BOSCO!

Ashey at Graziella's above the jewelery store


walking into the bosco




one of many tarantella circles!

Today we visited my Mother's Godmother and family in Montemarano and had an amazing lunch complete with pasta al forno!!! (baked pasta in the oven with cheese and tasty sauce). That wasn't it ofcourse, the meal continued....we ate....and then needed a nap before the tarentella festival in the bosco the same evening.
The Bosco (forest) in one of my favorite festival's forsure. You have to park your car well before the forest and then follow the people and lights to a clearing where you will find food and drinks and vendors selling anything from candy and shoes to tarentella accesories! ITs a long night of dancing and a lot of fun. We met up with friends and family and enjoyed the musical stylings of none other than Achille; once again!

August 16th, Amalfi Coast and the resurection of the fisarmonica

Wow, crazy day today!
As usual i suppose, we spent the morning and early afternoon on the Amalfi Coast. We began about 45 mins from the village on the coast in Salerno and continued the drive from there to Naples. We stopped in Positano for lunch and souvenirs after almost 2 hours of braving the winding roads along the coast. Dad was a trooper! We had to stop many times to let large tour or city buses go by since although it is a two way 'highway' of sorts, it can really only fit about 1 and a half cars since cars also park along the side of the roads into the cliffs. There are ofcourse a constant stream of scooters and vespas as well. This is definately the way to go here. If was difficult to stop at all because of the people and roads but if we were on vespa's we could stop anywhere...well almost anywhere. At points, there wasn't room for the pedestrians who were trying to get to the beach (500 steps down!). If ever you have the experience to visit the Amalfi coast, even for an short time; go! I've been to many places and see many pictures of this coast but when you're there it really does take your breath away. Everything is built on top of the next right into the side of the mountains that are crazy huge and the bright colour are piercing. Alongside of the coast at many locations there are lemon trees everywhere (to make the tasty limoncello i think!). After a hot afternoon and briefly getting lost on the way home we finally got back to the village and Maria made us dinner! yeah Maria! It was one of the family's favorite (well the italian side of my family...i don't think dad and ash loved it too much.) I did though...i forget the name of it now...pizza...something...... (help me mom or zia) anyway, it is kind of a cornmeal pizza that is placed on top of greens (like chard and rapini) then you smoosh the two together and eat away!!!! If that wasn't enough, we also had a tasty bowl of pasta and wine ofcourse!
Later that night we went up to see Miliuccio at the restaurant and nonno got out the accordion to seranade the bar! Check out the video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/VideoShields
My dad just had this accordion restored (and i lugged it onto the plane). It was originally bought here in Italy and then when my nonno immigrated he brought it to Canada with him. He was the accordion guy of the villages (like Achile today!). People always tell us stories of him playing at parties or events and how awesome he was. Legend has it that he used to play and dance the tarentella at the same time holding the accordion over his head.






Roads along the coast.








Beach umbrella's in Positano

Cheers! Vino at lunch.

crazy yacht with helicopter on the deck! whoa.

me! ciao.





zia sonya with the pizza ..something like maestra..minestra???? yum


Maria's kittens!


Miliuccio bbq the chicken. (i




Bar Sport


Nonno playing his accordion.

August 15, 2011 Montevirgine

Today, August 15th Nonno is feeling much better, back to his old crazy self! We thought we should make our way to Montevirgine nearby in Avelinno and Tony Canadese offered to bring us and give dad a day ALONE to work on many projects around the house. Montevirgine is a church on the top of a mountain nearby. People have been making pilgrimages there for many nears and still do. They often dedicate the time of their pilgrimage to a family member or friend who is sick or injured and pray to the Virgin Mary. In the church there is a large room filled with drawings, photographs and metal figures representing many prayers that were answered during these pilgrimages. In fact, a friend was telling us that on September 8th every year they walk from here in Castelvetere to the top of the mountain. He said it takes about 12 hours and they walk through the night. I couldn't imagine the walk but i would like to try it. The mountain has a road that we drove up through all the switch backs; nonno wasn't feeling so great after that! There was a sring fed fountain at the top and some pizza so that made him happy again! Ofcourse, we chose the busiest day of the year to do something that many italian tourists do. August 15th is Fer Augosto, a national holiday; busier than Christmas we were told. We did however make it up the mountain, through the church and museums and picked up a few souvenirs.
After we retuned, we took it easy at the casa and then went for a walk in the evening. The moon was a crazy bright orange; it has been for a few days now.


The four of us squished in the back seat of Tony Canadese's car!


Cars lined up to see the church.


The church.


Dedications and representations of prayers to the Madonna.


Dedications and representations of prayers to the Madonna.


Dedications and representations of prayers to the Madonna.


a Chapel within the church.


The original steps to the church. People often walked up these steps on their knees.


Another small chapel within Montevirgine.



The procession of the Madonna after mass.


Market place filled with religious souvenirs...and toys.



The orange moon from our balcony.


Ash and Zia lounging.


Nonno giving me a kiss.

Walking, talking, eating! August 14th, 2011

Ciao a tutti.
Things are going well here. Nonno has started to feel better so we are taking it slow. We are all a bit tired since sleeping doesnt happen very much with 6 people living in two rooms! Nonno gets up to shuffle around at night about 4 times and then up early in the morning along with the roosters who then get the dogs all excited and then we are all pretty much awake. Lots of working on the house and touring around town. We went for a walk through the village this morning and then went for a visit to our cousin Nucha's who lives in the Calore just past Montemarano. Lino and Angelina from Montreal were there aswell! Her view is amazing and she even brought us into the garden for more fresh tomatoes and hazel nuts.
Later in the evening we ended up at Miliuccio's for pizza. We said we would have a couple pizza's and he brought us 5 or six! One with french fries on top...and ofcourse more vino.


Dad still painting....


Salut! Eating at Casa Primo sole









Our little house from the top! To the left at the fork in the road.




Walking up to the church.


At Nucha's:

The Boys: Big Davide, little Davide, Nonno, Lino and Dad.

Angelina, Nonno and Lino


Nucha's backyard on the calore


Zia Sonya, Nucha and Davide out back.


Walking under the grape vines to get to the tomato plants.

Mom eating something...as usual!

Nucha picking a bag full of tomatoes and basil...Bruschetta~here i come.

Dad and i waiting for tomatoes!


Nucha and Mom getting eaten by a fig tree.


Generoso, Nonno and Nicoletta

Zia sonya, Nonno and Nucha. (Smile nonno!)

At Miliuccio's:

Miliuccio and Nonno

Big table of food.


Carlo and Nonno