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It must have been a tail wind from England. We find ourselves waiting in a cloudy Sunday searching for some sustenance after our punishingly early start from Gatwick. Two cappuccinos to restore humour. Airport coffee? They were delicious. Don't suppose we'll find a bad coffee in Italy. Croissants and marmelade are fluffy, moist and satisfying even if eaten at a dirty, plastic-chaired airport cafe.
Does it feel like Italy yet? Looking out of the picture windows high on the departure level the cars look the same as in every other country we've visited in the last few months – the hoardings, though, display advertising with wording I struggle to translate calling on adolescent Italian learnt before a memorable holiday to Grado in Northern Italy. The local lads taught me quite a few words, none of which I can at this point remember, and none of which would probably prove useful at this stage in my life!
Prego, scusi, grazie – vital if any attempt at politeness is to be made.
I carefully wrote out a surname greeting paper with which to greet my cousin and his intended but missed the grand gesture
by disappearing off to the ladies' at the appropriate or as it turned out inappropriate moment.
Luckily nearly 60 years of knowing each other allowed recognition with no difficulty!
Snaking out of Naples with Vesuvius first on our right and then on our left it was clear we had missed the road but with great aplomb and courage the correct road the A16 was found and we headed for the hills.
My cousin, who has long fancied himself a rally driver, whilst complaining roundly about the Italian drivers, found many opportunities to test his skills. Resolutely staring out of the passenger window I admired the apple blossomed orchards and olive tree-studded hills.
“So how did you find this place?” I enquired.
“Long story really, but an investor friend told us how an entrepeneurially-minded Mayor had decided to inject a little foreign capital into the town by offering basically restored properties to foreign investors.”
And that is where my cousin comes in. Wined and dined by local dignitaries he and his intended were enchanted by the place on one of these promotional weekends
and promptly became the proud owner of number 54 Via Concezione.
“ What a forward looking Mayor,” I said.
“Well it took him 29 years after the earthquake to do it!”
“Earthquake? Now you tell me!”
“ Yeah, these houses are in the damaged 'old borgo' section. The town isn't everyone's cup of tea. A bit shabby chic,” his intended added.
I was silent until our first view of Calitri about an hour later showed us a cubist painting of houses in varying colours in serried ranks packed tightly in strips along the hillside. Couldn't see too much damage from this vista!
We unloaded in the middle of a narrow cobbled street outside their house, a typical terrace making use of the caves hollowed out of the steep hillside. A grotto at the back of the bedroom was probably used as an animal shelter or a wine and cheese storage pantry, its coolness remaining constant. The ceiling here looks like a chapel and the views over the surrounding countryside are sublime. Steep allotments tumble down the opposing hillside crowned by a rather
imposing villa and a small church. The house martins swoop soundlessly under the terracotta tiles intent on nest building.
Our Sunday repast at La Gatta Cenerentola was a narrowly avoided disaster. The owner was expecting us on another day and another time but she made a table up for us in the back cave whilst karaoke singing 25
th wedding anniversary guests continued in full voice in the front.
In true Italian style the antipasto dishes just kept coming and coming. Just when we were bursting from aroncini balls and the like it was time to order the pasta! A carne dish would have been superfluous but Graeme was happy to top the meal off with a tiramisu and expresso coffee.
Their carefully decorated Italian pied-a-terre has given them a bolt hole they have used for the last five or six years and their status as 'locals' is evident, with the local policeman coming over at dinner to shake hands and clear plates!
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Anastasia78
Anastasia78
Love this!
Great photo! Perfect!