Author: caminomusings

As occurs every Friday, a group of students leaves (“graduates”). The tenure at this Italian language school depends on the individual student’s desires and can range from one week up to several months. At 12:30 pm, after the regular class sessions are complete, the departing students receive a certificate of attendance.

Yesterday was the final class day for me and about ten others. Ricardo, the coordinator of curriculum (and also one of my instructors) gave a little speech and certificates were handed out by one’s last teacher, in my case it was Giulia.

It also a day of other “lasts”: the last cappuccino and cornetto at Bar Rosa, the last aperitivo at the Embarcadero Bar on the lungomare

and a farewell dinner with some schoolmates at Ristorante Cicirinella. Unfortunately the weather was quite gloomy, and a steady rain persisted until around 5 pm. I spent the afternoon (after my private lessons) trying to fit clothing, a large bottle of pistacchio creme, two moka coffee pots, a large bag of coffee beans, two espresso cup and saucer sets, and several books into a 22 inch suitcase and a backpack.

I was the last one to vacate the apartment this morning. The taxi picked me up promptly at 9 am and transported me to the train station. The high speed Frecciargento was ten minutes late in arriving (from Reggio Calabria) and our arrival at Roma Termini station was about 20 minutes late. A quick taxi ride took me back to Hotel Smeraldo where I was greeted with a hug by Leonardo, one of the desk clerks with whom I had a nice conversation during my stay four weeks ago. And the good news was that I was upgraded from a single room to a double room!

Forno Roscioli, a famous bakery and pizza/ light lunch eatery, is across the street and I could not resist trying two different pizzas- one topped with spinach, the other with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and eggplant.

Other items on the agenda were a visit to Feltrinelli bookstore (I bought two more books to shove into a suitcase), cat sanctuary in Largo Argentina

and a meet up with Constance from New Jersey, who was in my class for a week.

Because there was a break in the precipitation, I took an extended stroll to see the Coliseum, Arch of Constantine, and Trevi Fountain. The road to the Coliseum was flanked on both sides by barriers erected for construction of the Metro line C (which has been going on for at least 20 years.

There was also a filming of a music video (I have no idea who this singer is).

I had a 7 pm dinner reservation at Roscioli where I was seated at the bar between two young American women, one from Lancaster PA studying abroad in France and a recent Johns Hopkins bioengineering graduate working in Geneva, Switzerland. We had a nice conversation while enjoying some iconic Roman cuisine (of course Cacio e Pepe) for me. No food pictures this time though!

Since it was still early (before 9 pm), I strolled the Piazza Navona and enjoyed some street musicians in the Campo dei Fiori.

Although there were noticeably less tourists than a month ago, the major tourist attractions were still crowded and there was a tremendous line to enter the Pantheon.

And there was quite a crowd waiting to try a Roman specialty, fried baccalà, at a small restaurant that was featured in an Anthony Bourdain TV episode.

Tomorrow will be my last day in Italy this year. It’s hard to believe that a month has flown by!

As Italy is traditionally a Catholic country, November 1 is a national holiday, All Saints’ Day. It is also a holy day of obligation (i.e. required attendance at mass) for Roman Catholics. All schools and government offices are closed, many of the shops are shuttered and public transportation is on a curtailed holiday schedule. If the weather was nice, an excursion to a nearby village would have been on the agenda. But a steady rainfall dominated the morning and most of the afternoon, so it was a stay-at-home, do some laundry and just relax kind of day. Despite the holiday, Bar Rosa was open for business and the rain was no deterrent to the morning ritual and caffeine and sugar jolt of cappuccino and cornetto .

I certainly will miss the faces behind the counter.

And the selection of breakfast pastries have no rival! They also have a nice selection of pastries to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Before heading back to the apartment, I stopped in at the Duomo during the mass. The pews were not filled but there was a decent amount of parishioners in attendance.

At the end of the service, the last musical selection was “As the Saints Go Marching In”!

The rest of the day dragged on as it was too miserable outside to take a walk, especially since my umbrella was mortally wounded in the rainstorm of last Monday. A couple of hours of Italian homework and a book on Italy in the years 1939-1940 filled up the time until dinner. I joined Freek and Ines for a lovely dinner at a new (to me) restaurant where I had an appetizer of fried ricotta and entree of fish topped with shredded potatoes and a dessert with Nutella.

Tomorrow is my last class day at L’Accademia Italiana. After four weeks there, I shall miss the friendly faces of teachers and staff as well as all the really nice students from all over the world!

The happy squeals of children can be heard on the streets this evening as the American tradition of Halloween trick or treating has crossed the ocean to Italy. The costumes are nowhere as elaborate as those worn by children in the USA, a few ghost costumes fashioned out of an old bedsheet, a lot of cat ear headbands and some simple face makeup comprise the bulk of the Halloween finery here in Salerno.A few of the bars and businesses have put up some rudimentary decorations- some jack o’lantern bowls, a witch’s hat and some pumpkin- themed paper lanterns pretty much sums it up. Like in many American cities, the children here get their treats from local businesses that distribute pieces of candy – nothing elaborate, perhaps just a chewy caramello.

My treat came in the form of an evening aperitivo of vino bianco on the outdoor terrace of the Embarcadero on the lungomare, accompanied by a good book and a wonderful view of the Amalfi coast.

No homework for me tonight (definitely have some to do tomorrow, though). Tomorrow (November 1) is a national holiday in Italy – All Saints Day – and L’Accademia Italiana as well as most businesses will be closed. Hopefully Bar Rosa will be open, as I have become addicted to my daily morning cappuccino and cornetto. And I do not have any food in the frigorifero so I am hoping to find an open ristorante or pizzeria open. I wish everyone dolcetti (treats) and no scherzetti (tricks) on this overcast Hallow’s eve in Salerno, Italy!

After yesterday’s miserable stormy weather, this morning’s skies were bright blue and there was a brisk wind blowing through the narrow cobblestone streets of the centro storico. The deciduous trees have begun to drop their leaves, although the brilliant colors of the autumn leaves so characteristic of the New England and mid-Atlantic regions of the USA are not seen here.

Autumn has decidedly arrived, as evidenced by the front door at Bar Rosa (no longer wide open). The school children are not sitting at the outdoor tables, in anticipation of the arrival of the school bus. In fact, no one is sitting at the outdoor tables this morning!

The classrooms at L’Accademia Italiana are scarcely populated this week, with an average of less than five students per class by my observation, quite different than three weeks ago when there was easily double the number of students. As the cooler weather approaches, less people are taking Italian language study holidays. I am very much enjoying my class of three students! And the bar along the lungomare is much less crowded! After my private lesson this afternoon (we are tackling the subjunctive tense, called congiuntivo in Italian), a long walk along the waterfront was a great way to re-energize. The waves are still pounding the shoreline, but at least the sun is shining.

One of the really nice things in Italy is the pre-dinner aperitivo – a before dinner cocktail or coffee or glass of wine accompanied by some “munchies”. And what better way to do homework than to sip an Aperol spritz while working on grammar exercises!

My stay here in Salerno is winding down – only a few more days before I return to Rome for a couple of nights and the the flight home. I shall miss it.

I’m still in shock over the horrendous massacre of eleven innocent victims at the Tree of Life Synagogue in my hometown of Pittsburgh. Coverage of the event was televised here in Italy on RAI (national television network) news, as well as in many other countries around the world. It is difficult to understand the profound hate that exists in our country against minorities, religious sects, the LGBT community – fueled by ignorance and fear. Much has been posted on social media, published in the press and broadcast over the airways these past 48 hours but we are no closer to an answer to the question of “Why?” and no closer to reaching any solution to fix this terrible chasm that afflicts our nation.

Today in Salerno, the weather took a decided turn for the worse, with high winds, torrential rain and thunder, perhaps apropos of my mood these past two days.

Today, there will be no pictures of puppies, Greek temples, sun drenched villages, or quirky street art. The seas are in turmoil.

Hopefully the sun will return tomorrow. And maybe we will figure out how to take back our country from the clutches of evil.

But damn it, I am going to eat a decadent dessert tonight.

1. Litter: It’s everywhere- on the street, along the road, in the countryside.

And even though trash receptacles are found on city streets or along the beach, they are frequently filled and garbage spills out onto the ground.

At least there are no strikes by the municipal trash collectors! Every morning (except Sunday) they can be spotted on the narrow streets picking up either recyclables or garbage.

2. Cigarette smoking (vaping seems to be less popular): The prevalence of smoking in the USA is thankfully decreasing with around 15% of the population still “lighting up”. Although there has been a noticeable decline in the past couple of decades, the smoking prevalence in Italy remains one of the highest in developed countries with smokers comprising around 21.5% of adults. Smoking is seen as a “social activity”, and unlike in the USA, it is still accepted across the generations. Smoking has been banned in public places and in restaurants and bars since 2005, but this has not significantly impacted the amount of tobacco consumption. And interestingly, the percentage of women who smoke has actually increased, tripling from around 6% in 1957 to almost 18% fifty years later.

3. “Creative parking”: When there isn’t a parking spot available, the Italian way is to improvise, i.e. double park

or just pull the car at an angle into the “too small” parking spot, leaving the back end of the car jutting out in the street.

4. Graffiti everywhere: It’s on buildings, park benches, train cars, utility boxes, anywhere that provides a “blank canvas”. Some of it is quite imaginative (or even cute)

whereas most graffiti (plural) are downright ugly.

Of course there is street art (otherwise known as murals), but that is a completely different thing.

5. The “migrant situation”: This really is not a fault of Italy. Due to its location, this country (along with Greece) has become a portal for refugees fleeing poverty and religious and political oppression in their native countries. Italy has received little, if any, assistance from the European Union to deal with the immigrant crisis. Although Salerno seems to be less affected than larger cities like Rome and islands like Sicily, immigrants predominantly from Africa can be seen on the streets hawking counterfeit “designer” handbags, sunglasses, and cheaply made toys.

6. Stray (feral) animals, predominantly dogs in archeological sites. It’s heart breaking to see these poor animals that were abandoned by owners or poor feral creatures that have never had a home.

In Greece, the hoards of feral cats and dogs are captured, sterilized, treated for disease and then released, with one ear clipped to identify that they were treated. And little old Greek ladies commonly put out food for the local strays. Of course, we have a problem with unwanted cats and dogs in the USA, but it is not so common to see so many wandering the street and historic sites.

Certainly Italians LOVE their pet dogs, but they seem to not get the male dogs neutered from what I have observed.

……….for the Jewish community, for Pittsburgh and for the United States. What have we become? Have we learned nothing from much too recent history?

Southern Italy was populated by Greek settlers in the 8th century BC, who brought with them their language, religious beliefs and rich culture. This area, which encompassed the regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, and Sicily, was referred to as Magna Graecia by the Romans since it was so densely inhabited by the Greeks who migrated there due to famine, lost wars and a search for new commercial ports. One of the best preserved archeological remains are found in Paestum, located south of Salerno, only a 30 minute train ride away. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998, this Ancient Greek city dates from the 7th century BC. Its outer walls, arena, paved roads and three temples are largely intact making it one of the best preserved sites of Ancient Greek civilization. The city was later overtaken by the Etruscans and later the Romans, but the influence of the Greeks persisted. It continued to thrive as part of the Roman Empire until the 4th century AD. The city was eventually abandoned in the Middle Ages and changing drainage patterns resulted in the land becoming marshy and a breeding ground for malaria. The city was rediscovered and excavated in the 17th and 18th centuries. Paestum also played a significant role in modern history as it was the beach landing site for American soldiers in 1943 during the Allied invasion of Italy.

So, today’s excursion was to this stunning and impressive archeological zone. It was the fourth stop on the train (regionale) and a 10 minute walk along a road lined by olive trees and farmland.

A break for a cappuccino at a bar near the site resulted in a conversation with a a 70-year-old American woman on a solo 5-week excursion in Italy. Barbara, from Alaska, was staying in Ercolano and doing day trips in the area before returning to Firenze and then back to the US next week. This was just one of many conversations with fellow travelers, all enthusiastic about sharing their personal stories.

The archeological park and museum have a combined admission ticket of 9.50 euros, a reasonable price for this well maintained site and modern museum. There were a few tour groups on this pleasant Saturday morning, but the site is quite expansive and one can stroll leisurely without crowds.

The museum contained numerous treasures found during the excavation of the site.

After a couple of hours, lunch was definitely on the agenda. A nice restaurant is found across the street from the site. After a caprese salad and some grilled veggies, we were off to the train station for the return trip to Salerno.

This photo of a dog on a car roof is just irresistible so it’s included for no other reason!

The rest of the day included yet another stroll along the lungomare to do some people watching before stormy weather arrived tomorrow.

The cloud bank was quite evident and the waves were crashing on the beach, as the cold front approaches.

Dinner was an inexpensive pizza at L’Archetto, a tiny place run by an elderly couple (wife taking orders, serving food and making the French fries while the husband rolls out the dough and bakes the pizzas in a wood fired oven) – 8 euros for a Regina Margherita pizza and beer.

A final after dinner passeggiata along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele capped off the day.

Photo above is Italian cotton candy.

Well, it seems that autumn is finally arriving in southern Italy. The mornings are cooler and the scarves and down jackets have emerged from the closet. The afternoons are still quite pleasant with temperatures reaching the upper 60s (20 degrees Celsius), so you either end up eventually carrying the outerwear or perspiring a lot! The hummingbird hawk moths (they look like hummingbirds but are actually moths, and are considered a good luck omen in Italy – a special “thank you” to my Italian relative Serena for pointing out a case of mistaken identity) are out in full force, enjoying the last of the warm weather and the nectar of the flowering shrubs that line the entire lungomare. The hummingbird hawk moths are really difficult to photograph because they beat their wings about 500 times a second, but look for the little out-of-focus blob in the center of the photo.

In addition to the cooler temperatures, signs of the upcoming holiday season at emerging. Salerno is famous throughout Italy for its amazing holiday light displays that encompass the entire city as well as the extensive waterfront. During my tenure, I have seen the public works employees installing the light displays over every single street. Unfortunately for me, I will miss the first night of the display, November 7, as I will be back home. The display continues nightly into January and visitors from all over Italy descend upon this lovely city.

The displays hang overhead from the sides of the buildings. Just imagine the electricity bill!!!!

Another sign of the upcoming holiday season is the appearance of Christmas decorations in the stores (before Halloween, just like in the USA, with the requisite holiday sales).

As I sit here sipping my aperitivo of vino bianco,

(and the drink always comes with a few yummy snacks to hold you over until dinner) the dark clouds gather on the horizon, raindrop start to fall and a warm sweater needs to be donned.

This weekend, the clocks will be turned back one hour (a week earlier than in the USA) and darkness will begin around 5 p.m. It looks like summer is finally over!

Minori is a quiet little seaside town of about 2700 inhabitants located on the Amalfi coast. Although a popular tourist destination, it lacks the suffocating crowds of Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano and the island of Capri. It is only a 40 minute ferry ride from Salerno and the views of the coast are stunning. The terraced lemon groves cling to the rocky coastline.Today’s weather was perfect for our excursion- sunny, temperatures in the upper 60s, no humidity and a slight breeze. We arrived around 3:40 pm, with about 2 1/2 hours to explore before catching the last ferry back to Salerno. Sunbathers could still be seen on the beach despite it being in late October!

We strolled past the monument and church dedicated to St. Trofimena, the patron saint of Minora, a young Sicilian martyr killed by her father because she would not marry a pagan. Her remains, placed in an urn, washed up onto the shores of this little village in the 7th century and white heifers were used to carry her remains to the site where the church now stands.

We continued on to an archeological site discovered in the 1950s of an ancient Roman villa dating from the 1st century BC. This area of the coast was a popular vacation destination two millennia ago for the Roman aristocracy and the remains of a swimming pool, dining hall, frescoed walls and mosaic floors can still be seen.

The last stop was at the Laboratorio Artigianale Mansi, where limoncello and other liqueurs are manufactured by hand, without the use of machinery. The local variety of lemon is zested by hand and the lemon zest is placed in a vat of absolute alcohol for 48 hours. Then a simple syrup (sugar and water) is added to create the iconic drink of the Amalfi coast. Other liqueurs made with pistacchio, orange, melon and an herbal mixture are also produced here.There are no artificial colors of flavors added.

We were given the opportunity to sample these potent potables, and of course had the opportunity to purchase a bottle or two!

We had about an hour of free time which most used to get some refreshment, predominantly in the for of gelato, especially lemon flavor. Pasticceria De Riso, located near the waterfront, is famous for its pastries and gelato, so that’s where we headed.

The ferry arrived just as the sun was beginning to set, with a lovely and romantic vista.