A Week in Sabina!

Diario di Roma II: Rome Diary 2

Sunny 81°F/27°C in Roma

Buongiorno,

I realized after the first few days, when I was dealing with my jet lag, that I would quickly lose track of what day it happened to be. On my current sojourn in Italy, I will be lucky if Mike or

Forum at Night

Laura think to remind me what day my return flight to California is leaving Rome. Laura’s parents’ country home In Selci has but one DSL internet connection in the study upstairs. So, I’m not spending a whole lot of time on the internet on this trip. Maybe when I get back to Rome, and Michael and Laura’s wi-fi, I’ll get caught up on my email and peruse my Facebook page. As far as news from back home, Michael and Laura’s other houseguest, Rocky, did bring a two-day old copy of the International Edition of the New York Times with him. I must say that from this distance, reading about the American Presidential election campaign, especially the GOP primary race, reminds me of watching a re-run of the old “Gong Show.” Now that Berlusconi is no longer the star of Italian politics, the best political entertainment value for the folks around here seems to be the Donald Trump Presidential epic. I find I’m really enjoying the time out.

Laura and Michael invited me along while they are house-sitting for her folks, who have gone on their holiday to Calabria. So, for the past week, we have been ensconced in Sergio and Annamaria’s home in Selci, about an hour north of Rome in Sabina.The area was first settled by the ancient Etruscans some 2,000 years ago. The Etruscans were soon displaced by the upstart Romans and quickly disappeared. The adjacent state of Tuscany takes its name from the former inhabitants. That’s another reason, I find it distracting to make the effort to remember today’s date – there is so much history here in Italy, that it’s much easier to think in terms of past millennia than to remember what happened last Tuesday. Here’s an example of that.

Yesterday, we went on a drive north to Umbria and a visit to the ancient walled city of Bagnoregio, which is connected to an even more ancient fortified town called Civita, which is perched high atop a peak of volcanic tufa. The two towns are connected only by a long land bridge. Civita sits in splendid isolation in the valley like some land-locked version of Mont St. Michel, off the coast of France. Now, Civita has only 25 or so permanent residents.

MikeBo at Civita

The city was first built more than a thousand years ago. Gradually the land around it eroded, leaving the city stranded high atop the remnants of the long-dead volcanic peak, and its political prominence eclipsed by its neighbor, Bagnoregio.

Considering the relaxed pace my life has taken this week, it would seem to be a simple task to remember which day I did what. But, that is the infectious aspect of life in the Sabina countryside. No one seems to be in a hurry about anything. Last Friday, we drove to Tolfa for the music and art festa. Michael’s new band, No Funny Stuff, was on the stage in a piazza near the highest point in the ancient walled village. The next evening, when we first arrived in Selci for our weeklong Sabina holiday, the Caccia Festa awaited us. Laura’s mom and dad had invited us to the big community barbecue at the Selci fairgrounds. There must have been a thousand people dining under the stars and long picnic tables set up in front of the dance pavilion and bandstand.

Another day, the highlight was a long hike along the Tiber River. Sabina is way upstream from Rome, and on the summer morning that we took our stroll, il Tevere was meandering along on 

Meandering Tiber

its way to Rome and the Mediterranean beyond. It was a beautiful warm, sun-drenched summer morning. A beautiful time for a long walk beside the river. Still another day, we lounged around home for most of the day and then hopped in the car for a short drive into the old part of Selci. After a stroll through the old part of town, which involved narrow cobblestone streets and narrow twisting stairways, we emerged in a piazza at the very top of the town to find an inviting bar. It was our reward for the hard work of walking around the town. A welcome respite following a rather challenging walk. As we sipped our aperitivos, we watched the sun set over the hills across the valley. And, still another night, we piled in the car after dinner and headed off to another ancient town, and in the piazza in front of a 12^th century church, enjoyed an ice cream while listening to a live band playing on the front steps of the church. People from the surrounding town all congregated in the piazza to sip coffee or enjoy an ice cream or just socialize with their friends and neighbors in the town square.

By American suburban standards Selci Antica would be pre-historic. Imagine, if you can, the idea of renting an apartment in a building that has been continuously occupied for 1,200 years! If that idea appeals to you, I’d be happy to introduce you to Luciana, who lives next door here in Selci. Luciana and her husband own an adjacent resort. She refers to it as a Bed and Breakfast. I would describe it as a palazzo, or at the very least, a resort. It boasts a mansion and a cluster of other buildings, mostly cottages for those folks who want more privacy.   Oh, yes. And, a stable whose primary occupant is a quite vocal mule. (Sorry, I didn’t catch his name, but he looks every inch a

Selci Antica

Democrat).

The balmy summer evenings lend themselves well to outdoor barbecuing. I think that next to his music, Michael’s favorite pastime is barbecuing. Their new home in Rome has a backyard and outdoor patio where a barbecue grill permanently resides. And here in Selci there is a grill right alongside the outbuilding that houses a country cucina, or kitchen entirely separate from the kitchen in the main house. It even has a full wood-fired pizza oven. An outside table under a grape arbor with a full crop of uvas provides the perfect setting for dining al fresco. For dessert, fresh fruit plucked right from Sergio’s many vines and fruit trees.

This has turned into a very different kind of visit than what I had originally though it would be. This first full week is a classic Italian style holiday for me, an alien concept for most Americans, who’ve seen their hard earned annual vacations eroded into oblivion over the past few decades. Italians and other Europeans are still able to savor their annual summer holidays to refresh family ties, and recharge their emotional and spiritual batteries. The holiday is definitely a key element of the European concept of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. And, I’m all for it, even if it means interrupting my retirement and flying in steerage for 6,000 miles to enjoy it for myself! More on this a domani!

Ciao,  

MikeBo

©Mike Botula 2015