5.25.2010
Catching Up
So here I am sitting at the living room/dining room table, in Ischia, my little paradise in the Mediterranean, trying to figure out how to continue writing my blog. Today is Monday May 24, 2010 and I’m trying to write about the things that I did for the weekend of April 23, 2010. I’m officially one month behind on the blog and at this rate I’m never going to get caught up. It’s amazing because there is not a whole lot to do here, but there is definitely a lot of meaningful and magical moments that exist in the nothing that I have been doing… if that makes sense. I haven’t yet decided if I’ve been keeping this journal more for you the reader or me the writer, but at this point a lot will be lost if I try to write only about my everyday activities rather than the special moments that reveal themselves when least expected. When I started getting behind on the blog I decided it would be best for me to write notes about what I had done each day, so that when I did have to time to actually sit down and write the entries I would be able accurately recall my days. Now, as I sit here staring at these scraps of paper, I realize that the papers don’t tell the true story of my life here. I could tell you that four weeks ago, on Saturday night I went to the club with some friends, but then again I went to the club with friends three weeks ago on Saturday night, and did the same last week. I could tell you that today I went and had an amazing home cooked meal at Gianni’s mom’s house, but that would be no different from the fifteen other times I have gone and had an amazing home cooked meal there. I could easily write about the fact that four out of the last five days have been spent relaxing at the beach with friends, but how would that be any different than the other four days I spent relaxing at the beach with friends. If I were to simply write about what I do from day to day the pure, sincere, generous, and amazing love that is Ischia would get lost. So I have to decided that to be able to accurately put into words the beauty of my experience here I need to summarize a lot and expand upon the a little. This might be a change to my story, or at least the way I am relaying it, but it is the only way for you to continue to truly be a part of this journey with me. So please bear with me as we make this change together…
5.22.2010
Anthony and Paco’s Last Day
For Anthony and Paco’s last day we made a delicious lunch at home and just wandered around the town for a bit.
After they sorted all of their tickets for the ferries, busses, and trains, we headed back to the house to relax and play cards for a bit. Cristian was going to come to dinner with us, but was unable to make it so he stopped by to play card as well and to say goodbye to the guys.
That night we went to Bar Campo for a pizza with Carmela, Francesco, and Gianni. We relaxed over a couple of beers while Ant and Pac told everyone how much fun they had and how much they loved Ischia. It was great to have had them here, and I was for sure going to miss them being around the house.
Our night was not yet over though. Francesco offered to take us for a drive to Ischia Ponte for a drink, and we ran into a couple of friends at a little sidewalk restaurant, so we joined them for one last beer before calling it a night. In the morning Gianni drove us to the port to drop the boys off and then he and I went to his office to do some “work” before heading to Gianni’s mom’s house for lunch. I use the word work very lightly here. Work for Gianni consists of getting to the office, well, when he gets there, having a coffee and a cigarette, walking around to say hi to everyone and make sure they are working. Then he sits in the office and goes over everyone’s work from yesterday and what they should be doing for the day, makes a few phone calls to make sure the travel companies are paying for his bus services, reads the newspaper, and then seemingly out of nowhere, at some point says, “Ok! Let’s go!” At which point, we go. It was great to be back at his mom’s house. She gave me a giant hug and kiss as soon as I walked in the door, told me I looked the same as I did seven years ago, and I told she did as well. His sister was there as well, and was also just as happy to see me, as I was to see her. Last time I was here she had a two year old son, Antony, and this time had a new one year old son, Michele. We talked for a bit in the kitchen before gathering around the table for a delicious meal prepared with love by Mama Maria. As always, she made my plate bigger than everyone else’s and would not let me leave without taking seconds on each course. After lunch we talked some more about my travels and my plans after Ischia, and told me I was welcome to eat with the family whenever I wanted. As she said, ‘Lunch is always at one and dinner is at nine. There is always a spot for you at our table.” All I could think was how nice it was to have only been here a week and already have a solid group of friends and a family that was happy to make me feel like it was my own. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel lucky for all of this. That night I went down to Il Triangolo for a what they call “Il Aperitivo”. Every Thursday night they have a DJ or live music and everyone from around the town comes down to have a drink and be seen. After the Aperitivo Carmela and I made a drive to another local bar for a drink and to catch up before returning home. One week down and hopefully seven more to go!
After they sorted all of their tickets for the ferries, busses, and trains, we headed back to the house to relax and play cards for a bit. Cristian was going to come to dinner with us, but was unable to make it so he stopped by to play card as well and to say goodbye to the guys.
That night we went to Bar Campo for a pizza with Carmela, Francesco, and Gianni. We relaxed over a couple of beers while Ant and Pac told everyone how much fun they had and how much they loved Ischia. It was great to have had them here, and I was for sure going to miss them being around the house.
Our night was not yet over though. Francesco offered to take us for a drive to Ischia Ponte for a drink, and we ran into a couple of friends at a little sidewalk restaurant, so we joined them for one last beer before calling it a night. In the morning Gianni drove us to the port to drop the boys off and then he and I went to his office to do some “work” before heading to Gianni’s mom’s house for lunch. I use the word work very lightly here. Work for Gianni consists of getting to the office, well, when he gets there, having a coffee and a cigarette, walking around to say hi to everyone and make sure they are working. Then he sits in the office and goes over everyone’s work from yesterday and what they should be doing for the day, makes a few phone calls to make sure the travel companies are paying for his bus services, reads the newspaper, and then seemingly out of nowhere, at some point says, “Ok! Let’s go!” At which point, we go. It was great to be back at his mom’s house. She gave me a giant hug and kiss as soon as I walked in the door, told me I looked the same as I did seven years ago, and I told she did as well. His sister was there as well, and was also just as happy to see me, as I was to see her. Last time I was here she had a two year old son, Antony, and this time had a new one year old son, Michele. We talked for a bit in the kitchen before gathering around the table for a delicious meal prepared with love by Mama Maria. As always, she made my plate bigger than everyone else’s and would not let me leave without taking seconds on each course. After lunch we talked some more about my travels and my plans after Ischia, and told me I was welcome to eat with the family whenever I wanted. As she said, ‘Lunch is always at one and dinner is at nine. There is always a spot for you at our table.” All I could think was how nice it was to have only been here a week and already have a solid group of friends and a family that was happy to make me feel like it was my own. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel lucky for all of this. That night I went down to Il Triangolo for a what they call “Il Aperitivo”. Every Thursday night they have a DJ or live music and everyone from around the town comes down to have a drink and be seen. After the Aperitivo Carmela and I made a drive to another local bar for a drink and to catch up before returning home. One week down and hopefully seven more to go!
The Next Few Days
We again slept in late and woke up to find it raining. When it rains on an island there is not a whole lot to do, so we made lunch and played cards. My friend Cristian, who came and stayed at my house in California for a month about five years ago, stopped by and offered to take us for a ride around the island. Ant had a really bad hangover so he stayed at the house to sleep while Paco, Cristian, and I made our way to Ischia Porto for a coffee and pastry and then for a quick ride near the castle. We returned home to take a nap before going to a local restaurant for a pizza with Carmela, Martino, another friend Teresa, and her boyfriend Luca. It was a nice night, and absolutely perfect for a rainy hungover day. Monday morning we woke up and saw that it was a beautiful day, and decided to take the bus to the castle. Castello d’Arogonese sits on a very small island just passed the port in Ischia. We wandered the castle grounds for a couple of hours and were treated to beautiful views of the coastline, the port, and the nearby tiny island of Procida.
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After the castle we made our way back to Lacco and went to the store to buy things to make dinner. I had invited Cristian and Gianni over for dinner and was excited to make veal picatta, pasta aglio e olio, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Unfortunately, I ruined the veal and decided to throw it in the garbage, so we ended up eating a little bit of pasta, the asparagus, and some bread. Cristian was gracious and said not to worry about it and Gianni decided to grab a pizza. After “dinner” we headed up to Gianni’s house for a couple of beers and called it a night. Tuesday we woke up early, went to the store to buy things to make sandwiches and packed them in a backpack with fruit and water and hopped on a bus to make the journey to the top of the volcano. We reached the summit just after noon and found a nice spot to relax and enjoy our lunch. The view from the top of the volcano is amazing. A complete 360 degrees that offers a view of all of the towns of the island, the coastline, and on a clear day you can see the beaches and cliffs of the nearby island of Capri. Today was a little hazy so we could only see the top of Capri, but still had fantastic views of Ischia and Naples off in the distance.
After lunch we enjoyed the sun for a bit before making the hike back down to the bus stop. Later that afternoon, after a short nap, Francesco stopped by the house to hang out and play cards for a bit. While we were in the middle of a game of cards, Gianni stopped by to see what we were up to. The night before I had told him that we wanted to get some seafood today for a dinner, but had not made it to the fish market in time to buy the things we wanted. Gianni asked/told me to come with him saying that he had something he wanted to show me. Not being able to say no I jumped on the back of his scooter and we headed out for whatever it was he was “going to show me”. I returned to the house with about ten pounds of mussels, ten pounds of sepia (a local fish), five pounds of local shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, fresh picked basil and parsley, fresh baked bread, a case of beer, and six bottles of wine. Gianni dropped me off at his house with the groceries and told me to put everything away and to return around nine o’clock when Filipo would be there to start cooking. Before we knew it another feast was under way! First course was spaghetti with mussels and prawns, followed by grilled sepia (prepared by Gianni’s brother-in-law, Giovanni), and finished off with a giant pan filled with mussels and a loaf of bread to soak up the delicious broth.
It was funny after dinner a couple of the friends gave Gianni a hard time about the fact that he doesn’t have these little dinner parties ever, but as soon as I showed up it seemed to be a regular thing. I told them to be quiet and to be happy that we were having it in the first place!
.JPG)
After the castle we made our way back to Lacco and went to the store to buy things to make dinner. I had invited Cristian and Gianni over for dinner and was excited to make veal picatta, pasta aglio e olio, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Unfortunately, I ruined the veal and decided to throw it in the garbage, so we ended up eating a little bit of pasta, the asparagus, and some bread. Cristian was gracious and said not to worry about it and Gianni decided to grab a pizza. After “dinner” we headed up to Gianni’s house for a couple of beers and called it a night. Tuesday we woke up early, went to the store to buy things to make sandwiches and packed them in a backpack with fruit and water and hopped on a bus to make the journey to the top of the volcano. We reached the summit just after noon and found a nice spot to relax and enjoy our lunch. The view from the top of the volcano is amazing. A complete 360 degrees that offers a view of all of the towns of the island, the coastline, and on a clear day you can see the beaches and cliffs of the nearby island of Capri. Today was a little hazy so we could only see the top of Capri, but still had fantastic views of Ischia and Naples off in the distance.
After lunch we enjoyed the sun for a bit before making the hike back down to the bus stop. Later that afternoon, after a short nap, Francesco stopped by the house to hang out and play cards for a bit. While we were in the middle of a game of cards, Gianni stopped by to see what we were up to. The night before I had told him that we wanted to get some seafood today for a dinner, but had not made it to the fish market in time to buy the things we wanted. Gianni asked/told me to come with him saying that he had something he wanted to show me. Not being able to say no I jumped on the back of his scooter and we headed out for whatever it was he was “going to show me”. I returned to the house with about ten pounds of mussels, ten pounds of sepia (a local fish), five pounds of local shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, fresh picked basil and parsley, fresh baked bread, a case of beer, and six bottles of wine. Gianni dropped me off at his house with the groceries and told me to put everything away and to return around nine o’clock when Filipo would be there to start cooking. Before we knew it another feast was under way! First course was spaghetti with mussels and prawns, followed by grilled sepia (prepared by Gianni’s brother-in-law, Giovanni), and finished off with a giant pan filled with mussels and a loaf of bread to soak up the delicious broth.
It was funny after dinner a couple of the friends gave Gianni a hard time about the fact that he doesn’t have these little dinner parties ever, but as soon as I showed up it seemed to be a regular thing. I told them to be quiet and to be happy that we were having it in the first place!
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