and said loudly, “She’s my friend.” and extended his hand to shake mine, but not Perry’s. Being the innocent I am, I’m thinking, “Awww, how sweet.” My friend Terri, the resident expert on the Italian male, had a slightly different take on it. “Ohhhh”, she said, “He was warning Perry.” So, that brings me to the question of why. Claudio has never touched me or made such strong eye contact with me before so why now? I asked Laura and Maria what they thought as we drove out of Cortona to a restaurant on the mountain, and they both thought he was being protective. A “you can go out with her, but she’s my friend and you’d better behave yourself” sort of thing. It was actually kind of sweet that someone is concerned enough to look out for my well-being.
Dinner was heavenly! We drove to Castel Girardi, a family-run pizzeria and ristorante high upon the hill, where we had reservations to dine on the terrace. We arrived shortly after 7:30 and walked around the side of the stone building to a covered terrace overlooking the tree-covered valley. The entrance was decorated with roses in bloom and the low stone walls surrounding the terrace were decorated with bright red geraniums in terracotta planters. Tables were decorated with gold linens and lit by antique-style lanterns. I took some pictures of Laura and Maria, who were both dressed beautifully; Laura in a white halter dress and Maria in a black skirt and pretty top. I, of course, was wearing jeans since they are all I possess, and a black top.
The sunlight gently faded as we sampled an appetizer of wild boar and thinly sliced ostrich, followed by a pizza for me, rabbit with truffles for Laura, and a salad with prosciutto for Maria. The food was outstanding and Maria treated us to a bottle of a wonderful red wine, a Syrah, which I have never tried before. The table was ours for the evening so there was no hurry for us to depart and we talked, drank, and laughed until nearly 11:00. I enjoyed listening to the Italian guests at other tables, talking and laughing so comfortably with family and friends. The many children were quiet and well-behaved, and even the resident cats were polite!
After dinner we drove home slowly on the drk, narrow, twisty road and then Laura and I ran over to the gelateria and bought a container with 4 different types of gelato. My favorite gelato guy even included some biscotti (cookies) for us to nibble along with the creamy, sweet gelato. I brought out my computer and shared some of the beautiful pictures I have taken, including the ones I took at the medieval wedding which they attended with me. After hugs and thanks yous I finally headed for bed at 12:30….and didn’t sleep more than 3 hours. It’s just too hot and maybe I am a little too emotional these days to really sleep well.
This morning I went to Bar Signorelli for coffee as usual, and when I left the sweet lady squeezed my hand, gave me a double cheeked kiss, thanked me for everything, and asked when I was returning. Claudio also kissed me farewell and gifted me with a bottle of Chianti with wishes that I would think of them as I enjoyed it. You can be sure I will always treasure such kindness. Today I feel loved.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Special Day
My friend, Terri, and I went to Firenze yesterday. We walked down to Piazza Garibaldi and caught the 8:45 bus to the Camucia stazione and then the 9:31 train to Florence. From there we walked across a couple of streets and around a corner to the bus station and bought a bus ticket for the Peretola airport shuttle bus to save me the expense of taking a taxi on Tuesday. A friend of Terri’s had explained to her where the shuttle bus to the airport was located so she could show me. He was a huge help and a great source of information!
Both Terri and I had some things we wanted to shop for in Florence so we headed for the San Lorenzo market. It was fun to browse the myriad clothing, jewelry, hat, and leather vendors. It was quite hot and I couldn’t even stand to look at the leather jackets. One vendor really annoyed me by stepping out into the street, looking at me, and saying, “Hey, I got your size!” I figured his size was about a 9mm, which I’d have used to shoot him on the spot, if I’d had one. We stopped for coffee and laughed at a food stand which advertised various kinds of chocolate with “weap cream”. I am always tempted to offer my English grammar and spelling translation services to businesses in return for a discount.
Terri bought two pair of shoes and some guitar strings at a music shop and I found a couple of English paperback books by authors I’ve come to enjoy to take with me until I can locate something to read in Germany. We stopped for lunch on a side street at a trattoria called Ristorante Mamma Gina. It was close to 2:00 so only a few people were in the restaurant and we were lead to a table set with sparkling wine glasses on a soft yellow tablecloth. I asked for the restroom and the waiter asked if I wanted it with or without a “doccia”, shower. Now, rather than “doccia” I heard the word “dolce”, meaning sweet so I didn’t understand the joke. Terri understands Italian and was able to banter back and forth with the distinguished looking waiter. In fact, they had a bit of a flirtation going on. She is very good at flirting and is trying to teach me, but I’m afraid I am a poor student. We both ordered an appetizer, crostini for Terri and bruschetta, toasted bread rubbed with garlic and covered with chopped tomatoes, basil, and olive oil, for me. For my main course I had tagliatelle with bolognese sauce and Terri had an incredible-looking eggplant Parmigiano, which she said was outstanding. It was one of the best meals I have had in Italy and we enjoyed a nice conversation with lots of giggles.
Our next stop was at every glittering jewelry shop on the Ponte Vecchio, of which there are many, and several more on the street leading to the bridge. I wanted to purchase a white-gold pendant of the symbol of Firenze, the “giglio”, which is a stylized iris. I found a small one I liked and shopped for the best price at three shops before making my purchase. It’s just beautiful and is a wonderful memory of a beautiful city and a special day. I will include a picture to the right so you can see what the giglio looks like.
We stopped for gelato before catching our very crowded, and thankfully air-conditioned, train home. After a 30 minute wait in Camucia we caught the bus to Cortona. Today our train tickets and bus tickets were both checked by a conductor. Terri said that, in 7 years of living here, her bus ticket has never been inspected before. She also said she was so tired after plopping in her seat that she very nearly did not dig for, and validate, her ticket, which would have resulted in a 25 euro ($41) on the spot fine!
We were both exhausted from the heat and crowds in Florence, but stopped at the Tuscher Bar for some appetizers and wine. We had such a good conversation that it was midnight before we left!
Both Terri and I had some things we wanted to shop for in Florence so we headed for the San Lorenzo market. It was fun to browse the myriad clothing, jewelry, hat, and leather vendors. It was quite hot and I couldn’t even stand to look at the leather jackets. One vendor really annoyed me by stepping out into the street, looking at me, and saying, “Hey, I got your size!” I figured his size was about a 9mm, which I’d have used to shoot him on the spot, if I’d had one. We stopped for coffee and laughed at a food stand which advertised various kinds of chocolate with “weap cream”. I am always tempted to offer my English grammar and spelling translation services to businesses in return for a discount.
Terri bought two pair of shoes and some guitar strings at a music shop and I found a couple of English paperback books by authors I’ve come to enjoy to take with me until I can locate something to read in Germany. We stopped for lunch on a side street at a trattoria called Ristorante Mamma Gina. It was close to 2:00 so only a few people were in the restaurant and we were lead to a table set with sparkling wine glasses on a soft yellow tablecloth. I asked for the restroom and the waiter asked if I wanted it with or without a “doccia”, shower. Now, rather than “doccia” I heard the word “dolce”, meaning sweet so I didn’t understand the joke. Terri understands Italian and was able to banter back and forth with the distinguished looking waiter. In fact, they had a bit of a flirtation going on. She is very good at flirting and is trying to teach me, but I’m afraid I am a poor student. We both ordered an appetizer, crostini for Terri and bruschetta, toasted bread rubbed with garlic and covered with chopped tomatoes, basil, and olive oil, for me. For my main course I had tagliatelle with bolognese sauce and Terri had an incredible-looking eggplant Parmigiano, which she said was outstanding. It was one of the best meals I have had in Italy and we enjoyed a nice conversation with lots of giggles.
Our next stop was at every glittering jewelry shop on the Ponte Vecchio, of which there are many, and several more on the street leading to the bridge. I wanted to purchase a white-gold pendant of the symbol of Firenze, the “giglio”, which is a stylized iris. I found a small one I liked and shopped for the best price at three shops before making my purchase. It’s just beautiful and is a wonderful memory of a beautiful city and a special day. I will include a picture to the right so you can see what the giglio looks like.
We stopped for gelato before catching our very crowded, and thankfully air-conditioned, train home. After a 30 minute wait in Camucia we caught the bus to Cortona. Today our train tickets and bus tickets were both checked by a conductor. Terri said that, in 7 years of living here, her bus ticket has never been inspected before. She also said she was so tired after plopping in her seat that she very nearly did not dig for, and validate, her ticket, which would have resulted in a 25 euro ($41) on the spot fine!
We were both exhausted from the heat and crowds in Florence, but stopped at the Tuscher Bar for some appetizers and wine. We had such a good conversation that it was midnight before we left!
Kindnesses
Last night I met a friend for pizza; proscuitto and artichoke for her and my favorite crostone for me. We sat at a covered outdoor table and spent 3 ½ hours eating, drinking red wine, and talking “girl talk” finally dragging ourselves home shortly after midnight. I really like her and it’s refreshing to talk to someone who’s so interesting, open-minded, and is in a similar place in her life. She is also my age and has like spiritual beliefs which gives us a lot of common ground. I stopped by the shop where she works today and invited her to Florence with me on her day off tomorrow. I thought she might not accept as she only has one day a week off on which to do personal things, but she said she’d like to come. We’ll meet at the bus stop in the morning for the 8:45 to Camucia. I am really looking forward to tomorrow!
After my late night I was hoping to sleep peacefully, however it was hot and I had a couple glasses of red wine coursing through my veins which left me dozing fitfully until early this morning when I was awakened by a very loud male voice at 7 AM. I sleepily dragged myself to the window overlooking via Roma, quietly unlocked the window, climbed atop the twin bed situated under the window, and leaned out over the wide stone windowsill to have a look at the goings-on. A middle-aged, shirtless man with wild hair was hanging out of his second floor window across the street and to the right of me. He was yelling stridently in Italian and gesticulating wildly at an elderly woman on the third floor directly across from me who was grunting back at him. I have no idea what the argument was about or how it started as I could not understand a single word. I noticed the curious heads of spectators popping out of windows all along via Roma and was surprised that the carabinieri didn’t appear to defuse the situation. As I was already awake, I decided to talk a walk before the sun gained its full strength. I was tired however, and could only complete a short circuit of the park. I will need to walk again this evening to meet my fitness goal. I seem to be eating more lately, so walking a certain distance each day has become a priority.
I am still doing some sorting and cleaning in preparation for my departure. I just do a little each day in addition to my normal chores. The heat is still uncomfortably hot and the sun blinding where it beats down on the paved streets and thus I move languorously doing just a bit at a time or lying under the fan with a book. The Val di Chiana is nearly always hazy with the famed Tuscan light these days, although the little side valley where I like to read is clear, green, and covered with trees.
There is an elderly man in town that always stops me to talk about the weather. He has thin white hair and dark, sparkly eyes which crinkle up in friendliness as he talks to me. He looks like such a happy person and I enjoy chatting with him, even if I don’t understand much of what he tells me. He likely doesn’t understand me either, but he always makes a point to talk with me when he sees me and I appreciate his gesture of kindness. I want to have a face etched by a liftime of joy, like he has.
After my late night I was hoping to sleep peacefully, however it was hot and I had a couple glasses of red wine coursing through my veins which left me dozing fitfully until early this morning when I was awakened by a very loud male voice at 7 AM. I sleepily dragged myself to the window overlooking via Roma, quietly unlocked the window, climbed atop the twin bed situated under the window, and leaned out over the wide stone windowsill to have a look at the goings-on. A middle-aged, shirtless man with wild hair was hanging out of his second floor window across the street and to the right of me. He was yelling stridently in Italian and gesticulating wildly at an elderly woman on the third floor directly across from me who was grunting back at him. I have no idea what the argument was about or how it started as I could not understand a single word. I noticed the curious heads of spectators popping out of windows all along via Roma and was surprised that the carabinieri didn’t appear to defuse the situation. As I was already awake, I decided to talk a walk before the sun gained its full strength. I was tired however, and could only complete a short circuit of the park. I will need to walk again this evening to meet my fitness goal. I seem to be eating more lately, so walking a certain distance each day has become a priority.
I am still doing some sorting and cleaning in preparation for my departure. I just do a little each day in addition to my normal chores. The heat is still uncomfortably hot and the sun blinding where it beats down on the paved streets and thus I move languorously doing just a bit at a time or lying under the fan with a book. The Val di Chiana is nearly always hazy with the famed Tuscan light these days, although the little side valley where I like to read is clear, green, and covered with trees.
There is an elderly man in town that always stops me to talk about the weather. He has thin white hair and dark, sparkly eyes which crinkle up in friendliness as he talks to me. He looks like such a happy person and I enjoy chatting with him, even if I don’t understand much of what he tells me. He likely doesn’t understand me either, but he always makes a point to talk with me when he sees me and I appreciate his gesture of kindness. I want to have a face etched by a liftime of joy, like he has.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.JPG)
.JPG)
