NCECA 2010 PROPOSAL FOR A 30 MINUTE EDUCATIONAL LECTURE
Title: American Perspective: Two Italian Residencies
As individually unique as the Italian provinces of Tuscany and Umbria, were my residency experiences as an American clay artist at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.it/index.htm) near Certaldo and the Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) located in Deruta. During my Spring ’09 sabbatical, I completed three week residency projects at both studios. The primary focus during the artist in residencies was the production of artwork for the Landfillart Project (http://landfillart.org/).
In Deruta (the majolica capital of the world), various artists associated with the Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” provided input in my art process. Nicola Boccini, assisted with a plaster mold for the project and innovative concepts regarding porcelain which he developed during a residency project at The European Ceramic Work Center (http://www.ekwc.nl) in The Netherlands. The Master of the majolica technique, Romano Ranieri, provided demonstration and assistance with the centuries old technique. Vinicio Barcaccia demonstrated the European potter’s wheel as applicable to my Landfillart project. During my residency, David Roberts conducted a “raku nudo” workshop and I was able to integrate my project in his workshop.
At La Meridiana (featured in Ceramics Monthly April ’05), Pietro Maddalena (owner and resident artist) provided assistance with setting up a working studio space and feedback regarding my Landfillart project. During my residency at La Meridiana there were two workshops conducted in the community studio where I had studio space. Luca Tirpaldi conducted a “paper clay” workshop and Gail Nichols conducted a “soda fire “workshop. Both workshop instructors allowed my project to interface with their techniques.
My powerpoint slide presentation will provide a comparison of the residencies and critique of each experience. A current progress report on the residencies is available at the blog site:
http://frankgoryleurope2009.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 18, 2009
Dear family and friends,
Amazing to think that four months have passed in Europe and we are beginning to plan our return home. The boys are nearing the end with their cyber school program and I have completed my residency art projects. I have written a proposal for the 2010 NCECA conference comparing the studios I worked and have posted that synopsis in our travel blog.
Our agenda is to travel to the Adriatic Sea and east coast of Italy for a few days of beach time before visiting Venice. We are planning to travel along the coast of the Mediterranean as far west as Barcelona with a few stops in places like Cannes before heading north via Paris, London and Amsterdam. We have a July 15th deadline to return the Volvo to Gothenburg but are estimating that it should only take 3 or 4 weeks for the drive so we are thinking we should be back home by the end of June. But then again, we thought we were only going to spend 4 or 5 days in Rome and spent almost two weeks.
We truly miss our family and friends but the cobblestone streets and wandering amongst buildings from the 12th century has not gotten old. Susan and I will certainly miss our stroll after lunch each day to the local cafe for a cappuccino. We will miss sharing with the boys a simple dinner prepared in our apartment each night or the occasional two hour version in a local restaurant. The boys won’t miss watching movies on the computer cuz they don’t understand the local TV.
But most of all, we are going to miss some of the genuine friendships we have developed here. From Massimo and Marianna in Reggio Calabria who welcomed us into the Chindemi family with home cooked dinners and help locating Susan’s relatives. To Sally and Roberto in Tuscany who not just helped get us access to the Uffizi Museum and Medici Library but prepared 3 hour dinners so we could share conversation with their college aged sons. Or Sally (who teaches English in the 15th century building they filmed “Room with a View”) taking Susan into all the little used clothes shops in Florence. I will forever have etched in my memory the farewell lunch setup in the studio at Scuola d’Arte Ceramica prepared by the young artist from Greece where following another 2 hour meal folks sat around the table and recited poetry in their native language (I did Collin’s “Horizon”) then Maestro Romano Ranieri played guitar and sang Italian love and folk songs. Special times in a special place.
We look forward to hugs and the Italian kiss on each cheek from each any everyone this summer when we host our annual clam bake in August. Do drop a note and let me know you have received this cuz some folks are reporting spam filters blocking my emails from Europe. Thanks.
Ciao……………………frank
Amazing to think that four months have passed in Europe and we are beginning to plan our return home. The boys are nearing the end with their cyber school program and I have completed my residency art projects. I have written a proposal for the 2010 NCECA conference comparing the studios I worked and have posted that synopsis in our travel blog.
Our agenda is to travel to the Adriatic Sea and east coast of Italy for a few days of beach time before visiting Venice. We are planning to travel along the coast of the Mediterranean as far west as Barcelona with a few stops in places like Cannes before heading north via Paris, London and Amsterdam. We have a July 15th deadline to return the Volvo to Gothenburg but are estimating that it should only take 3 or 4 weeks for the drive so we are thinking we should be back home by the end of June. But then again, we thought we were only going to spend 4 or 5 days in Rome and spent almost two weeks.
We truly miss our family and friends but the cobblestone streets and wandering amongst buildings from the 12th century has not gotten old. Susan and I will certainly miss our stroll after lunch each day to the local cafe for a cappuccino. We will miss sharing with the boys a simple dinner prepared in our apartment each night or the occasional two hour version in a local restaurant. The boys won’t miss watching movies on the computer cuz they don’t understand the local TV.
But most of all, we are going to miss some of the genuine friendships we have developed here. From Massimo and Marianna in Reggio Calabria who welcomed us into the Chindemi family with home cooked dinners and help locating Susan’s relatives. To Sally and Roberto in Tuscany who not just helped get us access to the Uffizi Museum and Medici Library but prepared 3 hour dinners so we could share conversation with their college aged sons. Or Sally (who teaches English in the 15th century building they filmed “Room with a View”) taking Susan into all the little used clothes shops in Florence. I will forever have etched in my memory the farewell lunch setup in the studio at Scuola d’Arte Ceramica prepared by the young artist from Greece where following another 2 hour meal folks sat around the table and recited poetry in their native language (I did Collin’s “Horizon”) then Maestro Romano Ranieri played guitar and sang Italian love and folk songs. Special times in a special place.
We look forward to hugs and the Italian kiss on each cheek from each any everyone this summer when we host our annual clam bake in August. Do drop a note and let me know you have received this cuz some folks are reporting spam filters blocking my emails from Europe. Thanks.
Ciao……………………frank
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Tuscan Residency
A Tuscan Residency. April 2009
I had planned the residency at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.) since the Portland, Oregon (200?) NCECA conference where I had met Claudia Bruhin (the administrator). On our initial drive through Italy in February we had stopped at La Meridiana for a few days to confirm residency dates and identify housing. Initially, the residency was to be six weeks in length and include a project with Pietro Maddalena (the resident artist) where he works with a group of High School kids and I would work with elementary children doing my whistle project. Prior to our departure, I received and email from Claudia that the building the project takes place had been designated for restoration so Pietro was cancelling till next year. Still the residency portion was still available.
Having had an Italian residency experience in Deruta, I came to La Meridiana (located near Certaldo) with expectations but also comparisons from Deruta. Like the differences between the provinces of Umbria and Tuscany, so are the differences between Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) in Deruta and La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.it) in Tuscany.
After a rainy (fairly cold) weekend, I arrived in studio where Pietro provided a space in the corner of the community studio, a block of stoneware and a block of raku clay and a nod of approval for a creative endeavor. He was off to his private studio located on the other side of the farmhouse or to attend to the various chores of maintaining the property.
I have continued to explore the landfillart.com project in various clay bodies, made several simple pots with those same varieties and a couple of “rasta whistles” just for good measure. I usually arrive early in studio after a brisk mile walk along the country road overlooking the fog filled valleys of the rolling Tuscan hills. Pietro is usually the first to greet me in the studio and the other days I asked if he had a set of letter punches because I traditionally stamp my name of initial on the bottom of my pots. Pietro asked how I choose initial or name and I replied it was probably just of matter of whim. Because there were no letter stamps, I had the option to scribe my name with my favorite tool, the wooden vegetable skewer, and hence have been scribing same poems or thought of the day (often in Italian) on the bottom of the bowls.
During the second week of my reisidency at La Meridiana, a porcleian paperclay workshop began begin taught by Luca (last name). There were seven participants from various locations in the world with all speaking English in which the instructions were given. I was able to observe the process from my “residency corner” and also use the paperclay to make one mold for my landfillart.com project. It was enjoyable have a group of artist-students milling around the studio and re-captured the spirit of the Deruta studio.
I had planned the residency at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.) since the Portland, Oregon (200?) NCECA conference where I had met Claudia Bruhin (the administrator). On our initial drive through Italy in February we had stopped at La Meridiana for a few days to confirm residency dates and identify housing. Initially, the residency was to be six weeks in length and include a project with Pietro Maddalena (the resident artist) where he works with a group of High School kids and I would work with elementary children doing my whistle project. Prior to our departure, I received and email from Claudia that the building the project takes place had been designated for restoration so Pietro was cancelling till next year. Still the residency portion was still available.
Having had an Italian residency experience in Deruta, I came to La Meridiana (located near Certaldo) with expectations but also comparisons from Deruta. Like the differences between the provinces of Umbria and Tuscany, so are the differences between Scuola d’Arte Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) in Deruta and La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.it) in Tuscany.
After a rainy (fairly cold) weekend, I arrived in studio where Pietro provided a space in the corner of the community studio, a block of stoneware and a block of raku clay and a nod of approval for a creative endeavor. He was off to his private studio located on the other side of the farmhouse or to attend to the various chores of maintaining the property.
I have continued to explore the landfillart.com project in various clay bodies, made several simple pots with those same varieties and a couple of “rasta whistles” just for good measure. I usually arrive early in studio after a brisk mile walk along the country road overlooking the fog filled valleys of the rolling Tuscan hills. Pietro is usually the first to greet me in the studio and the other days I asked if he had a set of letter punches because I traditionally stamp my name of initial on the bottom of my pots. Pietro asked how I choose initial or name and I replied it was probably just of matter of whim. Because there were no letter stamps, I had the option to scribe my name with my favorite tool, the wooden vegetable skewer, and hence have been scribing same poems or thought of the day (often in Italian) on the bottom of the bowls.
During the second week of my reisidency at La Meridiana, a porcleian paperclay workshop began begin taught by Luca (last name). There were seven participants from various locations in the world with all speaking English in which the instructions were given. I was able to observe the process from my “residency corner” and also use the paperclay to make one mold for my landfillart.com project. It was enjoyable have a group of artist-students milling around the studio and re-captured the spirit of the Deruta studio.
Tuscany
April into May. Tuscany. 2009
With hearts sad, we moved on a rainy Saturday morning from our comfortable abode in Deruta to a rural farmhouse apartment in Tuscany. The small town is called Bagnano and is located about half way between the towns of Certaldo and Barbarieno. The night of our arrival the house was cold and damp and we longed for the warmth of Deruta. Fortunately, our British landlady Sally came to the rescue with some firewood for the kitchen stove and the warmth of the fire changed our spirits.
The next few weeks will revolve around my doing a residency art project at La Meridiana while the boys put a major push in cyber school with “MamaG” as head school master.
With hearts sad, we moved on a rainy Saturday morning from our comfortable abode in Deruta to a rural farmhouse apartment in Tuscany. The small town is called Bagnano and is located about half way between the towns of Certaldo and Barbarieno. The night of our arrival the house was cold and damp and we longed for the warmth of Deruta. Fortunately, our British landlady Sally came to the rescue with some firewood for the kitchen stove and the warmth of the fire changed our spirits.
The next few weeks will revolve around my doing a residency art project at La Meridiana while the boys put a major push in cyber school with “MamaG” as head school master.
High School Arts Program
A High School Exchange Program
Nicola Boccini (www.boccini.it )who is Director of Scuola d’Arte
Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/)where I am
doing a residency took me to visit and tour the local high school. It was
incredible and speaks to a town of 8 thousand people that has nearly 3
hundred pottery studios. The high school specializes (go figure) in
ceramics for ages 15 to 19. (I have attached a compressed file with some
photos of the school so let me know if you are able to open the pictures)
The school's enrollment is approx. 200+ students which come from the
entire region. Students who wish to study science or medicine go to a
different High School. I would compare the level of artwork and
instruction equal to some college programs. First year students study
principles of ceramic design, mold construction, restoration, ceramic
history. They were doing print making on tiles, lamp design and
construction, a room with a 6 X 6 foot mold for an installation piece at
the local ceramic art museum. We visited the room where “Vinny” who had
shown me how to use the side seated European potters’ wheel was working
with “special needs” kids putting clay into molds for mural construction.
It was amazing and reinforced my understanding of why a town of 8 thousand
people can embrace nearly 3 hundred pottery studios. And they have been
doing it for centuries !!!
Although there remains an issue with language, primarily my not being able
to communicate in Italian, the director of the High School asked (via
Nicola) if I would explore the possibility of an exchange program for
their students back in America. We plan to meet again to discuss some
options. I have sent emails to both Shirley Micheals (Keystone's
Study Abroad person),Catherine Cullen (@ NEIU) and Nancy Sanderson (at Wyoming Seminary) to explore possibilities.
With hope and faith in the art of possibilities.
Nicola Boccini (www.boccini.it )who is Director of Scuola d’Arte
Ceramica “Romano Ranieri” (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/)where I am
doing a residency took me to visit and tour the local high school. It was
incredible and speaks to a town of 8 thousand people that has nearly 3
hundred pottery studios. The high school specializes (go figure) in
ceramics for ages 15 to 19. (I have attached a compressed file with some
photos of the school so let me know if you are able to open the pictures)
The school's enrollment is approx. 200+ students which come from the
entire region. Students who wish to study science or medicine go to a
different High School. I would compare the level of artwork and
instruction equal to some college programs. First year students study
principles of ceramic design, mold construction, restoration, ceramic
history. They were doing print making on tiles, lamp design and
construction, a room with a 6 X 6 foot mold for an installation piece at
the local ceramic art museum. We visited the room where “Vinny” who had
shown me how to use the side seated European potters’ wheel was working
with “special needs” kids putting clay into molds for mural construction.
It was amazing and reinforced my understanding of why a town of 8 thousand
people can embrace nearly 3 hundred pottery studios. And they have been
doing it for centuries !!!
Although there remains an issue with language, primarily my not being able
to communicate in Italian, the director of the High School asked (via
Nicola) if I would explore the possibility of an exchange program for
their students back in America. We plan to meet again to discuss some
options. I have sent emails to both Shirley Micheals (Keystone's
Study Abroad person),Catherine Cullen (@ NEIU) and Nancy Sanderson (at Wyoming Seminary) to explore possibilities.
With hope and faith in the art of possibilities.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
DERUTA
Deruta . April 2009.
Deruta (the majolica capital of the world) in the province of Umbria has been a pleasant surprise. About an hour and half drive north of Rome, this small town of eight thousand people hosts nearly three hundred pottery studios. In February, we visited Nicola Boccini, Director of the Romano Ranieri School of Ceramic Art (http://www.schoolofceramics.org/) on the advise of Bruce Dehnert at Peter’s Valley Craft Center. Nicola, a well know Italian artist in his our right has opened his studio to me and helped find the family a beautiful apartment in the historical district of Deruta. We plan to stay in Deruta a few weeks before Certaldo and my art project at La Meridiana (http://www.lameridiana.fi.it/).
I have been spending virtually day and evening in the studio working on my contribution to the Landfillart Project (http://landfillart.org/). Susan and the boys after mornings of cyber school have been coming to the studio in the afternoon to learn a little bit of the art of majolica from master Romano Ranieri who doesn't speak a word of English but occasionally busts into opera. Yesterday the boys bought their instruments to the studio to play for master Ranieri.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Latter part of March "09
THE LATTER PART OF MARCH ‘09
We returned from Sicily to Scilla in the Reggio Calabria area upon receiving an email indicating that maternal grandmother Crea relatives had been located. So we once again met Daniele and Nino Calandruccio at the small church in Paile on a raining Sunday morning and drove to a little house where several dozen people had gathered in the kitchen to greet us. Sitting amongst the all talking at the same time women was an 89 year old blind woman who from the all the chatter may have been married to the brother (or cousin) of Susan’s grandfather. It wasn’t long before Nino said “ok andiamo” and we were off for a cappuccino, hugs and hopes to meet again in America.
We returned from Sicily to Scilla in the Reggio Calabria area upon receiving an email indicating that maternal grandmother Crea relatives had been located. So we once again met Daniele and Nino Calandruccio at the small church in Paile on a raining Sunday morning and drove to a little house where several dozen people had gathered in the kitchen to greet us. Sitting amongst the all talking at the same time women was an 89 year old blind woman who from the all the chatter may have been married to the brother (or cousin) of Susan’s grandfather. It wasn’t long before Nino said “ok andiamo” and we were off for a cappuccino, hugs and hopes to meet again in America.
Couple of night in Scilla including a pizza dinner with Marianna, Maximo and Diemitiro at the Calypso before departing north to Rome. An overnight stop in Pompeii and tour of the archeological site. Amazing preservation of an entire Roman city and the excavated forms of people including children sent a chill through my body.
On to Rome and what an incredible city!!! We spent the first few nights in a convent with the bathroom window overlooking the Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral. It’s amazing the “awe struck” I experience upon entering St. Peter’s square and the Cathedral for the first time. Michelangelo’s Pieta or the walk under the floor past the tomb of Pope John Paul 2nd with people opening weeping leaves me without description.
We spent one day on a tour of the Vatican Museum and it was beyond words. The vast quantity and quality of artwork is week’s worth of exploration. To photograph Evan and Aaron in front of Raphael’s School of Athens has me hope that they will experience the same with their children. As I looked up in the Sistine Chapel, I recalled Ellen Dissanayake's definition of art as "making special". Now I have a better understanding of the word "special".
We moved from the convent to an apartment in the historic district. Fr. Brain's contact Emanuela walked us to see several different locations and Susan just loved the apartment that had the master bedroom up a spiral staircase with a terrace overlooking the rooftops not more than a the block from the Pantheon. Best part is the Sisters offered to keep our car parked at the Convent since there are no cars allowed in the historic district.
Spent another day on a guided tour of the Coliseum and area around the Roman Forum. Sometimes I find it difficult to grasp the time concept that Rome has a history of several thousands of years but the view of a marble statue or Corinthian column never tires the eye.
A special moment when Fr. Brain Clarke (who is from NEPA and studying in Rome) met to show us a couple of churches off the tourist path. Not only was it wonderful to connect with the person who helped arrange our housing and Vatican Tour but the personal insights to the churches we visited were priceless. Because Evan and Aaron were not raised in Roman Catholic stories and traditions, I wondered their responses to seeing a piece of the table from the last supper or pieces of the cross from the crucifixion. The relics brought back from Jerusalem by St. Helen (Constantine’s mother) in the 2nd century included nails from the cross, thorns from the crown and were tucked away in a chapel that was once her home. Very special and unique. Thanks.
A scheduled audience with the Pope tomorrow morning (arranged by Fr. Brian) before departure for Deruta and the 1st of two art projects. I look forward to putting my hands in some clay and now after a few months of immersion into the Italian culture feel ready to begin.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March 9 to 17, 2009
Spent a little over a week in the seaside apartment near Sciacca. A wonderful break from suitcase living. Many hours walking beach, watching sun and moon rises. That “life at the shore mentality” doesn’t get old for me. Not sure if it’s the perpetual sound of the waves or the minimalistic horizon line………..or the combination. Probably just the Piscean in me.
We got to know the town of Sciacca from tiny vegetable vendors to the movie rental guy. Family did the Godfather series to honor our stay in Sicily. Many home cooked meals. Several day trips to explore local sites. Failed attempt to view the mummies in Burgio but excellent day spent at the Valley of Temples. Some great images of boys within the Temples and also the Museum. After days of preparation (beach clearing, mental prep and several footnotes) wrote the I Never Swam poem. An excellent Ides of March.
Tuesday. March 17, 2009
Departed Sciacca for Cefalu via the winding smaller road including a “donkey trail” when I missed a turn so GPS Jane found a shortcut back to the main road. A cappuccino stop in the town of Corleone. Although the town is not where the movie was filmed, the café still had posters and film scenes decorating the walls. Amazing mountains and valleys to the north shore of Sicily and on to the town of Cefalu. Great little beach town and as I said to Susan last night at dinner that if we didn’t have family connection business back in Scilla, I would stay here for at least a week. Classic moment: As we were taking a traditional family walk before dinner; the streets are filled with people strolling the shops between 6 and 8pm. In the town plaza in front of the Duomo they had built an olive branch fire in a large urn at the top of the church steps, were passing out “pizza frittas” and the local high school wind instrument band was playing music for the large group that had gathered in the square.
The next morning it got better. At sunrise, the day started with a parade and marching band down our little street then at sunset the day ended with another parade of at least 50 priests, a dozen of so men carrying a very large statue of St. Joseph, the marching band and at least half the town’s people in a procession past our balcony to the Duomo. When the men with the statue reached the top of the steps of the church (after exhibiting considerable effort) the towns' people cheered loudly. The procession (and I) went into the vaulted church filled with singing, incense burning and pipe organ playing. Very unique.
Departed Sciacca for Cefalu via the winding smaller road including a “donkey trail” when I missed a turn so GPS Jane found a shortcut back to the main road. A cappuccino stop in the town of Corleone. Although the town is not where the movie was filmed, the café still had posters and film scenes decorating the walls. Amazing mountains and valleys to the north shore of Sicily and on to the town of Cefalu. Great little beach town and as I said to Susan last night at dinner that if we didn’t have family connection business back in Scilla, I would stay here for at least a week. Classic moment: As we were taking a traditional family walk before dinner; the streets are filled with people strolling the shops between 6 and 8pm. In the town plaza in front of the Duomo they had built an olive branch fire in a large urn at the top of the church steps, were passing out “pizza frittas” and the local high school wind instrument band was playing music for the large group that had gathered in the square.
The next morning it got better. At sunrise, the day started with a parade and marching band down our little street then at sunset the day ended with another parade of at least 50 priests, a dozen of so men carrying a very large statue of St. Joseph, the marching band and at least half the town’s people in a procession past our balcony to the Duomo. When the men with the statue reached the top of the steps of the church (after exhibiting considerable effort) the towns' people cheered loudly. The procession (and I) went into the vaulted church filled with singing, incense burning and pipe organ playing. Very unique.
Monday, March 16, 2009
I never swam in the Mediterranean,
where Sciacca fishermen dot
the azzura blue green horizon line.
Before dawn and beyond dusk.
I never swam in the Mediterranean,
Even a feeble hitchhiking attempt
some three decades ago.
Now seven winter weeks
and five thousand kilometers.
I never swam in the Mediterranean,
a beach of rounded marble stones and sand…
…until today.
having arrived
15 march 09
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sicily - March 2009
When we travel, everyone keep a daily journal. The following post is from Susan's journal:
Sunday, March 1, 2009
March roars in like a lion back home…….. and in Scilla it’s very windy this morning but it’s a warm breeze for a change. Showers for all, finish packing up, put apartment in order and clean up. Carlo comes at 11am; we give him the keys and say we plan to return to check records in Cannitello before we head to Roma.
We drive to Villa San Giovanni to get the ferry to Messina. They run every 20 minutes or so. We get our ticket and board without a hitch. Not the last one on this time. The water on the Strait is blowing sideways but sun is on the Sicilian side. Italians are prompt in their schedules, the ferry leaves on time. We go up top and laugh at how you walk side to side for the rocking. Out on deck, the wind is blowing like the tempest from the Odyssey but we brave it for a short while. Before you know it we are in Messina.
The drive to Milazzo is quick to check the ferry schedule to the islands of Stromboli, Vulcano, etc. Drive the coast a bit to find a sunny spot for lunch overlooking the sea. Bread, cheese, salami, fruit and the azzurina (light bluish turquoise) water makes for a delightful moment. Travel southward to Taormina begins to get a bit grayer and cloudy and once we start to Castiglione de Sicilia we are driving in fog.
When we travel, everyone keep a daily journal. The following post is from Susan's journal:
Sunday, March 1, 2009
March roars in like a lion back home…….. and in Scilla it’s very windy this morning but it’s a warm breeze for a change. Showers for all, finish packing up, put apartment in order and clean up. Carlo comes at 11am; we give him the keys and say we plan to return to check records in Cannitello before we head to Roma.
We drive to Villa San Giovanni to get the ferry to Messina. They run every 20 minutes or so. We get our ticket and board without a hitch. Not the last one on this time. The water on the Strait is blowing sideways but sun is on the Sicilian side. Italians are prompt in their schedules, the ferry leaves on time. We go up top and laugh at how you walk side to side for the rocking. Out on deck, the wind is blowing like the tempest from the Odyssey but we brave it for a short while. Before you know it we are in Messina.
The drive to Milazzo is quick to check the ferry schedule to the islands of Stromboli, Vulcano, etc. Drive the coast a bit to find a sunny spot for lunch overlooking the sea. Bread, cheese, salami, fruit and the azzurina (light bluish turquoise) water makes for a delightful moment. Travel southward to Taormina begins to get a bit grayer and cloudy and once we start to Castiglione de Sicilia we are driving in fog.
We know we are climbing up and travelling down and we know Mt. Etna is nearby but for the life of me, you can’t tell. We find St. Caterina B&B by luck and in the fog it’s delightful. Valentino speaks wonderful English and his cousin and chef Francesco speaks poco but is very enthusiastic in both English and Italian. Both of them are young and handsome and have had the B&B for 6 years. Valentino worked in Manchester for 6 years at a hotel. Francesco is 24 years old and living a single life (which is not the norm here in Sicily). Most are married young and have children soon after.
The place is adorable, multi terraces, narrow stairs; room is clean and made for the 4 of us. Best is our own terrace looks up at the castle and churches. Francesco makes us a simple meal of homemade macaroni and sun dried tomatoes, bread and a good bottle of vino after a walk in the fog to the castle on top. Good night in Sicily.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Clear blue skies, sunny and warming up fast. I can see a huge valley below us and Mt. Etna looms over all in all in its snow capped glory. The landscape is rugged but still has its terraced vineyards, citrus groves all over the valley and the hillside. A simple Sicilian breakfast of fruit, bread, cheese and meat sends us on our way to Etna and some of the towns in its wake.
First stop, Il Picciolo Golf Club. A beautiful 18 hole course down in the valley, very pretty. On to Lingualossa to travel up the slope of Etna. The higher we go the more snow is on the ground and lava rock valley flow out in every direction. We drive as far as we can go up to a ski resort (if you can call it that), a few small buildings with skis, snowboards, hats and souvenirs. One slightly larger one where I guess you get the lift passes, and again, cars parked in every direction. You can see trekking expeditions heading up the slope. There are lots of volcanic cones; some small as a building, some 3 km across, a few have smoke coming out at times. It’s very eerie.
As we drive as high as we can, an occasional ristorante pops up or a terraced area planted with trees. We stop for a cappuccino at a rest stop? Retreat area? With a young handsome guy there by himself. Lonely job in the off season. We continue our travels to Milo – the highest town on the eastern side of the mountain with a piazza, of course by a church that has a gathering of 6 or 8 - 722 hp Mercedes that are participating in some kind of Mille Miglia. Mr. Phillips would be having an orgasm if he saw these cars and the road we just came from. You can see the Ionian Sea from here. Simply spectacular. We stop in Zafferana Etna, a slightly more cosmopolitan town for a walk in their piazza by Santa Maria (Chisea Amdre). It’s said their patron saint has stopped the lava flow from destroying the town more than once, last time in 1991.
From there it’s the fast highway to Randazzo, a town closest to the craters. For some reason, it was never destroyed by Etna. Most of the building and masonry are black lava stone. It has been dated to the 2nd century BC. The church as Santa Maria dates to the 13th century. Driving though the countryside back to Castiglione we stop at a farm that’s got homemade vino. We stop and get a bottle (2 l plastic) after a taste. The home brew isn’t bad and the man was very happy to show us his press.
Dinner at the President was a bust (closed) so as we wander back up to find Hotel Frederico, we get lost but find a restaurant open on Monday. Turns out it was the hotel and it wasn’t far from where we were staying. The route we took was circuitous. Not as easy finding our way here as it was in Scilla.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Day breaks again with clear blue skies and after breakfast and some schoolwork we head out to golf at Il Picciolo Golf Club in the hills of Etna. It’s a beautiful course, not quite finished resort and the couple of hours spent walking and playing was good family time. The last ½ hour was getting overcast and cooler and we finished before it got too chilly, but the afternoon was sunny and 63 degree. Not tropical but not bad.
On the ride back, I finally got to stop in the cemetery on the hill facing Castiglione. It’s much bigger than I thought with private (family) mausoleums and small chapel-like buildings and individual sites with some fabulous statues. The oldest date of death I could make out was 1820. I can’t imagine if there is room left for anyone else or not, it looks so packed with stones and candles.
Francesco is preparing us food on the grill tonight, so we get the big bags from the car to get out clothes for the day backpacks, put the clean laundry away and re-organize. We leave tomorrow for Caltagirone. At 8:30pm, the boys are famished so we head down to the small dining area, smelling the steaks on the grill. Simple meal-steaks, sausage, romaine lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, bread (of course), but it was all so fresh, you could taste the difference. I gave Evan ½ my steak & sausage, he ate his so fast. Aaron too!!! You’d swear we never fed them. I’m not sure if it’s because they’re getting so big or because of the lateness of dinner or what. We buy enough fruit and bread & cheese to eat between, and it goes fast. Anyway, the food was delicious – plates licked clean (poor Jackie) and all was well.
Wednesday, March 2009
Happy Birthday Dad and Ann Marie!!!
After breakfast we traveled to Villa del Casale near Piazza Amerina. There must have been a garbage strike in Amerina as all the garbage cans were more than overflowing. Watching the landscape change from lava rock and ordered fields or groves with terraces and grapevines to a more sandy, tan colored soil with larger hillsides and white stone. Sheep, cattle and goats in treeless environs. Wider spaces and less order (less manmade intrusions prevail until Piazza Amerina). It reminds me of the countryside that surrounds State College – farm, field then boom ! A fair sized town smack in the middle.
The Roman Villa del Casale is a short way from Amerina and as we park and walk towards the site it doesn’t appear to look like much. We get our tickets and walk down a path a short way and see stone walls, some just a few blocks high and others about 8-10 ft. covered by plexi-glass - greenhouse frame. A metal walkway allows you to walk most of the way around the rooms and all the way around others. You know you are in for a treat with each part. The designs are so intricate and the animals, people and scenes appear never ending. As luck would have it, the Villa just reopened on March 1st after 4 months of restoration. So some of the buildings are still off limits but we can still walk about 80%. Three distinct buildings connected by courtyards and passageways, all tiled in incredible designs. Hunts, serpents, wild animal, nude men and woman and the horses; all with unbelievable details and color. Then it happens – I see my sissy in the famous room of 10 girls in bikinis. Beck (a.k.a. Rebecca) !!! I couldn’t believe it and the one she was tossing the ball with could have been me. Very bizarre and too funny. Walking in the Atrium, with the columns and partial mosaics was awe inspiring. To think I had my feet on a structure built in the 3rd or 4th century on a beautiful tile floor that was walked on by people with togas and Roman sandals was mind blowing. Me and a multi colored gatto (who looked like a patch work of many cats), very funny and pretty vocal enjoying the sunshine.
When we finally leave after a second tour around for me, the skies begin to gray and the last 30yds to the car was met with a rain shower. The drive to Caltagirone was off and on rain but the landscape changes were no less spectacular. Sweeping valleys with high hills (“ships in the fields”…. sheeps) and outcrops of rocks (some that appear tomb like with square openings. We find the Guatliers B&B across from St. Francis of Assisi church and Giuseppe Barletta shows us our flat. Adequate but has a great view of the valley on one side and the turquoise titled dome in the lower city. Its blustery here – cool, very windy with showers you can watch approach from across the valley. Giuseppe tells us where we get our breakfast, so we all walk and then see the steps of Annta Maria del Monte. 142 to the stop and all faced with a different pattern of tile and flanked by majolica potters workshops (like Deruta, you can’t turn around in this town and not pee on a potter). In addition to practical pottery, they do these lifelike terra cotta figurines, some of regular folk and country peasants, but mostly figurines for the most amazing crèche scenes I’ve ever seen. We do eventually make it to the top and back. The boys get sandwiches and I get 2 bird shaped cookies (Evan believes they’re seals) and I see these flat basket shaped, designed dough with braids and a fold with an egg held in place by the baked dough. Some kind of Easter treat? Anyone’s guess.
We ventured back out at 8pm to find a pizzeria and down the street after checking out the Planet bar, we find a place and the boys are in heaven – Lo! a 42” flat screen TV. It still has weird Italian shows on it. (the strange red Barney like character and a lot of busty girls). Sated and well vino’d, the walk back was windy and rainy. From the room window, we watch the storms approach.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Crappy day!!! Very windy, on and off rain, damp and downright nippy. A brisk walk for breakfast – good cappuccinos and great pastries – bad hot chocolate and juice for the boys. After finding the contemporary ceramic museum last night, we venture to find the archeological museum (of ceramics) in the lower part of town after dropping off Aaron’s computer to be checked. Museum pieces date from Neolithic period to 1800’s. Love the early majolica tile work and bowl designs. The oil lamps and lovely little pots – some plain fired others with intricate design. Hard to believe the vibrancy of the colors so long ago.
Some breaks in the rain and a few flashes of sun but no break from the breeze accompany us on the walk down to a large green space with a small tiles, outdoor theatre and the Tondo Vecchio. A giant dome on 8 columns with the façade completely covered in tile. Aaron gives me his baddest dance moves in the center. Gotta love it. We pass the cinema – Benjamin Button still in the limelight here – Frank wants to go – I definitely don’t! We laugh as we make our mental lists “Things we miss at home”: hot tub, toilet seats, movies with popcorn, half and half, and the critters. After the cappuccino stop to warm our hands, we add “Things we hate about Italy” list including planters on the sidewalks and Vespas passing everywhere.
Some breaks in the rain and a few flashes of sun but no break from the breeze accompany us on the walk down to a large green space with a small tiles, outdoor theatre and the Tondo Vecchio. A giant dome on 8 columns with the façade completely covered in tile. Aaron gives me his baddest dance moves in the center. Gotta love it. We pass the cinema – Benjamin Button still in the limelight here – Frank wants to go – I definitely don’t! We laugh as we make our mental lists “Things we miss at home”: hot tub, toilet seats, movies with popcorn, half and half, and the critters. After the cappuccino stop to warm our hands, we add “Things we hate about Italy” list including planters on the sidewalks and Vespas passing everywhere.
Later in the day, we go to check on Aaron’s computer and I go next door to Mario Alba Ceramiche Shop (he’s the one we were told does whistles). We saw him earlier and bought one of his and he showed us the antique one from about 1750 – 1800’s. They are religious figurines of Christ, Saints, etc. and are pretty high pitched but really cool. He and a friend were helping me find out about this Calandruccio crest (geneology) from Caltagirone and again between their poor English and my poor Italian we have a discussion that’s informative and curious on both sides. I find that this is the 3rd time (I with Marianne to help interpret & 2 solo) that I have had an opportunity to connect on a personal level with a few people. It’s an interesting experience because I can understand more than I thought and certainly more than I speak. Anyway, there are no Calandruccio’s in the phone book, although Mario’s friend believes the name may have been changed when he emigrated, but they showed me on the map the municipal building, to ask for records and also a library where old documents have been stored. The municipal bldg’s records go to 1940’s and there are no people of that name, but the girl tells me that a lot of records had been destroyed in the earthquakes but maybe the library can help. I’m finding dead ends and cold & tired. Aaron had found his way to the computer store (God knows how) to check on the progress, which is none and we both walk home.
Frank brings a hot lunch of grilled chicken & potatoes and filled friend rice pears which are so tasty, they can’t be good for you. Late dinner at the Planet Bar where they are setting up music (DJ karaoke Italian style). Burger paninis for the boys grilled chicken one for me and Frank with salad and ravioli w/ spinach and cheese w/ pistachio sauce. Quick walk to B&B – decision made to get out of the windy mountain town and head back seaside. Hooray!!!.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Up early, looks like another blustery one in Caltagirone. Quick pack, pay the bill w/Giuseppe, one last sweet from the Café for breakfast – reprogram Jane to Siracusa and after a short but harrowing turn about town, we find a road outta Dodge. Lots of small slides on the roads from the rain and sandy soils, but the skies are variable and in some of the valleys, patches of sun pop through. We know we are nearer the coast when the land flattens a bit; the fields (groves) become more organized and look! Mt. Etna smoking away to our left and then right on the way to Siracusa.
We drive right into the island part of Siracusa and begin to look for accommodations (our B&B requests were unanswered) but it really is cool here, dry and warmer by about 25 degrees, so we’re staying. We check out some hotels and we circumnavigate the island and after being diverted from the coast road we find ourselves near the restaurant Ann Marie told us about (La Foglia) and sure enough, in the little alley was beside it is the B&B Aretusa Vaccize. Really cute, great room w/2 bedroom, kitchen area (stocked) fridge, heat (a biggie), terrace on top of the building that you can see the bay. A bit more pricey than what we’re looking for but perfect for a few nights. We are so staying !!!
Frank has to move the car after some guy begins yelling at the boys in the back seat while we were looking at the room, so his quick jaunt around the block takes an awful long time. When he finally shows back up, his jaunt around the block turned into a turn around the whole island. Too many “do not enter” streets and bastardly Vespas. It was a perfect “you know” moment. After a good laugh, we’re checked in – the boys are sucked in MTV – Frank and I head to Mariano’s ristorante next door for Sicilia tipica lunch. Antipasti samplers for us to try (zucchini, quiche of some kind, spicy sausage, spinach and a cheese filled pinwheel w/ tomato, eggplant, artichoke, spice & oil covered bread w/ a ricotta, pistachio spread. Frank gets ravioli’s and I a penne with artichoke, capers and tomatoes. Molto Bene!!! The owner plops down 2 bottles of some liquor on the tables – 1 brown and 1 amber in color. Frank goes 1st w/ the brown one & the face is priceless, then the 2nd taste face is even better. He’s right! The brown one tastes like paint stripper, the amber one is odd tasting but not bad. I finish the cup with about a ½ inch in it and the short walk down to the castle was a bit wobbly but enjoyable all the same.
The boys have been hunkered in getting an MTV fix, so a walk to find a small market for milk, bread leads us to the Duomo. Wandering the Plaza shows one building very different from another but as beautiful as can be and, of course, these are 2 churches: St. Lucia and the Duomo.
The Palazzos are stately and solid, impeccably kept. Incredible space – it weighs on the eyes. Back home, a short nap for me – internet time for everyone else – must be the stuff in the bottles catching up with me and when it time, we head out to ZSA’s for pizza and caprise for me. I’m not walking fast enough to keep up with the amount of pasta I’m chowing down. The late hour for dinner doesn’t do well for my waist line either.
Saturday. March 7, 2009
Cool crappy day. Good day for school and a bit of laundry. After breakfast and showers, they get logged on; we get a few progress reports and try to map out what needs to be attended to for school. Off and on rain, keeps us focused on school until the break in the clouds sends us out to explore Ortigia. Some of the courtyards on the way to the Duomo are too tempting to resist wandering into. All of them are interesting and of course, there’s a Vespa or a Fiat parked inside (premium parking). The Duomo is open, so Frank and I go inside. It’s big, not as ornate as the outside but marble floors and statues are the norm. There’s an altar for St. Lucia with small crypt with glass sides that shows part of her forearm bones. They are wrapped in a shroud had have flowers and candles all around. The artwork rocks.
We find the fountain of Diana in Archimedes plaza. One of the few that are spouting water. It’s magnificent and so incredibly detailed, right down to the Italian greyhound that sits behind her. Come` bella ! My eyes do not tire from all the cool stuff all around and the images hopefully will remain in my brain. We continue walking up to the bridge over to the mainland and some rays of sunshine allow us to get some sun on the Temple of Apollo and the waterfront. We show the boys where the Pupi labatorio (puppet shop) is and we watch 2 young men (1 an apprentice?) carve and paint a new marionette. Unfortunately for us, the theatre is shut down until??? Their puppets are a tad creepier looking than the ones in Prague. Exposure to these things is decreasing the freak factor but they still have an element of “eewww”. Pizza tonight is across from the Duomo. New place, fancy in a modern sense but no denying you’re not in Kansas anymore with the view across the Plaza. We find an art opening not far from the Plaza featuring women artists. Some of it is OK, rest is sophmorish or immature. Technique is thin.
Sunday. March 8, 2009
Day starts a bit cloudy but then the sun breaks though, breeze is a bit warmer and after a bit of school work we head to the archeological park in the metropolitan area of Siracusa. It’s funny how you get tickets in an area ¼ mile from the site so they want you to meander the souvenir stalls before you get to the sites, I guess. We cross the busy street toward the park and head to the “teatro Greco”. It was built for a tyrant Heron I by Demacopos and opened in 470 BC with a play called “The Persian”. The 2 levels are separated by a corridor which on certain parts of the walls you can see Greek letters carved. We believe it says “cheap seats” but you never know. They say it could seat 20,000 and it faces the sea but with all the trees and growth it’s hard to tell.
On top of the theatre is a flat terrace with an open area that has water flowing into a grotto, on either side the walls have openings carved into them. I find later that offerings were deposited as the grotto of Nymphaeum was a sacred place for religious ceremonies. There are plays still being performed there in the summer of Greeks tragedies, of course. In the adjoining valley is a quarry where prisoners were forced to dig rock until they died. Hard choices in politics in those days. Greek, Carthage, Syracusian – who you sided with could have been your undoing if not this century, well the next. There a large cave called the “ear of Dionysius”. It has the most amazing acoustics. I was listening to a tour guide sing inside after the boys went back to the entrance and it resonated crystal clear. Bravo !
Not far away is a Roman Amphitheatre built in the 3rd century AD. It’s pretty big but I guess you need big when you play gladiator. It claims to be the 3rd biggest colosseum behind the ones in Rome and Verona. At the end of the quarry is stone they hadn’t gotten around to digging out yet, maybe it was the wrong color or the winning team decided they didn’t need any more stone, but on that small ridge of stone is where the tomb of Archimedes was. Out of all the holes carved in the rock, his was easiest to spot as it had the remains of columns on the side of the opening and the triangle of a roof carved into it. He gets the pretty tomb because he built all the machines of destruction and they decided they liked him, even though the Romans killed him by accident.
Back in Ortigia on a fine afternoon, again we walk the streets and alleys – to the fountain of Aretusa where the papyrus grows and the ducks swim, all along the waterfront in the sunshine with a couple of gelatos to go (mine’s pistachio, yummy). The castle Maniace is closed for renovations. Very Byzantine with painted arches and vaulted ceiling. The amount of people out and about is staggering. The girls in their fashionable jackets and sunglasses and spike heels with patterned hose. Tre` chic! The guys in black leather jackets, scarves and Ray Bans or Gucci sunglasses.
We (Frank and I) have a lovely lunch together at La Foglia. Ann Marie was right – great place, fabulous menu – Lentils & white zucchini soup for me. Ravioli w/meat sauce and a meat ball for Frank. The guys go for internet time and I hang out by Aretusa and enjoy the sunshine and watch the people walk, talk and greet each other. There’s a couple with a tiny brown Chihuahua – he must weigh about 2 pounds and he’s barking at people and dogs 100X bigger than he is. He gets a lot of reaction from people passing by. It’s fun to be part of a parade. What a great ritual these Italians have.
Dinner is on the oceanfront promenade tonight. One of the seaside ristorante – with the outside shelter and heaters are still a nippy for us so we decide to go inside. Great decision. The restaurant is a small round vaulted room with a glass floor and below is a group of pools and fountains spewing water everywhere. It is so cool! There’s a spiral staircase and Aaron & I go down to explore. It’s a low ceiling and narrow walkway but it’s a lot of fun down the. Statues and splashing water in the pools make me have to pee – so up I go. It’s funny to see people’s reaction when they realize the floor is glass – first is joyful surprise then trepidation when they first walk in it, then the look when the women realize that there’s a 13 year old boy that could look up their dresses.
Monday, March 9th, 2009
Off to the southwest coast to find an apartment on the Mediterranean Sea for a week or so. Decide to check out the town of Licata, Agrigento and Sciacca before making a decision. A seaside home in Sciacca base found.
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Goryl Family’s European Travels – 2009
January thru February.
We arrived safely and all went very well with picking up the Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was first class treatment with their purchase abroad program.
Our friends in Aalborg, Denmark were a welcome sight and their apartment in Berlin was simply perfect for our needs. If it wasn't so cold outside we would have wanted to stay a few weeks. We enjoyed having an apartment as a home-base for several days in Berlin. The boys were able to get school work done at the internet café across from our apartment. We were able to visit some of the tourist spots like Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charley and Museum and various sections of the Berlin Wall.
Since Evan is reading Romeo and Juliet for his English class, we made a quick stop in Verona to see and photograph the famous balcony. Touristy but cool none the less. And then on to Cremona and the birthplace of Antonio Stradivarius. When we arrived in the center plaza there was a Sunday afternoon theatrical swordfight between two medieval family rivals. Spent a night and a day exploring the many sites (tombstone, house) of Stradivarius and the museum of historical and current international violin making. There seems to be a luthier on every corner and we visited the shop of Gaspar Borchardt who came to Cremona from German 25 years ago to study and has remained !
From Cremona we drove about 3 hours and reached Certaldo in late afternoon. The sun was finally out and the car temperature was registering 55. Ah, finally the warmth of Italy we had been hoping. GPS Jane had some original difficulty locating the old farmhouse converted to ceramic studio on a hill top in Bagnano about 5miles outside the city center of Certaldo but such gave us the chance to drive around the city center a few times. We arrived to welcome hugs from Claudia Bruhin (the administrator) and Pietro Maddalena (the artist) and their little ceramic nirvana (featured in Ceramics Monthly April ‘05) who seemed impressed that we ventured so far with our family. Claudia showed us the small apartment above the studio where we were welcomed to stay a few days and helped orient us to the area (grocery story, laundromat, etc.). She arranged for us to visit a possible apartment to rent for April/May the next day. As we settled in to a simple dinner of bread, cheese and a few extras; there was a full moon rising over the Tuscan landscape. I am overwhelmingly blessed and thankful that I can share this experience with my family.
We have spent three nights at La Meridiana International School of Ceramics near Certaldo and they have been a welcome stop along the route. Both Claudia and Pietro have been wonderful hosts and the apartment above the art studio has been ideal. Tuscany is rolling hills with olive trees and vineyards and seeing the countryside at sunrise or sunset is simply awe inspiring. We have been able to connect on an apartment for April/May, arrange details for my art residency, have dinner one night in a medieval castle on the hilltop in Certaldo and simply get a whole bunch of stuff done like laundry. It has been very beautiful here and we look forward to spending several weeks in the Spring.
We next visited Gubbio along the journey south. I had been given the names of two people who live in Gubbio that are relatives of teachers at Valley View High School. The first is Leo Grilli, a 70-80 year old master ceramic artist. He is a master craftsman in the majolica technique which this region is famous. We found his shop on a narrow street and either his daughter of niece, who was working in the store front lead us down a narrow stair case into Leo’s workshop which was filled to the rafters with ceramic pieces in all phases of completion. After a few photos we drove on to the Relais Ducale Hotel to meet Sean Pegula who is from Jessup, PA. After a brief visit and promise to return to Gubbio when there is no snow on the hillside we drove on to Deruta.
From Gubbio we drove an hour south to Deruta, the seemingly capital of the majolica ceramic world. As we exit the autostrada there is a factory building with these huge 2 story vases at the entrance. The town is filled with ceramic stores and studios. We are later told that in the 5km span of Deruta that there are 280 ceramic factories. We find the Deruta School of Ceramics and Director Nicola Boccini. Nicola was referred to me by Bruce Dehnert at Peter’s Valley and Nicola is very welcoming. He gives us a tour of his facility and then makes arrangements for us to stay in the nearby hotel which to the delight of the boys has wireless internet in the rooms. After we check into the hotel we take a quick drive thru the old town of Deruta which of course is located on the top of the hill, we stop and pick up some pizza to bring back to the hotel and spend a relaxing evening watching CNN and Fox news on the TV.
After a night in the Hotel Ubias, we decide to spend a week or two in this unique village. The town of Scilla is a small inlet with about a mile of beach and a fortress on a hilltop at one end. Being winter with temperature in the fifties, the town is fairly deserted with the exception of a few hotels and several restaurants. We are told that this little swordfish fishing village has ties to Greek mythology and the Homeric myth of “Scilla and Cariddi”. Legend has it that Ulysses built the oldest part of the castle as a temple to honor Minerva.
The evening ended with Joe’s other cousin (Marianna's brother Massimo) meeting us at a local pizzeria with his two 15 year old nephew and niece for dinner. They wanted a "special treat" for Evan and Aaron to share some conversation with some other kids. We plan to stay in Scilla thru the end of the month then go to Sicily were Susan has uncovered a maternal grandfather connection in the town of Caltagirone.
We arrived safely and all went very well with picking up the Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was first class treatment with their purchase abroad program.
Our friends in Aalborg, Denmark were a welcome sight and their apartment in Berlin was simply perfect for our needs. If it wasn't so cold outside we would have wanted to stay a few weeks. We enjoyed having an apartment as a home-base for several days in Berlin. The boys were able to get school work done at the internet café across from our apartment. We were able to visit some of the tourist spots like Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charley and Museum and various sections of the Berlin Wall.
One night we went with a couple of German friends (one is the artist I met via the Landfill art project I am doing and the other is an apartment neighbor who owns a unique lamp shop) to a local East German restaurant with very traditional food then they took us to a very small "kinda bar" converted store front and we listened to a German trio play "country and western".
It was great fun and the music was wonderful. Crazy hearing Johnny Cash and Patsy Kline in English with a southern drawl then between songs they would speak in German to the audience. Only drawback is that Germans smoke a lot in public places. The locals here tells us that Berlin rarely gets snow more than an occasional dusting. It is fairly cold but doesn't prevent people from still riding their bicycles. My favorite as I walk to the local coffee shop in the morning is seeing the mothers with their children on the back of the bikes all bundled like that scene from "A Christmas Story"
From Berlin we drove to Prague and what a beautiful city. So many neat old buildings and stories. It really has the feel of a medieval town. We saw the place where Mozart first performed Don Giovanni then later that evening went to a marionette performance (which Prague is famous) of the opera in Italian.
Very, very, cool. Kids loved it !!! Visited the house that Albert Einstein lived when he taught at the University and also the house of Franz Kafka.
Spent a few days in Salzburg, Austria. We explored some of the places that I remember from when I studied here in 1973 (WOW.... i am getting old). Visited both Mozart’s birth house/museum and also his father’s house/museum. Great education for Evan and Aaron. We climbed the famous fortress and also saw the house and gazebo from the Sound of Music.
Made a quick stop in Bolzano to see the “prehistoric ice man” then visited Trento, Italy to meet one of Susan's cousins who is a classical musician and composer. The boys played some music for him and we were able to share some conversation with a relative from the “old country”. It was very special for Susan.
From Berlin we drove to Prague and what a beautiful city. So many neat old buildings and stories. It really has the feel of a medieval town. We saw the place where Mozart first performed Don Giovanni then later that evening went to a marionette performance (which Prague is famous) of the opera in Italian.
Very, very, cool. Kids loved it !!! Visited the house that Albert Einstein lived when he taught at the University and also the house of Franz Kafka.
Spent a few days in Salzburg, Austria. We explored some of the places that I remember from when I studied here in 1973 (WOW.... i am getting old). Visited both Mozart’s birth house/museum and also his father’s house/museum. Great education for Evan and Aaron. We climbed the famous fortress and also saw the house and gazebo from the Sound of Music.
Made a quick stop in Bolzano to see the “prehistoric ice man” then visited Trento, Italy to meet one of Susan's cousins who is a classical musician and composer. The boys played some music for him and we were able to share some conversation with a relative from the “old country”. It was very special for Susan.
Since Evan is reading Romeo and Juliet for his English class, we made a quick stop in Verona to see and photograph the famous balcony. Touristy but cool none the less. And then on to Cremona and the birthplace of Antonio Stradivarius. When we arrived in the center plaza there was a Sunday afternoon theatrical swordfight between two medieval family rivals. Spent a night and a day exploring the many sites (tombstone, house) of Stradivarius and the museum of historical and current international violin making. There seems to be a luthier on every corner and we visited the shop of Gaspar Borchardt who came to Cremona from German 25 years ago to study and has remained !
From Cremona we drove about 3 hours and reached Certaldo in late afternoon. The sun was finally out and the car temperature was registering 55. Ah, finally the warmth of Italy we had been hoping. GPS Jane had some original difficulty locating the old farmhouse converted to ceramic studio on a hill top in Bagnano about 5miles outside the city center of Certaldo but such gave us the chance to drive around the city center a few times. We arrived to welcome hugs from Claudia Bruhin (the administrator) and Pietro Maddalena (the artist) and their little ceramic nirvana (featured in Ceramics Monthly April ‘05) who seemed impressed that we ventured so far with our family. Claudia showed us the small apartment above the studio where we were welcomed to stay a few days and helped orient us to the area (grocery story, laundromat, etc.). She arranged for us to visit a possible apartment to rent for April/May the next day. As we settled in to a simple dinner of bread, cheese and a few extras; there was a full moon rising over the Tuscan landscape. I am overwhelmingly blessed and thankful that I can share this experience with my family.
We have spent three nights at La Meridiana International School of Ceramics near Certaldo and they have been a welcome stop along the route. Both Claudia and Pietro have been wonderful hosts and the apartment above the art studio has been ideal. Tuscany is rolling hills with olive trees and vineyards and seeing the countryside at sunrise or sunset is simply awe inspiring. We have been able to connect on an apartment for April/May, arrange details for my art residency, have dinner one night in a medieval castle on the hilltop in Certaldo and simply get a whole bunch of stuff done like laundry. It has been very beautiful here and we look forward to spending several weeks in the Spring.
We next visited Gubbio along the journey south. I had been given the names of two people who live in Gubbio that are relatives of teachers at Valley View High School. The first is Leo Grilli, a 70-80 year old master ceramic artist. He is a master craftsman in the majolica technique which this region is famous. We found his shop on a narrow street and either his daughter of niece, who was working in the store front lead us down a narrow stair case into Leo’s workshop which was filled to the rafters with ceramic pieces in all phases of completion. After a few photos we drove on to the Relais Ducale Hotel to meet Sean Pegula who is from Jessup, PA. After a brief visit and promise to return to Gubbio when there is no snow on the hillside we drove on to Deruta.
From Gubbio we drove an hour south to Deruta, the seemingly capital of the majolica ceramic world. As we exit the autostrada there is a factory building with these huge 2 story vases at the entrance. The town is filled with ceramic stores and studios. We are later told that in the 5km span of Deruta that there are 280 ceramic factories. We find the Deruta School of Ceramics and Director Nicola Boccini. Nicola was referred to me by Bruce Dehnert at Peter’s Valley and Nicola is very welcoming. He gives us a tour of his facility and then makes arrangements for us to stay in the nearby hotel which to the delight of the boys has wireless internet in the rooms. After we check into the hotel we take a quick drive thru the old town of Deruta which of course is located on the top of the hill, we stop and pick up some pizza to bring back to the hotel and spend a relaxing evening watching CNN and Fox news on the TV.
Breakfast at the hotel and a little internet and email before I head over to the Art Center where Nicola and I exchange conversation, computer visuals and then Nicola takes me in his car to visit the local ceramics supply store and its owner Giulianno Mencarelli. We also visit the shop of a local artist who makes Greek urns in the “old style” and also some beautiful raku works. It is interesting to note that among this town of traditional style pottery that there is this undercurrent of raku artists. As Susan said there is a pottery shop on every corner. Nicola says that he can make arrangements for us to rent an apartment for a week or two at the beginning of April. I was impressed with all of Deruta and the many possibilities that exist here.
We pack up the car and plan to drive the estimated 4-5 hours to the Amalfi coast. We autoban past Rome and Naples and set JPS Jane to exit at Castellammare di Stabis where we can see Mt. Vesuvius and the port of Naples. We slowly drive the 25 miles of winding and twisting coastal road thru small little towns like Postimo and Amalfi and decide to drive to Scelano for the night. As we arrive in Salerno around 6pm we discover that it is a major city with simply too much hustle and bustle and would prefer not to try finding a hotel. We drive into the night for about an hour and find a hotel along the autoban to sleep. Was a bad “Friday the 13th” decision not to spend a night in Amalfi but am thankful that that was the worst the day had to offer. We had previously agreed not to drive at night and were reminded of the consequences of not following the agenda.
We awake in the Forum Hotel in the small town of Polia and make the decision that we would like to drive to Calabria nonstop. Polia is located inland and in the mountainous region of Italy. Both Susan and I are impressively tall and snowcapped the mountains are and once again how incredibly amazing Italian town planning occurs. It seems that first they find a hilltop or small mountaintop and build a church, then clinging to and cascading down the mountain side the town grows. These towns are visually harmonious with earthen color building materials and terracotta tile roofs contrasting the backdrop of greener mountain terrain. And they all appear to be at least a thousand years old. I comment to Susan that now I have a “visual” for Italy.
We pack up the car and plan to drive the estimated 4-5 hours to the Amalfi coast. We autoban past Rome and Naples and set JPS Jane to exit at Castellammare di Stabis where we can see Mt. Vesuvius and the port of Naples. We slowly drive the 25 miles of winding and twisting coastal road thru small little towns like Postimo and Amalfi and decide to drive to Scelano for the night. As we arrive in Salerno around 6pm we discover that it is a major city with simply too much hustle and bustle and would prefer not to try finding a hotel. We drive into the night for about an hour and find a hotel along the autoban to sleep. Was a bad “Friday the 13th” decision not to spend a night in Amalfi but am thankful that that was the worst the day had to offer. We had previously agreed not to drive at night and were reminded of the consequences of not following the agenda.
We awake in the Forum Hotel in the small town of Polia and make the decision that we would like to drive to Calabria nonstop. Polia is located inland and in the mountainous region of Italy. Both Susan and I are impressively tall and snowcapped the mountains are and once again how incredibly amazing Italian town planning occurs. It seems that first they find a hilltop or small mountaintop and build a church, then clinging to and cascading down the mountain side the town grows. These towns are visually harmonious with earthen color building materials and terracotta tile roofs contrasting the backdrop of greener mountain terrain. And they all appear to be at least a thousand years old. I comment to Susan that now I have a “visual” for Italy.
Heading down and winding through the mountains filled with long tunnels and arching bridges toward the seacoast we give a “family five” as we cross the provincial boarder from Basilicata into Calabria. Along the coast we make several stops in the towns of Scalena and Paola but none peak our interest for an overnight. We arrive in Villa San Giovanni and the birthplace of Susan’s maternal grandmother and discover that it is a fairly large port town and ferry launch to Sicily so we drive the small coastal road back north about 5 miles to the little fishing village of Scilla to spend the night.
After a night in the Hotel Ubias, we decide to spend a week or two in this unique village. The town of Scilla is a small inlet with about a mile of beach and a fortress on a hilltop at one end. Being winter with temperature in the fifties, the town is fairly deserted with the exception of a few hotels and several restaurants. We are told that this little swordfish fishing village has ties to Greek mythology and the Homeric myth of “Scilla and Cariddi”. Legend has it that Ulysses built the oldest part of the castle as a temple to honor Minerva.
The first couple of nights we stay at Hotel Ubias whose owner has lived in Brooklyn, NY and is very helpful to the Americans in a beach town in winter. We look at a few apartments in hopes of finding something with heat for a week or so with no luck the first few days. We make several days trips to explore the region. To Reggio and the “auto club” for some local maps and then the archeological museum and the bronze statues (name) which Susan won’t believe they fashioned after my physique, to Villa San Giovanni and the nearest shopping center for a wireless internet card, to Piale and the town’s water fountain donated by (name) Crea which is Susan’s maternal grandmother maiden name.
We connect with Massimo and Marianna who are our Italian language teachers’ cousins from Reggio who join us for dinner one evening in Scilla then invite us to a dinner in their home after a tour of the “5th Avenue of Reggio” during Carnival. We are grateful for this local connection but feel embarrassed that we cannot eat the vast quantity of food they prepared. Jus the first course of lasagna would have been sufficient.
After a couple of days of hotel living (and feeling like Paris Hilton or something) the hotel staff help us find a heated small apartment located in the hilltop section of Scilla. Interesting how we use our “google translation” computer program to write out instructions and dialogue with the apartment owner to clarify details of the rental. To the local market and a home cooked steak dinner that Evan has been requesting. It feels good to have a place we can call home with a kitchen, an itty bitty washing machine and plenty of free parking on a cobblestone street about as wide as my driveway. Just making sure ya fold in the side mirrors at night.
A note for my golfing buddies…….. the other day with the temperature reaching the mid fifties………. the family planned a day trip to the 1 of 3 nine hole golf courses located within the province of Calabria. After about 45 miles (or a 1 hour drive according to GPS Jane), we arrived at the Feudo Montalto Golf Club. The other two courses are 3- 5 hour drives. There were 3 cars in the parking lot, a Mercedes, a BMW, and the local pickup truck. Two guys were teeing off on number 1 and when I say that your local cow pasture makes Feudo Mantalto look like Augusta my imagination is not far off. But trust me, once we are able to translate the golf information provided and insure that we can rent a set of golf clubs, Evan and I have already set the agenda for a day of golfing so not only can he log it in as gym class hours and being the good parent will make the sacrifice to join him.
Spend a bunch of days simply getting to know the neighborhood. Cobblestone alleys leading to small shops tended by elderly Italian woman who smile and nod in approval as they try to help me pronounce the word for olive oil or gently count out the proper amount from my open hand of small change. One evening at our favorite local pizzeria, another some home cooked pasta and even one at the little elegant place tucked by the water’s edge in the Chianalea’s section of town. As we prepare to order at the customary 8pm dinner time, a local fisherman is bringing his boat to dock jus off the back door patio.
Last night we meet Joe's (our Italian teacher) cousin Marianna who works with someone who knows someone who knows one of Susan's cousins. We meet Marianna outside the Shopping Center in Villa San Giovanni, we all drive to this church and meet an fairly older woman who was married to a Calandruccio (Susan grandfather) and she takes us to the foundation of a post 1907 earthquake building and tells us (translation via Marianna) that this was the first building in Piale that Susan's great grandfather Giuseppe built when he moved from Sicily.
She then takes us to some distant relative of Susan whose grandfather and Susan's grandfather might have been brothers and there are at least another dozen "relatives" sitting around the kitchen table discussing (in Italian so we can't understand) the family crest from Sicily. It was surreal. They make arrangements to meet at the local church the next day to look through church documents where Susan was met by a relative from the Crea family and a relative from the Calandruccio family. Looking at hand written records dating back to 1810 they found the marriage record for Susan’s great grandfather (Guiseppe Calundruccio) to her great grandmother (Angela Leonardis) in 1871. They also found the baptismal record for Susan’s grandfather Vincenzo Calanddruccio dated 12 March 1883. Wow !!!
We connect with Massimo and Marianna who are our Italian language teachers’ cousins from Reggio who join us for dinner one evening in Scilla then invite us to a dinner in their home after a tour of the “5th Avenue of Reggio” during Carnival. We are grateful for this local connection but feel embarrassed that we cannot eat the vast quantity of food they prepared. Jus the first course of lasagna would have been sufficient.
After a couple of days of hotel living (and feeling like Paris Hilton or something) the hotel staff help us find a heated small apartment located in the hilltop section of Scilla. Interesting how we use our “google translation” computer program to write out instructions and dialogue with the apartment owner to clarify details of the rental. To the local market and a home cooked steak dinner that Evan has been requesting. It feels good to have a place we can call home with a kitchen, an itty bitty washing machine and plenty of free parking on a cobblestone street about as wide as my driveway. Just making sure ya fold in the side mirrors at night.
A note for my golfing buddies…….. the other day with the temperature reaching the mid fifties………. the family planned a day trip to the 1 of 3 nine hole golf courses located within the province of Calabria. After about 45 miles (or a 1 hour drive according to GPS Jane), we arrived at the Feudo Montalto Golf Club. The other two courses are 3- 5 hour drives. There were 3 cars in the parking lot, a Mercedes, a BMW, and the local pickup truck. Two guys were teeing off on number 1 and when I say that your local cow pasture makes Feudo Mantalto look like Augusta my imagination is not far off. But trust me, once we are able to translate the golf information provided and insure that we can rent a set of golf clubs, Evan and I have already set the agenda for a day of golfing so not only can he log it in as gym class hours and being the good parent will make the sacrifice to join him.
Spend a bunch of days simply getting to know the neighborhood. Cobblestone alleys leading to small shops tended by elderly Italian woman who smile and nod in approval as they try to help me pronounce the word for olive oil or gently count out the proper amount from my open hand of small change. One evening at our favorite local pizzeria, another some home cooked pasta and even one at the little elegant place tucked by the water’s edge in the Chianalea’s section of town. As we prepare to order at the customary 8pm dinner time, a local fisherman is bringing his boat to dock jus off the back door patio.
Last night we meet Joe's (our Italian teacher) cousin Marianna who works with someone who knows someone who knows one of Susan's cousins. We meet Marianna outside the Shopping Center in Villa San Giovanni, we all drive to this church and meet an fairly older woman who was married to a Calandruccio (Susan grandfather) and she takes us to the foundation of a post 1907 earthquake building and tells us (translation via Marianna) that this was the first building in Piale that Susan's great grandfather Giuseppe built when he moved from Sicily.
She then takes us to some distant relative of Susan whose grandfather and Susan's grandfather might have been brothers and there are at least another dozen "relatives" sitting around the kitchen table discussing (in Italian so we can't understand) the family crest from Sicily. It was surreal. They make arrangements to meet at the local church the next day to look through church documents where Susan was met by a relative from the Crea family and a relative from the Calandruccio family. Looking at hand written records dating back to 1810 they found the marriage record for Susan’s great grandfather (Guiseppe Calundruccio) to her great grandmother (Angela Leonardis) in 1871. They also found the baptismal record for Susan’s grandfather Vincenzo Calanddruccio dated 12 March 1883. Wow !!!
The evening ended with Joe’s other cousin (Marianna's brother Massimo) meeting us at a local pizzeria with his two 15 year old nephew and niece for dinner. They wanted a "special treat" for Evan and Aaron to share some conversation with some other kids. We plan to stay in Scilla thru the end of the month then go to Sicily were Susan has uncovered a maternal grandfather connection in the town of Caltagirone.
On our last day in Scilla the temperature hit 72 and we spent the entire day on the beach. Not a cloud in the sky and many people were drawn to the sea. With shoes and sock off but the water a bit to chilly to wade, it was a month long wait to finally lay in the sun and warmth of southern Italy. Boys did a little internet school work at the local coffee/gelato shop and Susan did her customary hunt for sea glass. A very late afternoon lunch of leftover spaghetti, some packing preparation for the next day then an evening walk to our favorite pizzeria (Calipso) . The owner Salvatore and his two sons present us souvenir b-ball hats. A good evening in a special little town.
We plan a few weeks in Sicily then 10 days or so in Rome. April and May are booked with art projects in Deruta and Certaldo.
MARCH 2009. TO SICILY AND BEYOND.
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