Italy Retreat

This is a guest blog from one of the amazing women who participated in my Italy Retreat in the Italian Riviera, September 12-20. Sallee writes on her Sparks on the Fringe blog.

Bella Italia!

A psychic friend of mine once told me that my eternal life path is aesthetics – that aesthetics is what I live and breathe for. Perhaps that is why I love Italy so much. Italy is home to some of the greatest art on the planet with its art museums, sculptures, churches, representing centuries of artistic achievement. Think of the Renaissance, Michelangelo, Da Vinci. Some of the most glorious art ever created was created in Italy. But to me it is more than that. On my trip with Lenora and company to the Cinque Terre, we didn’t spend our time in museums or visiting noted architectural masterpieces. We weren’t there for the art, but I couldn’t help but feel that I was immersed in a particular aesthetic experience.

It began when I saw the rows of dark green cypress trees neatly lining the fields of the countryside. Amidst the beautiful lush greens of late summer fields are houses and farmsteads of terracotta and gold. On the train ride out from Milan, everything seems so orderly and coherent, but also fluid and organically nestled into the rolling landscape.

Arriving in Monterosso, the scene is festive. It’s a hot Saturday afternoon and everyone is at the beach. Orange and white striped umbrellas snake along the back of the beach in an undulating curve, and the Mediterranean Ocean pulls back turquoise to a deep marine out to the horizon and upward into the blue dome. The soft earthy peaches and pinks of the houses of Monterosso climb in a seemingly random arrangement up the hillside under vineyards and forests at the top.

Against this backdrop of sublime color and beauty, another aesthetic is moving and breathing – the one of the life of an Italian village. After supervising the salting of the “acciuge” (anchovies) tenderly layered in the chunky glass jars, a local restaurateur, “Ciak”, is out for a walk with his dog before the dinnertime crowds fill his outdoor café for mussels and spaghetti or fish soup or the giant bowls of insalata mista.

Around the corner at Pizzeria Ely the grandchildren of the owner are playing in the street while grandpa oversees his operation making sure the waiters tend to their guests, and the florist next door is wrapping potted plants with a green wire mesh and pink raffia making sure it is absolutely perfect and impeccable before she is ready to let it go out the door. It is life in the details, and pride in the details of every moment that defines this aesthetic for me. No one is hurried, no one is willing to sacrifice their sense of ease and perfection – everyone moves with grace, beauty, and calmness. There is no hint that it is otherwise. I imagine that even the woman, shouting her tirade at someone from a hidden room up above us in one of the houses up the hill, is only angry because something was done in haste and not with perfection and in the spirit of La Dolce Vita.

Sallee Haerr blog http://sparksonthefringe.blogspot.com/

Photo: Photo: preparing flowers, and Ciak, the chef at Ristorante Ciak

My friend, Steve, told me that Padova had the best food market in Italy. I'm not sure that's official, but I know that it was just as great as a museum visit for me! I loved being surrounded by the herbs (photo) and colorful fruits, vegetables, spices and clothing.



I grew up with a chestnut tree in my backyard in West Virginia. Every winter my Italian grandmother, who lived next door, would roast the nuts in a pan on her stove. The mess left from the prickly chestnut covering on the ground got the better of my dad, and sometime after I graduated from college, he cut the tree down. But when I saw all the chestnuts displayed in the market in Padua, they looked so exotic and beautiful. Round and brown protected in their porcupine bed.

Imagine walking in your neighborhood and every other shop is selling Italian brioche, crescents filled with chocolate, cream, local jams and alongside them is the best coffee you could ask for. In addition, well dressed grandmothers walking arm in arm, and an older gentleman riding by on his bicycle followed by another il biciletti ridden by a store owner in her high heeled shoes, tight skirt and Prada purse on her shoulder. Look ahead and another grandmother is walking eating her gelato.
Italians seem to live more slowly but drive faster, even the bus drivers race around the streets, taking the turns like they are in a race. (see my notebook?)
Last Sunday, I finally had a day to take it easy after 2 1/2 weeks of constant exploring and activity in the Italian Riviera and here in the Veneto. There was a 2 day international festival in every piazza in Verona-- Italians and visitors dancing, singing and playing games.

Around every corner were beautiful churches and Italians celebrating with music, dancing in the streets, while children played games with adults--chess, checkers and other traditional/ancient games until late into the evening. Some of the games involved slingshots and small spinning tops. The quality of the sunlight, the sounds, the love--all so much for the heart and eyes to take in.

Piazza Erbe was once a forum during the Roman Empire days in 100AD, but now it is filled with vendors selling food and souvenirs to tourists. However, in preparation for the Tocati Festival all the vendors booths were driven away and in the early morning, I took this photo of an empty Piazza L'erbe.

A beautiful river meanders around the town connecting outlying neighborhoods by old and new bridges. Buildings that are 500 to 2000 years old seem to have personalities of their own. I try to imagine life as it was when they built these incredible works of art. (One of the photos on top is a garden in my neighborhood, voted the best garden in Italy last recently--Gardino Giusti).

Thursday night as I walked the 15 minutes to my apt. from Piazza Erbe, I heard an incredible 20 piece orchestra performing in Piazza dei Signori. Surprises abound in Italy, not just in Verona, but each city.

I sadly leave Italy today after being here for 4 weeks. Now for the adventure of traveling back to the U.S.

Portovenere

Everyone must go to Portovenere! A picture perfect town.

QUOTE: Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. –Albert Einstein
Poster with this quote is in my flat in Verona on Via Paradiso (Paradise Street)

Although I've been in Verona for two weeks now studying Italian and visiting the Venoto area, I want to do a few more posts about the Liguria area on the western part of Italy where I taught the "Italy Retreat." (Stay tuned for next year's Italy retreat location.)

I agree with Albert Einstein about falling in love. It's not gravitation but a deep connection with someone or something. I think it's easy to fall in love with Italy. Not only are there beautiful towns everywhere, the food is delicious and varied in different regions. I take photos of the food I eat and of the produce displays, as they are part of the sense of style and art of Italy. I will share more food photos upcoming blogs. The photo of the counter is a display of olives, vegetables, olive oil, lemoncello and more local products. I bought artichoke hearts (carciofi) that melted in my mouth.

Portovenere is the peninsula that juts out as you enter the Golf of Poets. If you continue by boat you arrive at the port town of La Spezia and the smaller but beautiful Lerici. If you hopped a train from Monterosso you would reach La Spezia in about 30 minutes.
I highly recommend taking the one hour ferry ride from Monterosso (the western most Cinque Terre village) to Portovenere. I doubt that you would find a more beautiful other-worldly journey anywhere. I'm so glad we didn't take the train and then the bus to Portovenere. Thanks to my friends, Linda and Tom, and Fred for suggesting ferry rides in Liguria more than train rides (although we took plenty of train trips too.)

Photos: Scene of Portovenere from the ferry. Ciao from Lenora with the castle in background at Portovenere. Every opening in the castle wall revealed breathtaking scenes of fascinating rock formations, ocean, sky and white albatross sailing high in the sky. Photo of Nancy and I at one of the portals left remaining from the ancient castle on the top of the mountain. The medieval village was an impregnable fortress belonging to Genoa. In the rocky background you can see the crags leaning towards the rocky Cinque Terre

Portovenere is comprised of 2 basic streets but they are magical and we all found ourselves just breathing more easily here. It seemed very spiritual peaceful here. The stores are unique, not hokey or too touristy. There is a more lake-like appearance to the Porto Venere. on the top of the rocky crags are the remains of a temple dedicated to Venus and also well preserved remains of a small early Christian Church and a restored Gothic temple built in 1256. I bought a handmade turtle from a very old lady sitting on a stoop outside the church because I collect turtles and I love that she made it from shells.

So many of the doors are even works of art. Here's a photo of one of them in Portovenere.

I started this blog in order to talk about beautiful Italy, and my workshop, but even more so to inspire all of you to do what you love to do. Find your heart's desire and follow it, even with baby steps. "Take the first step in faith", as Martin Luther King said, even though it may not be supported by others right away. It's really a matter of self-respect to do what you love!