I recently wrote a short essay for a national magazine about meeting my Italian friends, and it was not only published, but chosen as the month’s prizewinner! Of course, they edited and shortened my story, but I will receive an award of the complete line of biodynamic products from Jurlique’s Purely Age-Defying Collection — a $300 value!
I feel doubly honored by this award, as I wasn’t aware there would be one when I submitted my entry…I simply wanted to share my story. It also encourages me to continue writing about my experiences.
The magazine is called body + soul, and here’s a link to the story on their online site: “Unexpected friendships”
I had the good fortune to visit the town of Greccio this year, which is built into the hillside in the region of Umbria in Italy. My friend Monica arranged the visit while I was visiting her in Rieti.
According to tradition, San Francesco (Saint Francis) created the first Nativity Scene on Christmas night in Greccio in 1223 in memory of the birth of Jesus. Since then it has been a tradition at Christmas-time to make a Nativity Scene.
Saint Francis was my favorite saint as a child, and I especially enjoyed visiting the Santuario that honors him.
Here’s a view of Greccio from a distance:
Greccio is one of the stops along the Cammino San Francesco, a pilgrimage route that goes from Rome to Assisi.
“Francis loved the hermitage of Greccio where the friars were virtuous and poor and the people of the land, their poverty and simplicity were very dear to him too. For these reasons he would often go to Greccio to rest for a few days attracted by an extremely scant and isolated cell where the holy father loved to collect his thoughts”
- Legend of Perugia, 34. Fonti Francescane. Editio Minor, Assisi, Movimento Francescano, 1986
according to Wikipedia:
“Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby, hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time they arrived carrying torches and candles. One of the friars began celebrating Mass while Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis stood before the manger, overwhelmed with love and filled with a wonderful happiness. For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.”
Here is a view of the the Chapel of the Nativity Scene, which was dug into the rock, and the fresco behind the altar.
The heart of the Sanctuary is the small Chapel of the Nativity built in the grotto that according to local tradition is where Francis arranged the Nativity of Christ. A rock under the altar indicates the place where Christ’s image was placed in the manger. Above the altar a 15th century fresco depicts the Nativity. The Virgin Mary is caught in the intimate gesture of breastfeeding the Child in the presence of Saint Joseph. On the left there is a scene representing Francis’ gift of the Nativity to Greccio. It shows Francis wearing the dalmatic of a deacon kneeling in front of the infant Jesus. Behind him the people of Greccio witness the miracle.
Greccio and its Franciscan Sanctuary have recently become one of the 754 properties included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After a rainy day in Positano, I was overjoyed the next morning when I awoke to a clear day. I watched the sunrise from my hotel window as the coastline emerged from the darkness. I ate a sumptuous breakfast, part of the package at most Italian hotels, and set out early for Amalfi, the largest town along the coast. I had bought my bus tickets the previous day, so was able to catch the bus outside the hotel. I waited with an Australian couple….and waited, and waited. Finally, after about thirty minutes, we heard the musical honking of the bus as it maneuvered around one of the curves of the road.
All along the AmalfiCoast, from morning until night, you can hear buses honking to warn other vehicles of their presence, as the road is barely wide enough to manage two cars, much less two buses at the same time. For the most part, traffic flows smoothly along the coastal highway, but there are times when two buses going in opposite directions arrive at the same point on one of the highway curves, and it is simply not possible for them both to make the curve at the same time: one of them must back up to allow enough room for the other to pass. But it seems to be done as a matter of course…taken in stride as part of the travel experience along the coastal road. I had read numerous accounts of the “scary” drive along the coast, but I did not find it to be so…in fact, it was quite the opposite. It was awe-inspiring to be able to view the coastline from the edge of the road…and it reminded me of driving along the California coast near Big Sur.
The bus arrived in Amalfi about 11 am, and I headed for the center of town where the Duomo sits, with its magnificent colored facade. Many buses from Sorrento and Salerno were arriving at the same time, filled with tourists from tour groups and cruises. Ick! As they began to fill the streets, shopping for souvenirs and limoncello, I decided to move on to Ravello, hoping to be ahead of the crowds now visiting Amalfi.
I caught another bus, and arrived in Ravello, which sits at the top of a hill and has incredible panoramic views of the coast. There are two villas with gardens to visit, and most people opt to see Villa Rufolo, the one closest to the bus stop. Instead, I headed across town to find Villa Cimbrone, along a stone path that led me past many terraced gardens and vineyards. It was about noon by this time, but I saw few people along the route, which took about 20 minutes to walk.
When I arrived at Villa Cimbrone, I was one of the few people there. I’m not sure why it is such a thrill for me when this happens, but to be in one of the most beautiful settings in the world and have it all to myself is one of the great pleasures of my life. I was there, on the Terrace of the Infinite, alone, for nearly 30 minutes. Incredible! I know most people prefer to share moments like this with other people…but I prefer to see beautiful landscapes by myself, at least the first time. If other people are around, they are usually talking, and it distracts me from paying attention to the details of the experience. In the past, I used to think how much better it would be to have someone to share such things with. But when I have been with other people, even loved ones, I found I enjoyed it less. Sometimes I found others have even ruined the experience for me with their chatter or because they didn’t enjoy it as much as I did, and wanted to move on.
This is one of the main reasons I usually prefer to travel alone, and I will continue to do so. Now that I’ve seen many beautiful places in Italy, I will enjoy returning with other people. But I want to experience new places for the first time by myself.
As you can see from the photos is my gallery, the view from Villa Cimbrone is phenomenal. Looking at them now, I can hardly believe I was there, if only for a few hours. After a while, more people started arriving in the gardens, and I headed back to the main part of town. Oh boy, was it crowded! The cruise buses had arrived, and hordes of people were streaming into Villa Rufolo. I decided not to go in, as it seemed impossible that it could compare with the beauty I’d seen from Villa Cimbrone. As it is with most places, I feel certain I will return in the future, so I don’t feel the necessity of cramming every sight in. I will see Villa Rufolo another time.
On the way back to the town center, I stopped at one point to sample some freshly made limoncello and bought a small bottle of the potent liqueur to give to my friends in Rome. It was exquisite….the best I’ve ever tasted, and I wish I had a gallon of it here at home! (Later, Lidia gave me a recipe, as it is quite simple to make…maybe I’ll try it next summer.)
I headed back to Amalfi, wandered along the main streets, and found a deli that served insalata al mare….a salad of seafood that was incredibly delicious. Accompanied with foccaccia and a bottle of water, I had a wonderful meal sitting at an outdoor table in the main piazza across from the duomo.
Amalfi is a town I would like to explore more in the future, but I was ready to head back to Praiano by 4 pm, and wanted to beat the crowds that would soon be headed back to Sorrento. Sure enough, there was a line of people waiting for the bus, and we ended up waiting more than an hour. I ended up on the same bus with the Australian couple I’d met that morning, which was a lucky thing, as they knew where to get off on the way back. The bus was pretty crowded, with people standing in the aisles, so I was glad we would be getting off quickly.
In Praiano, I dropped my things off at the hotel and trekked into town, hoping to catch the sunset from the western end of town. I was not disappointed. I sat near the town center, near a group of elderly men having a lively discussion. Below me, children were happily playing ball in the piazza near the duomo. I watched the sun set for nearly an hour, enjoying the ambience of the village life, the pealing of the church bells, the beauty of the seascape before me. A little bit of paradise.
I will be posting things out of order now, as I have more to say about many of the places I visited but didn’t have time to write about previously. And I know many of you are eager to see some photos.
Here’s a link to some photos of Venice. At the end of the album, there are two videos worth watching.
The first gives you an idea of the music and people in Piazza San Marco in the afternoons and evenings, when various orchestras (all top notch) entertain the crowds, competing for customers.
The second video was taken at 9 am on Sunday morning in Piazza San Marco, which was right around the corner from my hotel. Flags were being raised, vendors were putting out their wares, and the bells from San Marco and the campanile were pealing in all their glory. Enjoy!
