An Evening Spent in Portalbera

Saturday, March 25, 2011 (Part 5)

Our last night in Italy was spent in Portalbera. Antonia had invited us for dinner. We were picked up by Carluccio and made the short drive to Portalbera where Antonia and Carluccio live with Angela in a beautiful home in the center of town, right across from the church.

Antonia and Carluccio have two children, Lucca, age 22, who is studying business at an English school in France, and Roberta. Roberta is 29 and works for a consulting company in Parma. We were in for a very nice surprise tonight because Roberta was home for a visit, and so we were able to meet her. It was especially nice to have Roberta here because she speaks very good English -- which is always so helpful for me and Katherine. She was able to play "interpreter" for us. We had a lovely evening visiting with all of them.

Carluccio is a very interesting man. As I understand it, he was once a professional football (soccer) player, and he was very good. Nowadays, he seems to have many interests. He is a farmer and owns a good amount of land in and around Portalbera. We drove by some of his fields where soybeans and wheat are grown. Carluccio also has a band! He plays the

electronic saxaphone, and I think he sings in the band as well.

Antonia, like her mother Angela, is a very gracious and wonderful hostess. She served us the perfect, light supper. We enjoyed a wide variety of crudite: celery, carrots, onions, artichokes, etc. We also had some sort of spinach torte and cold shrimp in lemon and olive oil. There were also breadsticks and olives on the table, and we drank several bottles of a local white wine. The bottles did not have labels. I think they were made from grapes harvested from one of Carluccio's properties.

We were also served something sweet. We started with fruit salad and yogurt gelato. This was followed by a peach tart (really beautiful) that Angela made. And finally, Carluccio opened a bottle of Proseco. It was wonderful.

We had the best time visiting with Angela, Antonia, Carluccio and Roberta. It was a lovely evening and a great way to end our day.

A Walking Tour of Piacenza

Saturday, March 26, 2011 (Part 4)

After lunch, Maurizzio and Barbara drove us into the center of town, and we took a brief walking tour of Piacenza. There is a very nice piazza in the center of town around which sits a church

(which we ducked into), a town hall (of course) and another very grand building the precise purpose of which I never quite figured out. I will have to look it up!

Piacenza's town center is closed to cars so it is a very nice place to stroll, and there were many people outside today doing exactly that. There are also many nice shops that line the streets around the piazza. And as is so common in Italy, there are several lovely cafes that surround the piazza on all sides with outdoor tables and chairs.

It was such a beautiful day, and we enjoyed our afternoon stroll in the sun. We also had fun

taking photos in different corners of the piazza, which was also occupied by some traditional, and very non-traditional, statues.

A Family Luncheon Celebration

Saturday, March 26, 2011 (Part 3)

One of Dad's chief goals on this trip was to host a special party for his family and friends in Pavia. He invited over 25 people and only one (Lucca, who is in school in France) was unable to attend. In addition to all of our family from Stradella, those who attended included Dad's second cousin Rimo Marchetti and his immediate family -- his wife and their daughter and her husband and son.

With Barbara's help, Dad had reserved space for our large party at a restaurant in Piacenza -- which is the capital city of the Province of Pavia. Barbara and Maurizzio were also a big help in placing the order for all of us. Everything was served family style.

As I am learning is the custom, our first course was a plate of prosciutto, mortadella and salami. At the same time, a relish tray of pickled or marinated peppers, mushrooms and onions also was passed around the tables. This was followed by a platter of two kinds of fried fish. One was eel (yes, eel), and the other looked like tiny minnows. They were very salty, especially the eel.

The next course was three kinds of pasta: (i) fettucini bolognese, (ii) ricotta stuffed tortelloni in olive oil with pine nuts, and (iii)

pasta with beans! I tried each one. The bolognese was to die for. At some point, we were also served rosemary roasted potatoes. And finally, we had a selection of desserts -- a cheesecake and several tortes -- plus a choice of liqueurs, one of which was limoncello (a personal favorite). And, of course, during the meal, we drank red wine out of bowls, which is another custom in Piacenza.

But the best part of this lunch was visiting with our family.

Everyone had a great time. The conversation was lively, and it was wonderful to meet some relatives we'd never met before (like Christina Marchetti and her husband, Giuseppe). Katherine had a great time with the cousins and friends her own age (especially Cecelia). Most of the younger generation speak really good English.

This was a wonderful party. In fact, it could not have been better. Bravo, papa!

The Riches of Small Town Life

Saturday, March 26, 2011 (Part 2)

As we walked through Stradella this morning, I was struck by the wonderful benefits of growing up and living in a small town like this one. Everyone knows everyone! We could not walk 10 steps without Niki seeing someone she knows and stopping to exchange a few words. Often, those stops included great hugs and kisses and greetings that might suggest that Niki had not

seen her friends for weeks or months -- when, in fact, she probably saw them last only a week or several days ago. Everyone is so genuinely glad to see each other. It is a really wonderful thing, and it is so unlike anything I have every experienced in any of the places where I have lived.

After our little bit of shopping, we continued on our walk through town

and met Rosita walking with a friend. She invited us to join her for a cup of tea or coffee at her favorite cafe in the center of town. Roberto and Dad met us there. What a wonderful place was this cafe. And, once again, everyone knew everyone else. Rosita and Niki greeted everyone warmly, and the waitress also was a close friend - of course!

After our coffee/tea break, we all headed back to Ca' Rosa. But on the way, we made one small detour to see a beautifully restored, small theater where Paolo will be performing a play in May. It was a wonderful place - very intimate. And then we really did head back to Ca' Rosa where everyone had started to congregate for our excursion to lunch.

Shopping in Stradella on a Saturday Morning

Saturday, March 26, 2011 (Part 1)

What a wonderful day we had today in Stradella and Piacenza. We began the day in a very leisurely way - not emerging from our room until 9:30 a.m. We had a nice light breakfast, and then Katherine and I walked into town with Niki.

I had made the "mistake" yesterday of telling Niki how much I admired her oversized handbag. It's actually more like a tote bag. So this morning, Niki greeted us with the proposition that she and Rosita and Renza wanted to buy presents for me and Katherine -- perhaps a handbag like hers.

So one of our goals this morning was to do a little shopping. We stopped in one store and looked at several fun bags, but nothing suited us as much as Niki's style of bag. So then we went to the store where she had purchased her bag and we were delighted to find that they had about a dozen different colors and patterns. We looked through the entire collection, one bag at a time. We each found one that we liked very much, and Niki made the purchase for us. We are so blessed to have such wonderful cousins. I was very touched by their generosity.

The photo at the top of this page is not a very good picture of Niki, but it's a great shot of her bag! And now Katherine and I each have one just like it.

Dinner at Ca' Rosa

Friday, March 24, 2011 (Part 5)

When we returned to Ca' Rosa from our driving tour, we were greeted by Rosita and Renza. Chiara also stopped by briefly to say "ciao." Meanwhile, Niki was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner.

Niki claims not to be much of a cook, but she definitely knows how to entertain. We had a wonderful meal consisting of (i) Parmegiane cheese with aged balsamic vinegar drizzled on top, (ii) focaccia with proscuitto, (iii) ravioli in broth (which I could not finish!!!), (iv) sauted zucchini, (v) flatbread with cheese, (vi) salad with tomatoes, and (vii) crostata di Renza (dessert).

Also for wine, we had a bottle of red wine, bottled in 2009, from the vineyard where I had taken pictures of the harvesting when we visited in September 2009. It was not the best wine, but it was fun to taste it. We also had Proseco (Italian champagne) with dessert. It was a great meal. I just wish I could have eaten all of it. Most of all, I cannot believe that I did not eat all of my ravioli.

But I am very glad that I was able to find some room for dessert because Renza's crostata was excellent. I had her dictate the recipe to me so that I can try to duplicate it at home. It may be difficult to do because some of the ingredients are not commonly found in the US. Also, all the quantity measurements Renza gave me are metric, so I'll have to figure out the conversion. But if I can even get close to her results, it will be worth the effort.

The photos here are (i) a picture of Paolo on his Vespa -- taken in Stradella, and (ii) a picture of Niki and Katherine in front of the anchor war memorial in the park in the center of Stradella.

Ca' Rosa

Friday, March 25, 2011 (Part 4)

When we were last in Stradella in September 2009, Rosita and Renza were living in Ca' Rosa. This is the home that Rosita and her husband, Ugo, bought many years ago andraised their family in. But now, Roberto, Niki and Paulo live here, and Rosita and Renza live in the apartment that Roberto and Niki used to live in, in the center of town. They have swapped houses! And along with the swap came some pretty impressive remodeling. Ca' Rosa looks very different today, and it is really beautiful.

This traditional home (from the outside) has been turned into a very modern home on the inside. Walls were moved, spaces were opened up, bright colors were introduced and some beautiful finishes were added. It now has a very contemporary feel, but it is still very comfortable. I was very impressed.

Some of my favorite remodeling changes to the house include a beautiful sliding etched glass divider that separates the kitchen from the dining room and beautiful floor coverings of slanted hardwood in the dining room

running into black slate tiles in the kitchen. And the colors! Wow. The dining room and living room have bright red walls. The downstairs hallway is bright orange, and the upstairs hall is

bright yellow. And when I say "bright," I mean bright, but it all works beautiful well.

Stradella Here We Come

Friday, March 25, 2011 (Part 3)

Following our lunch, we walked around the streets of Santa Marguerita. We did some window shopping, and I bought some amaretto cookies (one of my favorites) in a bakery. Mo

re than anything, I enjoyed the building facades. In Santa Marguerita, there has developed a tradition of painting the exteriors of the buildings in such a way as to create the illusion of a variety of architectural features -- window ledges, columns, eaves, etc. They are colorful, and they are unique. It was fun to walk the streets and compare this interesting form of artwork.

When it came time to leave this pretty city, we split up for the drive to Stradella. Dad and Roberto were in our rental car, and Katherine and I joined Niki in her car. We had a two hour drive to Stradella. Once there, we settled into Roberto and Niki's house (Ca'Rosa), and we were joined by Paolo. He has grown! He is several inches taller than when I saw him just 18 months ago. And his English has improved too.

Roberto then took us on a short driving tour of Stradella -- mostly for Katherine's benefit. We ended up in Portalbera where we visited very briefly with Angela. We also saw Carluccio there. We took a brief stroll through the small town square in Portalbera and then headed back to Stradella where we knew that Niki was preparing dinner for us.

A Fabulous Lunch in Santa Marguerita

Friday, March 25, 2011 (Part 2)

We had a great lunch today at a restaurant in Santa Marguerita called De o Battj. It is a

favorite of Roberto's and Niki's, and it is located just one block off the main

road that circles the harbor. When we first arrived at the restaurant, I was surprised to find it so empty. There was only one other group there. Roberto explained that the town seems to have been harder hit than some by the recession, and this restaurant has been one of the casualties.

Roberto ordered a tasting menu for our table. It was served, one dish at a time, family style. The first plate was some sort of small fish (served whole) in a tomato and cheese sauce. We cut off the heads and popped the rest into our mouths. The second plate was filleted sardines in

olive oil and butter. The third plate, I think, was squid. The fourth plate might have been octopus. And the fifth and final plate -- our main course -- was prawns in olive oil and butter. They were served whole, still in the shell, and they were huge. They sort of draped over the edges of the two platters.

The prawns were the best part of the meal. They were super. We had to dig out and suck out the meat. They were messy, and they were a bit of work, but they were delicious. As Niki said, at one point, "we diet on Monday!" Everything was wonderful, and that surprised me because I would never order some of these things at home.

Santa Marguerita and Portofino

Friday, March 25, 2011 (Part 1)

Today, we were very much on the move, and we have now entered the "family visit" part of our trip. We started the day by saying goodbye to Cinque Terre and driving to Santa Marguerita - about a 1-1/2 hour drive. The plan was that we would meet up with Roberto and Niki in Santa

Marguerita.

After first over-shooting the town and then turning around to drive back through, we finally spotted Niki and Roberto standing on opposite corners. We saw each other at the same time and we all started waving our arms and yelling across the street. It was so great to see them again!

Once we got the hugging and kissing out of the way, Roberto directed us to a parking lot where we could leave the car. Then, we all piled into Niki's car and drove to Portofino. Portofino is one of those places that I have heard a lot about. It is a classically picturesque harbor town on the Italian Riviera. But it was so much smaller than I had expected! We walked the entire harbor area in about 5 minutes. We also did a little shopping in a Murano glass jewelry store, and then Niki took us on a ferry boat ride back to Santa Marguerita while Roberto drove the car back to meet us there. It was a bit of an overcast day, but it was nice to

be on the water, which afforded a different perspective of these seaside towns.

As between Santa Marguerita and Portofino, Santa Marguerita was the much more fun, lively and interesting of the two. I am so glad that we followed Roberto's advice and met there instead of Portofino.

Cinque Terre Recap

Thursday, March 24, 2011 (Part 7)

What a day we had. The walking/climbing today was wonderful. The scenery was spectacular. I think we walked a total of about 6 or 7 (or 8 or 9) kilometers, which is only several miles, but these were really hard miles -- and they were 60-70% steps! I'll bet we walked up or down 2,000+ steps -- really! And our trekking today took ALL DAY. We left the hotel at about 9:15 a.m. and we returned at about 5:00 p.m.

But it was a great day. This hiking is what we came for, and we loved it. The weather was also fantastic, and Katherine and I both got some nice color on our faces. We capped off the end of our athletic adventure by doing some snack shopping. We found a local butcher and bought a half pound of prosciutto. We also found a grocer and bought some

water and a loaf of fresh bread.Upon returning to our room, we sat on the balcony, in the late afternoon sun, and enjoyed our snack. It truly hit the spot.

Tonight, we had dinner at the Ristorante Belvedere. It is located on the water under the railroad tracks. Belvedere means "beautiful view." We were there after nightfall so we did not get much of a view, but the food was very good. Dad and I both had veal. Katherinehad seafood pasta, including large prawns --

which seem always to be served in the shell in Italy.

And so we have come to the end of our time in Cinque Terre, and

it occurs to me that we have spent as much time here as we did in Rome! But what very different places they are. We enjoyed both in equal measure, but for entirely different reasons.

The Mystery of the Boulder Bags

Thursday, March 24, 2011 (Part 6)

The gentleman in Cornelia was right. In the last leg of our hike, on the trail between Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, we were definitely challenged. There were many sections of the trail that were extremely narrow, that hugged the cliff side, and that had no protection of any kind on the downhill side. There were also a number of messy, muddy sections. And I have to admit that some of the trail sections were a bit on the dangerous side. It was not surprising, therefore, that we ran into several crews working to repair sections of the this trail.

Some of the obstacles that we came across included piles of stones -- very large stones -- boulders actually -- laying directly on the path. There were also path sections where one-half or more of the path had washed away and had been patched with a few wobbly planks. But our biggest obstacles were those that consisted of large canvas bags of boulders that sat in piles on the path. They literally blocked our passage, and the only way to continue on the path was to climb over them!

At one point on our hike, we noticed that there was a helicopter flying along the cliff side. I thought maybe the park service was trying to keep track of the number of hikers on the trails, but we learned later that the helicopters were working with the repair crews. It was the job of the helicopter pilots to drop the big canvas bags containing the boulders onto the

path where the workmen could easily access them and use the stones and

boulders in the bags to shore up sections of the trail.

What a challenge this trail turned out to be. And what classically silly American tourists we were to make this trek through "closed" trails. Our only defense (perhaps) is that we were not alone. There were a surprising number of equally silly tourists on the trails today!

We Take a Break in Vernazza

Thursday, March 23, 2011 (Part 5)

It took us about an hour and a half to complete the trail from Cornelia to Vernazza, and we were definitely ready for a break. Vernazza is one of the prettier of these five towns. Dad says he would stay in this town (of the five) if he were to visit again.

All of these towns, however, are very small. We walked the main street of Vernazza in about 5 minutes, and then we headed to the harbor area. There is an old fort perched atop the southern side of the harbor, and there is a breakwater area where pedestrians seemed to congregate for a break in the sun.

We decided a rest in the sun would be a nice idea, but it would be even nicer if we had a little gelato to enjoy while we were sunning ourselves. So we popped into the local gelato cafe (located conveniently in the harbor area) and bought gelato cones and water. With our bodies thus replenished, we were ready for the last leg of our hike -- the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare.

Breathtaking Views and Olive Groves

Thursday, March 23, 2011 (Part 4)

The gentleman in Cornelia was right. Many parts of the trail from Cornelia to Vernazza were difficult to maneuver. There were many sections that were extremely narrow, that hugged the cliffside, and that had to guard rails or protective barriers. There were also a few muddy, messy sections but, all-in-all, this section of the trail was not that bad.

Meanwhile, the scenery was truly beautiful. Closest to the towns, we found ourselves picking

our way through people's gardens. I suppose you might call them "farms," but they did not resemble at all the farmlands we know from driving US highways. These farms are terraced along steep hillsides, and the largest sections were being used to grow grapevines or olive trees.

The trail itself was very different from the first one we had been on between Rio Maggiore and Manarola. This trail was all natural surfaces -- either hard packed dirt or stone. Typically,

we were walking a trail that was flanked, on the left, by an immediate drop downward several hundred feet to the sea and, on the right, by a rocky wall. Sometimes, it felt like we were walking through a forest or small grove with flowering trees and bushes all around. And every once in a while, we would encounter an odd gate or ancient looking footpath leading mysteriously somew

here. We stuck to the main trail!

Did I Mention That We Walked a Lot Today?

Thursday, March 23, 2011 (Part 3)

Did I mention that we did a lot of walking Today? And, for the most part, we were walking on trails that were technically closed. At the start of the trail from Cornelia to Vernazza, a gentleman (he looked like he was with the park service -- Cinque Terre is part of a national park) -- told us that the trail was closed and "dangerous" -- in part due to landslides -- but we could go if we wanted to. His mouth said don't go, but his shrug said he wasn't going to stop us, and the entrance was not physically blocked (as we had seen elsewhere). So what is an American tourist who has traveled thousands of miles to hike these trails supposed to do? Katherine and I exchanged a glance, and with little hesitation, we started down the trail.

Ok, so there was some risk, but how bad could it be?

Let me further clarify that we were in the middle of the five Cinque Terre towns - Cornelia. Unlike the other four towns, Cornelia does not sit directly only the water. Rather, it sits at the top of a very high cliff just above the water.

What that means is that getting to Cornelia, on foot, is itself a physical challenge. We arrived at the Cornelia train station and realized we had a decent walk into town. Additionally, we had to maneuver a very long series of staircases to get there. When I say "very long," I mean very, very long. When we arrived at the top of these stairs, there was a sign

that said that we had just climbed 372 steps!

It is hardly surprising that I saw no overweight people in Cornelia -- or, for that matter, anywhere else in Cinque Terre.

The Walking Begins

Thursday, Marsh 24, 2011 (Part 2)

Today, we walked . . . and walked . . . and walked.

There are four sections of walking trails between the five Cinque Terre towns. It is the walking trails that bring the tourists to these picturesque, seaside towns. Much to our dismay, however, only one of these trails was officially open today. Of the remaining three trails, one was gated and locked. The other two

were officially closed but unofficially open. Given that these trails were the reason we had come to Cinque Terre, we decided to walk as many as we could get to. So we walked three of the four trails:

(1) from Riomaggio

re to Manarola (called Via dell'Amore);

(2) from Corneglia to Vernazza; and

(3) from Vernazza to Monterosso.

Dad joined us for the Via dell'Amore which is considered the easiest of all the trails. It was, in fact, a very easy stroll. It was a gently sloping, entirely paved path that ran along the hillside above the coastline. This trail was the first of the trails to have been created and it has a history as a "lovers' lane." Along the trail, there are hundreds of locks with names or initials engraved on them that have been affixed to the fence. They have been left there by couples as a sign of their enduring love.

The Sun Shines in Cinque Terre

Thursday, March 24, 2011 (Part 1)

It is another beautiful day in Italia! We have clear blue skies and not a cloud in sight. And the air temperature is supposed to reach the low 60's. We have been blessed with good weather this entire week. My umbrella has remained buried in the bottom of my suitcase!

A word about my Dad. He is 79 year old (and will be 80 in three months). He is in excellent health, and I am really impressed with him. He keeps up really well, and he's a good sport. He never complains and rarely even mentions if he is in any discomfort. Sometimes I think he is, but he just soldiers on. And when he has had enough, he says so and takes a break - but always while encouraging us to go ahead on our own. He never wants to hold us back from seeing as much as we can. What a guy!

Local Food Plus Local Wine Equals One Good Meal

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 (Part 7)

Tonight we had dinner at a restaurant in Monterosso al Mare. It was recommended to us by the proprietors of our hotel. The restaurant is called Il Pozzo.

One of the local specialties in Cinque Terre is pesto. They claim that pesto was first created here. So we all had to try some. It was very good. We also had grilled swordfish -- also excellent. And we tried a local white wine called Buranco. We all liked it, and Dad wants to buy a bottle to bring home.

Getting the Feel of Cinque Terre

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 (Part 6)

In Cinque Terre, we are staying at the Hotel Steno in the town of Monterosso al Mare. It is quite nice, and the proprietors (husband and wife) are extremely friendly and helpful. Our rooms are small but comfortable, and we have small balconies that look into the center of town and afford a view of the water.

The hotel is perched on a cliff, but then everything in these

seaside towns is perched on a cliff! There is a beautiful, albeit long, set of stairs that leads from the hotel, through a small grove of lemon trees and down to the main street of the town. It's lovely. There 136 steps to the main street, which we must climb every time we leave or return to the hotel!

We arrived in Cinque Terre relatively early - by about 2:30 p.m. So once we were settled in our rooms, we decided to check out the town. We walked from our hotel down the main street to the beach. There are several nice parks along the beach, and there are lots of places to sit -- which we did -- and catch some sun.

We then decided to take the train from our town -- the northern most of the five towns -- to Riomaggiore -- the southern most town. This is a 12 minute train ride and for most of the trip, we were in tunnels in the mountains between the towns.

Once in Riomaggiore, we walked around a bit and found our way to a vantage point looking out over this town's beach -- which isn't much of a "beach" at all! it was all rocks, and I mean rocks (not pebbles, but rocks). We were not very taken with this town. We like our own Monterosso much more.