Spent weeks and weeks in Italy, for what will be my last trip for at least a year, cause Liv is gettin' married, and there may even be babies soon...oh my, what a thought!
Rome: flew in here and stayed 4 days getting my new time zone on. It was pre-Christmas and there was lots to see. Stayed in one of Octavian and Lana's hotels and it was perfect. Location is everything--it was just a few steps from the Campo dei Fiori, one of the coolest markets in old Rome.
Then by train to Torino just before Xmas, where I joined the cousins. We whisked off for Christmas Eve to the coast, where Mariuccia and Paolo were staying in their seaside home. I love Christmas in Italy cause the present thing and the home decor thing are so minimal. Instead there is great food, cool musical events and seasonal markets. I brought Paolo a new pair of UGG boots, to which he has become oh, so fond. They were knee high black surfer ones! Keeping his feet warm is a real challenge. Of course at one point in the festivities, Dario had to put the ribbon on his head. He and Paolo crack me up.
And I had an amazing visit in the snow with the family. Everybody is so sportivo, though. I felt like a being from another planet though, not being either svelte or athletic. I did take a snowshoing hike with Carlotta one day, though.
Dario, Michela and I had fun hanging out, too.
From Villardamond, I drove away and left the cousins to enjoy the remainder of their winter holiday and went on to Verona,
where I met up with Laura--but not Adrian cause he stayed up north in Austria where they had been with a friend who had a skiing accident.
We spent a couple of days together in a lovely hotel Francesca recommended there, 
and then by car to Venice, where we found a hotel that was OK. It was clear but very cold, and it had snowed and hailed even in Venice earlier, so there were traces of snow in the corners still.
I saw many of my old favorite places and special f
riends, and also discovered a brand new place: Naples. I was in good hands there, though. I had a guide all to myself for a week. A highlight was spending Christmas with the Maffeos. Paolo was not his old self much, it was painful to see that. They are such dear special people.I took ferries a lot, and stayed in a trullo kind of close to Matera that belonged to a delightful family who also fed me. I rode a bike in the rolling hills one bright afternoon, coasting along to
a great wind at my back and the sun in my face. It took me twice as long to ride back, with a sharp wind against me and no warmth from the sun. This was January after all. It rained periodically. Had a dinner with the Michaela Moliterni and her father Gianni and mother. They are very good people, and I hope Michela's school thrives. She is adorable. I wish I had time to go into business with her tracking Italian-Americans' relatives down in the old country, or vice versa. I did see Nino and Signora Fina for a dinner, and had a long chat with Nino, got to hear his brand new kind of playing. It is impressive, and quite technically challenging for him to start all over and begin to learn a whole new instrument at this point. Man, it would be cool if I could put up some of what he played here as an audio file, but, sadly, I lack the know-how.
Went to Verona and Venice with Laura Kelley, and it was so much fun. Brief but action-packed.
Poor Laura ended up paying an outrageous taxi fare back to the rail station, because we didn't plan the time better.
I hung out quite a bit with Francesca, Stefano and Matilde. I got to pop in on Lucila and introduce her to them. They live very near.
While I was in Puglia, I saw Maestro Pino Modugno a few times. He likes a female companion, and is very generous with his friends and his music. He is pretty fun to be with. He cracked me up. His hands are huge, and so easily span an octave that it could make you drool to watch. And he could play anything, and so effortlessly. It was amazing just to watch him, although sometimes his taste did go where mine did not.
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